Barcelona is a wonderful city in Spain to explore and the things to do in Barcelona are incredible.
No matter if you’ve been to Barcelona many times before or if you’re visiting the city for the first time, you won’t get bored there! From seeing the most iconic sights such as La Sagrada Familia to doing a catamaran cruise of the Port of Barcelona, there are endless fun activities in the city.
I love Barcelona a lot and I’ve spent a lot of time in this beautiful city. That’s why I know exactly which things you shouldn’t miss out on when you’re there and I made this guide to help you decide what you want to do. So if you’re curious about the best Barcelona things to do, look no further, I got you covered!
Best Things To Do in Barcelona
See La Sagrada Familia
One of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia.
This is an iconic unfinished church that was designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí.
The church is part of the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
The construction of the church began in the year 1882 and the building is still not finished.
When you are visiting the city of Barcelona, you should definitely check out the building.
The architecture of the building combines Gothic and Art Nouveau elements, but the style is very unique.
It is a very photogenic building as well, so if you like photography you should definitely go here.
What’s unique about this place as well is that the architect is buried in the crypt of the church.
Address: C/ de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona
Explore Park Güell
Another very famous place in Barcelona is Park Güell.
Park Güell is a park that consists of a variety of gardens and landmarks with a beautiful design.
The construction of the park finished in the year 1914 and it is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
At the park, you can find a lot of beautiful nature, which makes the park perfect for a relaxing walk.
Also, you can see a lot of architectural masterpieces by the architect Antoni Gaudí.
For example, you can see colorful mosaics in the park, including a very colorful mosaic statue of a salamander.
These mosaics and the other designs in the park make walking in the park an even more fun experience.
Have Fun at Tibidabo Amusement Park
If you want to have fun, you should definitely check out this next place in the city of Barcelona as it is one of the most fun places to visit in the city.
You can go to the Parque de atracciones Tibidabo.
This is an amusement park that is located on the Tibidabo hill that overlooks the city of Barcelona.
The amusement park opened in the year 1905 and is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world and in Europe.
What’s interesting is that many of the original rides of the park are still in operational use.
There are many fun rides and attractions here, including a colorful Ferris wheel from where you can get an even better view of the city of Barcelona.
Also, there is a fun drop tower at the park.
Address: Pl. del Tibidabo, 3, 4, 08035 Barcelona
Do a Catamaran Cruise from the Port of Barcelona
You can do many different tours in Barcelona through which you can discover the city.
One of the best tours that you can do is a catamaran cruise of the Port of Barcelona.
During this tour, you’ll do a guided cruise on a silent catamaran in the Port of Barcelona.
Along the way, you can enjoy great views of the city of Barcelona. This also includes many of the most iconic landmarks of the city.
Seeing this is a lot of fun and what’s great too is that this tour is very relaxing as the water is very calm and the catamaran is silent. This combined with a drink makes the tour a very relaxing experience.
Go for a Stroll at La Rambla
One of the most famous places is La Rambla and checking it out is one of the best things to do in Barcelona.
This is a large pedestrian street that is located in the old town of Barcelona.
In the street, there are a lot of kiosks and stalls that sell a variety of products, including flowers.
Furthermore, there are many street artists that perform in the street.
Also, what’s great is that there are lots of very tall trees that line the street. These trees make La Rambla a very relaxing place for a stroll during a city trip in the city.
Visit the Gaudí House Museum
Want to see even more works by Gaudí and learn more about the famous architect? Then, going to Gaudí’s House is one of the best activities that you can do in Barcelona.
This is a house where the famous architect lived for about 20 years till the year 1925.
Many years later, the house was transformed into the Gaudí House Museum, and nowadays you can learn about the architect and his projects here.
For example, you can learn about the Sagrada Familia at this place.
Also, you can find a lot of personal objects of the architect at this museum.
Through all of the items, you can learn about the story of the architect, which is very interesting when visiting Barcelona.
Attend a Show at Gran Teatre del Liceu
You should definitely check out the Gran Teatre del Liceu when you are in the city of Barcelona.
This is a historic opera house that you can find on La Rambla and it is one of the oldest theaters in the city of Barcelona.
The theater dates back to the year 1837 and when it opened it was the largest opera house on the continent.
The theater has a beautiful architectural design, and the interior of the theater is very special too.
You can see very good opera shows and concerts at the theater, and the spectacular interior of the opera house makes seeing a show here an even more amazing experience.
Also, what’s great is that you can find the theater in downtown Barcelona. So it is very close to other sights of the city.
