What should you experience the first time you are in Barcelona? In this guide to Barcelona, you’ll get tips on the city’s top sights, including Gaudí’s architectural works, art museums, Barcelona’s best views and most famous food market.
1. At least one of Gaudí’s iconic buildings
Modernista architect Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) is impossible to miss when visiting Barcelona. The city is dotted with his inventive, colourful and whimsical buildings, and a closer look is a must.
If you only have time to visit one building, choose the unfinished church, La Sagrada Familia.
The Sagrada Familia is a creative and unique imagining of the Bible in a multitude of sculptures and colors. It’s impossible not to be impressed when you stand in the middle of the church’s forest of columns or climb one of the towers and study all the little symbols and details.
Gaudí worked on his most important work for the last 43 years of his life and the church, inaugurated in 2010, is expected to be completed in 2032, around 100 years after the architect’s death. Gaudí is buried in the crypt.
If you have time, also check out Casa Battlo and La Pedrera. If you are travelling with children, they will enjoy visiting the adventure park, Parc Güell.
Read the guide to all of Antoni Gaudí’s buildings in Barcelona here.
There is a long queue at the Sagrada Familia, so buy a ticket in advance to skip the queue. Tickets are available with and without access to one of the towers. Buy tickets here.
La Sagrada Familia
Carrer de Mallorca 401
2. Take a stroll down the Rambla
Let it be said right away. The Rambla in Barcelona is one of the most touristy places in the city, and it’s not here that you can breathe in the local life. The terrorist attacks of 2017 have not reduced the number of tourists either. Despite this, walking down the Rambla is as much a must as walking down Strøget when visiting Copenhagen.
The 1.2km pedestrian street, surrounded by planted trees, runs from the central Plaça de Catalunya down to the port, Port Vell, where the statue of Colombus sits at the end. Rambla is also the entrance to the Gothic Quarter, Barri Gotic and the multicultural neighborhood of El Raval.
Be sure to look up at the many beautiful facades along the way and down at artist Joan Miró’s colorful mosaic at the Liceu metro station.
Don’t buy food on the Rambla. It is poor and the prices inflated.
La Rambla
3. La Boqueria
You’ll find the entrance to the famous food market, La Boqueria, in the middle of the Rambla, behind a beautiful iron façade with stained glass windows.
The market is the most famous in the city and is filled to the brim with mainly tourists, but also locals trading quality products for the surrounding restaurants and private households.
La Boqueria has had market stalls in the square since the 13th century, only it was only covered over later. Several of the stalls have been passed down from generation to generation for many years.
Buy one of the delicious smoothies at the entrance for an energy boost as you make your way down the many aisles with over 470 stalls selling fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, meat, spices, almonds and nuts, as well as cheeses and hams. Here you can get ham and cheese vacuum-packed, so you can take home edible souvenirs. Almonds and nuts are also worth taking home. They are cheaper and taste better than the ones you can buy in Denmark.
La Boqueria, La Rambla 91
4. A beautiful place with a dark history
In Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, behind the Cathedral, you’ll find the beautiful square, Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. It’s a bit hidden and you have to walk through the small, winding streets to find it.
At first glance, the romantic square with an octagonal fountain surrounded by Gothic buildings does not reveal that it also has a tragic history.
In the square is the small church of Sant Felip Neri, dating from 1750, where Antoni Gaudí came daily to pray and write. He was also on his way to church when he was hit by a tram in 1926, causing his death.
Most notable is the church’s facade, which is full of bullet holes. The holes are from a bomb attack during the Civil War in 1938. Here, 42 people who had sought shelter in the church during an air raid were killed. Most of them were children from the school next door. The school still functions today and you can meet playful children on the site, who both make the memories of the tragic history very present and at the same time remind us that life goes on.
During the day there are many tourists, but if you come in the evening, when the place looks most beautiful, there are very few people.
Plaça de Sant Felip Neri
5. Cathedral of the Sea
The beautiful Gothic basilica, Santa Maria del Mar, was made world famous in Spanish author Ildefonso Falcone’s best-selling book of the same name (The Cathedral of the Sea).
Located in Barcelona’s Ribera district, surrounded by a maze of narrow streets, the church is known by locals as the Ribera Cathedral.
The Cathedral of the Sea was built in the 1300s and is a beautiful example of Catalan Gothic. The name suggests that it was once closer to the sea than it is now. Virtually all the local craftsmen were involved in the construction of the church, and it therefore took only 54 years to build.
Inside, the church is surprisingly bright compared to other Gothic churches and far more stylish. There is a large distance between the columns (13 metres) and the windows have beautiful stained glass. The church is a quiet oasis in the middle of the otherwise touristy neighbourhood and also a popular place to light a candle.
