Whats the first thing that pops into your head when you think of Barcelona? Sangria? Tapas?
Well I can tell you that this city offers much more than that. Not only is it one of the most attractive cities in Europe, it is also known for its achitechure and art. Many tourists visit from all over the world to see landmarks created by Gaudí such as the iconic Sagrada Família church.
Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia, which is a region in Spain that has a separate culture and language to the rest of the country. Therefore, be aware that the first language of Barcelona isn’t Spanish but Catalan (though most Barcelona locals speak Spanish).
There’s certainly enough to do to enchant your time in Barcelona. We only spent 3 nights there however we felt we covered most sites and attractions. What makes this city great is that its easy to get around by foot, metro, bus or even rent a bike. Almost all of its most celebrated monuments are within close proximity to one another. By the end of this post you’ll know what to see in Barcelona, where to stay, how to get around and also some interesting history about the city.
Getting around Barcelona
First thing: buy the metro tickets for your weekend in Barcelona. The metro is the easiest way to get around Barcelona and many of the main sights are too far away from each other to walk between them. We used the metro everyday during our stay and bought the T-10 travel card from the ticket dispenser (available at any metro station).
This is the best option as it gives you 10 journeys for the price of €9.95 rather than forking out €2.15 for each single ticket. You can use one card for two people by giving the card to your travel buddy straight after using it yourself, so if you only think you’ll need a few journeys, it’s still worth getting this option if there’s more than one of you.
La Rambla
Strolling La Rambla is one of the most quintessential things to do in Barcelona. The city’s most famous street is also its most exuberant. Orientate yourself among the crowds and take a leisurely stroll down this main street in the direction of the port. Take your time and really absorb the architecture and the ambiance of the place. The boulevard runs along the edge of the old part of the city, reaching from the lively Plaça de Catalunya down to the harbour. Be sure to stop into the famous Boqueria (traditional indoor market) for fresh juices, tapas or a caña in the afternoon.
Traditional Cooking Class
What better place to brush up on your culinary skills and learn some new techniques than in one of Europe’s foodie capitals.
Discover the fine art of Spanish cuisine during a small-group cooking class in a private Barcelona space. Under the guidance of a local host you will learn how to prepare the most famous of Spanish dishes: the traditional paella.
Your local host will guide you during this three hour cooking class teaching you how to prepare this world-renowned dish.
We shopped at the local markets and handpicked all ingredients for the paella. During the class we also made our own sangria and drank it throughout the class. Our teacher was Nydia, she was so passionate about her traditional food and culture and was an amazing teacher.
To book you class click HERE!
Park Guel
Located in the city of Barcelona, the Park Guell is one of the most beautiful icons of the city.
It’s work of Antoni Gaudí located in the upper part of Barcelona, which has wonderful views of the city. You can enjoy a fantastic green walk surrounded by a modernist works.
We got the metro and bus there in the morning to watch the sunrise. We would recommend going early to beat the crowds. The park is free but to get entry to the monumental zone tickets cost 9 euros, where you can see Gaudis work. Make sure you go before 8am because entry is free.
Admission: Into the Monumental Zone after 8am is 9 euros.
Fat Tires Tour
A fun and unique way to see the city is also by bike. The City Bike Tour with Fat Tires is the absolute best way for the fun-loving visitor to explore and experience the incredible architecture and fascinating history of Barcelona. Voted #11 in top experiences in the world.
The City Bike Tour includes many of the most popular tourist attractions and provides an ideal orientation and overview of Barcelona. The bike was comfortable and easy to ride and the guide was very knowledgable and entertaining. It was a fun and informative outdoor experience, and a great way to meet other travellers. Lunch was included and we got to sit down and enjoy it at one of the local beaches.
See a Spanish football Game
We have always wanted to see a football match and when we heard that Barcelona was going to play Madrid we couldn’t wait to see the game.
Having one of the best teams in the world in Barcelona brings huge pride to the city, and even more so when the starting 11 features Messi, arguably the greatest footballer of all time.
The atmosphere was buzzing and in the end the game was a the. The only thing that surprised us was that the beer was non alcoholic.
Bunkers Del Carmel for Sunset
The bunkers of Carmel is a viewpoint from which you can see the whole city of Barcelona (360º city view). It is located at the top of Turó de la Rovira in the Carmel neighborhood with a height of 262 meters.
Built as anti-aircraft fortifications in 1938, during the Spanish Civil War, the bunkers were situated so that they could survey the entirety of the city. Large 105 mm cannons were mounted on the concrete and masonry defenses and helped protect Barcelona from further bombing.
After the war, the guns were removed and the bunkers were simply left to crumble. Yet the view from the site was too lovely to stay neglected for long and eventually the old bunkers became known as a beautiful place to take in the historic city.
This hilltop hideaway is a truly chilled out vantage point where you can enjoy some of the most epic aerial views of Barcelona Best time to go is before sunset. Get there by metro and then walk up the hill. Make sure you take a nice bottle of wine and some nibbles up with you.
Sagrada Família Church
If you plan to visit the Catalan capital, the Sagrada Familia should be at the top of your list of things to see and do during your stay in Barcelona. This church will surprise you, not only because of its massive size, but especially because of its avant-garde architecture, which perfectly shows off the genius of its architect, Antoni Gaudí.
