If you’re looking for the best things to see and do in Barcelona, look no further. If we haven’t met, I’m Gina, and I’m an aesthetic traveler who visited Barcelona for the first time and then decided to become a travel blogger. No seriously. That’s how much I loved it here! Barcelona is one of Spain’s most popular tourist cities and my personal favorite city in Europe. Between the delicious tapas, gorgeous scenery, and stunning architecture, this eclectic city draws people from all over the world. In this post, I’ve laid out everything I consider to be a must-do, and also included a sample 3 day itinerary at the bottom.
- Going to Barcelona as a solo traveler? Get this tripod to capture your perfect vacation photos.
Explore Barcelona!
Top-Rated Tours & Activities
But First…What is Barcelona Known For?
Barcelona is the most popular Spanish city for tourists thanks to its history, culture, artsy buildings, and landmarks. The 2 main neighborhoods to explore in Barcelona are Eixample (the new city) and The Gothic Quarter (the old city, or ciutat vella). Both neighborhoods are about a 20 minute walk or an even shorter metro ride away from each other. Everything I mention will take place in one of these 2 areas, from Casa Batlló to La Sagrada Familia.
Antoni Gaudi: The Barcelona Architect
You will see me refer to Antoni Gaudí multiple times throughout this post. He’s the architect who designed many of Barcelona’s most famous buildings. Quite frankly, his creativity and artistic ability is unmatched. He’s famous for incorporating nature, religion, and deeper meanings into many of his designs, which is part of why his buildings have become so legendary.
What Food is Popular in Spain?
Although Spain is known for a variety of foods, the most famous are tapas and cava. Tapas are small plates of various types of food that are meant to be shared, and cava is white wine/champagne hybrid. You’ll find many tapas restaurants throughout Barcelona. For a list of my favorite Barcelona restaurants, check out these posts:
Related post: Madrid vs Barcelona – Which City Should You Visit?
1. Walk Down Passeig de Gràcia in Eixample
Passeig de Gràcia is the main street in Eixample (pronounced “ayy-sham-pleh”) and a beautiful area to explore. It is home to a lot of designer stores, restaurants, and bars, along with Casa Batlló (more on that in a minute!) and other famous houses. As you’re walking through this part of the city, take some time to marvel at the elegance of the architecture. Many of the buildings have gorgeous, intricate details on the balconies along with the structural facades. Be sure to adventure down some of the side streets for additional restaurants, shops, etc.
2. Tour Casa Batlló (and See The Other Houses)
Casa Batlló is the most famous house designed by Antoni Gaudí and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There will be a crowd of people standing outside of it as you’re walking down Passeig de Gràcia, so you can’t miss it. Although Gaudí designed multiple houses throughout the city, this is the most popular one that people tour.
I mentioned how Gaudí used nature as an inspiration for almost all of his architecture, and Casa Batlló is no exception. The exterior of the building is incredibly unique (I mean, hello, the balconies look like skulls!). When you walk through, you’ll notice the blue curved stained glass that resembles the ocean, the swirled designs on the ceiling that resembles a snail’s shell, and the tiles on the rooftop that resembles a dragon’s scales. Click this link to book the Casa Batlló self-guided audio tour.
Casa Batlló – Magic Nights Option
If you want to enhance your experience, you can book the Magic Nights tour through Casa Batlló’s official website. This includes a tour at 8pm and a concert on the rooftop at 9pm after, plus a free glass of cava! I did this my first time in Barcelona and absolutely loved it.
- Pro Tip: The nighttime tour from Get Your Guide will NOT give your rooftop or concert access
Other Famous Casas – or Houses – on Passeig de Gràcia
Casa Amatller
Casa Amatller is the house located right next to Casa Batlló. Despite being artsy-looking, it was not designed by Gaudí. It was once the home of chocolatier Antoni Amatller, so naturally, the main thing to do here is get chocolate. Faborit, the cafe on the first floor, serves coffee, tea, salads, and smoothies…but the main thing to try is their mancerina de chocolate, aka bread served with hot melted chocolate. If you’d like to tour this house, click here to book the Casa Amatller guided visit (with chocolate gift).
Casa Mila/La Pedrera
Casa Mila (aka La Pedrera) is Gaudí’s other famous house on Passieg de Gràcia located about 10 minutes walking distance from Casa Batlló. It was originally built as a family residence for one of Barcelona’s wealthiest couples in the early 1900s. A tour of Casa Mila takes you through what their home would have looked like back then.
Related Post: Casa Batlló, Casa Mila, or Casa Vicens – Which Gaudí House Should You Tour?
