Barcelona, Spain, is one of the most visited cities in the world, and for very good reasons. It has an unmatched level of culture, food, architecture, entertainment, and more. A trip to this Catalan capital will leave you wowed, full, and wanting to stay a lot longer. The only real problem with a trip to Barcelona is deciding how to spend your time, because there’s almost too much to fit into one trip. So, our first recommendation is to go there more than once in your life. But if you’re headed there for the first time, we’ve compiled a list of our top spots to check out while you’re there. Viewcation presents: Best Things to Do in Barcelona, Spain!
La Sagrada Familia
There are a few attractions in Barcelona that should be on every major list of what to do there. Perhaps the first among those is La Sagrada Familia. If you’ve ever seen pictures of Barcelona, it’s pretty likely you’ve seen the exterior of this famous church. Designed by famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, whom we’ll talk about a few times in this video, the Sagrada Familia is his grandest work. He began work on it more than 140 years ago, and the church actually remains unfinished. Builders have worked on it steadily over the years, trying to stay true to Gaudi’s vision, despite the fact that he’s long dead. There are some who even whisper that they might never actually ‘finish’ the church, so that it keeps its allure and tourist appeal as an unfinished work. Regardless, it’s a work of genius, and a majestic and amazing thing to behold. Simply walking around it on the streets of Barcelona is aw insprigins. But we highly recommend heading inside and taking a look at the incredible details all around the church. And, presuming you’re ok with heights, we also highly recommend taking the elevator up to access upper part of the church. After getting dropped off by the elevator, you’ll climb the spiraling staircases and get to not only see the intricate design and care that’s gone into this masterpiece, but also some fantastic views of Barcelona.
La Rambla
A stroll along Barcelona’s most famous street is another of the very touristy, yet very exciting things to do in the city. It’s a hub of commerce, lined with restaurants, bars, high-end shops, souvenirs, and street performers. It’s a very walkable and giant street, so you’ll never get bored. You could spend an entire day walking along it, though with so much to do in Barcelona, you might want to do a single stroll along it, pop into a few places, and then move on. This is especially true if you’re not looking to be in major crowds. On most days of the year, it’s the place most likely to be jammed with people, both local and visiting. We recommend taking your walk towards the direction of the water, so you can end it with some fantastic views of the beach and the sea.
Park Guell
This is another of the top attractions in Barcelona, but like the Sagrada Familia, it’s one that lives up to the hype. It’s a gorgeous outdoor park designed by Gaudi, and it’s a fantastic place to stroll around and take in. Perhaps the most famous element of Park Guell is the curved bench that wraps around a large central area, where you can admire the intricate artistry utilized on it, and take a load off at the same time. You’ll be treated to great views of the city from all over Park Guell, and you’ll see many other structures within that show the genius of Gaudi. Like the first couple of attractions we’ve mentioned, it’s a popular spot, so you might want to try an early morning visit to beat the crowds.
The Beaches
Speaking of which, the beaches along the Spanish coast in Barcelona are top-notch. And there are so many amazing attractions within the city, that people often overlook the fact that Barcelona sits on the Mediterranean. There are almost three miles of beach coastline in the city, and they are primarily made up two distinct beaches: Platja de la Nova Icària, and La Barceloneta. They sit on either side of the Olympic Harbor, which was built out for the 1992 summer Olympics. La Barceloneta is the more visited one, because it has not only a great promenade with bars and restaurants lining the shore, but also because it’s the livelier of the two beaches. There are all the classic activities you’d expect at a beach, like volleyball, sun tannings, swimming, beach tennis, etc. And you can even find vendors selling food and massages on the sand! The Platja de la Nova Icària is equally lovely and picturesque, but a little less of a scene, and a bit quieter. Plus, the restaurants and bars along the promenade tend to stay open at night, and turn into some of the hottest nightlife action in the city. So you could theoretically stay in the area all day and night!
Casa Batllo and Casa Mila
There’s a reason that so many of the suggested attractions in Barcelona have the name Gaudi attached to it. The man was a visionary and a true artist. Plus his work looks like no one else’s it. So we’d recommend taking tours of at least Casa Mila and Casa Batllo. Casa Batllo is an apartment that was Gaudi was commissioned to build, and it’s a true spectacle. Like much of Gaudi’s work, it featured bright colors, incredibly intricate tile layouts, and no corners. The building is based around the story of St. George, where George is said to have slain a dragon to win the heart of a princess. As such, Gaudi created the façade of the building to essentially be a large dragon. On the roof top the tiles are done to look like the dragon’s back – aka lots of scales. And the inter elements like the windows that look like bones are supposed to represent the many people the dragon ate before St. George came along. Perhaps a grisly tale, but a really cool one to see. The interior of the house was also made to serve as a mansion for the Batllo family, and it’s a fantastic work of art in that way too. Plus, the tour now includes a VR experience where you can immerse yourself even futher into the incredible architecture and art in this building.
Casa Mila is right down the road from Casa Battlo, and it’s equally incredible. It was constructed as an apartment as well, for Pere Mila i Camps. Its nickname is “La Pedreda” or “The Quarry” and it’s a classic Gaudi structure. It has mostly rounded edges, intricate design, and fantastic color schemes. Like Casa Battlo, it conveys a fairytale-like aura, and feels somewhat magical. Nighttime tours are also great for Casa Mila, as they feature a light show on the roof as well.
Picasso Museum
Of course, Gaudi wasn’t the only famous artist from the area. Pablo Picasso, who is one of the most renowned painters of all tine, called the city his home for many years. While he was born in Malaga, Spain, he studied and worked in Barcelona. And he was particularly fond of the city, and even chose it as the city to house his museum before his death. And you’ll be thankful he did if you visit this excellent gallery of his work. It not only showcases some of his best work, but also his sketches and lesser known work. There’s also plenty of biographical information about the master artist, so you can fully immerse yourself in all things Picasso. It of course has pieces from his Blue period, as well as thousands of other incredible works. Like many of the top attractions in the city, it can get crowded, so be sure to get your tickets online, and consider heading there early in the morning.
Camp Nou
Camp Nou is the soccer stadium in Barcelona, and it’s a world class place to see a game. The locals are more than passionate about their beloved FC Barcelona, so if you get a chance to go to a game, it’s an experience you won’t ever forget. Even if you’re not a huge fan of the beautiful game, you’ll be taken by the spirit of the crowd, and the artistry of the game being played at its highest level. But even if you’re not trying to be a part of the nearly 100K people who pack the stadium for a home game, you can also explore the stadium in other times. They have a slew of awards, trophies, uniforms, and more on display for visitors, as well as exhibits that teach about the effect of the sport on the local and national culture. Unfortunately, the tour doesn’t include a trip into the locker rooms or onto the field, so you’ll have to try to make the team yourself for that kind of access.
Gothic Quarter
After several days of seeing attractions at specific, ticketed times, or simply of following your long list of things to do, you might want to have some time to simply wander. If so, the best place in Barcelona for this is the Gothic Quarter. It’s the oldest portion of the city, and it shows of medieval and roman architecture in lining its narrow passageways. There are tons of interesting shops, cool restaurants and bars, and other places to explore. You’ll quickly get lost in the neighborhood, and that’s a good thing. It’s likely the area where you’ll stumble upon your favorite store, or meal. And you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to old Barcelona. You’ll likely wind your away over to the Barcelona Cathedral, which sits at one end of the quarter, and is a stunning attraction to check out.
Now it’s time to hear from you. Did we miss any of your favorites in Barcelona? Let us know in the comments section below!