Barcelona is a metropolis which wants little introduction. It’s one of the vital bustling, charismatic and well-liked vacationer locations in Europe. The Catalan metropolis, on Spain’s north-west coast, attracts in round 27 million vacationers yearly.
With a shocking shoreline, booming inventive scene, thriving nightlife, luggage of historical past, fairly structure and scrumptious meals, it’s simple to see why. There may be a lot to do in Barcelona and when planning a brief break, it’s simple to be over confronted with the variety of well-known websites and issues to see.
We’ve streamlined the method for you, so you may hit the bottom operating in your go to, whereas additionally avoiding the massive queues and vacationer traps, which include a big metropolis like this.
Be part of us as we talk about one of the best issues to do in Barcelona…
11 Finest Issues To Do In Barcelona
#1. SagradaFamilia
Sagrada Familia is likely one of the most uncommon and jaw-dropping architectural tasks in the entire of Europe, designed by world well-known Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Building started on the UNESCO World Heritage website again in 1882 and nonetheless to this present day work continues.
Its placing design makes it not solely a dwelling museum of Gaudi’s work, but additionally ever altering, as new components of the church are added. Our high tip is to get there early within the morning, beat the queues, and go to this lovely website earlier than the hordes of tour teams arrive.
The outside is a sight to behold, however you can too discover inside for a price and go as much as the highest of church in an elevator, with views throughout the town.
Planning to go to the Sagrada Familia?
Get the common admission ticket to skip the strains and discover Barcelona’s most-visited landmark at your personal tempo with an informative audio information.
#2. Gaudi recognizing
Since we’re on the subject of Gaudi, it could be impolite of us to not point out a few of his different websites round Barcelona. The architect and designer, who died in 1926, is likely one of the most modern and celebrated to have ever lived.
And you may’t go far round Barcelona with out recognizing a few of his work – there are quite a few different massively spectacular websites across the metropolis. Casa Batllo, within the coronary heart of Barcelona, is a big mansion home, now museum, which was renovated by Gaudi again in 1904.
It’s a shocking instance of his work and ingenuity. You can even watch live shows on the roof of the constructing within the hotter months, a beautiful option to spend a night in a shocking setting.
Need to Uncover Casa Batlló?
Casa Batlló, a UNESCO World Heritage Website, in an immersive expertise. Discover one among Gaudí’s masterpieces whereas studying all about his inspiring life.
#3. Mercado de la Boqueria
Now let’s discuss meals. On Barcelona’s giant pedestrianised avenue, La Rambla, which runs from the centre of the town, all the way in which all the way down to the seashore, you’ll discover a thriving meals market referred to as La Boqueria.
It’s a feast for the senses with gorgeous native recent produce, together with many small eating places, set amongst a community of passage methods.
It operates year-round and is a superb place to seize some tasty grub at lunch-time. Do because the locals do and luxuriate in an ice-cold beer from one of many stalls and wander round till some meals takes your fancy.
Prime tip – watch out of your pockets and luggage on this space, the community of alleyways are a haven for pickpockets. Hold your luggage tight to you and hold costly possession hidden away.
#4. Camp Nou
We’ve already talked about one vital Barcelona spiritual website in Sagrada Familia, however the Camp Nou is the town’s cathedral of soccer. The Camp Nou is the house of FC Barcelona and one of many largest soccer stadiums in the entire of Europe. It’s a feat of engineering, holding near 100,000 folks, and sometimes promoting out.
FC Barcelona is likely one of the most adorned soccer groups in European soccer historical past, with many legends of the sport having worn the membership’s crimson and blue shirt – together with Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff – amongst many many extra.
Watching Barcelona play is a bucket record second for a lot of soccer followers and it isn’t not possible to supply tickets, however vacationers can discover themselves paying approach over and above the really useful retail worth. Our high tip – solely purchase from official channels, don’t purchase from resale web sites.
There’s additionally a unbelievable soccer museum on website, which celebrates the historical past of this legendry soccer membership.
#5. The artwork of skateboarding
This may not be an apparent one for some, however Barcelona is a Mecca for skate boarders. Town’s liberal perspective in direction of skateboarding in public locations and the town’s modern design and structure, makes it an city playground for skateboarding.
A number of the world’s finest skate boarders stay in Barcelona in consequence and lots of thousand skate vacationers are drawn to the town yearly from all around the world.
A number of the metropolis’s websites have legendry standing within the sport, together with MACBA, the town Museum of Modern Artwork. Day-after-day 100s upon 100s of skate boarders observe in an enormous public sq. exterior the museum, with a few of the world’s finest typically seen within the space.
After you’ve been to take a look at the artwork, chill out with a beer within the sq., which is usually thronging with life, and watch skate boarders on the high of their craft.
