Best things to do in Barcelona

Adjacent to the cruise port, the old fishing village of La Barceloneta (now a seaside neighborhood of Barcelona) borders the long, wide Sant Sebastià Beach, where locals go to sunbathe, surf, and socialize in the many seafood restaurants and tapas venues that overlook the sea.

Colorful displays of fruits and vegetables, sandwiches, glistening candied fruits, savory and sweet pastries, chocolates, whimsical marzipan figures, fresh-mixed smoothies, Spanish almonds, burritos, breads, bins of olives, bright strings of peppers – la Boqueria is a riot of colors and aromas.

Nestled behind the Collserola Ridge in the Horta-Guinardó district, this 55-acre park dates to 1792 and is the oldest landscaped green space in Barcelona. The park blends formal gardens with a romantic garden that includes a waterfall and woodland.

Taking a stroll through the Parc del Laberint leads to discoveries of small squares, vibrant flower beds, neoclassical sculptures of mythological characters, and a labyrinth. Another treasure found within the park is the Torre Soberana, a 14th-century manor house restored in the 19th century in Moorish style.

The Quadrat d'Or (Quadrant of Gold) is an area of the Eixample district renowned for its Modernist architecture. The quadrant is found between the Plaça de Catalunya, the Avinguda de la Diagonal, the Passeig de Sant Joan, and the Carrer de Muntaner. The main road through the Quadrat d'Or is the Passeig de Gràcia.

Highlights of Spain: To learn about the best places to visit, see our article on the top tourist attractions in Spain. For more in-depth information about each city, read our guides about Madrid, Seville, Granada, Cordoba, and Toledo. To explore some of the regional highlights, turn to our articles on the top attractions of Andalusia and Catalonia.

Built between 1905 and 1908 as a concert hall for the choral society Orfeó Català, the Palau de la Música Catalana was designed by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, in the Catalan Modernist style. The UNESCO-listed building exemplifies an ornate Art Nouveau decorative style. The facade is a profusion of intricate mosaics, sculptural elements, and exquisite ironwork.

One of the best beaches of Spain is found within the city limits of Barcelona. Locals flock to Bogatell Beach to sunbathe, socialize, relax, play volleyball, or go windsurfing. Other things to do include kitesurfing and kayaking.

The 600-meter-long beach features a sandy shoreline and excellent amenities: restrooms, showers, parking, a beachfront promenade, snack bars, and ice-cream shops. There are also multiple lifeguard towers to ensure beach safety.

The heart of Barcelona's social life is found on La Rambla, a wide tree-shaded avenue that divides the Old Town into two parts. La Rambla stretches from the Plaça de Catalunya, where the beautiful Romanesque 12th-century Convent of Santa Anna stands, all the way down to the port.

In the Eixample district off the elegant boulevard of Passeig de Gràcia, the UNESCO-listed Casa Milà is Antoni Gaudí's most famous secular building. Casa Milà is also affectionately known as "La Pedrera," which translates to "The Stone Quarry" because the building resembles an open quarry.

For 2,000 years, the Gothic Quarter has been the spiritual and secular center of the city. Relics of ancient Roman buildings are still found here, but the Middle Ages are best represented by the historic monuments packed into this quarter.

The Basílica de la Sagrada Família stands in the northern part of the city, dominating its surroundings with its 18 spindly towers soaring high above all the other buildings. One of Europe's most unconventional churches, this amazing monument is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.