3 days in Barcelona
 

My husband and I are taking our 8 year old and 12 year old to Barcelona in August for a wedding. We are looking for some hotel and sightseeing recommendations. Thank you!

Okay, but first you need to give us your budget! August is high season, but if it's within your budget, I highly recommend the Hotel 1898, two swimming pools, one on the roof and one in the lower level.

Some of the rooms also have their own small pools, not big enough for swimming, but great for children.

The easiest way for us to give you an answer is look at http://www.booking.com/
Chose your location-price and facilities then read the genuine reviews. Easypeasy!
Sightseeing is listed in the website covering the city.
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/
If this does not cover what you want then perhaps read back though the threads on this forum.
3 days is not much so plan carefully.

thanks for the tips!

It depends on your budget. With 2 kids, it might be nice to have an apartment, at least if it isn't complicated. The Majestic hotel has a unit with apartments and they have a great location on p de Gracia in the Eixemple district, but it's a 4-5* hotel so not super cheap. Their apts for 4 (with balcony, I believe) are around 300 euro per night in August, which I don't think is that bad, actually, for what you get. http://www.majesticresidence.es/en/

They say there is some pool but I don't know where it is or which building. I think booking an apt with a hotel like that is easier than some apt booking agencies as there isn't the security, deposit, etc issues.

A lot of the attractions of Barcelona will be too sophisticated for an 8 year old and just on the cusp of understanding for a 12 year old. Besides Parque Guell, you can take them to the Montjuic for panaramic views, the Olympic Stadium, the cable car ride and the somewhat cheesy Poble Espanyol might be fun.

Take them for churros and hot chocolate in the morning. A stroll down the Ramblas has all sorts of people and tourist attractions.

I also looked at Allan109 previous postings and almost all have to do with hotels which makes me suspicious What made we suspicious was that he suggested Sitges without knowing where your wedding was. SItges is at least 30 minutes outside of Barcelona and would cost approximately $40 a day to get your family back and forth.

Allan109 are you some how involved in the tourist industry?

Your child will certainly be interested by the Chocolate Museum : http://www.museuxocolata.cat/?lang=en
Other activities for children : http://www.barcelona.com/barcelona_c..._with_children

I had great time at H10 Raco Del Pi, the services were very good and good staff too, I hope you have great time in future ...

We stayed in Barcelona for 8 days last May and stayed at the Hotel Jazz and we would highly recommend it. It had a rooftop pool and was very central, with many good restaurants nearby, including fast food if your children aren't adventurous eaters. For their amusement, I would agree that Park Guell and Sagrada Familia will definitely impress as will a day up Montjuic. Take the funicular up and then walk down and stop at the Palau National on the way. Barcelona has so many great museums, but kids don't always want to spend a lot of time in them. This may be a good choice so you get to go to at least one. If you are soccer fans, then Camp Nou will definitely impress. If not, give it a pass.
You will definitely stroll down La Rambla and your kids will enjoy its energy and all the souvenirs available for sale. They will also enjoy walking through the market. At 8 and 12 you can trust them to not wander off, but be aware that it is extremely crowded on La Rambla so keep them close, likewise the market. Your children, and you, will also enjoy walking through the Barri Gotic.
With all its great sights, don't forget that Barcelona has some really cool beaches as well. In August, you may well want to pencil in a morning or afternoon at the beach. It's a short bus ride.
I don't know if you have flexibility in your schedule, but if not, three days will be great. However, we hated to leave after eight. Enjoy.

Please note that many tapas bars are places for families. And it is excellent way for the kids to try foods. They are not like bars in the states. Peek into them and see which ones have families.

For a short visit, I'd try to stay in or near El Born. There are some nice apartments for families. Just be careful with the exact location, as it can be noisy.

El Born is fun and stimulating, with lots of food and shopping, the Santa Maria del Mar church and Parc de la Ciutadella, with a zoo, at its edge. Also, the former market has recently reopened as a museum and cultural center. Here's a blog post about it: http://tinyurl.com/kwz4h9w

Also not far from the seafront, Las Ramblas, etc.