The 19 things to do in Barcelona

Visit Barcelona: what are the best things to do and see in the second city of Spain and the capital of Catalonia?

The second city of Spain, Barcelona is crowded with tourists all year round and it is not by chance: the city offers a wide variety of interests such as architecture, gastronomy, art, history and sport. But that’s not all, it’s also coming for its crazy nightlife and beaches along the Mediterranean Sea. The city used the 1992 Summer Olympic Games as a springboard to become one of Europe’s most visited cities!

With centuries of history to explore through miles of winding alleys, visiting Barcelona may seem a bit intimidating. But if you come to Barcelona for the first time, this list of best things to do in Barcelona will allow you to enjoy everything that the city has to offer you!

1. Sagrada Família

Visiting Barcelona cannot be done without the Sagrada Familia. And good news, end of the work of the Sagrada Familia is announced for 2026 and in its entirety in 2032, 150 years after its construction in 1882 (yes, you have read well).

Combining Gothic and Art Nouveau styles in an unprecedented way and also inspired by nature, the Sagrada Familia has been controversial for several years because for many, modern building materials used for the renovation do not respect the original work of the famous Antoni Gaudí . The city’s emblematic monument, the queues can therefore be very long to visit the Sagrada Familia: we advise you to buy tickets in advance and cut-file.

2. The Park Güell

What to do in Barcelona to escape the city brouha? If you’re visiting Barcelona, go for a walk to Parc Güell, one of Gaudí’s greatest successes and the Catalan capital. It is with the hills of Collserola in the background that Gaudí designed this architecturally rich park whose structures (houses, fountains, pillars, walkways) often seem to be one with nature.

The columns rise like tree trunks, the arches are dentalated as cave entries, and the fountains are guarded by giant lizards whose scales are in mosaic tiles. When you follow the steep path and get high, the panoramic views that await you at the top are breathtaking!

As with many other attractions to visit in Barcelona, it is wise to buy tickets in advance, since the park only allows 400 visitors per half hour. To learn more about the place, you can also perform one guided tour of Güell Park .

3. Casa Milà

Better known as La Pedrera ("the quarry") for its elaborate stone, Casa Milà was Gaudí’s last civilian project before his death and represents the culmination of his career. The building, designed as a residence intended for the elite of Barcelona, was radically counter-current with what the Barcelonais used to see, with its wavy interior patios, curved walls and oblique columns.

The most striking element of the building is certainly its roof, whose dive staircases and human-shaped fireplaces evoke a landscape of other world.

4. Casa Batlló

The undulating façade and kaleidoscopic mosaics of Casa Batlló make it one of the most emblematic and visited sites in the city. The exceptional modernist façade, which reflects a calm sea, contains a whole world of surprises and subtle architectural details.

Inside, a visit will make you discover the legendary noble floor (the former residence of the Batlló family), the combles (the old discounts and buanderies), the terrace and the mythical chimneys (where is the shrine of the dragon killed by St. Georges), as well as the beautiful inner courtyard (the old staircase cage).

The two casas are 500 metres away by foot from each other. Passeig de Gràcia .

5. Barri Gòtic

No place on earth can be compared to the Barri Gòtic in terms of concentration and extent of Gothic architecture. This is the oldest part of the city, where the labyrinthic streets flow through Places medieval like the beautiful Plaça Reial.

Yet, despite its ancient and authentic side, the Gothic Quarter has some of the best shops in the city. Handmade swordfish are, for example, an excellent memory to bring back home. You can find it in La Manual Alpargatera (7, Carrer d’Avinyó).

To make rarer discoveries, wake up early on a Sunday morning to explore the Mercat Gòtic, where you can go hunting antiques and, if luck reminds you, attend a traditional Catalan dance on one of the places around.

6. La Rambla

The Gothic Quarter is bordered by La Rambla, a shaded pedestrian boulevard that descends from Plaça de Catalunya to Port Vell. Very popular, La Rambla is very animated by street artists including: you will not be bored.

However, it is also a famous place to attract them pickpockets so pay attention to your personal effects.

