What to see and do in Barcelona

Exploring the city you may come across an unexpected exhibition, a restaurant where minimalist decor is combined with the most traditional cuisine or a bar with live music. It is full of unique spaces, small squares and gardens full of charm. It is a very cosmopolitan city, with the character of the Mediterranean cities that invites to leisure, to stroll and to enjoy. Barcelona has its own lifestyle that makes it unique.

In this guide we suggest some activities to enjoy with your family or friends during your stay in Barcelona.

Gastronomy

Barcelona welcomes the change-loving visitor with open arms. Its varied offerings include tapas from all corners of Spain, traditional Catalan and Mediterranean cuisine and, of course, the super-experimental nouvelle cuisine that has made famous the restaurant el Bulli owned by the well-known Catalan chef Ferran Adrià.

Traditional Catalan specialties include rice dishes such as arroz a la cazuela, "escalivada", aubergines, peeled peppers and onions baked with a little olive oil, and "suquet", a typical fisherman's stew with clams.

Seafood in Barcelona is one of the specialties of its restaurants and markets, where you can find the best and freshest from all over the world. Another characteristic fact of Catalan cuisine is the concept of sea and mountain, that is, dishes that combine meat and fish, such as meatballs with cuttlefish or rabbit with clams.

If the concept of sea and mountain leaves you unsure when choosing a white or red wine, do not worry, Barcelona is at the gates of the Penedés wine region, famous for its white and dry wines and cavas. Wine is produced all over Catalonia, from North to South but always with the highest quality. During the last few years the production of organic wine has multiplied notably.

Enjoy, or as the Catalans say, "bon profit"!

Children's guide

For the little ones, the city of Barcelona is full of attractions and numerous activities for the whole family. At the Tibidabo Magic Mountain, the little ones can enjoy the Tibidabo Amusement Park, where they can ride the little horses, visit the Three Twins' house or see a puppet show. At the Zoo, children can imagine how animals from all over the world live and enjoy a dolphin show. They will discover the marine life and its animal world in the Aquarium. They will be able to walk through an underwater tunnel from which they will see many species of all kinds, such as sharks and fish of all colors.

Barcelona offers the little ones a world of emotions and activities: children's theaters, cinemas and playgrounds.

The Golondrinas

These emblematic boats leave every day from the Portal de La Pau, in front of the Mirador de Colón and have several routes ranging from 35 minutes to 1 hour and a half, along the Port Vell and the beaches of Barcelona. They have different types of boats, some of them with seabed view. Prices vary depending on the length of the trip, but can range from 6,5€ for an adult and 2,60€ for a child; up to 14€ for adults and 7€ for children in the case of longer trips.

For more information, visit: https://www.lasgolondrinas.com/en

Tibidabo Amusement Park

If you are traveling with children, Tibidabo is a place you can't miss, even older children love it. This amusement park has been open for about a hundred years, it is one of the oldest. It was opened in 1908 and renovated in 1980. It combines about 30 different attractions of all kinds: more traditional, family rides and the latest novelties.
A one-day ticket is approximately €25 or €9 for children under 1.20 cm. Children under 90 cm. are free. It's a wonderful place to spend the day with the family and the kids love it. There is one small problem though, they will want to come back the next day!
Keep in mind, the park is more for kids than teens.

Address: PL. Tibidabo, 3-4
Phone: 932 117 942
For more information, visit: https://tibidabo.cat/en

Cosmocaixa

The new Barcelona Science Museum, inaugurated in 2005, is like a magnet for children. In it, children will find a lot of activities to spend the day and have fun as a family, such as an Amazon forest, "the room of matter", the planetarium or the fun "touch, touch! A large number of buses will take you to it, as well as the tramway blau, on its way to the Tibidabo amusement park. This fabulous museum is closed on Mondays, and has a general admission of 3€. Check the museum's website for temporary exhibitions and activities that can be visited at any given time.

Address: Isaac Newton, 26, Barcelona
TEL. 93 212 60 50
More information at: https://cosmocaixa.org/es/cosmocaixa-barcelona

Port Aventura Park

This theme park is not in Barcelona, but in Tarragona (about 100 km), but you can easily reach it. Children will love it, it is one of the largest amusement parks in Europe. PortAventura is home to two theme parks: PortAventura Park and Caribe Aquatic Park. There are attractions, shows, restaurants, hotels, stores and well-known characters. Port Aventura Park is divided thematically into locations: Mexico, China, Polynesia, Far West and Mediterranean, each one will fascinate you with attractions for all tastes and ages and amazing shows. Caribe Aquatic Park, this water park, located next to Port Aventura Park, is like a small Caribbean island. It includes an indoor area (mostly for small children) and an outdoor area with a considerable number of slides and wave pools.

