Barcelona is the 2nd most populous municipality in Spain, known for its amazing history, architecture, food and culture. What a truly spectacular city this is and one of my favorites in the world. Here are my recommendations for the Top 6 Must-do’s:
Six :: Barceloneta Beach and Platja de Barcelona
According to TripAdvisor Barceloneta Beach is the best city beach in Europe.
I took the following video at Platja de Barceloneta, a wonderful open square surrounded by restaurants and bars on one side and the Mediterranean Sea on the other.
Although you can expect it to be pretty crowded with tourists year round you can see it is a really delightful area to hang out. Whether you’re there to sunbathe, swim, dine, drink, people-watch or just stroll around here you will find the perfect atmosphere.
Tips:
1. Be aware that you will be approached by vendors trying to sell you everything from a circular towel to massages. Sometimes it can be annoying but you might actually enjoy some of their wares.
2. August is the most crowded month so if you’re not into waiting in lines you might want to choose another time to visit.
Five :: Try the food
Of course you know I’m going to talk about the local food. Food in Barcelona is all about making the most of the best local produce and boasts some of the best gourmet delicacies in Spain. I’m just going to touch on a couple of options here. In another post you can read more details :: Beginner’s Guide to Eating in Barcelona.
Tapas
Known for its Tapas (small plates) bars, Barcelona does not fall short of variety and flavor and quality.
This is actually my favorite way to eat: small plates of a variety of flavors and textures. I prefer this type of dining over a big piece of meat with a big helping of potatoes and vegetables.
Paella
Another recommendation I have for you is the paella (rice and seafood cooked and served in a large flat shallow pan). Paella originated in Valencia and you can therefore find the best of the best in that beautiful coastal town but with a little research you should be able to find quality paella in Barcelona as well.
There is much too much to cover when it comes to the food in Spain so I’ve gone into more depth in my post Beginner’s Guide to Eating in Barcelona.
Tip: Do your research to find places that serve authentic cuisine rather than the cheap and tasteless tourist versions. Once you taste the real thing you won’t want to settle for less.
Four :: La Rambla
[AKA Las Ramblas. Originally a series of 5 smaller “ramblas” have been incorporated into one big La Rambla]
La Rambla is the most famous promenade in Spain, a beautifully tree-lined pedestrian street 3/4 of a mile long, stretching from the Christopher Columbus Monument on the south end to Placa de Catalunya on the north end. La Rambla is filled with restaurants and shops and souvenir shops and street performers, etc. This very popular Catalonian landmark is visited by tourists from all over the world all year long. Once you experience it you’ll understand why.
Mercat de Sant Josep La Boqueria
My hotel in Barcelona was located less than a block off the center of La Rambla, not far from probably one of the reasons why (you might have guessed) I love finding local markets everywhere I go: Mercat de Sant Josep La Boqueria.
Font de Canaletes
On the north end of La Rambla and the heart of Barcelona by Placa de Catalunya you will find Font de Canaletes, a popular meeting point.
Font de Canaletes’ legend is this: “If you drink water from the Font de Canaletes you will always be in love with Barcelona. And however far away you go you will always return.” I can attest to that! I DO love Barcelona and I DO plan to return, so in my eyes this saying is not just a legend.
Tips for La Rambla:
1. Barcelona is known as the Pickpocket Capital of the World. Be very aware of your belongings when walking the streets, especially in the crowded tourist attractions and late at night. Your pockets are not safe. I would recommend you wear a money belt or a jacket or vest with inside pockets in which to keep your money, phone, etc. I’ll tell you what happened to Roydio in my next post: Don’t Do’s in Barcelona
2. There is no way to avoid crowds altogether in Barcelona but August is their busiest month. Just a heads up.
Three :: Camp Nou
My Roydio is a futbol player and therefore a huge futbol fan [not to be confused with American football: in the US futbol is known as soccer]. And because of him I’ve become a fan as well. Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe, in fact the third largest in the world in capacity – just over 121,000 and home to FC Barcelona whose captain is Lionel Messi who happens to be my fave player. So my visit to Camp Nou was compulsory. And it certainly did not disappoint.
**CHEESE WARNING** The following video is a little cheesy I admit, but Roydio was over-the-top excited about visiting this iconic stadium and couldn’t help himself from getting in front of the camera (not that he’s shy by any means). So I decided to include it here for you. You’re welcome.
Here is a panoramic shot for you as well.
