As you and your family step off the metro at Les Corts, your eyes will widen at the first glimpse of Camp Nou, one of the most famous sporting venues anywhere in the world. Whether it’s match day or not, it’ll be immediately clear that this is a city that lives and breathes football. More than that, Barcelona is a destination that is incredibly family-friendly, and the perfect choice for a family of football lovers.
Barcelona as a Sporting City
FC Barcelona first came to be in 1899, and it has since grown to be much more than just a football club. In fact, the club’s motto, “Més que un club”, translates to, “More than a club”. FC Barcelona is an embodiment of Catalan identity and pride, and it’s fair to say that this is a big part of its success and why it’s such an important part of the city.
Throughout history, there have been different events that have shaped Barcelona’s global status. The city hosted the 1992 Olympic Games, which were a huge success and helped to elevate Barcelona’s international standing. In addition, the success of the games led to increased infrastructure development and cemented the city’s reputation as one of Europe’s leading sports cities.
Barcelona’s home stadium, Camp Nou, is another important part of the city’s sporting history. This is where Barca has played their home matches since 1957, winning a huge amount of trophies along the way. It’s also been a venue that has hosted extremely important football matches that didn’t feature Barcelona, like the UEFA Champions League finals in 1989 and 1999.
Barcelona’s Prestige in the Football World
Being one of the best football clubs not just in all of Spain, but in all of the world, Barcelona has incredible prestige. Not only is it able to attract the best players in the world, but it’s also been able to mould them from a young age at its renowned youth academy, La Masia. In fact, some of Barca’s best-ever players, the likes of Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Gerard Piqué, were all products of La Masia.
The ability to develop players doesn’t stop once they enter the men’s team, either. Elite coaching has always been a core component of Barcelona’s dominance in European football. From the days of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Total Football’ to Pep Guardiala’s tiki-taka style, innovation has always been a big part of Barcelona’s football success.
If the elite management and coaching of the club weren’t enough to attract great players, you could also add the lifestyle of living in a city like Barcelona. The climate is close to perfect all year round, and this is complemented by incredible food and a lively social scene. All of these different factors put together are why Barcelona have been such a powerhouse over a long period of time.
Football-Themed Family Activities in Barcelona
For families on a football-themed holiday, there’s an endless list of activities to take part in. One must-visit destination is Camp Nou itself, the place where all the magic happens. Here, families can take the Camp Nou Experience, where they learn all about the stadium’s history and current operations. You’ll start by reliving some of the club’s greatest moments on the museum’s interactive wall, followed by a walk around the trophy room where all the trophies are on display. You can then even head down the tunnel and walk the same steps that Messi did so many times in the past.
If your kids are aspiring footballers themselves, one of the best travel tips is to enrol them in one of Barcelona’s many football camps. These camps welcome children as young as six years old and provide hands-on coaching from experienced trainers well-versed in Barca’s style of play. Your child will not only learn new skills, but also gain insight into local training techniques and philosophies that have produced world-class players.
Watching live matches together can create lasting memories, too. Several venues throughout Barcelona cater specifically to families with dedicated viewing areas that allow youngsters to cheer on their favourite team alongside other football-loving kids. This is also a great chance for the parents to take a breather and enjoy some local tapas nearby.
Barcelona Beyond the Pitch
Even outside of football, Barcelona is still an incredibly attractive travel destination. Whether you fancy yourself as a history buff or you just want to immerse yourself in Catalonian cuisine and culture, there’s plenty to do when you’re not cheering on your favourite football team. You can even combine all of this into one trip.
One of the best ways for a family to plan a Barcelona trip is to structure it around the football season. If you choose to fly to Barcelona with Opodo, you’ll be able to easily compare prices during peak and off-peak times in order to make a decision. Given that the football season ends in May, just before the peak travel period in the city of April to June, that could be the perfect overlap to get the best of both worlds.
While you’re there, make sure to stop by both the Montjuïc Castle and Park Güell. The former is a fortress from the 17th century that has a significant military history, and the latter is a UNESCO World Heritage site with lots of colourful mosaics and beautiful green gardens that your kids will love. Similarly, the Barcelona Aquarium is sure to impress your kids, with over 10,000 creatures spanning 450 different species.
It’s hard to beat a destination like Barcelona for a football-loving family. The city does a great job of catering to families, so you can be confident that there’ll be something for everyone. Start planning today on what will almost certainly be a trip that your kids are still talking about many years from now.
