DAY SIX
What to do and where to eat?
Begin your day with breakfast at Nou Celler (Carrer de la Princesa, 16), a charming restaurant in the Ribera District, right next to the Picasso Museum.
Normally, I’m not a huge fan of dragging kids through an art museum, particularly young children. But the works at the Picasso Museum may be just funky and colorful enough to hold your kids’ attention. This museum is primarily focused on Picasso’s formative years as an artist, and in particular, his Blue Period. While the museum offers free guided tours, as well an audio tour, it may be information overload for most kids. Cost: Adult $12; ask about kid discounts.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re on the fence about going to this museum, head there on a Sunday. Admission is free every Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. and all day on the first Sunday of the month.
After your visit, stop in at Café Sabor (Carrer de la Barra de Ferro, 7) for some drinking chocolate. Enough said!
If an art museum isn’t your thing, spend your last day in Barcelona on the beach. Know that the further you get away from the city center, the less crowded and cleaner the beaches will be. Many of the beaches have play areas, where your kids will have another opportunity to mix with the locals.
If you have older kids, I’d recommend an evening flamenco performance at Palau de la Música Catala. Not only is this theater a gem, but watching a performance here is like sitting in an exquisitely-decorated jewelry box. Even hard-to-please tweens and teens will be impressed. Cost: $33-53/person.
KidTripster Tip: When getting your tickets, make sure not to inadvertently choose seats behind a pillar.
DAY SEVEN
What to do?
It was an amazing trip for all of us, from the culture to the history to the food. The boys were shy at first, but as we interacted with the servers in Spanish, they were brave enough to try new things. By the end of this short trip, they were asking the wait staff for “mas agua, por favor,” and “por favor, mas brochetas de pollo.” I am fluent in Spanish, but my partner is not. Still, he made every effort to speak the few words that he knew to everyone in Spain. Seeing Dad try out his Spanish gave the kids the courage to do it themselves, opening up a new world of language.
KidTripster Tip: We brought small spiral notebooks with us from home and asked the boys to write five sentences every night about what they saw during the day. They not only wrote sentences but also ended up drawing pictures of what they saw, such as Picasso paintings, unusual buildings, and centuries-old fountains. The result is a little journal of their trip that they’ll be able to read and enjoy for years to come.
Mona Koshka is a journalist, living in Portland, Oregon. Fluent in both Spanish and Russian, she’s traveled the world and is encouraged by her boys’ newfound enthusiasm for foreign adventures.
Pin to Pinterest & Read Later
