Barcelona is so much more than just beaches and Gaudí. Dive into all the fascinating stories hidden in the city’s more obscure and overlooked spots. Highlights include local neighborhoods, a former prison, design, street art, scenic views, and street food.
1 Cultural Center with High Ceilings
In the La Sagrera neighborhood, which very few tourists find their way to, the quirky cultural center Nau Bostik is housed in a former glue factory. You can spot it from a distance, as its facade is adorned with colorful and intriguing street art.
Nau Bostik is privately owned and houses galleries, a co-working space, and social projects. Here, you can participate in workshops such as yoga, salsa, sustainable art, singing, and music. The venue also regularly hosts events such as food festivals with food trucks and vintage markets.
I’d love to visit the place to check out the latest facade art while enjoying a cup of coffee on the café’s terrace.
Even though it’s a little outside the city center, you can easily get there by bus.
Nau Bostik, Carrer Ferran, Tour 1–11
2 Climb Mount Tibidabo
From most parts of Barcelona, you can see the gigantic temple, Expiatori del Sagrat Cor, which towers atop Mount Tibidabo. Both the temple and the amusement park, as well as the views, are well worth experiencing.
When you see the neo-Gothic temple from downtown, it seems a bit more sombre than it actually is. The temple consists of a basilica, on top of which a church was built, and was completed in 1960.
The church is a popular place for locals to get married because it is located in the middle of an amusement park. The best thing about the church, though, is the view you get of the whole of Barcelona as you make your way to the top.
You can get most of the way there by elevator, but to reach the very top, you’ll have to climb some stairs.
Tibidabo’s old amusement park, Parc d’atraccions opened in 1905 and is one of the oldest in the world.
The amusement park has 30 different rides, many of which have achieved cult status. Many film directors have used the amusement park and Tibidabo as filming locations, including Woody Allen in the movie *Vicky Cristina Barcelona*.
NOTE: You can take the cable car from Doctor Andreu Square. Alternatively, you can take the T2A bus to Plaça de Catalunya.
3 Visit Barcelona’s former prison
A visit to the former prison, La Model, is one of the more somber, off-the-beaten-path experiences in Barcelona. But it’s interesting and surprising, and you’ll come away wiser. I’ve visited it several times, and it leaves a deep impression on me every time.
La Model is centrally located in the Sants district and served as the city’s only prison for 113 years. Here sat everything from thieves convicted of petty crimes to political prisoners to mass murderers. La Model was, when it opened, ultra modern, and became a strong symbol of power.
The enormous prison consists of six wings, centred around a large control tower, from which the prisoners were monitored. You can see the former cells, the spartan library and the visitors’ room, which give a good insight into what life as a prisoner was like. After the civil war, between 20,000 and 30,000 prisoners were held here – about 20 per cell.
La Model has housed some of Catalonia’s most notorious – and famous – political prisoners, and some of the cells are decorated as they were when the prisoners lived here, telling their stories. You’ll also hear the macabre story of the execution of Salvador Puig Antich in 1974, which caused an international outcry. In La Model, over 1000 prisoners were executed – including in the prison post office.
La Model de Barcelona, Carrer d’Entença, 155
4 Catalan and Spanish Design
Disseny Hub Barcelona (DHub) is Barcelona’s exciting museum of design and crafts, located on Plaça de les Glòries. Don’t miss this striking building, known as “la grapadora” (the stapler).
In this modern, airy building, you can explore Catalan and Spanish furniture design, decorative arts, graphic design, illustration, photography, sculpture, painting, fashion, and digital art. Here, you can delve into modern innovation, functionality, and critical perspectives on design.
In addition to the permanent collection, the museum hosts temporary exhibitions. Keep an eye out for them on the website. On the ground floor, there’s a nice café where you can enjoy a good cup of coffee and reflect on your visit.
Disseny Hub Barcelona, Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 38
5 The Modernist Hospital
Catalan Modernist architecture is much more than just Antoni Gaudí. One of the most beautiful examples is the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, a renovated hospital that now serves as a museum. It tells the story of a time when there was a strong emphasis on healing the sick in beautiful and spiritually nourishing surroundings.
Sant Pau Recinte Modernista was built by one of Modernism’s most important architects, Lluís Domènech i Montaner (1849–1923), between 1902 and 1930.
Even from the outside, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by this impressive building, located in the El Guinardó neighborhood. It is the world’s largest Modernist complex, featuring beautiful organic forms, tall spires, and ornate decorations.
Inside, you can explore the former emergency rooms, various hospital wards with pavilions, and patient rooms overlooking lush courtyards. These green surroundings were an important part of supporting patients in their recovery. The hospital offers a good insight into just how meticulously and thoughtfully the modernist architects worked.
Learn more about Barcelona’s Modernist hospital
Sant Pau Recinte Modernista, Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167
6 Pit Stops in the Garden of the Ancient Theater
How about a coffee in a green oasis, away from the hustle and bustle, in the centre of Barcelona?
In a narrow side street, just opposite the famous Palau de la Musica, you’ll find a hidden gem in the back garden of the ancient theatre. Here you can sit in peace and enjoy your coffee under a shady tree and read a book.
Antic Teatre is a creative and social centre that organises theatre performances, concerts and workshops. The bar with a lovely terrace and garden is open every day, where you can meet the locals and enjoy breakfast, drinks and sandwiches. I often have a late breakfast in the garden, where the atmosphere is particularly calm.