Address: Autovía Salou / Vila-Seca, Km. 2
Apartado 90 - 43480 Vila-Seca (Tarragona)
Telephone: 977 779 000
More information at: https://www.portaventuraworld.com/en

Poble Espanyol de Montjuïc

The Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village) is an open-air museum made up of 117 full-scale buildings that reproduce the architecture of various corners of Spain. With the diversity of its squares, streets and houses, it constitutes an authentic "village", located on the mountain of Montjuïc. Within the framework of the program "El Poble dels Nens" (The Children's Village), various activities are organized such as performances and workshops for children or the so-called "Joc del Sarró" (Game of the Bag), a visit-gymkhana designed to discover the secrets of Poble Espanyol with the family in a playful and fun way.

Address: Av. Marquès de Comillas, 13
Telephone: 935 086 300
More information at: https://poble-espanyol.com/en/

Las playas

Barcelona is famous for its beaches. Few cities can boast such a cosmopolitan life, with a Mediterranean climate and perfect for spending the day at the beach. The beach is integrated into the day to day life of the city all year round, even in winter you will have the opportunity to sit on a terrace in front of the Mediterranean and enjoy a refreshing beer in the sun. Therefore, if you are a beach lover, Barcelona is the perfect city for you; to book an apartment near the beach, visit our section of apartments for rent on the beach.

The 4.5 kilometers of Barcelona's beach are easily accessible, in that space we will find different beaches: Sant Sebastià, Barceloneta, Nova Icària, Bogatell, Mar Bella, Nova Mar Bella and Llevant. They are equipped with all the necessary facilities and services: lifeguards, Red Cross, City Guard, information point, cloakroom, showers, public toilets, sunbeds, sunshades, drinks and ice cream kiosks, sports facilities, bicycle parking and restaurants. Swimming at Barcelona's beaches is very safe as there are not many currents. However, it is worth paying attention to the flags that show the danger of jellyfish, as they sometimes appear, especially during the hottest months of the year. Mar Bella beach is the official nudist/naturist beach of Barcelona.

Access to the beaches from anywhere in the city is very easy by public transport. The metro line L4 (yellow) stops near the beaches at any stop after the "Barceloneta" stop, the beach is only 200 meters away towards the sea. In addition, bus lines 14, 16, 17, 36, 39, 40, 45, 51, 57, 59 and 64 reach the Olympic Village.

Each beach has parking for cars and bicycle lanes.

San Sebastià Beach

Length: 1.100 m | Stops: from the breakwater of the Port to Almirante Cervera street.

How to get there: Public Transport : Metro: Line 4 "Barceloneta" | Bus: 14, 16, 17, 39, 40, 45, 45, 51, 57, 59, 64, 157
Parking: 250 parking spaces | Handicapped parking: 2 spaces

Information Points:
City Guard
Surveillance and Rescue
Information point

Services: Toilets, litter garbage cans, foot washes, telephone, waste garbage cans, public fountains, showers, bicycle parking, volleyball court, towers and surveillance chairs.

Disabled Services:
Adapted showers*.
Adapted hut*.
Adapted W.C.
* For people with reduced mobility

Barceloneta Beach

Length: 1,100 m.
Stops: from Almirante Cervera street to the Olympic Port.

How to get there: Public Transport
Metro: Line 4 "Barceloneta and Ciutadella".
Bus: 14-16-17-36-39-40-45-51-57-59-64
Parking: 772 spaces
Disabled parking: 24 spaces

Information and services:
City Guard
Surveillance and Rescue
Information point

Services: Toilets, litter garbage cans, foot washes, telephone, waste garbage cans, public fountains, showers, bicycle parking, volleyball court, towers and surveillance chairs.

