Top 10 Things to do in Barcelona

There is SO much to do in Barcelona! We hit some of the highlights in our 4-5 days there, and below are our favorites.

Check out our full Barcelona Travel Blog HERE!

1: Park Guell

A huge complex with Gaudi’s architecture. The tile work is amazing and it is such a unique area to walk around. Views of the city are amazing as well. You’ll want to get your tickets in advance on their official site. They could sell out, but it seems like there are options even a few days in advance, if you’re not picky about your time. The earliest entry is at 9:30am and tickets cost 18 Euro for adults, 13.50 for kids and under 6 are free. On the site you can see the different times of entry and ticket availability. We chose to go first thing in the morning and it was less crowded than later in the day. You don’t need a guided tour; walking around on your own is just fine, so save some money!

2: Sagrada Familia

Can’t miss going into Sagrada Familia! We really enjoyed the tour of the towers as well, and the museum underneath (we almost missed this!) Similar to Park Guell – book your timed tickets in advance on their official site – no guide needed. You can book tickets that just get you into the church or one that allows you into one of the towers. The towers are more expensive, but it is very impressive to go up to the top – you get amazing views and it’s super fun to walk down the spiral staircase. We chose the Nativity Tower – which is supposed to be a bit more interesting and Gaudi actually oversaw the design of this one. The church is stunning with amazing stained glass.

3: Mercado Boqueria

Huge market with tons of amazing food to pick from. We always love a good market! There has been mentions of markets in this area since the 13th century, ranging in different types of good sold. The official structure as we see now was built in the 1840’s and has so many different things to explore. Tons of restaurants, fresh fruit, nuts and spices – it’s makes for a fantastic visit. You only need maybe an hour here, but could spend much longer. We grabbed lunch and some food to take with us for snacks at the beach and for dinner that evening. Our kids favorite thing were the smoothies.

4: Explore Gothic Quarter

Wandering around the Gothic Quarter is a highlight. So many things to see and so much history. Great food, live music and good vibes! It’s a great place to spend an afternoon or evening just wandering around and getting lost in its quaint streets. It’s houses some of the oldest buildings in the city and is full of incredible architecture. Some of our favorite things in this area were Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar (a free church to visit, and way less crowded), Temple d’August (ancient ruins with apartments built around them) and Demasie where we got some pastries in the mornings.

5: Barceloneta Beach

The beach in Barcelona is really nice – with tons of space to spread out and enjoy the nice weather. There’s a promenade to walk on, a playground for the kids, facilities and lots of restaurants nearby. It’s close to the Gothic Quarter so it’s easy to walk there and spend a few hours.

6: Gaudi Architecture

There are a ton of places to see Gaudi’s architecture. Casa Mila and Casa Batllo are the more famous sites to see, but if you want something a bit cheaper and less crowded, we really enjoyed Guelle Palace. We enjoyed this location because you could walk around the whole house – we especially enjoyed the basement where they used to keep horses and the amazing curved rooftop.

7: Flamenco Dancing

A live flamenco dancing show was such a fun experience! The place we visited, Palau Dalmases, was a really intimate setting, with less than 50 people. It was fairly inexpensive and was fun to check out something totally new to us. It was located in the heart of the Gothic Quarter and we bought tickets the same day as the show. You can buy tickets on their site and they have shows every night at 5:30, 6:45, 8:00 and 9:15. Since it was such a small place, buying tickets ($30 adults/$15 kids) at the back of the theater to save money is completely fine – still with great views.

8: Picasso Museum

We typically aren’t art museum people – but the Picasso Museum was an exception. Right in the middle of the Gothic Quarter, it made for an easy visit and the art was amazing. Adults were 12 Euro and kids were free. I think it’s a fun museum for kids – as far as art museums go, because the paintings are so quirky and interesting.

9: Monserrat

A day trip to Monserrat is a highlight if you can spare a day away from the city center. The mountains are really unique, has wonderful hiking, and taking a cable car to the top was really fun. It’s about a 1 hour train ride before reaching the cable car. Once at the top, you can visit the church where you are able to listen to the boys choir if they are performing. You have to pay to get in – it was a little confusing on what we were paying for – and you have to cover your shoulders. Plenty of hiking in the area with stunning views. The mountains are unlike anything we’ve seen before.

10: Ciutadella Park

This is a great park with a ton of green space and lots to do. Even if you just wander around, it’s a good stop! There are playgrounds, ponds, statues and more. It’s right in the center of town, walking distance to everything.

Let me know what I’ve missed that you really liked!

Like this guide? Let us plan your next adventure!

If you need a custom travel itinerary for your next trip, get in touch here!

Check out our vlog for more info and other things we did during our 4 days in Barcelona.