Most cities are infant - as opposed to child - friendly. People like babies, generally; just don't take your little darling to a Pinter play, or to an all-night gay gropathon, and everything will be fine. (Actually, most babies would enjoy the pretty lights and soothing disco thump of a club - it's just that their presence tends to put the childless off their stroke.)
The important thing to consider with an away-day or two is whether you, the parents, can find enough to do in your chosen city - and, with Barcelona, the options are limitless. Though this was our baby's first visit, his dad and I had been a few times, so didn't bother with the Sagrada Familia, or, indeed, any Gaudí joints, sticking to the centre of the city for a nice, proper cultural minibreak. First up was the Ramblas, the long, tourist-trap boulevard which offers unceasing entertainment in the form of a) drunken stag parties, at any time of day and b) silver-painted nutters standing stock still for change. Not ideal for a fledgling family, though there was plenty of pleasure to be had by wheeling a pushchair very fast and hard at both.
After snapping up some cute stripy all-in-ones (which looked great on his dad, ho ho) in Zara, we had lunch just off the Ramblas, in the blazingly white placa in front of the modern art museum MACBA. Lots of choice in the cafes, plus plenty of room for adventures if your child is starting to walk. MACBA itself is ridiculously kid-perfect - open-plan, ramps everywhere, plus there's a buzz about it that means if anyone, baby or otherwise, starts to whinge, it doesn't impose on the rest of the gallery-goers.
Barcelona's centre doesn't do greenery, but there are two obvious choices a little way out: Park Güell or Montjuic. The former is amazing, a proper Gaudí stunner, but we decided on Montjuic, the hill that dominates Barcelona's port.
You can get to Montjuic by very scary teleferic (cable car), but the funicular, which we caught from Parallel metro station, was just as much fun, and it brought us out just near the fabulous Miró museum, Fundació Miró, a playpen of gorgeous, brightly coloured art. Being galleried out, however, we discussed a quick swim and sun at the Olympic pool, a short walk away. In the end, we just had a sit in the botanical gardens. Enough trees for shade, enough grass for sitting practice and enough room not to annoy anyone else when shouting hour starts. Yes, the little feller loved it.
After a hotel flop, we popped him back in the buggy and set out again. As the locals don't eat until 10pm, going for dinner at 8.30pm worked perfectly. The restaurant was ours alone and our tiny tearaway was so worn out after the afternoon's activity that sleep was irresistible. We had a proper wine-with-everything, grown-up dinner.
On the Sunday, Barceloneta called: for the beach and for outdoor paella. (In fact, with a weekend break, when there's a baby involved, I'd say stay outdoors as much as possible: it wears them out, and any noise just gets absorbed into the general clatter.) Though the idea of putting either ourselves, or the baby, into the oil-slick sea was unappealing, just sitting on sand is cheering, and a paddle is always funny with a kid. Après-paella, we strolled along the promenade, picking out our favourite yacht.
And that was that. Getting away with a child under one isn't that hard, honest. Just do what you'd usually do, but take food and bottles with you, and make lots of stops for coffee, or wine. After all, it's your holiday: a baby doesn't care where it is, as long as you keep it happy. And do it now, before the light of your life starts forming proper opinions. That's when city-breaks will become more Euro Disney than Euro-chic and you'll have to paint yourself silver and stand very still if you want to be left in peace for more than a minute.
· Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies to Barcelona from six UK airports from £17.99 one-way inc tax. Overland: Eurostar to Paris and overnight "trainhotel" to Barcelona, including bed in 4-berth sleeper costs from £159 return from Rail Europe (0870 5848848) or see seat61.com/Spain.htm.
