Morsilla

One day in Barcelona, Spain

One day in Barcelona with children can start at Park Güell and the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in the morning, pause at midday in Parc de la Ciutadella at the Hivernacle and the Centre Martorell, visit the Maritime Museum in the afternoon, and end at Montjuïc Castle. Book timed tickets online ahead.

Children are 2 to 11 years old; infants are under 2.

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Updated 23 October 2026

Plan your trip to Barcelona

Park Güell and the Sagrada Família in the morning

Start at Park Güell, where timed entry slots for visitors run from 09:30 to 19:30 all year round. Your park ticket includes the Bus Güell shuttle both ways from Alfons X station on Metro line 4, a 15-minute ride to the entrance, or you can walk 20 minutes from Lesseps or Vallcarca on Metro line 3 using the street escalators. Walk up the Dragon Stairway from the Carrer d'Olot pavilions to the columns of the Hypostyle Room, the undulating bench around Nature Square, the Laundry Room Portico, and the viewpoint at the Three Crosses, 182.30 metres above sea level.

Ride the Bus Güell back to Alfons X and continue by Metro to Sagrada Família station on lines 2 and 5, at the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, where individual visitors enter by the Nativity facade on Carrer de la Marina. The basilica opens Monday to Saturday at 09:00 and Sundays at 10:30, closing at 18:00 from November to February, at 19:00 on weekdays and Sundays in March and October, and at 20:00 on weekdays and Sundays from April to September, while Saturdays always close at 18:00.

Parc de la Ciutadella and the Hivernacle at midday

Take bus V19 or the Metro to Parc de la Ciutadella, near Arc de Triomf on line 1, Jaume I or Bogatell on line 4, and Marina on Tram T4. Along Passeig Picasso inside the park stand two venues of the Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona: the Hivernacle glasshouse at number 7, which has free admission, and the Centre Martorell d'Exposicions at number 9.

The Centre Martorell opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 20:00 from March to September, and from 10:00 to 19:00 Tuesday to Saturday with 20:00 closing on Sundays and holidays from October to February, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Minors under 16 enter free, and the park paths around the buildings give families a shady place to rest and eat at midday.

The Maritime Museum in the afternoon

Continue to the waterfront at Avinguda de les Drassanes for the Museu Marítim de Barcelona, housed inside the historic Royal Shipyards of Barcelona. The museum is open Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00 and traces life at sea and Catalonia's maritime heritage under the vaulted shipyard halls.

Montjuïc Castle at the end of the day

From nearby Paral·lel station on Metro lines 2 and 3, ride the Montjuïc Funicular up the hill and connect to the cable car on Avinguda Miramar or bus 150, or walk 20 to 25 minutes uphill through the Joan Brossa and Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer gardens to Castell de Montjuïc.

The castle opens every day from 10:00 to 20:00 between 1 March and 31 October and from 10:00 to 18:00 between 1 November and 28 February, with the box office closing 30 minutes before. Children under 16 enter free, and the parade ground terrace on top of the fortress gives a 360-degree view over the city, the harbour, the Mediterranean coastline and Tibidabo.

Plan your one day in Barcelona

Tickets for both Park Güell and the Sagrada Família must be purchased online in advance. At Park Güell every visitor, including children aged 0 to 6 who enter free, needs a ticket, and you must enter the monumental zone within 30 minutes of your booked start time, with no re-entry once you leave.

The Centre Martorell in Parc de la Ciutadella is closed on Mondays and on 1 January, 1 May, 24 June and 25 December, while Montjuïc Castle closes on 25 December and 1 January, and the Sagrada Família opens only from 09:00 to 14:00 on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 6 January. Both the Centre Martorell and Montjuïc Castle are free for everyone on Sundays from 15:00 and all day on the first Sunday of the month.

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Frequently asked questions

How do you spend one day in Barcelona with children?

Start at Park Güell in the morning using the Bus Güell shuttle from Alfons X, visit the Sagrada Família next, take a midday break in Parc de la Ciutadella at the Hivernacle and the Centre Martorell, see the Maritime Museum in the afternoon, and finish at Montjuïc Castle.

Do you need to book Park Güell and the Sagrada Família in advance?

Yes. Both sell timed tickets online only. At Park Güell, children aged 0 to 6 enter free but still require a ticket, and visitors have up to 30 minutes after the time on their reservation to pass through the entrance.

How do you get from the city to Montjuïc Castle?

Take Metro line 2 or 3 to Paral·lel station for the Montjuïc Funicular, and from Avinguda Miramar either board the cable car to the castle, take bus 150, or walk 20 to 25 minutes uphill through the Joan Brossa and Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer gardens.

Which Barcelona attractions on this route are free for children?

Park Güell is free for children aged 0 to 6, the Hivernacle in Parc de la Ciutadella is free for all visitors, and both the Centre Martorell d'Exposicions and Montjuïc Castle offer free admission to minors under 16 as well as free entry for everyone on Sundays from 15:00 and on the first Sunday of each month.