Home » Destinations » Europe » Spain » Barcelona » 16 Best Things To Do In Barcelona
- Last Updated on December 15, 2024
Barcelona is fantastic. It is the most popular city to visit in Spain, and for good reason. With its mix of narrow gothic lanes, broad leafy boulevards, and unique architecture, just walking around the city can fill a week. Add to that the beautiful beaches and delicious food, and you just can’t beat it. There are tons of things to do in Barcelona, but this list, organized in order of importance, will help you narrow it down to only the attractions that are worth your limited time.
Table Of Contents
STAR RATING KEY:
★★★ Top priority
★★ Highly recommended
★ Worthwhile
No Star – Skippable if not interested
Best Things To Do In Barcelona
1. Sagrada Familia
This church is the most famous icon of Barcelona. If you only see one thing in the city, see this. It is worth the cost. This magnificent creation is the best of Gaudí’s architectural works. His desire to have nature reflected in his designs shows through clearly here. The church’s facade tells Biblical stories while looking as though it is melting in the sun. The inside is a rainforest of columns. Try to take a guided tour, or at least read up on this masterpiece before visiting. You can also take an elevator to the top of its towers to get a great view of Barcelona. It is imperative that you purchase tickets in advance, as they sell out daily.
Cost and Hours: €26 per adult, €4 extra for guided tour, €10 extra for tower elevator. Open Mon-Sat 9:00am-6:00pm (closes 7:00pm March & October, closes 8:00pm April-September). Sunday opens at 10:30am year-round, closes at the same time as the rest of the week..
Address: C/ de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.sagradafamilia.org/en/
2. Park Güell
This park is one of the most fun Gaudí creations – and that’s saying a lot. These grounds were intended to be an aristocratic housing development in the early 1900s, complete with shared outdoor spaces and a covered market. However, most of the houses were never built, and the site was converted into a public park. Take a picture of the map when you enter, and be sure not to miss Nature Square (the wavy bench terrace), the Dragon Stairway, the Hypostyle Room (the covered area with a bunch of columns), or the gingerbread-house-looking entrance gatehouses (now exit only). You can also pay extra to see the house Gaudí lived in for 20 years, though most people don’t bother with that. You must buy park tickets in advance, especially during high season.
Cost and Hours: €10. Open daily 9:30am-7:30pm.
Address: 08024 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.parkguell.barcelona/en
3. La Pedrera (Casa Mila)
This house is perhaps the purest example of Gaudí architecture anywhere. It was built completely by Gaudí, inside and out (unlike the Sagrada Familia, which is still unfinished, and the Casa Batlló, which was merely renovated by Gaudí). The exterior is the most stunning element of the construction, but the interior is worth a visit as well. Of note, the price of admission is relatively high, so if you are on a very strict budget, at least see it from the outside. (The first time we went to Barcelona, we couldn’t tour the house due to budgetary constraints, but we marveled at it from the street. When we went back to the city a few years later, we were glad we were finally able to go inside.) You should purchase tickets in advance online, especially in high season.
Cost and Hours: €25 per adult. Open daily 9:00am-8:30pm.
Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 92, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.lapedrera.com/en
4. Barri Gotic Stroll (including Plaça del Rei)
This ancient neighborhood is the original Barcelona. The city was founded here by Romans, and it continued to evolve over the centuries in this quarter through medieval times. After this, it stopped evolving, the city expanded outside the walls, and this neighborhood has been frozen as a lovely medieval tangle of streets ever since. This stroll can easily be done on your own. Simply enjoy soaking up the medieval magic of the narrow lanes and cobblestone streets, if you choose to explore solo. If you want to learn the history of the neighborhood and the city, we recommend taking a guided walking tour of Barcelona’s Barri Gotic. This will take you to the most important spots in the area, so that you don’t miss any of the charm or history of this place.
Address: Gothic Quarter, Barcelona, Spain
5. Picasso Museum
Picasso spent his formative teenaged and young adult years in Barcelona. This is the time he was finding himself and becoming the revolutionary artist he was when he moved to Paris. This museum has works from across the lifetime of the artist, but is particularly focused on his early efforts and his evolution as an artist. It is interesting to see, even for modern art haters, as it opens the eyes to what he was aiming for when he began to paint in ways many didn’t (and still don’t) appreciate. Even though we are not big Picasso fans, we enjoyed this museum, and recommend it to everyone who comes to town. Buy tickets in advance.
Cost and Hours: €12. Free Thursdays from 5:00pm-8:00pm and the first Sunday of each month. Open Tues-Sun 10:00am-8:00pm. Closed Mondays.
Address: Carrer de Montcada, 15-23, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.bcn.cat/museupicasso/en/
6. Barceloneta Boardwalk Stroll
The seaside boardwalk at Barceloneta Beach (Platja de la Barceloneta) is the most popular place in the city to walk along the beach. Join walkers, joggers, runners, roller-bladers, and street-vendors on this lovely promenade for a stroll. This boardwalk goes for miles, so you can take in a lot of the coast this way if you’re in the mood for it. If you’re a beach-lover, bring your towel and swimsuit and head for the sand below the boardwalk. If not, stick to the cement and get some steps in.
Pro Tip: This is a great activity to combine with a walk along the port.
Address: Barceloneta, Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/
7. Casa Batlló
This is one of the major Gaudían works in Barcelona. Interestingly, unlike La Pedrera, which Gaudí built himself, Casa Batlló already existed – Gaudí renovated it to reflect his trademark style. However, this fact does not make it any less fanciful in design. In fact, it may be even more over the top than La Pedrera. Like La Pedrera, the exterior is the most spectacular element of construction. Take your time studying it from the sidewalk. We also recommend you pay to see the interior and the rooftop. However, the admission fee is high, so if you can only see one of these houses’ interiors, go with La Pedrera. We recommend you buy your tickets in advance online.