Address: La Rambla, 51-59, 08002 Barcelona
Learn New Things at the FC Barcelona Museum
Do you like soccer and do you like the soccer team FC Barcelona? Then, you should definitely check out the FC Barcelona Museum.
This is a museum that you can find at Camp Nou in Barcelona, the stadium of the well-known club.
At this museum, you can find a lot of objects that relate to the soccer club.
For example, there are photos, trophies, and documents that together tell the story of the history of the club.
Also, you can find an art collection at the museum with art by very famous local artists such as Miró and Dalí.
Also, you can find a lot of other interesting historic objects here that relate to soccer in general.
The museum is one of the most popular museums in the city.
Address: C. d’Arístides Maillol, s/n, 08028 Barcelona
Ride the Telefèric de Montjuïc
The Telefèric de Montjuïc is a cable car that you should definitely check out if you’re wondering what to do in Barcelona.
The cable car has a length of 750 meters in total and connects Parc de Montjuïc and Castell de Montjuïc.
The cable car is a very convenient way to travel to these places, and besides that, it can be a lot of fun to ride the cable car.
From the cable car, you can get an amazing view of the city of Barcelona. From here, you’ll be able to see many of its buildings and its port from above, which is very nice.
Address: Avinguda Miramar, 30, 08038 Barcelona
See Architecture at Casa Milà
Casa Mila is yet another one of the best landmarks to visit in the city of Barcelona.
This is a building that is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Casa Mila is one of the best works of the architect Gaudí.
It is a building in the Catalan modernism architectural style. What makes the building very unique is the round stone facade.
Also, the roof of the building features many statues and looks amazing. From here, you can also get a great view of the city.
If you like architecture, you should definitely go to Casa Mila in Barcelona. Also, it can be great to combine a visit to this house with other masterpieces by Gaudí.
Address: Pg. de Gràcia, 92, 08008 Barcelona
Visit Camp Nou
Camp Nou is the soccer stadium of the FC Barcelona soccer club.
It is a very large stadium that has a seating capacity of about 100,000. It is one of the largest soccer stadiums in the world, and the largest of its kind in Europe.
If you love soccer and the team is playing at the stadium, you should definitely go to a game.
But this place can also be great to visit when there isn’t a game. That’s because it is possible to do a tour of the stadium.
During such a tour, you can walk on the field, see locker rooms, the press room, and many other places of the stadium.
Furthermore, you can combine going here with going to the museum of FC Barcelona, which is one of the most interesting activities in Barcelona.
Address: C. d’Arístides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona
Explore Parc de la Ciutadella
The Ciutadella Park is a large city park that you can find in the city of Barcelona.
The park was created in the 19th century and it contains a lot of great places that are wonderful to see.
For example, you can find the zoo of the city here.
Also, there is a beautiful fountain at the park that was designed by Josep Fontserè.
Furthermore, the park has several museums that can be very interesting to visit.
And the Parliament of Catalonia is located here as well.
If you want to go for a relaxing walk in the city while you also have fun by checking out one of the landmarks in the park, this is a great place to visit.
Learn About Design at the Design Museum of Barcelona
The Design Museum of Barcelona is a place where you can learn about design from all around the world.
The collection of the museum varies a lot and features objects from many disciplines of design. This is because the museum was created by merging several former museums.
One part of the museum focuses on decorative arts. And you can find a large collection of European decorative art at this place.
Furthermore, one section of the museum is all about textiles and clothes.
And one part of the museum’s collection focus on graphic design.
So if you want to learn about all kinds of design disciplines, you should go to this museum for sure!
Address: Pl. de les Glòries Catalanes, 37-38, 08018 Barcelona
See Marine Life at L’Aquàrium de Barcelona
The Barcelona Aquarium is another very interesting place in the city that you can visit.
At this museum, you can find a lot of marine animals that you can learn about, and in total there are more than 10,000 animals, and there are hundreds of species of them in total.
You can find the Aquarium Barcelona in the harbor of Barcelona.
Some of the animals that you can find here are sharks, rays, and many species of fish.
Furthermore, there are beautiful exhibits at the aquarium. For example, there is an underwater tunnel that you can walk through and where you can see the fish while being underwater yourself.
You can go to this aquarium for a relaxing walk while checking out the different animals, which is very fun and interesting.
Address: del Port Vell, Moll d’Espanya, s/n, 08039 Barcelona
Go to Santa Maria del Mar
The Santa Maria del Mar is a beautiful church that you can find in the city.
The construction of this Roman Catholic church was finished in the year 1350. So this is a very historic church building, which makes it very interesting to see.
When going for a walk in the Ribera district, you can check out the church.
