Family leisure and culture

Barcelona is a city that proudly preserves its cultural heritage and traditions, with many festivals and local celebrations throughout the year. These events are a fantastic opportunity to enjoy culture and fun as a family. Each neighbourhood also hosts its own local festivals, with programmes specially adapted for younger children. To discover more about the richness and variety of Catalan and Barcelona traditions, take a look at the Local festivals and popular culture section.

Apart from the festivals, Barcelona also offers a wide range of cultural and leisure activities for families. Many museums organise family activities, workshops, dramatised visits and themed tours. Some museums feature hands-on, experimental exhibitions designed to spark children’s curiosity. For example, the CosmoCaixa Science Museum and the Natural Sciences Museum offer dynamic exhibitions like the Flooded Forest and Science Nest, a space designed for children aged 0 to 6 to touch and explore freely. 

Most museums offer free entry for young children, and adults can sign up to the Gaudir Més programme, which offers free entry and discounts to many museums and cultural venues in the city. 

There’s no shortage of musical experiences for families either. The Gran Teatre del Liceu, Barcelona’s opera house, has special programmes for younger audiences: El Petit Liceu and Liceu Jove put on workshops and performances that have been musically and dramatically adapted to engage children and introduce them to opera and dance. Both L’Auditori and the Palau de la Música Catalana also offer brilliant family-friendly classical music concerts and activities.

Barcelona also has children’s centres, known as casals, where your kids can spend their free time playing and having fun with their peers. Some of these centres are public, while others are run by foundations or private non-profit organisations. They host group games, outdoor activities, workshops and much more. 

All over Catalonia you’ll also find what the locals call esplais or caus, very popular civic movements. They are similar to the scouts but have a less hierarchical, more leisure-oriented approach. Usually run by volunteers, these groups have an educational and values-based mission. Through games, recreational activities, excursions and outdoor adventures, children and young people are offered a fantastic opportunity for personal and interpersonal development. 

The Government of Catalonia ensures that this type of leisure is of high quality by regulating the training of group leaders and the facilities used. Esplais and caus usually organise two- or three-hour activities every weekend, as well as weekend trips, summer camps and activities during school holidays.  

And if you’re wondering what to do when the school year ends, Barcelona City Council runs the Summer Holidays educational leisure campaign, offering more than a thousand activities and around 350,000 places for children and adolescents aged 1 to 17 living in Barcelona. 

The goal is to make holidays in the city fun and safe while promoting values such as community spirit, teamwork and respect for the environment. The programme also supports the work-life balance of families and offers grants to families facing social vulnerability.

At Christmas, Barcelona lights up with festive family activities. The Christmas markets in Plaça de la Sagrada Família and Plaça de la Catedral are a must, while the alternative Christmas market in Plaça de Catalunya and the Barcelona Christmas Festival offer fun and sustainable experiences. The Epiphany Toy Fair on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and the spectacular Three Kings Parade on 5 January turn the arrival of the Magi into a magical event for the whole family.

During the Christmas school holidays, you can also visit the Festival de la Infància, a classic event that has been held in the city for decades. Held at the Montjuïc Exhibition Centre from 27 December until the arrival of the Kings, this children’s festival offers a wide range of fun, sports, creative, cultural and community activities – all designed to combine learning with play.

For more information on family-friendly activities, leisure ideas and cultural events throughout Barcelona, see Barcelona with the family.