Barcelona offers endless fine culture, enchanting architecture, and an inviting dining and drinking scene. Filled with the works of great artists and numerous displays of Spain’s long history, Barcelona is a mesmerizing mix of contrasts that lures even the most jaded traveler. Roman-era artifacts like temple columns, ancient city walls, and underground corridors abound. The Gothic Quarter offers dazzling 14th-century cathedrals and peaceful plazas and sprinkled throughout Barcelona are modernist masterpieces from Miro and Dali to Gaudí and Picasso. If you want to be seduced by Spanish charms scroll down for a must-see list of attractions in this alluring city of Barcelona, Spain.
1. Camp Nou Stadium and Museum (from USD 38.0)
Boasting a seating capacity of nearly 99,354, Camp Nou is home to FC Barcelona and is the largest stadium in Europe. Experience the excitement of walking onto the huge pitch and getting panoramic views of this impressive structure. Visit the locker room, press room, chapel, and presidential box as well. An on-site museum showcases the team’s accomplishments with a shiny trophy collection and great interactive exhibits. You don’t have to be a diehard footballer to appreciate this wonderful attraction.
Immersive Tour F.C.Barcelona Museum: Open Date
Duration: 1 hour
2. Barcelona Aquarium (from USD 30.0)
Experience one of Europe’s biggest undersea displays at the Barcelona Aquarium. Boasting one of the most notable collections of Meditteranean aquatic life in the world, Barcelona Aquarium is a real gem. Alongside the marine life are informative exhibits about more than 11,000 sea creatures inhabiting the Barcelona Aquarium. A true standout is the compelling 80-meter (262-foot) tunnel you can walk through that’s filled with ominous sharks and electrifying eels!
Skip the Line: Barcelona Aquarium Ticket
Duration: 1 hour
3. Las Ramblas guided tour of Barcelona (from USD 402.0)
Las Ramblas is a magnificent boulevard which cuts through the heart of Barcelona. If you want to explore Las Ramblas and more of Barcelona’s city highlights then a private tour with a professional guide is the way to go. This excursion is filled with many of Barcelona’s top tourist attractions; Gaudi’s Casa Batllò, La Pedrera, and the Catholic cathedral Sagrada Familia. Participants have the opportunity to explore the glorious interior of the Sagrada Familia as well as explore the lively Las Ramblas boulevard, intriguing Gothic Quarter, and the picturesque Montjuic Mountain that offers stupendous views.
Tip from tour guide
Did you know that Las Ramblas was a large sewer that served to evacuate the waters from the surrounding mountains and separated the walled Old Town from the adjacent suburbs? The origins of La Rambla as a street date back to the 15th century when the sewer was diverted and covered up. Now this 1.2 km long street is one of the most famous places in the city. Be sure to explore this historic street when you visit Barcelona!
Barcelona Highlights and Sagrada Familia Half-Day Private Tour
Duration: 4 hours
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4. Chill with a cocktail at Ice Barcelona (from USD 20.0)
Sip your favorite cocktail in a very unique setting where the atmosphere is a chilly -5º Celsius (20º Fahrenheit). At Ice Barcelona, patrons are treated to an unparallel oceanside experience in the world’s only ice bar on the beach! Ice Barcelona is made entirely of ice and guests are provided a comfy and insulated jacket and a pair of gloves for maximum comfort. Admire wonderfully illuminated ice sculptures by various local artists while you relish your expertly prepared chilled cocktail. This is a family-friendly setting so bring the kids.
The Ice Bar Experience at Icebarcelona
Duration: 45 to 59 minutes
Barcelona Tour Guide
Perry Tours
Hello! My name is Perry, originally from the heart of Belgium, famed for its waffles and fries. However, it wasn't just the call of the Spanish sun that brought to Barcelona, but rather a captivating encounter with a German-Uruguayan beauty in Thailand. This led to the birth of our son in Ibiza, and eventually, more than two decades ago, I found myself in the vibrant city of Barcelona. My pa... Read more
Tours by Perry
5. Gaudi’s Casa Batlló (from USD 38.0)
Your jaw will drop at the sight of Gaudi’s Casa Batlló. The work of famous architect Antoni Gaudí, this treasured modernist showpiece offers a video-guided tour where you’ll learn of Gaudí’s life, artistry, and architectural style. A prime spot on the tour is the rooftop terrace where participants are afforded top-notch views of Gaudi’s spectacular chimneys. Throughout the tour, you’ll notice particular detail given to small accents like door handles, skylights, and banisters, not to mention a dramatic staircase that looks like the spine of a large animal!
Tip from tour guide
One of the most iconic places to experience the romance of Sant Jordi's Day is at Casa Batlló. This stunning modernist building, designed by the legendary architect Antoni Gaudí, is not only a masterpiece of art and architecture, but it's also intimately connected to the legend of Sant Jordi.According to the legend, Sant Jordi defeated the fierce dragon and rescued the beautiful princess, thereby freeing the people from the dragon's terror. This legend is intricately woven into the design of Casa Batlló, which features a stunning facade that looks like the scales of a dragon, with a turret that symbolizes the lance that Sant Jordi used to defeat the beast.