And you can go inside the building as well.
Inside, you can see beautiful architecture as well, but you can find almost no art inside. This is because in the past there was a large fire that destroyed most of the church’s interior.
Address: Plaça de Santa Maria, 1, 08003 Barcelona
See Art at the Picasso Museum
If you like art, you should definitely check out the Picasso Museum which is one of the most interesting sights in Barcelona.
This is a museum where you can find a large collection of works by the famous artist.
The works that you can find here are works from the 20th century and the works are very beautiful to see.
What’s great is that the museum contains objects from all the different periods of Picasso, from his early works to his last works, you can find it here.
You can find the museum inside several medieval palaces in the neighborhood of La Ribera.
At the museum, you can find paintings, drawings, and a variety of other works.
Also, what’s great is that the buildings in which you can find the museum are very historic and have an impressive architectural style.
Address: C/ de Montcada, 15-23, 08003 Barcelona
Go to Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló is another iconic building that you can visit when you are in Barcelona.
This is a building that the famous architect Gaudí designed and is one of his most famous works.
The construction of the house started in the year 1904 and you can find the building in the city center of Barcelona.
The building features a beautiful Modernista architectural style and the building only has a few straight lines.
Furthermore, the building has beautiful mosaics and lots of other amazing design elements.
What’s great as well is that the building is on the UNESCO Worl Heritage Sites list like the other works by Antoni Gaudí.
When you are in the city and like architecture, this is one of the highlights of Barcelona that you should check out for sure!
Address: Pg. de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona
Learn About the City at the Barcelona History Museum
Barcelona is a city with a very rich history. The city was founded by the Romans about 2000 years ago.
Furthermore, it played an important role within Catalonia.
Throughout the city, you can find a lot of historic buildings that relate to this past.
If you want to learn about the history of the city, you can go to the Barcelona History Museum. This museum tells the story of the city from its early Roman beginnings till the present day through exhibits with lots of historic objects.
You can find this museum in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and it is one of the most popular museums in Barcelona.
Also, the museum manages some historical sites that you can find throughout the city.
Address: Pl. del Rei, s/n, 08002 Barcelona
Hang Out at Plaça de Catalunya
Plaça de Catalunya is the largest square that you can find in Barcelona. You can find the square in the center of the city and it is next to some of the busiest streets in the city, such as La Rambla.
Also, there are two fountains at the square and you can find some nature here.
Furthermore, you can find a variety of shops in the square.
All of these aspects make the square a great place to hang out when you’re looking for relaxing Barcelona things to do.
See Casa Amatller
Casa Amatller is yet another beautiful example of the Catalan modernism architectural style.
The building was constructed at the end of the 19th century by the famous Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
It is one of the most important and most popular buildings in the city.
The exterior of the building is very beautiful and very nice to see when going for a walk in the city.
But, the interior is even more amazing to see. Inside, you can also see beautiful design elements and what’s great is that the interior of the building is still the same as in the year 1900.
Also, you can see art inside, which is nice as well.
Another thing that is great about going to this place is that there are guided tours through which you can explore the house by listening to information from expert guides.
Address: Pg. de Gràcia, 41, 08007 Barcelona
See Art Exhibitions at the CaixaForum Barcelona
One of the best sights in the city to check out if you like art is the CaixaForum Barcelona.
At this place, you can see amazing exhibitions throughout the year and these exhibitions are very diverse.
For example, you can see exhibitions of art at this place.
Also, the exhibitions focus on architecture, culture, and a variety of other topics.
Furthermore, there are permanent works of art at CaixaForum Barcelona as well.
Furthermore, the building of the center is very interesting to see as well. That’s because the building is a historic textile factory in the Catalan modernism design and is designed by the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Furthermore, besides art exhibitions, there are all kinds of other cultural events at the center that can be interesting to attend.
Address: Av. de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 6-8, 08038 Barcelona
Learn About Science at CosmoCaixa
CosmoCaixa Barcelona is a great place to go to as well and this is especially one of the best things to do in Barcelona with kids.
This is a science museum where you can find a large variety of interesting science exhibitions.
These exhibitions showcase all kinds of objects that relate to nature, space, the environment, and much more.
Also, there are many interactive exhibits that are very fun for children. These exhibits allow children to learn about science and play at the same time.
Exhibits that belong to the same topic are grouped and shown in one place at the museum. For example, you can see exhibits that are about the universe at The Universe Hall of the museum.
Address: C/ d’Isaac Newton, 26, 08022 Barcelona
Explore and Shop at Mercat de Sant Antoni
The Mercat de Sant Antoni is a public market that you can find in the city.
