Spain is full of beautiful cities. If you’ve never visiting this country yet or if you’re looking for a place full of attractions, then let me show you one of the most amazing cities in Spain!
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and it is the largest city in this autonomous community. Tourists love it because it’s full of attractions and monuments that can make you really impressed. Many of them were designed by a famous catalan artist – Antoni Gaudi. Barcelona is also a great place, if you like water sports or just lying on the beach. The most famous is La Barceloneta. Other beaches that you can find nearby are: Nova Icaria Beach, Bogatell Beach, Mar Bella Beach, Ocata Beach, Caldetes Beach, St Pol de Mar Beach, Castelldefels Beach and Garraf Beach.
The best places to visit in Barcelona
Visiting Barcelona means visiting lots of attractions! Depending on how long are you going to stay here, it’s good to make a plan so you can choose which places interest you the most. Below you’ll find some of the biggest attractions and monument on Barcelona:
La Sagrada Familia [BUY TICKETS]
Sagrada Familia is probably the most popular attraction in Barcelona. This amazing church was designed by Antoni Gaudi and the construction started in 1882. The question is, why it’s still unfinished? The main reason is that Gaudi wanted to rely only on donations. This means that Sagrada Familia is not financed by the city or private investors. Because of that the works are going slower than they could, if there are more money for that. What’s interesting, if you’re going to Sagrada Familia and buying the ticket, you’re also supporting the building.
Park Güell [BUY TICKETS]
Another emblematic place in Barcelona designed by Antoni Gaudi is Park Güell. This wonderful parc was supposed to be a housing estate. (Un)fortunately in that time (the beginning of the XX century) nobody was interested in buying these fabulous houses. In 1922 the area was bought by the City Council and from 1926 it was opened as a municipal park. Now it’s not only a place where you can rest and admire the natural environment but it is also one of the biggest attraction in Barcelona. During the tour, you can visit also Gaudi’s museum which is situated in one of the two houses that has been built in the Park Güell.
Casa Milà (La Pedrera) [BUY TICKETS]
Regarding to the houses… you have to definitely visit Casa Milà! Spanish people call it La Pedrera, which means „The stone quarry”. It’s because of an unconventional facade and irregular shapes that may look a little bit like a stack of stones. No matter how you will call it, Casa Milà is worth to see both outside and inside. This building was designed by Antoni Gaudi as a new home of the Milà family. During the day or night tour you’ll go across five floors and see some of the most emblematic spaces. One of them is a roof with remarkable chimneys.
DID YOU KNOW? Each year, Casa Milà is visited by more than a million tourists around the world.
Casa Batlló [BUY TICKETS]
Another popular building designed by Antoni Gaudi is situated on the Passeig de Gràcia street. Sometimes it’s called „Casa dels ossos” which means „House of Bones”. It’s enough to look at the facade to figure out what does this weird name mean. As you can see it looks like a structure made from bones and skulls. Another interesting part of Casa Batlló is the roof. It’s a symbolic representation of a dragon killed by Saint George (a patron of Catalonia). I encourage you to use your smartphone while visiting this amazing monument. Thanks to the AR technology, you can see even more details and discover many curiosities related with Casa Batlló.
DID YOU KNOW? From 1984 Park Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Battló, Palacio Güell, Casa Vicens, Crypt at the Colonia Güell and a nativity facade and crypt of Sagrada Familia are part of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Gothic Quarter (cat. Barri Gòtic) [BUY TICKETS]
Lets take a look at some other attractions in Barcelona that for a change weren’t designed by Antoni Gaudi :). One of them is the Gothic Quarter. It is the centre of the old city of Barcelona (cat. „ciutat vella”) where lots of monuments are hidden. Walking through the narrow streets uncover some notable medieval landmarks like: Plaça del Rei, Catedral de Barcelona (Cathedral of Santa Eulalia / Barcelona Cathedral), the Basilica of La Merce, gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi, the Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona’s History Museum, Plaça Sant Jaume and more!. One of the most amazing parts within the Gothic Quarter is a Jewish Quarter called El Call.
