Barcelona Zoo

• Big shaded playground inside the grounds where kids burn off energy between enclosures, a draw in its own right
• Around 2,000 animals, from gorillas and elephants to big cats and a walk-through reptile house
• Farm zone, picnic lawns and shade make it easy to base a whole morning here, especially on hot days

Barcelona's zoo fills a large green stretch of Parc de la Ciutadella, home to around 2,000 animals from gorillas and elephants to big cats and a reptile house. For many families the draw is as much the playground as the animals: a large shaded play area inside the grounds where kids burn off energy between enclosures, which is why locals often come with other families and build a whole morning around it. There is a small farm zone where younger kids meet goats and ponies, picnic lawns, and plenty of shade for hot days.