Things to do in Barcelona

Most places offer something special. Activities, restaurants, or tourist attractions that nearly everybody will love. But besides the “must do” things in Barcelona, you may want to enjoy things adapted to your personality and your travel style. Our team of local experts has put together ideas with the most recommended things to enjoy in Barcelona in 1 day. In case you will stay longer you will also find recommendations for 3 day stays. And besides these, you will also find special suggestions based on your travel style. Do you travel with family in Barcelona? Are you looking for romance, or fun?… No worries. You will find specific lists with things to do in Barcelona for you along with maps for each travel style. You can also have a look at our Barcelona city guide or at the fully interactive Barcelona tourism map. Enjoy planning your trip to Barcelona!

The top 5 things to do in Barcelona

This initial short list may vary depending on whether this is your first time to Madrid or not… If you are not a newcomer your priorities may be different… or you may after all decide you would like to repeat some of these top things.

1- Get seduced by the genius of Gaudi at La Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia is the most visited monument in Spain and despite this means lots of tourists any single day, it also means you should visit it. Looking at it from the outside is impressive, but we believe you will really be astonished when you visit from the inside. Gaudi is considered to be a genius today. He was however misunderstood at his time and did not enjoy the live of rich and famous… Dali, the famous artist from the beautiful village of Cadaques in Girona gave a well-deserved credit to Gaudi, and only then and with the praises of many other artists, Gaudi acquired the world-wide master status he holds today. He designed La Sagrada Familia in such way that construction would be simple after his death. For decades the construction was built thanks to private funds. There are many interesting stories and anecdotes about the Sagrada Familia. You must visit it! Make sure you plan your visit in advance and book tickets to avoid long queues. We also recommend you to book a nearby restaurant or check for places to eat near La Sagrada familia.

Sagrada Familia- Barcelona

2- Enjoy the best views of Barcelona from Park Guell or Montjuic

One of the things that make Barcelona so special is nature. The City cannot grow since it borders the sea on one side and mountains on its back. This makes some parts of Barcelona pretty hilly and this is why it offers some fantastic view-points.

Two of the most famous ones are Park Guell and Montjuic. The upper part of Park Guell, the fascinating park designed by Gaudi and one of Barcelona´s top tourist attractions offers breath-taking views of Barcelona. The Mediterranean sea at the end and the city that spreads towards it. The only problem with park Guell is that it is one of the top attractions and, as such, it is not easy to get your perfect moment, or even take your perfect picture!.
Montjuic castle is located at the Montjuic mountain. It is probably the most strategic point in Barcelona and it offers fantastic views. You can get to Montjuic using the cable car, which will already ensure you profit from fantastic views.
There are many more view-points in Barcelona and some are lesser known. Tibidabo, the theme park, offers amazing views, specially from its Wheel. The bunkers of Carmel (where anti-aircraft bunkers were built due to its strategic location) offers one of our favorite views in Barcelona. Views from the National Museum of art (in Montjuic) are also fantastic, and we should not forget the views that can be enjoyed from the tower at the Sagrada Familia.

Parc de Montjuïc- Barcelona

Park Güell- Barcelona

3- Walk from Plaça Catalonia to the Barceloneta beach to enjoy Las Ramblas and the Gothic district

This 4 kilometer, 2-3 hour itinerary, will provide you with a great overview of Barcelona and some of its most iconic streets, squares and attractions.

The itinerary starts in Plaça Catalonia. This is one of Barcelona´s top commercial areas. Many day excursions depart from here. The famous El Corte Ingles department store can be found at the Plaça.

La Rambla is the most famous street in Barcelona. It is colourful and full of flower shops. In La Rambla you will find La Font de Canaletes, a very special place in the history of FC Barcelona since this is the place where they celebrate tittles. Your next stop is La Boqueria, Barcelona´s (and probably Spain´s) most famous market. Enjoy the buildings of the Teatre del Liceu and the Guell Palace and then dive into the Gothic district. Since your stomach may start to rumble at this point, we recommend you have a look at the best places to eat in the Gothic district. The itinerary continues towards la Barceloneta beach with stops at the Picasso museum and the Museu d´historia de Catalunya (there is a restaurant on the top with great views from its terrace). This itinerary offers a perfect way to spend a day visiting Barcelona and you will enjoy next to the sea! Time for a bite near la Barceloneta beach?

4- Enjoy at least 1 the top modernist buildings in Barcelona

Modernisme is a word you will hear a lot during your visit to Barcelona. Connected to Art-nouveau, it was inspired by the modern wave of change that took place in Europe during the XIX century. There was an ideal to improve the quality of live of people and to have architecture support this deal. Lluis Domènech I Montaner and Antoni Gaudi are the two most famous names, but there were many other architects that contributed to the movement. El Palau de la Musica is an amazing example and some building are icons (like Casa Batlo and Mila) There are many other amazing examples in Barcelona which normally graps less attention from tourists. Good examples are: Casa Vicens, Torre Bellesguard, La Casa de los Punxes or the Casa Padua 75

Casa Mila in Barcelona

Casa Batló in Barcelona

5- Enjoy a day excursion to Montserrat

Montserrat, the “serrated mountain” received its name due to its shape. The mountain is located on the Way of Saint James from Barcelona and it has been an spiritual place for centuries and as such it is referred to as “The holy mountain” by people from Barcelona. A day excursion to Montserrat is perfect to the get out of the bustle of the city.

You can enjoy a trek amid this beautiful landscape and you will get the chance to visit the Basilica. ;Montserrat is home to the sanctuary of La Maré de Déu, known as “La moreneta” or Dark Madonna due to its dark colour.

Montserrat monastery- Montserrat

Day tours and excursions to Montserrat »

Best things to do in Barcelona with Children

Travelling with children always needs a bit of extra preparation. We have selected some of the top ideas to enjoy with children in Barcelona. We are sure children will love the football stadiums.

Camp Nou- Barcelona

Camp Nou: Overview The Camp Nou stadium is located in the center of Barcelona in Les Corts district and is the official stadium of FC

Fundació Joan Miró- Barcelona

Since 1973, the very modern building situated in the upper part of the Montjuïc Park has housed the Fundació Joan Miró. This museum is one

Parc de la Ciutadella- Barcelona

A very interesting park in Barcelona is Parc de la Ciutadella, located in the old part of the city. This green space was built at

Top romantic things to do in Barcelona

Barcelona has some amazing spots which are perfect for couples. There are also many romantic restaurants that will provide with the perfect atmosphere for that perfect night!

Parc del Laberint d’Horta- Barcelona

This park is one of the most important of the city because it preserves Barcelona’s oldest garden. Parc del Laberint d’Horta, which is located outside