#6. Eat native meals
Many vacationers go to Barcelona and anticipate tonnes of tapas eating places to be dotted across the metropolis’s streets. And though you will discover tapas spots to eat at, tapas aren’t a Catalan dish.
Understanding Barcelona’s historical past is import – the town is the most important within the Catalonia, an autonomous neighborhood, which has fought all through the years to interrupt away from Spain and return to being impartial.
Because of this, they’ve their very own delicacies and might typically fiercely combat in opposition to Spanish dishes like tapas. So, make sure that to get a few of the native conventional tasty meals.
Pan Catalan is an absolute staple right here, typically eaten for breakfast – its skinny crispy bread layered with crushed tomatoes, olive oil and salt. Scrumptious. Escalivada is one other easy, but lovely dish – roasted crimson peppers, eggplant and onions blended collectively.
In addition they take charcuterie very significantly and you will discover glorious hams and salamis on this space.
Arros negre is one other highly regarded dish, which is shared with associates or in massive household teams – much like paella, it’s a black rice dish, which is given its color by squid ink, and stuffed with pretty sea meals.
#7. Train on the seashore & get your cycle on
You would possibly really feel fairly heavy after a couple of days of munching your approach round Barcelona, so getting slightly sweat on gained’t go a miss. Thankfully, Barcelona has you lined for that.
Town’s seashore is filled with folks exercising year-round – with many sports activities amenities on the sand and alongside the massive promenade which runs north alongside the coast.
It’s additionally an extremely cyclable metropolis, on account of its largely flat geography, with an ideal community of cycle lanes.
Our high tip – attempt to minimise your use of the busy metro system, which may be crowded and stiflingly sizzling in the summertime. Get out on a motorbike as an alternative.
#8. Avenue artwork and graffiti recognizing
Barcelona is an extremely inventive place and though it has many unbelievable artwork galleries and exhibition areas, we predict a few of the finest work is out on the streets. Town is likely one of the most painted in the entire of Europe and you’ll’t go far with out seeing color oozing out of the partitions.
From full constructing commissioned jobs, to bucket a great deal of unlawful graffiti on the facet of vans, trains, metros and all-over public areas – it’s a pleasure to stroll round.
A number of the finest hotspots for avenue artwork embody the El Raval and Poble Nou districts of the town – the place you may see works by a few of the world’s most well-known avenue artists.
Get on the market and get recognizing – what’s extra, it’s completely free.
#9. Craft beer
Barcelona has a rising status on this planet of craft beer. Town’s is awash with unbelievable craft beer bars and the town is dwelling to one among Europe’s most adorned and well-known craft breweries, referred to as Storage.
It’s a paradise for beer lovers, with many taprooms by world well-known brewers located within the metropolis, together with the Danish Mikkeller, however there are additionally smaller operations cropping up on nearly a every day foundation.
Bar hopping is an absolute should whereas visiting Barcelona.
Our favourites:
- Storage
- Biercab
- Freddo Fox
- Mikkeller
#10. Life by the harbour
The realm round Barcelona’s harbour is buzzing with life all year long and it’s an ideal place to chill and chill out on one of many many heat days within the metropolis.
Take within the rays and watch the yachts go away the harbour or do because the locals do and curler skate or skateboard in one of many pretty waterside public areas.
If that’s not for you, why not go to the native aquarium, wine and dine at a harbourside restaurant or take a cable automotive from the harbour to the hillside Parc de Montjuic.
The realm is a central hub of exercise within the metropolis and isn’t a spot to be missed.
#11. Nightlife
Individuals come from far and broad to absorb Barcelona’s nightlife. Town has a booming music scene and the town has a packed occasions calendar as end result with gigs and DJ occasions on nearly each night time.
You’ll be able to see world well-known musicians play within the metropolis or get misplaced in cavernous, underground, techno nightclubs. It’s a metropolis which dances well beyond dawn on weekend nights and in the event you’re searching for a celebration, you’ll all the time discover one in Barcelona.
Ultimate ideas
Barcelona is sort of rightly one of the vital well-liked locations in the entire of Europe. It attracts in thousands and thousands of vacationers yearly who come to see the town’s world-famous websites and soak in its inventive bustling vibe.
It’s simple to see why it’s so well-liked, with greater than 300 days of sunshine, a pumping nightlife, lovely eating scene, a big seashore and world main points of interest. However there’s extra to the town than simply the headline vacationer websites.
Now we have tried to present you a flavour of each, in our greatest issues to do in Barcelona information, and hope you’ll now go to the town and take in each the touristy and the genuine facet of the town. Now get on the market and get dancing, tasting and ingesting your approach round one among Europe’s hottest metropolis locations.