3. Eat at El Nacional
El Nacional is an upscale food hall located on Passeig de Gràcia and blew my mind when I first walked in. There are 4 different restaurants serving everything from fish to meat to tapas, plus an oyster bar, ice cream stand, and multiple other bars. You could get a different meal every day in here if you wanted, or come grab a drink at the very least. The entire restaurant is very Instagrammable, along with the entryway: it’s decked out in string lights and you can’t miss it.
4. Visit La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is a church designed by (you guessed it!) Antoni Gaudi, and is the #1 thing I tell people to do when going to Barcelona. It is a true work of art, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Spain’s most iconic building. It is arguably the most unique-looking church you will ever visit in your lifetime. At the time of this post, it is still being built, and looks to be finished by ~2026.
- Fun Fact: When La Sagrada Familia is finished, it will be the tallest church in the world!
As you can see, La Sagrada Familia is not your typical Gothic, baroque, or Romanesque-style architecture that you usually see with European churches. Instead, it’s…Gaudi being Gaudi. Before you go inside, take a moment to really study the outside of this church and notice the symbolism. If your tour has an audioguide, you’ll get to hear all about the symbols throughout the church via the recording. But as interesting as this church is on the outside, nothing could have prepared me for when I walked inside…
I know. THE COLORS!!! I’m screaming. I will never forget the moment I stepped inside this church for the first time. The stained glass windows illuminate the entire church, making it a stark contrast to the neutral tone of the building’s exterior.
La Sagrada Familia Tour Options from Get Your Guide:
You can also purchase a ticket that comes with tower entry that allows you to go up inside one of the towers, either on the Passion Facade (views of the Mediterranean Sea) or the Nativity Facade (views of the city). I went in the Nativity Facade my second time in Barcelona. I thought it was cool, but if you’re looking to save money, I would not consider it a must-do tbh.
- Pro Tip: Once you’re done your tour, check out Bar-Terraza Ayre Rosselló, a rooftop bar with views of La Sagrada Familia
5. Explore The Gothic Quarter
I am obsessed with the Gothic Quarter – or El Gòtic, as they call it in Spain. The Slytherin in me loves the dark accents of the architecture, the narrow alleyways with rustic string lights, and the eerie-yet-beautiful aesthetic. I am fascinated by things that have dualities, hence why I love the angels-and-demons vibes that you get all over this part of the city.
- Pro Tip: The Gothic Quarter can technically be thought of as 3 different neighborhoods: Las Ramblas, El Born, and the main Gothic Quarter. However, when people refer to the Gothic Quarter itself, they’re usually referring to all 3.
After spending a day in Eixample, you’ll notice that the Gothic Quarter is much…grungier – but in the most beautiful way. This part of the city is much older and therefore dirtier, but I promise you, it only adds to its charm. Personally, I think you could spend a whole day here. My first time in Barcelona, I came back here my final evening before I left and I was still finding alleyways and buildings I hadn’t seen yet.
The Best Things To Do in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
I love this part of the city so much that I ended up living here for a summer, and consider myself somewhat of a Gothic Quarter expert. Check out The Best Things To Do in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter for everything I consider a must-see/must-do, and The Best Restaurants in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter for my favorite restaurants in the area.
6. See the Barcelona Cathedral
When you’re ready to come to the Gothic Quarter, putting “Barcelona Cathedral” into your GPS will bring you to the heart of this neighborhood. Now you’re killing 2 birds with one stone: orienting yourself to the Gothic Quarter, AND seeing one of its most stunning buildings. Get a photo standing in front of this church, or head to the rooftop bar on Lamaro Hotel across from the cathedral for an even better viewpoint (it’s where I took the photo at the top of this post!).
Another cool thing I did in Barcelona was attend Sunday mass at this church. The entire mass was in Catalan, so I couldn’t understand a word of it, but it was a really cool experience. If you decide to do this, the church doesn’t have A/C, so bring a fan if it’s hot out.
Barcelona Cathedral Tours
7. Walk Through Park Güell
Let’s hear it for Antoni Gaudí again. Park Güell is another Gaudí masterpiece known for its iconic rainbow serpentine bench that curves gracefully around the main terrace, offering both a cozy resting spot and beautiful views of the city below. There’s also a “Gaudí house” in the center that you are able to tour.
Clearly, this is not your average park. For the best Park Güell experience, you’ll want to get there early in the morning. As you can imagine, this place gets crowded…and going in the morning will allow you a much calmer experience, not to mention much better photos! You can walk through Park Güell on your own, or you can do a guided tour.
- Pro Tip: Double check the meeting point of the tour; some of the Get Your Guide options have you come in at the opposite end of the park from the main entrance, which is about a 20-30 minute walk.
Park Güell Tickets and Tours from Get Your Guide:
8. Spend the Day at Barceloneta Beach
Barceloneta Beach is located in the Barceloneta neighborhood, which is a known for its fishing district. Along the beach, you’ll find restaurants, bicycle parking areas, ice cream, beach volleyball, and more. Bring your towel (here’s a link to my favorite sand-less beach towel!) and relax.
Also, I should probably tell you that part of Barceloneta Beach is a nude beach, and you can’t always tell where those parts end and begin. You can choose to partake, or put your sunglasses on and keep walking. I suppose there are worse things in the world though, like having tan lines….
9. Take an Uber to Mount Tibidabo
Mount Tibidabo is a hill overlooking the entire city of Barcelona. On top of it sits the Tibidabo Amusement Park (great if you’re traveling with kids!), along with a church called the Sagrat Cor, aka The Sacred Heart of Jesus. IMO, you get much better city views from here than you do from the Nativity Tower in La Sagrada Familia. The best way to get to Mount Tibidabo is to Uber, or you can also take the T2A “Tibibus” from Plaça Catalunya.
When you arrive, you’ll see the Sagrat Cor with a massive statue of Jesus on the top. You’re able to go inside this church and look around. You can actually see the Sagrat Cor sitting way high up on the mountain as you walk through some of the streets in Barcelona.
Mount Tibidabo is a bit out of the way from everything else I mention in this post, so if you’re exhausted, don’t feel bad for missing it. But it IS pretty cool to see Barcelona from such a high vantage point.
10. Take a Day Trip
If it’s your first time in Barcelona, you likely won’t have time for this since there’s so much to see and do in the city – but hey, keep these day trip rec’s in your back pocket in case you ever come back!
Montjuïc Castle
Montjuïc Castle sits atop a mountain and is a 15 minute car ride or 40 minute bus ride from Barcelona. Walk around the castle and explore botanical gardens, museums, Magic Fountain, and the Olympic grounds (some things require a ticket). However, the best thing to do here is ride the cable car to the top of the mountain for panoramic views over Barcelona.
Sitges
Sitges is a laid-back, small coastal town about 40 minutes from Barcelona by train. It’s perfect if you want a slower pace, pretty architecture, and a beachy day that still feels stylish and walkable. I ended up spending half a day here and enjoyed getting to see a less “commercial” part of Spain.
Tossa de Mar in Costa Brava
Costa Brava is a gorgeous coastal region of northeastern Spain, and it’s most famous town is arguably Tossa de Mar. You can make Tossa de Mar a day trip, but I was told to “definitely spend one night here to get the full effect” – and I’m so glad I did. The medieval castles and fortresses are giving Dubrovnik, Croatia vibes, while the beaches and old-town streets feel like something out of a postcard.
Barcelona Sample 3 Day Itinerary
Day 1 – Explore Eixample
- Tour Casa Batlló
- Get mancerina de chocolate at Casa Amatller
- Walk down Passieg de Gracia
- Lunch at El Nacional
- Visit La Sagrada Familia
- Dinner at Barcelona Steak House
Day 2 – The Gothic Quarter
- See the Barcelona Cathedral
- Grab a drink at Hotel Lamaro rooftop
- Walk down Las Ramblas
- Shop at the boutiques in El Born
- Admire the string lights when it gets dark
- Dinner at Arcano
- For the full list, see The Best Things To Do in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
Day 3 – Park Güell + Options
- Tour Park Güell*
- Optional: Take an Uber to Mount Tibidabo
- Optional: Spend the day at Barceloneta Beach
- Optional: Day trip to Sitges or Montjuic
How to Get Around Barcelona
The best ways to get around Barcelona are to either walk or take the metro. Transportation-wise, this city makes it so easy to get around and is another reason why it is my favorite. The main parts of Barcelona are incredibly walkable, and the metro is very easy to figure out. You are able to get a metro card at any of the metro stations and use it for a set number of days (up to 5). If you’re an expat or staying longer, you can buy a monthly card starting at only €20.
Eixample and the Gothic Quarter are about 20 minutes walking distance from each other. They are connected by Plaça de Catalunya, a large central square in the city. Plaça de Catalunya is the starting point for both Passeig de Gràcia, Eixample’s main street I mentioned earlier – and Las Ramblas, the busiest street in the Gothic Quarter.
Where To Stay in Barcelona
Hotels I’ve Stayed at in Eixample
- Hotel Claris (5 stars)
- Ona Hotels Mosaic (3 stars)
- YEAH Barcelona Hostel (2 stars)
Hotels I’ve Stayed at in the Gothic Quarter
- Lamaro Barcelona (5 stars)
Explore Other Top-Rated Barcelona Hotels
Shop My Favorite Europe Travel Essentials