You can also go up to the church’s roof terrace and enjoy the beautiful view of the neighbourhood.
Santa Maria del Mar , Santa Maria Plaça 1
6. Explore Picasso’s art
Barcelona was of great importance to Picasso, as can be seen in the museum’s works. He lived in the city for some of the most important years of his life. He trained at the Escola Llotja and had a special connection with the café El Quatre Gats, where he met other artists and intellectuals, exhibited and painted the café’s iconic menu.
The Picasso Museum opened in 1963 on the initiative of Picasso’s friend and secretary, Jaime Sabarté. At first the museum contained works mainly from his private collection, but since then many others have been added.
The majority of the works date from 1890 to 1917, including a number of drawings from his time as a student at the Escola Llotja, avant-garde paintings, his time in Paris and the Blue and Pink period. There is also a collection of lithographs, etchings and ceramics.
The greatest masterpiece is Las Meninas de Velázquez, a collection of 58 paintings donated to the museum by Picasso himself. The series is an analysis of the colours and shapes in Velázquez’s famous work Las Meninas, which hangs in the Prado Museum in Madrid. In addition to the permanent collection, the museum also has regular exhibitions.
Museu Picasso , Carrer Montcada 15-23
7. The magic fountain
Barcelona’s magical fountain (Font Màgica), at the foot of Montjuïc, delights children and adults alike.
When darkness falls, it unfolds in a multitude of acrobatic water cascades, accompanied by a colorful light show and music ranging from classical to rock and pop.
The magical water wonder can be admired every weekend with the Museu Nacional d’ Art de Catalunya on top of the mountain as a backdrop.
The Art Deco fountain was built by architect Carles Buïgas for the 1929 Barcelona World Fair. It can produce about 7 million different combinations of water and light. The large amounts of water flowing through the fountain are recycled water.
The magical fountain can be experienced every Wednesday to Sunday in high season (June to September) from 13.00 to 18.00. 21.30 and 22.30. Check the website for shows throughout the year.
Font Magicà , Plaça de Carles Buïgas 1
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8. Barcelona’s best views
The best view (360 degrees) of Barcelona is from the Bunkers del Carmel viewpoint, located at the top of Turó de la Rovira at 262 metres in the Carmel neighbourhood.
Although the place is known as Bunkers, there have never been bunkers on top of Turó de la Rovira. During the Civil War, the site was used for anti-aircraft batteries that helped defend Barcelona.
For many years the area was deserted, worn and unknown, and it served as a slum until the 1990s. In 2006, the Turó de la Roviradet was transformed into a local history study centre where you can get an insight into Barcelona’s history from a bird’s eye view.
Bunkers del Carmel , Carrer de Marià Lavèrnia s / n
9. FC Barcelona Stadium
Of course, every FC Barcelona fan needs to see a home game at Camp Nou, where footballing excitement is guaranteed as 99,354 fans gather in the stands to cheer on the city’s footballing idols.
If there’s no match at the stadium when you’re in town, a tour of an impressive stadium and museum is well worth a visit in a country where football plays a big part of the culture and is worshipped as a religion.
Camp Nou offers several types of tours. A basic tour where you can see the museum with for example the many trophies the club has received over the years as well as a virtual area that gives you an insight into the club’s history. You will also have access to the special area dedicated to Messi, as well as the opportunity to admire the stadium from the stands and press room.
There is also a tour with audio guide and VR glasses, which in my opinion is not worth the money. The virtual experience you get is a short and indifferent panorama of the stadium and does not provide a better experience than the basic tour.
There is also a special guided tour where you also get access to the players’ locker rooms and a gift.
Finally, you can shop in the giant store. Football fan or not, a visit to Camp Nou gives a good insight into the club’s universe and not least, what a huge money machine it is.
I bought the ticket online and I would recommend you to do the same. Then you don’t have to stand in line.
Here you can buy tickets to Camp Nou and the museum (advertising link).
10. Barcelona’s triumphal arch
You feel very small walking down the long boulevard, Passeig de Lluís Companys, and under Barcelona’s 30-metre-high triumphal arch. The Arc de Triomf was created for the 1888 World Fair, where it served as the main gate to the exhibition in nearby Ciutadella Park.
The Arc de Triomf was created by the modernist architect Josep Vilaseca and symbol of modern Barcelona. It has a classic look, neo-Mudejar sculptures, friezes and reliefs representing Barcelona, agriculture, industry, commerce and art, as well as a welcome to the participants of the World Fair.
Arc de Triomf, Passeig de Lluís Companys
11. Miro Museum
The surrealist artist Joan Miró (1893-1983) was born in a backyard near the Rambla, and the museum dedicated to him sits atop Mont Juïc.