On this special day, the balconies of Casa Batlló are adorned with beautiful red roses, and visitors can take a tour of the building, which is a must-see for anyone who loves art, architecture, and history.
Casa Batlló Admission Ticket: 10D Experience
Duration: 1 to 2 hours
6. Barcelona museums (from USD 43.0)
A splendid way to spend an afternoon is at many of Barcelona’s incredible museums and a Barcelona Museum Pass affords you access to six of the city’s best. Enjoy popular venues such as the Picasso Museum, which houses one of the artist’s most extensive collections of artwork and the National Art Museum of Catalonia, featuring the most important collection of Catalan art from the 19th century and early 20th century. Holders of the Barcelona Museum Pass enjoy skip-the-line entry and it is valid for 10 days after the first use!
Barcelona Museum Pass
Duration: 2 days
7. Early morning tour of La Pedrera – Milà House (from USD 46.0)
Participants visiting the arresting UNESCO World Heritage-listed landmark La Pedrera – Milà House can truly beat the crowds at this early morning excursion. This tour commences one hour before the site’s hours of operation begin and affords participants the chance to explore La Pedrera – Milà House in a serene environment. No worries about unwanted tourists wandering into your perfectly framed snapshot and an after-tour coffee, or other beverage, is provided at the elegant Cafe de la Pedrera. This small-group guided tour’s highlight is a trip to the Pedrera Apartment roof to view the whimsical corkscrew chimneys.
La Pedrera Early Access Small-Group Tour
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
8. Joan Miró Foundation (from USD 14.0)
Located on lovely Montjuïc Moutain, the Joan Miró Foundation is a museum of modern art honoring the Catalan artist Joan Miró. Before you even enter the Joan Miró Foundation, visitors can drink in the grandeur of this unique building’s incredible exterior. Once inside, this museum offers an exhaustive collection of artwork by Barcelona’s best-known 20th-century artist. Along with the beautiful exhibits, visitors to The Joan Miró Foundation can enjoy a nice presentation that showcases Miró’s life and artistic background.
Skip the Line: Joan Miro Foundation Barcelona Admission Ticket
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
9. Barcelona Zoo (from USD 23.0)
Say hello to the animals at one of the top-ranking zoos in Spain. Residing in Barcelona’s lovely and lush Parc de la Ciutadella, the Barcelona Zoo offers 13 hectares (32 acres) of fine animal exhibits that include a collection of over 4,000 wild animals in breathtaking habitats. The Barcelona Zoo allows visitors to see an array of tigers, lions, monkeys, hippos and so much more. Guests can even learn about a former resident of the zoo called Snowflake, a rare albino gorilla who passed away in 2003!
Barcelona Zoo Entrance Ticket
10. Tour La Sagrada Familia with tower access (from USD 34.0)
This tour of La Sagrada Familia dives deep into one of Spain’s most in-demand sites. La Sagrada Familia is a yet-to-be complete architectural masterpiece by Antonio Gaudí that’s been under construction since 1882! Tour participants exploring the gorgeous basilica will find elaborate facades and columns stretched like tree branches. This particular excursion provides the added bonus of access to La Sagrada Familia’s two towers. The spires provide some of the top views of Barcelona.
Tip from tour guide
The Sagrada Família is not just a basilica. Antoni Gaudí's masterpiece, begun in 1882, is infused with the rich history of Barcelona and its people. From the birth facade to the death facade, each side is a work of art loaded with symbolism and stories. Did you know that Gaudí did not lay the very first stone of the Sagrada? The construction of the church, now known as the Sagrada Familia, was under the direction of architect Francesco de Paula Villar. Gaudí took over in 1884 and made a completely new design. It was designed initially in a Neo-Gothic style, but Gaudí redesigned it entirely. He drafted a remarkable and original basilica that was to have 18 towers. Today only 8 towers are fully completed.
Basilica of the Sagrada Familia Admission Ticket with Tower Access
Beguiling Barcelona
Barcelona is a magical city nestled between the mountains and the sea. Filled with wildly imaginative architecture, innovative food, quirky drink venues, and cultural and historic sites, Barcelona is a blend of cosmopolitan chic and haunting old world beauty. With this list of the best attractions on your tourist agenda, Barcelona is certain to be a Catalonian adventure to cherish long after you’ve returned home.
Tip from tour guide
Barcelona is famous for its football team, Antoni Gaudi, stunning architecture, lively nightlife, sandy beaches, world-class cuisine, a vibrant cultural heritage, and colorful neighborhood festivals that attract visitors from around the world. So, be sure to explore all of this along with the attractions mentioned above when you visit the city!
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