Disabled services:
Adapted showers*.
Adapted toilets*.
* For people with reduced mobility

Nova Icària Beach

Length: 400 m.
Stops: from Almirante Cervera street to the Olympic Port

How to get there: Public Transport
Metro: Line 4 "Ciutadella or Bogatell".
Bus: 6-36-41-92-141
Parking: 500 spaces
Disabled parking: 16 spaces

Information:
City Guard
Surveillance and Rescue
Information point
Services: Toilets, adapted toilets*, litter garbage cans, foot-wash, telephone, selective collection garbage cans, public fountains, showers, bicycle parking, volleyball court, towers and surveillance chairs, volunteer tent, Ping-pong tables.

Disabled services:
Adapted showers*.
Adapted hut*.
Adapted bathing chair*.
* For people with reduced mobility

Bogatell Beach

Length: 640 m.
Stops: from the Bogatell breakwater to the Railway breakwater.

How to get there: Public Transport
Metro: Line 4 "Llacuna or Poblenou".
Bus: 6-36-41-92-141
Parking: 600 spaces
Disabled parking: 30 spaces

Information:
Urban Guard
Surveillance and Rescue
Information Point

Services: Toilets, litter garbage cans, waste garbage cans, public fountains, telephone, showers, volleyball courts, bicycle parking, towers and surveillance chairs.

Handicapped Services:
Adapted showers*.
Adapted toilets*.
* For people with reduced mobility

Nova Mar Bella Beach

Length: 550 m.
Stops: from the Espigó de Bac de Rueda to the Prim breakwater.

How to get there: Public Transportation
Metro: Line 4 "Selva de Mar and Fòrum".
Bus: 36-43-141
Parking: 750 spaces
Disabled parking: 13 spaces

Information:
City Guard
Surveillance and Rescue
Information point

Services: Toilets, litter garbage cans, telephone, waste garbage cans, public fountains, showers, bicycle parking, towers and surveillance chairs.

Disabled Services:
Adapted toilets*.
Adapted showers*.
Adapted hut*.
* For people with reduced mobility

Parks and gardens

Barcelona is full of parks and gardens where you can enjoy a nice walk or a picnic without the bustle and crowds of the city center. We highlight below some of the most emblematic parks:

The Ciutadella Park

It is one of the largest parks in the city and is located next to the old town. It was built for the Universal Exposition of 1888 on the grounds of the former military fortress of the city. The park stands out for its areas for walking and relaxing, with pleasant corners such as the large waterfall and the lake. The lake can be navigated with rowing boats.

Parc Güell

It is a unique park where natural spaces are combined with extraordinary modernist architectural elements. It was designed by the architect Antoni Gaudí who applied all his knowledge in its design.

It is an area of twenty hectares of magical atmosphere without any straight line. It is accessible by metro, although the nearest stations are some distance away.

Accessing from Vallcarca station (line 3 - green) you can use escalators to ease part of the existing slope.

It can also be accessed with the tourist bus so if you decide to use this tourist transport to tour the city we recommend you to take the opportunity to visit the Parc Güell.

Tibidabo and the Collserola Park

Tibidabo can be located in the highest point of the Collserola Mountain, an important area of forests and parks, from which you can see an excellent panoramic view of the city.

On this mountain you can find the Tibidabo Amusement Park, the Temple and the Telecommunications Tower that outline its silhouette over the city. The Amusement Park combines attractions as traditional and symbolic as the Watchtower.

We can access Tibidabo through the legendary Tram Blau, a true symbol of Barcelona's identity, which will leave us at the foot of the funicular, from where we will begin the last stretch of the journey to the top, Tibidabo Square.

Inside there are plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking and enjoying nature just a few kilometers from the city center.

Montjuïc

Montjuïc Mountain is an ideal place to rest and stroll thanks to the large extensions of gardens and the spectacular views it offers of the city of Barcelona. In addition to being home to numerous sports and cultural facilities, we find many parks and gardens among which we highlight the following parks.

Horta Labyrinth Park

As the name suggests, the Horta Labyrinth Park is a green area of 9.1 Ha that has a vegetable labyrinth where you can spend a quiet and pleasant time. A unique opportunity to enjoy the city with the family. It is the oldest preserved in Barcelona and is located in the old factory of the Desvalls family, at the foot of the Sierra de Collserola. It includes a neoclassical garden from the 18th century and a romantic garden from the 19th century.

Castell de l'Oreneta Park

The Parc de l'Oreneta is located in the upper area of the city, at the foot of Collserola. It has an area of 17 hectares with native Mediterranean vegetation that gives us the feeling of being in the middle of a forest in the mountains. It is a park designed for children to enjoy and play in the different playgrounds, botanical itineraries, horse and pony rides and in the attractive Oreneta Train that reproduces a miniature train and makes a wonderful journey through the interior of the park. An ideal place to spend a morning with the family.

