10 Famous Things In Barcelona, Spain - Updated 2024

Oishi
Oishi 
Updated
| 4 min read

Barcelona is an incredibly beautiful seaside city with a rich culture and history, attracting tourists from all around the world. Explore contemporary architecture, markets and the drinking and the dining scenes. There are amusement parks for entertainment and other decorated parks to relax in and places to shop at. Sightseeing will not be too big a deal because public transports are available, connecting the city well. If you are a football fanatic, then look no further. The Camp Nou stadium is one of the largest football stadiums in the world, and it would love to host you for a match sometime. Listed below are 10 famous things in Barcelona.

1. Encants Vells market


Encants Vells market or Mercat de Bellcaire is one of the oldest flea markets in Europe. The market comprises around 500 stalls, including junk shops, and houses antique fairs, jumble sale and also cafes, bars and traditional markets. You get everything here, including used books, jewellery, furniture, clothes, gadgets and electric bikes. The canopy was at first built at the ground level but was later elevated by inserting hoists onto the pillars. The market exudes the appeal of the original architecture and is engulfed by the city crowd at all times. You can overlook the Agbar Tower from here as well.

Encants Vells market

Address: Intersection of Av. Meridiana and C/Castillejos on the site of El bosquet dels Encants

Website: Encants Vells market

Opening hours: Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat: 9am - 8pm (closed on Tue, Thu, & Sun)

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2. Masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi in Placa del Rei


The stunning architectural marvels of Antoni Gaudi are hard to miss. So, if you are out in Barcelona to explore, then a few of the masterpieces of Gaudi that are more than worth catching a glimpse of are Casa Vicens, which was Gaudi’s first residence (considered one of the first Art Nouveau buildings), Casa Milá, with its rough-hewn style, is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage and Parc Güell, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage garden complex comprising several beautifully designed buildings including Gaudi’s house.

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3. Catalan cuisine


Catalonia is known for its cuisine. Visiting Barcelona and not trying out the food here will leave you feeling like you have not completely explored the city. The cheese, meat and the seafood incorporated in Catalan cuisine to whip up fantastic paellas, chorizo, butifarra and fideuas grant amazing flavour to the food. Enjoy fish and meat on the same plate in Catalonia, along with fresh vegetables, such as mushrooms, red peppers, aubergines, artichokes and fresh tomatoes, owing to its location on the Mediterranean coast.

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4. Romanesque art collection


Art collection in the manner of the Romans refers to Romanesque art collection. This form of art, which started out in Western Europe, was the only form that managed to spread across the Mediterranean and towards the North till Scandinavia. However, the type of art varies from region to region. For instance, Tuscan Romanesque art in Italy. This art form which dawned in the second half of the eleventh century drew inspiration from the travels to shrines such as Santiago de Compostela in Spain and the crusades throughout the Byzantine empire.

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5. Tibidabo and Montjuïc



Tibidabo is the highest mountain in Barcelona at above 512 metres (1680 feet) high. There is an amusement park, the Mirablau restaurant, and the Sagrat Cor church at the top of the mountain, and it offers a mesmerising view of the city, especially at night. The Montjuïc hill also features several beautiful spots that provide great views. You can overlook the city’s buildings, harbour and the sea from the Montjuïc castle at the top of the hill. You can reach the top by a cable car from Barceloneta Beach to enjoy the city views.

Tibidabo & Montjuïc

Address: Barcelona‎, Catalonia, Spain

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6. Churros con Chocolate party

things barcelona is famous for | churros con chocolate party
Source: instagram

Churros con Chocolate party happens every month on a Sunday at 6 pm and carries on till Monday 4 am. It started out as a discreet gathering together in a small space in the Raval, then it shifted to club Apolo. Great music of various genres is always played to keep up the mood and the ambience of the place. It houses and caters to all kinds of guests (especially gays) from all kinds of places. Each month the queue outside the entrance gets longer and longer. The ones who come in early are served with churros with chocolate.

Churros con Chocolate party

Address: C / Lafont 7, bajos (local 2) 08004 - Barcelona

Website: Churros con Chocolate party

Price: Free entry

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7. Barça football match


If you are a football fanatic, then here is your chance to experience a live match. Enjoy a live match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, and if you are a supporter of team Barça, then nothing like it. Camp Nou is the home stadium of FC Barcelona. It is the largest stadium in Spain and Europe and the third-largest football stadium in the world, with a capacity for holding 99,354 spectators. Even if there is no match going on, you can still visit the stadium just like thousands of football fans who gather here marvelling at its grounds.

Camp Nou

Address: C. d'Arístides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain

Website: Camp Nou

Price: 11 USD onwards

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8. Music festivals


You must attend music festivals during the summer in Barcelona, which is a source of much brouhaha all over the world. If you are a music lover, then you definitely do not want to miss a live concert of your favourite band. Musicians from all across the world gather here during this huge festival. An eclectic combination of the traditional and the contemporary is found, where equal importance is given to every genre, including jazz, rock and blues among others. Some of the popular festivals are Sónar festival, Primavera Sound and DGTL Barcelona.

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9. Christmas market

things barcelona is famous for | christmas market
Source: instagram

Every year several traditional Christmas markets take place in Barcelona. There is a wide range of shops, supermarkets and department stores to shop at for Christmas. Stores sell everything from fruit cakes, Christmas décor, jewellery, ornaments, interior décor, wines, winter snacks, children’s toys and other gifts for adults. and the like. While the streets are filled with small markets in every corner, making strolls during this time of the year a delightful experience, some of the popular markets that you could visit are Fira de Nadal de la Sagrada Família and La Fira de Santa Llucia.

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10. Flamenco Night (from USD 50.0)

At the famous Tablao Cordobes in Barcelona, enjoy an experience you shall always remember. Watch internationally recognised Flamenco dancers burn the stage with a display of grace, agility, passion and sexiness. Choose one of the most well-known venues and buy yourself and your partner tickets to a buffet, that starts an hour and a half before the main performance, and reserve your seats to experience the culture of Barcelona as closely as possible.

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Flamenco Night at Tablao Cordobes, Barcelona

Duration: 1 hour

1195 reviews

Have a ball of a time in the city of Barcelona

The lovely city has a bit of experience to offer to each of its guests. Popular for its architectural beauties, Barcelona is always teeming with tourists. Explore the wondrous city in a few of the most wonderful ways mentioned above.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
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Oishi holds a fondness for poetry and music. Her passion for traveling is evident in the numerous articles she has authored for online magazines, covering topics such as women's empowerment,...Read more

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