Here you can take a tour of Miró’s Barcelona and the colourful art that the artist wanted to be a natural part of everyone’s everyday life. The Miró Museum is also one of the most child-friendly, as children love the artist’s naive expression and use of bright colours.
The museum opened in 1975 on Miró’s own initiative and mainly contained works from the artist’s private collection. Later, many more were added. The museum also organises exhibitions with other artists from the 20. and 21st century.
The Miró Museum is housed in a building designed by Josep Lluís Sert, who has created a fine link between the interior and exterior spaces, presenting the art beautifully both inside and out. The building is surrounded by a green park with Mirós sculptures and beautiful views of the city.
The collection consists of over 14,000 works and among the most important works you will find Street in Pedralbes, Portrait of a Young Girl, The White Glove and Woman Dreaming of Escape.
Joan Miró Foundation , Montjuïc Park
12. The modernist concert hall
Gaudí is not the only modernist architect to have given Barcelona impressive buildings. The Catalan architect Lluís Domènech of Montaner is important for the period, and his buildings are worth a closer look. The most famous is the Palau de la Música concert hall, which he built between 1905 and 1908 for the Catalan choir, Orfeó Catalá. The amateur choir is still in the concert hall.
The Concert Hall is easy to find, as the eye immediately catches the many colourful mosaics, sculptures and reliefs that adorn the red-brick facade. Note the old ticket hatch inside one of the columns.
The Palau de la Música is built in a sophisticated mix of brick, steel and glass, and even inside, it is lavishly decorated in a multitude of colors and intricate designs. It was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1997.
If you want to see the beautiful 2156-seat concert hall, you can either buy a concert ticket or take a guided tour. There are plenty of concerts with both local and international singers, musicians and orchestras. You can also just drink coffee in the beautiful café with a view of the stairs up to the hall. The Palau de la Música has been given a modern, simple and stylish extension that plays surprisingly well with the Montaner’s opulent.
Palau de la Música , C / Palau de la Música 4-6
13. A dip in the Mediterranean
Barcelona has the luxury of offering both a vibrant city life and miles of sandy beaches. So, of course, you’ll want to wash off the city dust in the azure Mediterranean.
The beaches closest to the centre, in the old fishing quarter, Barceloneta, are most popular. Although people are close to the African beach blankets sold all over the beach, it’s worth mingling with the crowd at Sant de Miquel beach. This is where you’ll get the best view of the stunning art along the seafront. The bars are close by, so you can also enjoy a cold beer overlooking the sea from the first floor.
Platja de Sant Miquel
14. The village square in the big city
Barcelona’s Gràcia district is cool and hip. Despite this, the number of tourists in the neighbourhood is not as overwhelming as in the rest of Barcelona’s city centre.
Plaza de la Vila is a great place to breathe in the neighbourhood’s colourful folk life.
Sit on one of the terraces by one of the many bars and restaurants that surround the square with a beautiful octagonal bell tower in the centre.
Enjoy a drink and a bite to eat while watching children play, dog walkers exchange the day’s news, couples in love entwine fingers under a parasol and families gather for dinner. The neighborhood also celebrates the year’s many festivals in the square, so you might be lucky enough to run into human towers, firework parties, markets, concerts and even a demonstration.
The beautiful building with the sky blue facade is the former city hall.
Plaza de la Vila de Gracia
15. Picnic in the park
Barcelona’s green breathing space is the park, Parc de la Ciutadella. Here you’ll meet everything from kissing couples, families with young children, dog walkers and runners to pensioners and yoga classes.
The park has beautiful architecture such as the modernist building Castell and Tres Dragons (the three dragon castles), which houses the zoo, and the winter garden, L’ Hivernacle, which is a fine pavilion in metal and glass. Ciutadella Park also houses the Geological Museum and the Catalan Parliament building.
As you walk around the park, between paths, lawns and playgrounds, you’ll also come across a fine fountain surrounded by sculptures, a giant elephant sculpture, a romantic pavilion and a lake where you can go rowing.
Buy some food at one of the city’s markets and sit on a blanket and enjoy a picnic. A rug with a hip African pattern can be purchased at a good price from one of the many rug vendors in the park.
Ciutadella Park often hosts concerts and other events. There are also several food trucks where you can buy excellent street food.
Parc de la Ciutadella, Passeig de Picasso 21
More tips for Barcelona
Read also the guide to different experiences in Barcelona.
Do you like gin? Then you’ll love making your own gin at a gin workshop in Barcelona.
If you’re looking for great places to eat in Barcelona, check out the guide to the city’s best tapas bars and the guide to great restaurants in Barcelona.