For those who are fans (or not), Camp Nou is about as impressive as it gets. 25EU will get you in the door without paying for a tour. We went on a self-guided tour of the museum, the changing rooms, the press room and commentary boxes. We experienced the audiovisual and multimedia installations, sat in the VIP area, then down in the stands.
We were not allowed to go onto the field which was a disappointment but it was well worth seeing this massive stadium in all its glory. The next time we watch an FC Barcelona game we will feel as though we’re right there!
Tip for Camp Nou: Go during futbol season so you can catch a live game!
Two :: Montjuic
Montjuic “Jewish Mountain” is Barcelona’s biggest hill. On the side of the hill is the Montjuic Cemetery which you can’t help but notice as you drive into Barcelona from the airport. It is quite a beautiful sight.
Castell Montjuic itself is not near as impressive as other castles we have visited but what makes it so special is the view from the top.
Where in the World is Louise? Barcelona :: Castell Montjuic
From the castle I took a zoomed in shot of La Sagrada Familia that shows how big this cathedral is compared to the houses around it. So IMHO it was totally worth paying the reasonable entrance fee of 5EU.
Montjuic itself is a huge 57 acre park that sprawls over the entire hill and includes several parks within itself. Entrance is free, making this the best deal in Barcelona IMO.
Where in the World is Louise? Barcelona :: Montjuic Sardinia Dance Monument
I took the local bus to Montjuic and took the cable car up. I then walked around the parks and fountains and took the local bus back into town.
Don’t do what I did. Since the distances between the attractions on Montjuic are spaced fairly far apart I missed seeing several of them because of how long it took me to walk everywhere, although I saw more of the details by walking which was very cool.
Having said that, I would still recommend taking the Hop On Hop Off bus.
Tips for Montjuic:
1. Start at the top and work your way down.
2. Set aside an entire day if you want to see it in its entirety
3. Take the HOHO bus and get off at the different attractions in order to see it all because there is a LOT to see
4. Visit the castle on Sunday after 3pm to get in for free
One :: Works of Gaudi
Barcelona is home to the works of world-renown genius architect Antoni Gaudi, the world’s best practitioner of Catalan Modernism. Here are 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites of his you shouldn’t miss when visiting Barcelona:
1. Casa Mila
La Pedrera “stone quarry” as it is popularly known. One of Antonio Gaudi’s main residential buildings, his last and a total work of art. The next time I’m in Barcelona I’d like to go back and take the full tour so I can see its rooftop terrace.
2. Casa Batllo
Antoni Gaudi was commissioned by its owner to restore this old house originally built in the 1800’s and to make it stand out. One of Gaudi’s most spectacular works.
3. Parc Guell
Located on Carmel Hills, Parc Guell is now a garden complex comprised of a series of Antoni Gaudi’s houses (including his own). It was originally designed as a housing development project that ultimately failed. The city took it over and made it public in1926. Parc Guell has been one of the city’s most important acquisitions since.
4. Basilica de La Sagrada Familia
Maybe not many people realize this but Antoni Gaudi was not the original architect on this project but took it over after one year of construction and completely changed its original design. This is considered the most famous of Gaudi’s works. La Sagrada Familia has been in construction since 1882 with its completion not to be expected until 2030.
Click here to find out more about UNESCO.
Other tips for Barcelona:
1. Put that gratuity away. Tips are almost unheard of among the locals in Spain. If you feel your server has gone above and beyond in your eyes in an elegant restaurant, a 5-10% tip is more than enough. If your server is waiting for a tip, you’re probably in the wrong restaurant.
2. With the exception of the touristy areas and a few grocery stores, Spain closes many of its shops on Sundays. Restaurants are usually open only in the mornings on Sundays but closed in the evenings.
Click here to check out everything Barcelona has to offer and use it to book tickets, restaurant reservations, tours, etc. Goooooooaaaaaal!
Read More ::
9 Don’t Do’s in Barcelona
Beginner’s Guide to Eating in Barcelona
Bangkok :: How to See It in 3 Days
Lisbon :: One of My Very Favorite Cities in Europe
I definitely want to return to Barcelona in the future – there is only so much you can do in one visit or even two and there are just way too many amazing things to see here. Tell me what you think about Barcelona so far?
In my next post I will share with you what NOT to do in Barcelona. Because I want to make sure you are fully prepared for a great time without running into snags. “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin
