Everybody loves the butterflies in their stomach when planning the next trip. Barcelona is a destination brimming full of beautiful places that are rich in entertainment, cultural events, historical monuments and gorgeous landscapes where you can find your next adventures.
Here, there are 4.7 million people, which makes the city the sixth biggest urban area in Europe, among Paris, Madrid, Ruhr area, and Milan. Being the largest metropolis in the Mediterranean area, you will enjoy plenty of opportunities and entertainment on your next trip. Be sure to check out the following seven things to do and see when in Barcelona.
Sunday Museum Visits
Make sure that your trip allows you plenty of time on a Sunday. Almost all museums in Barcelona offer free entry every Sunday at 3 p.m.
Museum of History. This museum is a former church so you can imagine the solemn and grandiose atmosphere that prevails here. Here, you have the chance to view 4000 m2 of ancient Roman ruins in the subterranean of Barcelona;
Picasso Museum. The Spanish capital city couldn’t offer a proper experience for the tourists without a superb Picasso Museum. The Institute is home to over 4,000 works of the artist that cover painting and drawing as well as ceramics and engraving.
Cathedral of Santa Eulalia. Photo by Jorge Lascar via Wikimedia Commons
Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. If you also have a vivid interest in contemporary art, you should definitely visit this art center. The center organizes many eclectic events such as concerts, exhibitions, festival, and debates. You can also consult here their expansive collection of informational materials like documents, digital files, audiovisuals or publications to learn more about the depth of the urban area and public space themes.
Join a Free Walking Tour
There’s no better way to learn about the cultural arteries that empower the character of an entire city than joining some of the free walking tours. The people that will guide you through the most famous places in Barcelona will inspire passion for this new wonderful city. You can learn every exciting fact about the Gothic Quarter, Gaudi works, Old City and many other fascinating places in Barcelona.
Catalunya. Photo by Carquinyol CC via Flickr
Visit the Markets
Everyone can assure you that a market visit in Barcelona can be anything but ordinary. Especially if you consider the La Boqueria market. It is one of the best in Europe, and there are around 200 stalls with so many exotic products, that they seem to be about to crash any moment.
You can find various kinds of food here, from numerous types of fish and seafood to fruits, dairy, colorful spices, vegetables, and flowers. The local atmosphere is delightful, and there is no chance for you to leave the market without a new exciting culinary souvenir.
La Boqueria, Barcelona. Photo by Bernard Gagnon via Wikimedia Commons
Beach Time
Barcelona can also offer you relaxing time on its golden sands. The locals take the environmental protection very seriously, so you will always enjoy crystal clear water. The shore is four kilometers long, and the temperature is perfect for fun swimming sessions from May until September. There’s no need to leave the beach for quick refreshment as there are many bars, shops, and showers here.
Right behind the beach area, there is the beautiful 1.25 km long Passeig Marítim promenade that is delimited with exotic palms. It is a pleasure to take a slow summer walk here to freshen up after a long sunbathing day. The promenade is very popular during weekends, so it’s the perfect time to stroll down the promenade and blend in with the locals.
Photo by Juanedc from Zaragoza via Wikimedia Commons
Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
The Montjuic neighborhood of Barcelona hosts a majestic spectacle of lights, fountains, and music. This combo is an emotional picture that is worth visiting. The Magic Fountain was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition, and it needed around 3000 workers to complete this ambitious project.
Each performance lasts half an hour and then it is repeated for the entire weekend. The show of lights provides a wonderful frame for the ornamental fountain while the music delights you with masterpieces such as movie soundtracks from The Godfather, The Lord of the Rings, and Gladiator plus other famous pop songs.
Photo by Iván Melenchón Serrano via Wikimedia Commons
Park Guell
Enter a world of fantasy where the gardens are beautifully crafted in organic shapes that were inspired by the Temple of Apollo of Delphi. The genius mind behind this impressive project is renowned Catalan artist, Antoni Gaudi. The gardens are the reflection of the naturalist phase that the artist expressed through the central piece represented by a large serpent bench. There is also an abundance of sculptures covered in mosaic of blue and yellow.
This unique vision of a peaceful garden is the perfect place to experience the art of a brilliant Catalan mind. The park also has a rich variety of birds, such as several species of parrots, short-toed eagles, and hummingbird hawk moths.
By Angela Llop (Flickr: Parc Güell, Barcelona) via Wikimedia Commons
Sagrada Familia
The most important landmark of Barcelona is, without a doubt, the Sagrada Familia church. It is a splendid Roman Catholic building also designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. You will see impressive features of Gothic elements that blend seemingly with Art Nouveau forms. The majestic spires reach 170 m in height, and it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The art critics are of the opinion that the history of art has never witnessed such an ecclesiastic construction before.
The construction isn’t finished yet, though. The ambitious project started in 1883, and it is due to end in 2026. Nonetheless, it is an architectural wonder that should earn priority for your next trip to Barcelona.
So, these are the seven things you should not miss in Barcelona. It is truly an amazing place that should be on anyone’s bucket list.
View of the Passion Façade. Photo by Bernard Gagnon via Wikimedia Commons
Having been a shutterbug for most of her adolescence, Phoenix Hutton decided to take things to the next level and become a professional photographer. Now she enjoys sharing her travel insights on HolyCity.org.
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