DID YOU KNOW? Despite its name, many parts of the Gothic Quarter were built in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Camp Nou Experience [BUY TICKETS]
You don’t have to be a big fan of FC Barcelona to visit its most emblematic stadium in the world. It’s not only about seeing stands and field. During the tour you’re going to check out all the places that are normally visited by players (including showers, changing room, the tunnel, the pressroom and much more). Camp Nou is directly connected with FC Barcelona Museum, where you can see trophy gallery, old balls, old players’ clothes, audiovisual presentations, and multimedia installations. There are also hundreds of photos and videos that document more than 100 years history of FC Barcelona.
Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (La Font màgica) [BUY TICKETS]
This is one of the most emblematic place on Montjuïc hill. It’s not only about a big fountain but about a spectacular display of water, music and lights that take place here after the sunset. Over 3000 people were working on this project. The first performance was in 1929 during the Great Universal Exhibition. From that time Magic Fountain in Barcelona became a symbol of Montjuïc attracting both inhabitants and tourists.
Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar
You can find this monument in the La Ribera district (near the Gothic Quarter). This wonderful church was built between 1329-1383. If you know a movie „Cathedral en Barcelona” then you easily see that it was inspired exactly by the construction of Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar.
Barcelona Aquarium (L’Aquàrium de Barcelona) [BUY TICKETS]
Barcelona is not only about amazing monuments. Next to the Port Fell you can visit an Aquarium Barcelona which is the best Mediterranean-themed aquarium in the world. Inside there are 450 different species of animals and many other attractions for kids and adults.
Other interesting places to visit in Barcelona
While walking around the city, you’ll see many different places where you can spend a little bit more time. Time to learn something more about them:
- La Rambla (spanish: Las Ramblas) – the most emblematic and famous street in Barcelona. It’s full of shops, local artists, tourists and… pickpockets! Be careful while walking around and you’d better not take too much money with you.
- Mercado de La Boqueria (or just La Boqueria) – if you’re looking for fresh vegetables, fruit and seafood, then you have to visit this place! La Boqueria is a public market in the old part of the city. The entrance is from La Rambla, so it’s really easy to reach here.
- Parc de la Ciutadella – this park was created in the 19th century and in that time it was the only green space in the city. Inside there’s also a zoo which was known internationally because of a Snowflake – the only known albino gorilla who lived in this place for 39 years (died in 2003).
- Plaça de Catalunya – this large square in the centre of Barcelona is a place where different districts meet. From here you can easily go both to the old part of the city (Gothic Quarter, El Raval) and to the Eixample (built in 19th century).
History Museums in Barcelona
There’s no better way to learn more about a city, than visiting its history museums. In Barcelona there are lots of them, so you should definitely check out at least some of them:
- Museum of the History of Barcelona
- Maritime Museum
- History Museum of Catalonia
- Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona
- Barcelona Egyptian Museum (Museo Egipcio de Barcelona) [BUY TICKETS]
- Casa Museo Amatller [BUY TICKETS]
Art Museums in Barcelona
If you’re interested in art and culture, then you won’t be disappointed. There are many museums in Barcelona which are dedicated to a specific artists and catalan art:
- Museu Nacional d’art de Catalunya [BUY TICKETS]
- Fundacio Joan Miró [BUY TICKETS]
- Palau de la Musica Catalana [BUY TICKETS]
- Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso) [BUY TICKETS]
- Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art [BUY TICKETS]
- Design Museum of Barcelona
Amusement Parks in Barcelona and nearby
Finally it’s all about entertainment, isn’t it? 🙂 Check out the best Amusement Park that you can find in the city of Barcelona and some other cities nearby:
- Tibidabo – located directly in the city of Barcelona [BUY TICKETS]
- Port Aventura World [BUY TICKETS]
- Costa Caribe
- Ferrari Land [BUY TICKETS]
- Lloret de Mar Water World
- Aquopolis
- Illa Fantasia
How about a tour from Barcelona?
