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Recommended tourist attractions in Barcelona

Our team of local experts have hand-picked the best tourist attractions in Barcelona to ensure you do not miss anything during your trip to Spain. If you are planning a trip with more cities in Spain we recommend you have a look at the complete guide with tourist attractions in Spain

You can also find them in our  Barcelona interactive touristic map  where you will be able to  tourist attractions, based on your particular interests (parks in Barcelona, museums, soccer stadiums in Barcelona  etc.) and budget

We also recommend you to have a look at our  Barcelona tourist guide where you will get lots of inside information on Barcelona

Top tourist attractions in Barcelona

winding streets santa cruz seville

Barrio Santa Cruz, Seville

Barrio Santa Cruz, Seville  The Santa Cruz neighborhood of Seville is the city’s main tourist area. Here you will find some of the cities top attractions including the Gothic Cathedral of Seville and the famous Giralda, as well as the gorgeous Real Alcázar and its lush gardens. The Santa Cruz neighborhood also has a beautiful and charming Jewish Quarter with narrow winding lined with shops and quaint little bars.  It is one of the most authentic areas of Seville and encapsulates the passionate spirit of the city. The Barrio de Santa Cruz was made famous by the American writer Washington

palau de la musica catalana stained glass

Palau de la Música Catalana: Barcelona’s most amazing concert hall

Palau de la Música Catalana  Located in the El Born neighborhood of Barcelona, the Palau de la Música Catalana is a famous concert hall renowned for its spectacular interior, in particular for its amazing stained glass windows. The Palau is one of several of Barcelona’s landmarks from the modernist artistic movement. This turn-of-the-century gem, although well known by locals, is perhaps one of the most overlooked masterpieces in the city by visitors. Palau de la Música Catalana  History Catalan Modernism was an architectural and artistic movement that developed at the end of the XIX century in the region. This spectacular

La Barceloneta

La Barceloneta

La Barceloneta La Barceloneta is actually a neighborhood of the Ciutat Vella district of  Barcelona, although many people associate the term to just the beach. The área was developed during the XVIII century, designed by Próspero de Verboom. The neighborhood was built to shelter the inhabitants that had been living in the Ribera neighborhood, that had been demolished, as ordered by king Felipe V who used the land to build the citadel. Construction didn’t begin in 1753, however, at this point, the project was taken over by the military architect Juan Martín Cermeño. To complete the project the island of Maians

Barcelona aquarium

Barcelona Aquarium

Overview  The Barcelona Aquarium, or as it is known in Catalonian, L’Aquàrium de Barcelona, is located on the cities old commercial port. It is the Barcelona’s only Aquarium and one of the most impressive in all of Spain and a top family attraction. It is also the top aquarium in the world when it comes to the conservation of the Mediterranean Sea. In 2015 alone the Aquarium was visited by over 1.5 million people! Making it the 4th most visited attraction in Barcelona behind the Sagrada Familia, El Park Güel, and the FC Barcelona Museum. Table of Contents About the

Camp Nou

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 Barcelona, commonly known as Barça. The stadium was built between 1955 and 1957, replacing FC Barcelona’s old stadium. The soccer pitch is integrated into a massive sports complex which also features the club’s pro basketball stadium and hockey rink. The Camp Nou stadium is the largest football stadium in Spain and Europe as well, seating an astonishing 99.354 fans. It also one of the city’s most popular attractions. The Camp Nou Experience, where guests can

Museu Picasso

Picasso Museum in Barcelona – Visitor´s guide

 The Picasso museum in Barcelona is an indispensable art museum in Barcelona. The street where the Picasso museum is located is also very famous because of the large medieval palaces which were built here between the 13th and 15th Centuries in Barcelona and remodeled in the 18th Century. The street is in itself a tourist attraction and the museum, located inside 5 gothic palaces, boasts an impressive collection from Pablo Picasso within a fantastic piece of architecture in which a central courtyard provides by itself a good excuse to visit this museum.  Average customer review Score for Museu Picasso 9,1

Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Barcelona

MACBA (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Barcelona) – Excellent modern art museum in the heart of Barcelona

MACBA (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Barcelona) – Review The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art is located in El Raval neighborhood. Apart from its incredible exhibition, focused on the second half of 20th Century painting, the white building where the museum is placed is absolutely huge and extraordinary. It was designed by Richard Meier, an American abstract architect who has won different architecture awards. The Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona contains works by Catalan, Spanish and international artists. The exhibition has more than 5.000 pieces of contemporary art, highlighting works of European pop, the vanguards of the 50s & 60s and