7. The Boqueria Market

You want to visit Barcelona as a local? Top gourmet place that attracts more than 45,000 visitors a day, La Boqueria is perhaps the world's most famous food market, and for cause. Its endless aisles attract visitors with abundant stalls of the best cheeses, charcuterie, seafood and other products in the region.

Some vendors have adapted over time to tourist requests, but to have a taste of what La Boqueria once was, go to the Pinotxo Bar, where one eats the best tapas in Barcelona (or at least the best of La Boqueria), like the Pinotxo Bar, cigrons amb botifarra negre (pois chiches cooked with black sludge) or calamarcets amb mongetes (soft clams and white beans) for half a century.

The La Boqueria market is open from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8:30pm.

8. The Mirador de Colom

If you are in the city and you ask yourself to do in Barcelona to have a nice view, go to the Column Christophe Colomb, aka the Mirador de Colom.

Built in 1888 on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition, the column clearly pays tribute to Christopher Columbus who had chosen the port of Barcelona to land on his return from America.

Today it is possible to climb to 60 meters above sea level to enjoy the panoramic views of Barcelona!

9. Barcelonata

The famous seaside district of Barcelona has everything to please: the beach, animations and conviviality. The kites fly, the vendors shout, the music vibrates, the waves crash... Barceloneta is a really nice neighborhood.

It is also a well-known area for its restaurants serving fresh seafood and fish. If you come to visit Barcelona and find yourself in this neighborhood, head to Port Vell, which is completely renovated or the Port of Barcelona where you can visit the Aquarium , and even borrow the cable car that will lead you to the top of Monjuïc .

10. The Camp Nou

Millions of football fans make the pilgrimage to Barcelona every year to encourage the local team of Barcelona, Futbol Club Barcelona (The "Barça" for the intimates). This level of enthusiasm involves having a stage at the height, and Camp Nou plays its full role: It can accommodate nearly 100,000 spectators.

Although nothing can be compared to attending a game at Camp Nou, it is possible to taste the “Barça” experience during a guided tour of the stadium that allows you to walk in the player tunnel as if the stadium was full, and go to the edge of the mythical lawn.

11. A boat ride

Merry Mediterranean, the bay of Barcelona holds a very special place in the heart of the boaters. If you have little time, you can quite consider rent a boat in Barcelona on a day.

For example, you can discover:

• La Playa Castelldefels : at three hours of navigation, this beautiful quiet beach is ideal to relax away from the tourist hustle ;
• La Playa Morisca : sail 30 more minutes. Morisca's fabulous creek is still confidential. So, don’t get rid of her beauty... Coined between the cliffs of the Garraf Park, its wild character will certainly please you;

Other cruises are possible to explore the Costa Brava or the beautiful beach of Ocata (Playa Ocata), which is one hour north of Barcelona. Thus, renting a boat will allow you to experience an unforgettable experience. With or without a permit, with the help of a skipper or not, you will undoubtedly spend one of the most pleasant afternoons of your stay!

12. Picasso Museum

Even though Pablo Picasso is from Málaga In southern Spain, it is the city of Barcelona, where the artist studied at the time young artist, that he chose as a place for the museum that bears his name.

With some 4251 of Picasso’s first works (sculptures, paintings and engravings), it is an almost complete representation of his portfolio that can be discovered by visiting the museum, in addition to the five large houses and palaces of the 13th and 14th centuries in the district of Born.

13. The Cathedral of St. Croix

Six centuries old Elder of the Sagrada Família, the Cathedral of the Seu was built as a monument to Saint Eulalie , patronage of the city of Barcelona. The gargoyles, bows and cradle arches distinguish this classic gothic structure, and you can enjoy them from above, with the city’s horizon, during a visit to the roof.

See if you can spot the 13 white geese, which represent each year of Eulalia’s life before it suffers martyr, walking around the cloister.

14. Montjuïc

If you come to visit Barcelona, know that the hill of Montjuïc is the ideal place for a green walk with beautiful views of the city and the wide. However, a little effort must be made to get there, which has the advantage of being less populated by tourists. But don't let it deter you!