If you already know Barcelona, maybe it’s time to visit some other interesting places nearby? Check out our recommendations:
- from Barcelona to Montserrat [BUY TICKETS]
- from Barcelona to Tarragona [BUY TICKETS]
- from Barcelona to Girona & Figueres [BUY TICKETS]
- from Barcelona to Figures & Púbol [BUY TICKETS]
- from Barcelona to Pyrenees [BUY TICKETS]
- Salvador Dalí Tour [BUY TICKETS]
Other things to do in Barcelona
Do you like cooking? Would you like to visit famous tapas bars and restaurants in Barcelona? Or maybe you’d like to try something unusual? No matter what’s your choice, in Barcelona you can do all of these:
- Cooking Classes [BUY TICKETS]
- Tapas & Food tours [BUY TICKETS]
- Biking Tours [BUY TICKETS]
- Ballooning from Barcelona [BUY TICKETS]
Discover Catalonia
Each region of Spain is divided into provinces. Their names often coincide with the names of their main cities. Catalonia is divided into four provinces, each of which has different tourist attractions and interesting places to offer:| Province | Tourist attractions and interesting places |
| Barcelona | Gothic Quarter Barri Gòtic, La Rambla, Montjuïc, cable railway Telefèric de Montjuïc, Magic Fountains (Font Màgica), La Boqueria, Laberint d’Horta Park, Poble Espanyol, Camp Nou, Torre Agbar, oceanarium in Barcelona, Barcelona Zoo, Tibidabo Amusement Park, Palace of Catalan Music, National Art Museum of Catalonia, Picasso Museum, Catalan Museum of Archaeology, Miniature Park - Catalunya en Miniatura, MACBA Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona, Generalitat Palace, Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy (La Mercé), Cathedral of Barcelona, remains of the temple of Augustus, Els Quatre Gats Cafe, Erotic Museum, Santa María del Mar Church, Port Vell, Plaça de Catalunya, Parc de la Ciutadella, Parc de Collserola, Casa Amatller, Palau Güell, Passeig de Gràcia - luxury street in Barcelona, Montserrat Monastery. Barcelona's neighborhoods and districts (El Raval, El Born, Sant Pere, Les Corts). Gaudi's Monuments: Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Pabellones Güell, Bellesguard, Casa Vicens, Casa Calvet. Popular cities: Barcelona, Torrelles de Llobregat, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Tarrasa, Badalona, Sabadell, Mataró, Santa Coloma de Gramanet, San Cugat del Vallés, Cornellá de Llobregat, San Baudilio de Llobregat, Rubí, Manresa, Villanueva y Geltrú, Viladecans, Casteldefels, El Prat de Llobregat, Granollers, Sardañola del Vallés, Mollet del Vallès, Gavá, Sant Antoni de Vilamajor |
| Girona | Salvador Dali Museum, Museum of Miniatures and Microminiatures Micro Mundi, Sausage Museum. Popular cities: Girona, Figueres, Besalú, Blanes, Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar, Olot, Salt, Palafrugell, San Felíu de Guixols, Rosas, Bañolas, Palamós, Santa Coloma de Farnés, Castellón de Ampurias Torroella de Montgrí, La Bisbal del Ampurdán, Ripoll, Castillo de Aro, Calonge, La Escala, Cassá de la Selva, Castellfollit de la Roca |
| Lleida | Popular cities: Lleida, Tárrega, Balaguer, Mollerusa, La Seo de Urgel, Cervera, Solsona, Alcarrás, Guisona, Almacellas |
| Tarragona | Amusement and theme parks: PortAventura. Popular cities: Tarragona, Reus, Vendrell, Tortosa, Cambrils, Salou, Valls, Calafell, Amposta, Vilaseca |