Cost and Hours: €35. Open daily 9:00am-8:15pm.
Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.casabatllo.es/en/
8. La Rambla Stroll
La Rambla is the most famous boulevard in Barcelona. This broad street has a huge pedestrian path in the middle, which is filled with street vendors, locals, and tourists from early morning until after midnight. Walking this boulevard is an important part of any visit to Barcelona.
Address: La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain
9. La Boqueria
This is probably the most famous market in Barcelona. It is bursting at the seams with fresh produce, juices, raw meat, and raw seafood. There are also several tapas places serving local specialties. This is Josue’s favorite market in the city, and it’s a top tourist destination.
Pro Tip: The stalls near the entrance tend to be more expensive than the stalls farther into the market, with no perceptible difference in quality.
Cost and Hours: Free to enter. Open Monday-Saturday 8:00am-8:30pm.
Address: La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.boqueria.barcelona/
10. Catalan Art Museum (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya)
Housed in the impressive Palau Nacional, this museum displays 1000 years of art. The pride of the museum is its Romanesque frescoes, the largest collection in Europe. It also boasts a large number of impressionist works, as well as Modernist paintings. Aside from the Picasso Museum, this is the best collection of art in Barcelona. Don’t miss the view from the rooftop terrace.
Pro Tip: If you’re coming from the port area, consider getting to the museum by taking the Teleferic de Montjuic cable car, which will give you a scenic ride from the port to the mountain where the museum is located (Montjuic).
Cost and Hours: €12. Open Tues-Sat 10:00am-6:00pm (closes 8:00pm May-Sept). Open Sundays 10:00am-3:00pm year-round
Address: Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc, s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.museunacional.cat/en/
11. Santa Caterina Market
This marketplace has a lot of the same things as La Boquería, including fresh produce, juices, savory snacks, and tapas restaurants. In addition, it has the benefit of having way less tourists than La Boquería, and having unique Gaudí-inspired architecture (don’t miss the colorful, wavy rooftop). It also tends to have fewer odd smells than La Boquería, making this Carolyn’s favorite market in town. This is a great spot for lunch. You can either cobble together snacks from the market, or enjoy a sit-down meal at the very good Cuines Santa Caterina.
Cost and Hours: Free. Open Mon-Sat 7:30am-8:30pm (closes 3:30pm Mon, Wed, Sat). Closed Sundays.
Address: Av. de Francesc Cambó, 16, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.mercatsantacaterina.com
12. Rambla del Mar
Rambla del Mar is an artistic pedestrian walkway over the water near the port in Barcelona. It is probably not worth making a trip to see the walkway by itself, but the port is a great area to walk around and enjoy the non-beach seaside. There is a great pedestrian path covering the entire area around the port, along with various parks and cafes to stop and take in the atmosphere. As a bonus, there is always a nice breeze here to help with the summer heat.
13. Barcelona Cathedral (Catedral de la Seu)
This cathedral exhibits centuries of history and legend for Barcelona. It is a classic medieval gothic church with its pointed spires, stained glass, and vaulted ceilings. Don’t miss the intricately carved choir stalls, the tomb of Santa Eulalia (in the crypt), or the peaceful cloister with its resident geese.
Cost and Hours: €9. Open Mon-Fri 9:30am-6:30pm, Sat 9:30am-5:15pm, Sun 2:00pm-5:00pm.
Address: Pla de la Seu, s/n, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.catedralbcn.org/en/
14. Barcelona History Museum (Museu d’Historia de la Cuitat aka MUHBA)
This museum tells the story of Barcelona, starting in Roman times. The highlight of the experience is touring the vast Roman city ruins in the basement. If you have limited time, focus only on this part of the museum.
Cost and Hours: €7 per adult (free the first Sunday of every month and every Sunday after 3:00pm). Open Tues-Sun 10:00am-7:00pm (closes 8:00pm Sun). Closed Mondays.
Address: Plaça del Rei, s/n, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.barcelona.cat/museuhistoria/en
15. Camp Nou
Camp Nou is the stadium for one of the local football (soccer) teams, FC Barcelona. The team is one of the most famous in the world, and it has a storied history. If you want to have a truly local experience, get tickets to a game (preferably against Real Madrid, but these are hard to come by). Even if you can’t get tickets, you can still tour the stadium. If you’re not a football/soccer fan, skip this activity.
Cost and Hours: €28 for tour. Tour/museum open Mon-Sat 10:00am-6:00pm, Sun 10:00am-3:00pm. Longer hours in summer. Check the Barca Stadium Tour & Museum timetable website for details.
Address: C. d’Arístides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Website: www.fcbarcelona.com/en/
16. Sardana Dances
The Sardana is a culturally traditional Catalan dance you can witness in the square in front of Barcelona Cathedral every Sunday at 11:15 am (not done in August). A band plays on the steps and locals (mostly older) come together in the square and link hands in a circle to perform the dance. This is a fun tradition to watch if you happen to be in the area around the time it happens.
Address: Plaça Nova, Barcelona, Spain
Practical Info
Getting Around Barcelona
You don’t need a car in Barcelona. You can get to most places on foot. For sights that are farther away, there is a good metro system. For airport transfers, taxis are easy to order on your phone through the google maps app (we use FREENOW, an app which calls a regular taxi for you, and allows you to pay through the app, so you don’t need cash).
Speaking The Language
Most signage in Barcelona is written in Catalan and Spanish (and often English). Don’t worry about learning any Catalan. If you’re going to learn a few words for your trip, learn them in Spanish. Spanish is the language everyone in town is able to speak. If you encounter people who live in Barcelona, but are not native to Catalunya, they won’t speak Catalan anyway.
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