The market was created in the year 1882 and it is a very nice place to visit.
At the market, there are a lot of vendors that sell many different kinds of objects.
For example, you can go here to buy non-food items, such as clothes and shoes, but you can also get a lot of items food items here, such as fruit.
Furthermore, you can sometimes go here to shop for rare collectible items.
What’s nice about this place as well is that the market still has a lot of historic design elements.
If you want to buy unique items in a historic place, this is the perfect place for you to visit.
Address: Carrer del Comte d’Urgell, 1, 08011 Barcelona
Explore La Boqueria
La Boqueriua is a very large public market that is very popular with both locals and tourists that travel to Barcelona.
You can find this market in the Citutat Vella area of the city.
Moreover, one of the entrances of the market is on La Rambla.
At the market, you can shop for all kinds of products, such as fruit and vegetables.
What’s amazing is that the history of the market dates back to at least the year 1217. During that time, it was a place where only meat was sold.
There was not yet a building at this place during that time. It was only in the year 1840 that a construction was built to house the market and make it an indoor market.
Address: La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona
Go for a Walk at Parc del Laberint d’Horta
The Parc del Laberint d’Horta is a very relaxing place that you can find a bit outside of the city center.
The Park has a lot of beautiful nature, which makes going for a walk here a very nice experience.
It is a historic garden that was constructed in the year 1791, which makes it a very special place to visit.
You can find a maze in the garden that is a lot of fun to walk through and there are lots of other great elements here.
Also, you can see find a lot of different species of trees and plants at the garden, which makes this place great to visit.
Furthermore, there are beautiful water elements at the garden as well that are very nice to see.
See the City From Above at Unlimited Barcelona
Do you like viewpoints? Then, this is one of the best Barcelona attractions to visit.
You can go to Unlimited Barcelona, which is a place that you can find on top of the Urquinaona Tower in the city center of Barcelona.
From this place, you can get a great panoramic view of the city.
Seeing the buildings looking very small from above is a very spectacular thing to experience.
Also, what’s great is that you can go to this place at night with a special ticket.
Seeing the illuminated city of Barcelona from above when it is dark outside is an even more special experience.
Furthermore, a romantic experience that you can have here is seeing the sunset together with a drink. This is also possible at Unlimited Barcelona.
Address: Pl. d’Urquinaona, 6, Planta 20, 08010 Barcelona
See the Cathedral of Barcelona
The Barcelona Cathedral is a very beautiful building that you find in the city as well.
This is a cathedral with a Gothic architectural design.
The construction of the cathedral finished in the year 1448, so the cathedral is almost 600 years old. This makes seeing the cathedral one of the most interesting things to do in Barcelona if you like history.
The exterior of the cathedral is very beautiful and so is the interior.
Inside, you can see a lot of very impressive columns.
Also, you can find some important religious objects inside the church, including very beautiful paintings.
And the church also houses the body of Saint Eulalia in the crypt of the cathedral.
Address: Pla de la Seu, s/n, 08002 Barcelona
Go to the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona
The Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona is one of the best museums that you can visit when you are spending some time in the city.
At this place, you can learn about natural history, which can be very interesting.
You can find a lot of different exhibitions at the museum that all focus on different aspects of natural history.
For example, you can learn about the evolution theory at this museum.
Also, there are many immersive and interactive exhibits at the museum, which makes the place fun to visit for children.
Besides the permanent collection, there is more to see and do at the museum.
For example, you can see temporary exhibitions here that are great. And it is possible to attend workshops here as well.
Address: Plaza Leonardo Da Vinci, 4-5, 08019 Barcelona
Go to Palau Güell
Palau Güell is a mansion that the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí designed.
The construction of the mansion was finished in the year 1888 and it is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
You can find the mansion in the neighborhood of El Raval.
The building has a lot of unique design elements that you can see on the outside. And there are many different details that are very beautiful.
Also, the hallways and rooms of the building are amazing to see. What’s great too is the rooftop of the building. Here, you can see a lot of great colorful elements that are stunning as well.
Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5, 08001 Barcelona
Do a Hot Air Balloon Flight
One of the most spectacular activities in Barcelona is a hot air balloon flight in Barcelona.
During this experience, you can see the beautiful nature that surrounds the city of Barcelona from the sky.
For example, you can see the peaks of the Montserrat mountain range from above.
Also, you can see the city of Barcelona from above, which includes some of its most famous landmarks. For example, you can see La Sagrada Familia from above, which is very special.
In total, this experience takes about 4 hours.
