Barcelona in 6 days in April with kids: city and adventures in equal measure

Six days in Barcelona in April is the sweet spot for British families flying out for the Easter holidays or using a half-term week. The first three days tackle the headline attractions: Sagrada Familia, Passeig de Gràcia with Casa Batlló, and the Park Güell. The second half switches pace: up to Tibidabo for the amusement park, across to Montjuïc for the cable car and Miró Foundation, and a final lazy day on Barceloneta beach.

April weather in Barcelona is reliably pleasant: highs around 16°C, plenty of morning sunshine, and the odd short shower in the late afternoon. It never lasts long enough to ruin a day. The sea at 15°C rules out swimming, but the beach is still brilliant for sandcastles and a run along the shoreline. Crucially, the summer crowds haven't arrived yet, so queues at the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell are manageable.

Flights from London, Manchester and Edinburgh to Barcelona take around two hours, and budget carriers like Ryanair and easyJet keep prices keen outside the Easter peak. From the airport, the Aerobus (7.75 EUR) drops you at Plaça Catalunya in 35 minutes. For getting around, buy a T-casual card (13 EUR for 10 journeys) covering metro, bus and tram. Children under 4 travel free. With six days, you won't feel rushed, and there's enough slack to swap days around if the weather dictates.