Fundació Joan Miró

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 of the most three visited of Barcelona and contains several pieces of Miró’s work, from paintings, sculptures, and drawings to ceramics and textiles. However, you can also contemplate the works of other artists as it is a very special exhibition of over 14.000 pieces. Average customer review Score for Fundació Joan Miró 9,1 What is the Fundación Joan Miró? The Joan Miró Foundation1 is a cultural institution in the city of Barcelona that houses some

Parc del Laberint d'Horta

Parc del Laberint d’Horta – One of the most important parks in 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 the city centre, was built at the end of 18th century by the Italian engineer Domenico Bagutti. Average customer review Score for Parc del Laberint d’Horta 9,1 Parc del Laberint d´Horta Parc del Laberint d´Horta – A Brief Overview. This green tourist attraction has an area of 55 hectares and was designed as a neoclassic garden but finally became a romantic park thanks to the forest which surrounds it and the mythological sculptures that decorate

Parc de Cervantes

Cervantes Park in Barcelona

This Cervantes park in Barcelona is located in Diagonal Avenue and is a must for people who love roses – the most romantic flower from nature. Parc de Cervantes preserves the biggest rose garden in Barcelona and it is without a doubt the best place in Barcelona to enjoy roses.  With over 10.000 rose bushes and 2.000 different kinds of species, the park is a true paradise for roses´lovers. The perfect moment to visit this romantic place is between May and June because they are the months when the roses bloom (approximately 150.000 flowers!). Average customer review Score for Parc

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya- Barcelona

The National Art Museum of Catalonia is located in the Palau Nacional (National Palace) on the Montjuïc hill. This construction was built between 1926 and 1929 for the International Exposition (1929) and boasts a size of 32.000 m². It was designed in neo-renaissance and classic style by Eugenio Cendoya and Enric Catà. Once the International Exposition finished, the Palau Nacional made into the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC). The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is maybe the most important art-gallery in Barcelona because its exhibition covers the period from Romanesque to present Catalan art. For example, the museum contains

Parc de la Ciutadella

Parc de la Ciutadella- Gorgeous park in the heat of Barcelona’s old quarter.

Parc de la Ciutadella – Review  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 the end of the 19th century and in 1888 the park became the site of the International Exposition. It´s design is very similar to Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. Parc de la Ciutadella is the biggest park of the city after Montjuïc. It´s 280.000 m2 (70 acres) includes two museums, one church, the Barcelona Zoo, one lake and the Palace of the Parliament of Catalonia. Moreover, this park is a

Parc de Montjuïc

Parc de Montjuïc- Barcelona

Montjuïc is a hill in Barcelona that is located at the foot of the Mediterranean Sea. Although its origin dates back to 17th century to the construction of Montjuïc Castle, the most important development of this hill took place at the beginning of the last century, when Barcelona celebrated the 1929 International Exposition. At this time the Parc de Montjuïc developed with the construction of many buildings. However, at the end of the century, the hill was the protagonist again of another celebration, in this case, the 1992 Summer Olympic Games. Due to those two events, Parc de Montjuïc is

Park Güell

Park Güell- Barcelona

Park Güell – Review  One of the most important works designed by Antonio Gaudí was Park Güell, which belong to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This park is located in the upper part of the city, so you will be able to take some picture of Barcelona as the panoramic is absolutely beautiful. Modernist architecture and nature mix in a unique space. Park Güell was built between 1900 and 1914 however was officially opened to the public in 1926. Nowadays, Park Güell is Barcelona’s most famous park. This exceptional park has 17 hectares and it is divided into

La Boquería

La Boquería market in Barcelona

La Boquería market is the most famous in Barcelona for purchasing fresh products. This emblematic market is located in La Rambla, the most commercial street of the city, so getting there is very easy. It is not surprising that this market is one of the most visited places in Barcelona. Officially known as the Sant Josep Market, La Boquería was built between 1840 and 1914. Nowadays it is a huge market which covers 2.583 m² and contains over 300 stalls. If you want to prepare a special dinner, La Boquería is the perfect market to purchase the ingredients because it