If you want to do an experience that is both spectacular as well as relaxing, you should definitely consider doing a hot air balloon trip when you are in the city of Barcelona.
Visit the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a Roman Catholic church that you can find at the top of Mount Tibidabo in the city of Barcelona.
The church is a rather modern building of which the construction was finished in the year 1952. It has a Neo-Gothic architectural style that is very beautiful to see.
But the design of the church is not the only reason to check out the building, so is the place where you can find the church.
From the location of the church, you can get an amazing view of the city of Barcelona!
Also, you can combine visiting this church with going to the amusement park that you can find near it.
Address: Ctra. de Vallvidrera al Tibidabo, 111, 08035 Barcelona
See Art at the Joan Miró Foundation
Do you like modern art? Then you have to check out the Joan Miró Foundation for sure.
This is a modern art museum that is all about the Spanish artist Joan Miró. He was a famous painter and sculptor.
At the center, you can see many of the works of the artist. And many of these works were donated by the artist.
The collection includes tapestry, sculptures, paintings, and much more.
Also, there is a very unique Mercury Fountain, which is a fountain that uses liquid mercury as the liquid of the fountain instead of water. The fountain is held behind glass as mercury is a toxic element.
Explore the Collection of Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
Another great thing in Barcelona is to go to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.
This is an art museum where you can see beautiful visual art that was made in Catalonia.
The collection of the museum includes paintings, designs, and lots of other objects.
Also, you can find a large collection of Romanesque murals at the museum. These murals are very interesting as besides being beautiful they also depict different stories that are interesting to learn about.
Furthermore, you can see Gothic Art at the museum and there is much more.
Also, there is a small collection of interesting sculptures at the museum.
Besides historic art, you can also find a lot of modern art at the museum.
If you like art and want to see a great collection that was made in Catalonia, you should visit this museum for sure.
Address: Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc, s/n, 08038 Barcelona
Explore Barcelona Zoo
The Barcelona Zoo can be very interesting to visit if you want to see and learn about animals when you are in the city.
This is a zoo that is very old and that was opened in the year 1892.
You can find many different species of animals here.
For example, the zoo has one of Europe’s largest collections of reptiles.
Also, you can see many birds at the zoo, including many tropical ones.
Furthermore, there are many animals from the African continent at this zoo as well. For example, you can see giraffes, lions, and elephants here.
Besides that, there are many other species of animals here.
The place is perfect for a relaxing stroll while learning about animals at the same time.
See Contemporary Art at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
If you like contemporary art and want to learn more about it, you should check out the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art for sure.
This museum has a very large collection of modern and contemporary art.
The art that you can find here spans the whole second half of the 20th century and includes works of the present day as well.
In total, you can find a collection of about 5,000 works here. And many of these works are created by Catalan and Spanish artists, but you can also find a collection of works by international artists at the museum.
Besides that, there are often temporary exhibitions of art at the museum. These can be interesting to see as well!
Address: Plaça dels Àngels, 1, 08001 Barcelona
Visit Montjuïc Castle
Montjuïc Castle is an old military fortress that you can find on the Montjuïc hill in the city of Barcelona.
The building dates back to the year 1640 and throughout the years the castle played an important role in history and the defense of the city of Barcelona.
Also, the fortress was used for other purposes throughout the year. For example, it used to be a prison for several years.
Nowadays, the site is a military museum that you can visit when you are in the city of Barcelona.
You can go travel to the castle by cable car, and there is also a funicular through which you can go here.
Address: Ctra. de Montjuïc, 66, 08038 Barcelona
Explore the Maritime Museum of Barcelona
The Maritime Museum of Barcelona is another very interesting museum that you can find in the city of Barcelona.
At this museum, you can learn about the Spanish Navy. The history that this museum covers spans a period of about 500 years.
You can find a lot of interesting exhibits here through which you can learn about the Navy’s story.
These exhibits contain very interesting historical objects, such as weapons, navigation instruments, and much more.
Also, you can find a collection of interesting paintings at the museum that relates to maritime history.
Address: Av. de les Drassanes, 1, 08001 Barcelona
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Barcelona Things To Do Tips
Looking forward to seeing many different sights in the city? Then, you can consider buying the Barcelona City Pass. This is perfect if you’re wondering what to do in Barcelona and you want to explore lots of things in the city!
With this pass, you can get free admission to many of Barcelona’s sights and museums. With this pass, you can also enjoy free transportation in the city.
There are passes for different durations in the city. For example, there is a pass for 3 and for 5 days.
Thanks for reading my guide to the best things to do in Barcelona. I hope you have an amazing time in the city!