How to Stay Safe During a Family Vacation in Barcelona

Report by Lucy Peters.

Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in the world, having welcomed over 9 million visitors to the city in 2019. Recent sightings of drones by pilots caused the temporary closure of Madrid’s Barajas Airport has lead to concerns about air safety in general in Spain. On land, awareness of personal safety is equally important when traveling. Whether you’re visiting Barcelona as a family with young or older children, certain actions can make your trip much more rewarding and hassle-free.

Family-Friendly Accommodation

One of the best ways to safeguard the well-being of your family when on vacation is to find a place that is family-friendly. Hotels, motels, apartments, or resorts that are pro-family are likely to have adequate experience dealing with families and the safety of young children and teenagers. This means it is their mission to meet the needs of families and their members. For example, doors may be fitted with special locks to avoid children wandering out to and falling from balconies. Sockets are covered to prevent accidental electrocution, cabinet doors have safety latches, and beds have railings to avoid kids from falling.

In addition, there are several activities on offer by hotels and resorts to prevent your kids and teenagers from getting bored. While you relax at the poolside, your teenagers can join organized youth activities or play sports, while younger children socialize with other kids at the club or learn something new from dancing to painting.

Choose a Good Location

Location is also important not only to be near points of interest, but also for amenities such as restaurants, shops, and banks. An accommodation that is served by public transport will make it easier as well for teenagers to explore Barcelona on their own or enjoy the nightlife with friends without relying on taxis or chauffeured vehicles.

Barcelona’s tram, metro, and Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) systems are the fastest and reliable means to get around the city at affordable prices. In addition, there are over a thousand buses that serve the metropolis. If you are conscious of your carbon footprint, you can even hire bicycles to get around the city with the entire family. Barcelona has cycling lanes, bicycle sheds, and pedestrian only zones that make it easy to ride bikes without fear of vehicular traffic. Moreover, it’s a great way to exercise while spending quality time with the family.

Jot Down Important Contacts and Numbers

In addition to bringing travel documents with you such as passport, IDs, travel insurance, and health cards, you should also photocopy or scan them for storage at a safe location whether in the cloud or at home. Another vital thing for you to do while on travel with your family is to familiarize yourself with local emergency contacts. Know where the nearest consulate is and their emergency contact numbers should you need assistance. In case of medical urgencies, write down the numbers that you should dial if you require a doctor, ambulance, or pharmacy. A great resource to know is Doctors Barcelona, which offers 24-hour medical services.

It is not always possible to predict everything that will happen, and even the best planned vacations can go wrong. However, if you take the necessary precautions and plan your breaks well, your stay in Barcelona can become a memorable vacation.