Antic Teatre, Carrer de Verdaguer i Callís 12
7 Art and Design Market with Street Food
Palo Alto, located in the Poble-nou neighborhood, is a creative workspace housed in a former textile factory dating back to 1856. Here, artists create works in photography, design, architecture, painting, and sculpture, with a focus on sustainability. Palo Alto regularly opens its doors to the public and hosts art exhibitions and a photography festival.
The Palo Market Fest is held one or two weekends each month. During the event, the building and the green gardens fill up with stalls offering vintage clothing, design items, pop-up beer bars, cocktail bars, and food trucks, all set to music spun by a DJ. Here you can shop for vintage fashion, streetwear, jewelry, delicacies, crafts, books, and records—or simply soak up the atmosphere with a drink and a bite to eat. The market is popular, so be sure to buy your admission ticket in advance through the website.
Palo Market Fest, Carrer dels Pellaires, 30-38
8 Symbolic Street Art Mosaic
One of Barcelona’s most impressive pieces of street art is The Kiss of Freedom, which consists of hundreds of small photo mosaics that together illustrate two mouths in a kiss.
The work is created by artist Joan Fontcuberta, who works from the concept “The world begins with every kiss”. The work was purchased by the newspaper El Periódico, which asked readers to submit a photograph of a moment of freedom in which they or their loved ones could appear. The artist then collected all the images in mosaics and assembled them into the final work, which was published in 2014 to commemorate the fallen during the War of Succession (1701-1714).
Also note the sign next door quoting poet Oliver Wendell Holmes: “The sound of a kiss is not as loud as a cannon, but its echo lasts much longer.”
You’ll find the 8 x 3.8 metre street art piece in a small square, close to the cathedral.
The Kiss of Freedom, Placa dÌsidre Noell
9 The Sant Antoni Neighborhood
Sant Antoni is my absolute favorite neighborhood in Barcelona. It’s brimming with creativity and a bohemian vibe. This residential neighborhood is part of the Eixample and borders the Raval and Poble Sec neighborhoods. The streets are laid out in a grid pattern, just like the rest of the Eixample, and the buildings date from the early 1900s.
There are several pedestrian streets and lovely squares here with benches, trees, and playgrounds. Join the locals and enjoy a packed lunch from the market or one of the neighborhood’s takeout spots. Alternatively, visit the neighborhood’s fantastic food market, Mercat de Sant Antoni, located in a beautiful Modernist building. There are truly many great food stalls here. On Sundays, there’s a book market in front of the building.
There’s no shortage of places to eat in Sant Antoni, either. On Parlament Street, great cafés and bars line the street side by side. Among my favorites are Bar Calders, at number 25, for vermouth and tapas, and Federal Café, at number 39, for brunch.
10 Civil War Shelters
At the foot of the Montjuïc mountain is a gigantic underground tunnel that was used as a shelter during the Civil War.
The first of 192 bomb attacks by Franco’s army hit Barcelona on 13 February 1937. As the attacks intensified, civilians who involuntarily became protagonists joined forces to set up shelters. Refugi 307 (shelter number 307) in the Poble Sec district is one of over 1000 shelters built by civilians. The tunnel is 4oo meters long, 2 meters high and 1.6 meters wide and a silent witness to the cruelty of war.
Refuge 307 is now part of the city’s historical museum and you can walk around the narrow corridors and see what living conditions were like underground. There are rooms, toilets, water supply and a first aid area.
Refugi 307, Carrer Nou de la Rambla 175
11 Guided Tour of Street Art
Street art is a big part of Barcelona’s cityscape, where you’ll find works by a host of local and international artists. The districts of El Raval and El Born in particular have a high concentration of street art.
Barcelona Street Style Tour offers guided tours of Barcelona’s street art in the neighbourhoods of El Raval and El Born. The tours are guided by knowledgeable people with great insight into street art and its history.
The guided tours are free, and you’ll meet the guide at the Arc de Triomphe if you’ve chosen the tour of el Born and at the contemporary art museum MACBA if you’re going on the street art route in El Raval.
I have been on both tours, which are highly recommended. Since many of the street artists have created works in both neighbourhoods, you can get a lot out of just joining one of the tours. Choose the neighbourhood you want to get to know better.
Tip the guide when the free tour ends. You can also go on a guided street art tour by bike. It costs 23 euros. Book the tours on the website.
12 Modernista Station
Barcelona’s other main train station, Estacio de França, is worth a look even if you’re not going by train. Inside the beautiful modernista building are the most beautiful decorations in marble, crystal and bronze. Notice the windows, ceiling, walls and floors.
França station was built in 1848 and it was from here that the first trains to France departed (hence the name). Today, trains out of Spain and to several other Catalan cities depart from the station.
Take a look in the fine cafeteria, which also retains its original decor.
Estacio de França, Av. del Marquès de l’Argentera
More travel tips for Barcelona
If you’re visiting Barcelona for the first time, read the beginner’s guide to Barcelona. Also check out the complete guide to Gaudí’s architectural works in Barcelona. Find inspiration for where to stay among Barcelona’s best boutique hotels.
If you’d like more local neighborhood experiences, check out the guides to Poblenou and Sarrià in Barcelona.
If you’re looking for dining recommendations, be sure to check out our guide to the best tapas bars, great restaurants in Barcelona, eco-friendly restaurants in Barcelona, and the city’s best brunch spots.
If you’re up for a trip outside of Barcelona, you’ll find inspiration in this guide to the best day trips from Barcelona.