Stores

Barcelona is like a gigantic shopping mall where tradition and modernity go hand in hand. The offer is unlimited and includes brands of all kinds, both national and international, small antique stores, art stores, bookstores and souvenir stores for tourists.

The shopping area, known as "the Shopping Line", is impressive, starting at Port Vell, continues along Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter and Portal del Angel, and, continuing along Plaza de Cataluña towards Paseo de Gracia and Rambla Cataluña, ending with more stores and malls on the left side of La Diagonal.

Among the old streets of the Gothic Quarter you will find stores of all kinds, from bookstores and craft stores to antique stores. And, of course, souvenir stores, especially concentrated in and around Las Ramblas. In addition, on Las Ramblas you will see a number of kiosks and flower stores, and, of course, the impressive La Boqueria Market, one of the largest in Spain, with some 300 stalls.

Avinguda de Portal del Angel, which connects with Plaça de Catalunya, also offers a large selection of stores of all kinds, such as Zara, Camper, H&M, Pull & Bear, Footlocker, etc., and also young designers' stores; all of them with quite affordable prices. In the Born neighborhood, around the Picasso Museum, it is easy to find small stores of young designers, art galleries and craft stores.

The Eixample district is where most of the elite fashion stores are concentrated, and great designers such as Dolce&Gabbana, Gucci, Armani, among others. You will find all these stores walking along Paseo de Gracia, La Rambla de Cataluña and the surrounding streets. A magnificent walk that you should not miss to enjoy, at the same time, the magnificent buildings of Modernist character of this neighborhood.

Along Avenida Diagonal, shoppers will find all kinds of stores, furniture and decoration, accessories, clothing, and also large shopping centers such as "La Illa", "El Corte Inglés" or "Pedralbes".

In addition to all the stores that can be found in "the Shopping Line", the city has other shopping centers, such as, for example, the "Diagonal Mar", located in the Forum area. "Westfield La Maquinista", located in the district of Sant Andreu, or, the "Maremagnum", located at the end of Las Ramblas, in the Port. Opening hours may vary depending on the store and the neighborhood, but, normally shopping centers are open from Monday to Saturday between 9 and 10 in the morning until 10 at night. Smaller stores tend to close at lunchtime, usually between 2 and 4 pm.

And last but not least, don't forget the winter sales, which start around January 10 and the summer sales around July 5.

Tours in Barcelona

The history, location and diversity of the city of Barcelona allow the creation of specialized thematic routes that help us to discover corners and stories of the city that in a usual tourist visit we do not get to know. Most of the routes offered by the city's tour operators are conducted by specialized staff and usually in English, although it is possible to hire guides for other languages.

Here are some of the usual routes that we believe are worth not missing during your visit to our city:

Modernist Route

Modernism is a style that emerged in splendor in the late nineteenth century, to manifest itself in hundreds of buildings of great beauty throughout the city. This route will take you through the streets of a city that many experts define as "the best open-air modernist museum in Europe". The route runs through the main streets of the Eixample and shows some of the more than 150 buildings that have been declared of historical and artistic interest by the local government. In this modernist atmosphere, the figure of Antonio Gaudí, who created his own particular style, unique and unmistakable, appears. You can discover some of his most spectacular and emblematic creations, such as Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia, among others.

Historic Routes

These are walking tours through the historic center of the city, designed to explore the most attractive corners and help you learn more about the origins of the city and its evolution, from the first Roman settlements, through the Jewish quarter, the medieval and Gothic period, reaching our days. You will stroll through the corners of the Gothic Quarter and discover countless precious details through history and legends; where and how the people of Barcelona lived at that time, their habits, their professions, their beliefs. In addition, you will visit the Cathedral, the Plaza Real, the Plaza de San Jaime, the Jewish quarter and the famous Ramblas. This itinerary is recommended for those who like to walk and mingle among the locals, discovering their history and roots.

Barcelona by bike

In recent years the use of bicycles to get around the city of Barcelona has become increasingly popular. The expansion of the bike lane network and the large number of pedestrian streets in the city center make the bicycle an ideal way to get around and get to know the different neighborhoods and tourist attractions. There are many tour operators that organize bike tours with personalized guides that will offer you a different and fun view of our city.