Discover Barcelona – Best Places to Visit

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. It’s one of the few must-see cities with a distinct personality. This is due, in part, to a generation of early-20th-century artists and architects, such as Antoni Gaud, whose unforgettable structures are unlike anything else you’ll see anywhere else.

Barcelona has something to please everyone. If you like food, the city has 20 Michelin stars, and if you like culture, there is an endless supply of beautiful buildings and events. Add to that clean urban beaches, world-class nightlife, and so much great shopping that you’ll be at a loss for words.

Sagrada Família

This is the starting point for your journey through Barcelona and Antoni Gaudí’s dreamlike works.

His minor basilica is a project of incredible scale and ambition that is still only about three-quarters completed 140 years after Gaudí first became involved.

When its spires are completed, it will be the tallest church building in the world, and it will be unlike any religious structure you’ve ever seen.

The Sagrada Famlia combines several architectural styles, including Catalan Modernism, Art Nouveau, and Spanish Late-Gothic, but when you look up open-mouthed at the nave ceiling, Gaudí’s masterpiece defies these definitions.

Park Güell

Visit this garden complex on Carmel Hill to round out your Gaudí experience.

Many people visit this section of Gràcia for the stunning views of Barcelona from the park’s main terrace.

You’ve probably seen postcards and movies with these serpentine benches and mosaics.

There are also colonnades, fountains, and sculptures in the architect’s signature style.

If you still haven’t had enough Gaudí, you can visit his House-Museum, where he lived from 1906 to 1926 and where he designed furniture and decorative items.

Casa Milà

Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera because the front of the building resembles the face of a quarry, was completed in 1912 and is another iconic Gaudí building.

It is one of several UNESCO-listed Catalan modernist works, and it was the fourth and final Gaudí building on Passeig de Gràcia.

Architects will appreciate the modern innovations, such as the self-supporting stone facade and underground parking garage.

It was designed as a family home for industrialist Pere Milà I Camps, with apartments for rent on the upper floors.

Casa Batlló

Another of Antoni Gaudí’s most postcard-worthy creations, this apartment building was a remodel completed around the turn of the twentieth century.

You don’t have to have been to Barcelona to recognize the building’s roof, which features tiles that resemble the scales of a large dragon.

The inside and outside of Casa Batlló, like all of his work, has that sinuous quality, with few straight lines and dazzling attention to detail.

Take, for example, the mushroom-shaped fireplace on the noble floor, which, like a cozy grotto, was designed to keep couples warm in the winter.

Las Ramblas

Never mind that many Catalans avoid the promenade that runs from Plaça de Catalunya down to the Columbus Monument on the waterfront.

It’s one of those things that you have to do if you’re a tourist.

In the summer, you’ll be walking through crowds while admiring the tall plane trees and passing by living statues, street performers, bird sellers, and flower stands.

You’ll occasionally catch a whiff of waffles (gofres) baking.

When you reach the water, you can continue along the boardwalk to the Maremagnum mall or Barcelona’s Aquarium.

Camp Nou

The 99,000-seater stadium in the western Les Corts neighborhood has served as FC Barcelona’s home ground since 1957.

It’s one of Europe’s football cathedrals, and even if you don’t support the team, you must visit Camp Nou to appreciate the arena’s dizzying scale.

And if you’re a fan, you’ll be in heaven touring the stadium and perusing the museum’s memorabilia from one of the world’s most prestigious teams.

Keep an eye on the calendar because the stadium tour is not available on or just before match days.

City Beaches

The beachfront boardwalk in Barcelona stretches for miles. It will take you about an hour to walk from Barceloneta to Diagonal Mar, but it is a walk that will help you understand the city.

The westernmost beaches, such as Sant Sebastià, are busier and more touristy, but they are backed by the tight lattice of trendy shops and bars with terraces and outdoor seating on Barceloneta.

As you walk along the waterfront after the Olympic Port, you’ll notice more space and more Barcelona residents.

Finally, just up from Platja de Llevant is the massive and new Diagonal Mar mall, which is revitalizing the city’s former industrial district.

Montjuïc

The National Museum of Catalan Art, the Museum of Archaeology, and the Ethnology Museum are all located in this city district, which was built for the 1929 International Exhibition.

The art museum is especially recommended, and the views of the city from its steps are breathtaking.

The Magic Fountain, which features light and music shows every half-hour on weekends, was also built for the exhibition. Of course, this is best seen at night.

The fortress was built in the 17th century and saw action during the Catalan Revolt in the 1600s as well as the Civil War in the late 1930s, after which it was converted into a prison.

Barcelona City History Museum

The History Museum preserves a few Roman sites throughout the Gothic Quarter, including the Augustus Temple and the Funeral Way on Plaça de la Vila de Madrid. However, the Plaça del Rei is where you can see Barcelona’s ancient history in layers.

You’ll take a lift down to see the ruins of a garum factory, laundries, dyeing shops, and remnants of ancient Barcino’s walls.

The site is large, spanning 4,000 square meters, and will be explored via elevated walkways.

As you progress through the museum, you will enter the vaults of the Palau Reial Major, the medieval seat of the Dukes of Barcelona.

Plaça de Catalunya

This is the best meeting place in town. It’s at the top of Las Ramblas and at the bottom of the posh Passeig de Gràcia.

If you’re waiting for friends for a meal in the evening or getting ready for a shopping trip during the day, nothing in the Ciutat Vella or Eixample is more than a few minutes on foot from this grand square.

El Corte Inglés’ flagship branch in Barcelona is right here, and if you’re new to the city and want to get oriented, you can go inside and pick up a map.

Eating in Barcelona

International cuisine is excellent in Barcelona, particularly at Japanese-style noodle bars, which have become popular in the last decade.

Another popular trend is pintxos, Basque-style bar snacks consisting of delicious items such as croquettes and fish served on a piece of bread held together with a toothpick (pincho).

Pa amb tomàquet, a rustic bread covered in a mixture of tomato pulp and oil, is a typical Catalan snack. This is frequently used as a base for sandwiches or bocatas.

Nothing beats arrs negre, rice simmered with cuttlefish or squid, for a main course on the coast, followed by rich crema catalana for dessert. Take a look at the food tours in Barcelona.

La Boqueria

This is both an iconic sight and an educational experience. Although there has been a Boqueria market in Barcelona since medieval times, this exact location has only seen trade for about 200 years.

The elegant and distinct iron and glass roof you see was installed in 1914.

It’s a real eye-opener, whether you want to do some food shopping or just take in the sights and sounds of a bustling urban market.

It consists of a grid of permanent stalls selling fruits and vegetables, cold meats, cheese, and olive products.

The entire market is centered on an oval plan of fishmongers.

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