In addition to the natural setting and spectacular views, you will find the 1992 Olympic Games buildings, including the Palau Sant Jordi and the telecommunications tower designed by Santiago Calatrava .

If you feel fit and reach the top of the hill, you can see the Olympic Stadium and the Jardi Botànic. Plaça Espanya, at the foot of Montjuïc, is the most common access point to the hill, and you can also visit the Pavelló Mies van der Rohe and the CaixaForum cultural centre.

15. Fundació Joan Miró

Perched on Montjuïc Park, the Fundació Joan Miró was founded in 1968 by the Catalan artist of the same name in order to make his art more accessible to the public.

Today, more than 10,000 of his masterpieces, from the first surreal paintings to works inspired by Dadaism, are exposed. Whether you spend half an hour or an entire afternoon, don't miss the funny picture Man and woman in front of a pile of excrement .

16. National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC)

Of course, there are many baroque and Renaissance masterpieces exhibited at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, and it even houses one of the most famous portraits of Diego Velázquez , San Pablo .

But what distinguishes this museum is the scope of its Romanesque collection, which is one of the most complete in the world and which recounts the pre-gothic beginnings of religious art in Catalonia. Do not forget to go to the biblical fresco entitled Abside de Sant Climent de Taüll , the highlight of the collection.

17. Port Olímpic and beaches

Whether you’re in the mood for a quiet read, a party, or a surf session, there’s a beach for each type of traveler if you’re visiting Barcelona. If the weather allows (or almost every day of the year), the picturesque beaches and the docks filled with yachts in Port Olímpic are accessible through a short metro ride.

Quiet place for a day walk, the seaside turns at night into a party place where the discotecas as Opium are open until early morning.

18. The Tibidabo Park

What to do in Barcelona when we are looking for strong sensations? At the top of Mount Tibidabo is the homonymous park that will delight both small and large. In addition to enjoying the 29 attractions scattered on the 7 hectares of the park, you can also contemplate Barcelona from high because the park is more than 500 meters above sea level.

19. Casa Vicens

A true treasure of UNESCO’s world heritage, Casa Vicens is no other than the first work of Antoni Gaudí. With its acquisition by a bank in 2014 and the installation of exhibitions within it, it is now possible to visit this home for the least original and joyful of contemporary art.

20. To see and do in Barcelona and its surroundings

• The Palau de la Musica

• L’Hospital de Sant Pau

• Casa Amatller

• The Egyptian Museum

How to get to Barcelona?

To visit Barcelona, you must know that this large city is very well served by air and land. At an hour's drive from the French border, the Catalan capital is also accessible by train . With the competition of airlines on this destination, flights are relatively affordable at any time of the year, provided they are in advance.

To find the best price for Barcelona, you can use our partner's website Ulysses . Arriving at Barcelona El Prat Airport, don’t forget to take the Aerobus shuttle to reach downtown.

Where to sleep in Barcelona?

For staying in Barcelona , choices are multiple, depending on your desires. You want to pierce the secrets of historic Barcelona? Then choose the neighborhoods Gòtic or Born instead.

Are you looking for a village life in the middle of town? Then choose Gràcia or Sant Antoni. Do you want to live in a cheap and lively neighborhood? Choose Sants or Poble Sec neighborhoods. Are you looking for a neighbourhood living in a modernist setting? Choose Eixample Esquerra or Eixample Dret. Do you want to sunbathe and breathe the wide air all year round? Choose the Barceloneta or Vila Olímpica neighbourhoods. Are you avant-garde and listen to unknown artists? Choose the Raval or Poblenou neighborhoods.

Regardless of the area where you will stay, you can find a hotel according to your budget in Barcelona by searching our hotel Compare hotels .

How to move to Barcelona?

Getting around in Barcelona by public transport is a fairly simple and convenient way to visit the city. Vehicles and installations are clean, modern and all the tourist points of the city are well served by its urban network. We're telling you more about our article on the transport in Barcelona .

If you come by car to Barcelona or have opted for the car rental , finding a place to park you can become a puzzle. If so, read our article on the parking in Barcelona .