Mercat de la Concepció

Mercat de la Concepció – Great food market in Barcelona

Mercat de la Concepció – Review  Mercat de la Concepció, popularly known in Barcelona as the “Flowers Market”, is located in the city center near Ciutadella Park, Casa Milà, and other tourist attractions. This market was built in 1887 and was opened to the public one year later. This building, which consists of glass and iron, was designed by the architect Antoni Rovira i Trias. Although fresh fruit and mixed juices are the indispensable products you should buy in this market, Mercat de la Concepció offers a very good variety of other products. Furthermore, at the back of the market

Mercat de Santa Caterina

Mercat de Santa Caterina- Barcelona

Mercat de Santa Caterina in Barcelona was opened to the public in 1845 as the food market and was built on an old convent. The main highlight of this market is the colourful roof which was built at the beginning of 21st century –the rest of the market is a neoclassic construction–. Mercat de Santa Caterina is located near Barcelona´s cathedral and Ciutadella Park. Inside Mercat de Santa Caterina, you will discover a traditional market with many stands of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, and it is also a good place to appreciate the gastronomy of Catalonia as there

Cathedral of Saint Eulalia

Barcelona Cathedral – Saint Eulalia

Cathedral of Saint Eulalia Barcelona’s Cathedral is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Eulalia. The beginning of the church dates back to the 5th Century. However, the impressive view of the cathedral was built in the 19th Century when the façade and other parts of the temple were redecorated in neo-gothic style by the architects J. Oriol Mestres and August Font. You must visit the crypt under the main altar – one of the most outstanding parts of the cathedral. Many people think La Sagrada Familia from Gaudi is the cathedral of Barcelona. Average customer review Score

Gothic Quarter 9

Gothic Quarter of Barcelona – Charm, and History

Gothic Qurater, Barcelona –  Review  There are many tourist attractions in the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona. These include the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, the City Hall, the Palace of the Generalitat, and many lovely squares. The Barri Gòtic is the central element of the municipal district of Ciutat Vella, the old town of Barcelona. This area of Barcelona houses the greatest collection of Gothic buildings in all of Europe. A large number of bars, restaurants and shops keep the area in constant activity until late at night. The Gothic Quarter also contains the remains of the

Las Ramblas 9

Las Ramblas in Barcelona

Las Ramblas, Barcelona Las Ramblas is one of the icons in Barcelona. A long street which is a favorite amongst both locals and tourists alike. La Rambla is probably the best well-known street in Spain. This street is both known as La Rambla or Las Ramblas. In this guide to Las Ramblas, you will find information on the best attractions in the street, top things to enjoy, the best itineraries to enjoy la Rambla during your stay in Barcelona, and also top attractions nearby. La Rambla is without a doubt of Spain´s most visited attractions. From Catalonia Square on the

Top Attractions near Barcelona

Dragon Khan roller coaster at Port Aventura

Port Aventura

Portaventura theme park Port Aventura is one of Spain’s most impressive amusement parks, located within the PortAventura World entertainment resort in Salou and Vila-Seca, Tarragona, on the Costa Daurada in Cataluña, Spain. One of the best things to enjoy in Spain with children!  Port Aventura attracts around 3.5 million visitors per year, which means that it is the most visited theme park in Spain and the 6th most visited in all of Europe. making it the most visited theme park in Spain and the sixth most visited theme park in Europe. The full Port Aventura World complex features a resort, a second amusement park known

Montserrat monastery

Montserrat monastery- Visitors guide

Montserrat monastery – plan your visit and tours Montserrat is with no doubt the best day tour to enjoy from Barcelona. On a normal year more than two and a half million tourists visit Montserrat. The sanctuary is located at a spectacular location inside a natural park. Part of its interest is due to its location. Montserrat is first of all a mountain. But it is much more than just that: the Mountain and the natural park where it is located offers a beautiful landscape that is shaped by rocks of strange shapes. The mountain hosts the monastery with great historical and religious interest. The

Barcelona, In-depth stories

Fiestas

La Merce in Barcelona, a colourful festival

The patron saint of Barcelona is the Virgen de la Mercé, and is celebrated every September 24TH since the nineteenth century to dismiss the summer solstice and prepare for the arrival of the colder months.

A Mediterranean feast that brings back all the inhabitants of the city to enjoy music, dance and street entertainment with Giants, Castellars and Sardanas that dance to traditional instruments such as the “chirimía” a kind of hornpipe.

Learn about the La Mercé festival in Barcelona

Plan your trip to Barcelona