Work on the church, which was designed by legendary Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi, began 131 years ago, in 1882, and continues to this day. At the time of Gaudi’s death, the church was approximately a quarter finished. It is expected to be finished in 2026, on the 100-year anniversary of Gaudi’s death.
To avoid the long waiting lines, it’s recommended to buy your tickets online. Entry inside will cost you anything from 17 euros to 22 euros.
To purchase tickets click HERE.
Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona dates back over 2,000 years and is one of the most talked about neighborhoods in the city—full of charm and captivating history.
The Gothic Quarter is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. It stretches from La Rambla to Via Laietana, and from the Mediterranean seafront to the Ronda de Sant Pere. It is a part of Ciutat Vella district.
No matter how much time you spend exploring, you will always stumble upon yet another enchanting square or mysterious alleyway. The quarter encompasses the oldest parts of the city of Barcelona, and includes the remains of the city’s Roman wall and several notable medieval landmarks. Make sure you see the Catedral de Barcelona.The exterior is beautiful
Take to the mountains and see Montjuïc Castle
Montjuic is a prominent hill overlooking the Barcelona harbour. For ages, it played a strategic part in the defense of the city and it’s one of the city’s natural elevations. Nowadays, the area is a touristic magnet for Barcelona.
Right next to the funicular Station, lies the Montjuic’s Cable Car. This ride takes you directly to the castle of Montjuic with photogenic views of the city. Tickets are €11.00 one way or €16.50 return.
Montjuic Castle, or Castell de Montjuïc as the locals call it, sits atop the hill from which it gets its name. It has a fascinating history that by its very nature as a fort is full of battles, architectural renovations, and politics.
Admission: five euros.
If you visit on a Sunday after 3PM you can take the opportunity to enter the attraction completely free of charge.
Ooh and ahh over the Montjuïc Magic Fountain show
A light, music and water show at the Montjuïc fountain. The show brings out childlike wonder in us all. Engineer Carles Buigas designed the fountain so that the artistic element is how the water changes form. It’s also one of the last remaining attractions made for the 1929 International Exposition.
Get there in time to get a good spot to witness some of the whopping 7 billion choreography combinations, many of which dance to sounds of the 1980s, classical Spanish music and popular film soundtracks.
With five shows a night every Thursday to Sunday inclusive from May to September, taking place at 9pm, 9:30pm, 10pm, 10:30pm and 11pm.
The Blau Museum of Natural Sciences
The Museum Blau is especially impressive for its architecture and its outer façade. Photographers will love it.
On the inside, you’ll find exhibits on the planet’s history. The film in one of the first rooms is especially recommendable (and available in English). Afterwards, you move along a long, dark tunnel into the center of the museum. On this path, you basically follow the creation of our world along a timeline of stone exhibits and fossils, right up to a small area about dinosaurs. Next up, there’s a visit to our animal kingdom, as well as a large number of exhibits on different types of fungi, leaves, and minerals. In some cases, you can use a magnifying monitor to see the pieces in even further detail.
Admission: 6 euros
Maritime Museum
Even if you can’t tell a caravel from a catamaran, the excellent Maritime Museum is worth a visit, as the soaring arches and vaults of the vast former drassanes (shipyards) represent one the most perfectly preserved examples of civil Gothic architecture in Spain. With the aid of an audio guide, the maps, mastheads, nautical instruments, multimedia displays and models show you how shipbuilding and navigation techniques have developed over the years. Admission also includes the beautiful 1917 Santa Eulàlia schooner docked nearby in the Moll de la Fusta, and the Maritime often has some interesting temporary exhibitions.
Admission: 10 euros and free every Sunday from 3pm
Visit the Arc De Triomf
The Arc de Triomf is a triumphal arch built with colorful brickwork in Mudéjar style. The arch, designed by the Modernista architect Josep Vilaseca, is adorned with a large number of statues and reliefs.
The Arc de Triomf rises majestically at the end of the Passeig Lluís Companys. In 1888, the triumphal arch served as the main entrance to the World’s Fair. The arms of the city of Barcelona and of the 49 Spanish provinces were placed around the arch.
WHERE TO STAY IN BARCELONA
Hello BCN Hostel Barcelona
Hello BCN is a great choice for travellers looking for low budget accommodation. The dorms are spacious and clean. The bathrooms are unusually spacey for a hostel and include some space for hanging your stuff.
Upon check in you are giving a hand band that functions as a key to the room as well as the locker which we thought is a very practical idea. No more having to worry about loosing your room key.
The open kitchen and bar area makes for a great space to chill and meet the other travellers. It looked pretty brand new, very modern and seemed to be the perfect accomodation for backpackers who want to make some friends whilst they’re travelling. There was a really friendly and sociable vibe and loads of activities going on each day and night.
Centrally located HelloBCN Hostel Barcelona is 200 m from Paral.lel Metro Station on Barcelona’s Paral.lel Avenue. The area Sants-Montjuïc is a great choice for travellers interested in monuments, sightseeing, city trips and is a short walk away from the popular La Ramblas street.
It offers budget dormitory accommodation with a free Wi-Fi, 24-hour reception and includes breakfast.
To book your stay at BCN Hostel Click HERE!!
Thank you for reading our blog on Barcelona. We hope this blog has inspired you to visit and can help you to plan your next trip.
Pin me for later!
