Visit Barcelona, Spain
The capital of the autonomous Catalan region of Spain, Barcelona has an independent streak that you will notice walking through the street or even in their own language, Catalan. The city is an amazing mix of gothic and modern whether it is from the years of its importance as a port (which continues until today) or its explosion onto the world tourist stage after the 1992 Olympics. The city has something for everyone from amazing parks designed by Gaudi to a Picasso Museum to Roman ruins… And did I mention some of the best nightlife in Europe? You will be dead asleep before the locales even break a sweat on the dance floor, but do not let that stop you. Barcelona is worth the trip and the sangria/culture hangover you will have afterwards.
We were in Barcelona and wanted to give a tourist a guide of some of the major sites to check out on a short trip there. We start off at the Placa de Espanya and from there you can see the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and the hill where a lot of the Olympic events were held.
Placa de Espanya
The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is one of many museums located near Montjuic and Placa de Espanya. Inside you have a nice collection of frescoes, woodcarvings and sculpture from the region. Nearby there are local craftsman you can check out and see their wares.
Museum of Art of Catalunya
Hop on the Metro from here and head to Sagrada Familia the most famous church in town. This Gaudi masterpiece is still under construction a hundred years after Gaudi’s death. He did not leave any definite final plans for the church, however that has not stopped the construction from continuing. It is an amazing thing to see and definitely one of your postcard moments of Barcelona.
The Sagrada Familia
Continuing on your Gaudi tour of Barcelona you should hed to Parc Guell, it is not that easy to get to as you have a hike from the nearest metro stops, but the park is beautiful and there are lots of hidden treats for anyone stopping in for a picnic lunch or to play ball with the kids. The most famous stop is the Lizard.
Parc Guell Gaudi’s Park
The Lizard in Parc Guell
Continuing on our tour of interesting architecture we have the Passeig de Gracia which houses some pretty impressive buildings.
Passeig de Gracia
Now getting around Barcelona may seem daunting however the Metro system does take you to most every site in the city, so take a look at our overview of the Barcelona Metro.
The Barcelona Metro Explained
Now we come to the tourist center of Barcelona, La Rambla. This street full of shops, over priced cafes and restaurants, fast food joints and street performers is great for people watching and wallet losing so watch out. At the port end of La Rambla you have a monument to Columbus.
La Rambla Columbus Monument
As I said, La Rambla is a pretty touristy area and off La Rambla can be pretty shady at night so be careful. Here are some tips we have for Barcelona and other cities. It was filmed on La Rambla
Safety and Security in Barcelona
Back to happy tourist tips, off of La Rambla there is a nice square for you to chill out in, Placa Reial.
Placa Reial
Walking through the Gothic quarter off of La Rambla will be one of your favorite parts of Barcelona. Whether it is stopping into one of the numerous museums or cafes or sites it is just a fun time. The Barcelona Cathedral is a nice stop and easy place to meet friends if you get lost in the Gothic Quarter.
Barcelona Cathedral
Inside the Barcelona Cathedral
Here are some of my random tips for you in Barcelona
Random Tips for Barcelona
Now back to our travel fun.
Plaza de Catalunya
Now when you are seeing all these sites you will probably get a bit hungry and a bit thirsty and regardless of your opinion of Spanish food, everyone will agree that tapas are a definite must on a visit to Barcelona. For those of you who do not know, Tapas are just small plates of tasty food like appetizers. You just get a few to try and there are hundreds of options (my favorite are batatas bravas, fried potatoes with a spicy sauce). Here we are on La Rambla again having some tapas and wine with friends.
Stopping off for some Tapas on La Rambla
Back into the Gothic Quarter you will see things like the Barcelona City Museum with its underground Roman ruins and Town Hall.
Barcelona Town Hall
Barcelona City Museum
A wonderful church to pop in and see while checking out the Gothic Quarter and a bit past is the Santa Maria del Mar.
Santa Maria del Mar
As you may notice, Catalans do not necessarily look at themselves as Spanish first, they look at themselves as Catalans first second and third. They have a long history of independence and the region is run as an autonomous region. One of the memorials to the city and its not so lucky streaks is the memorial to the Siege victims from the early 1700s. It is still an important symbol to Catalan independence.
Memorial to the Siege Victims
Now, probably the most famous Spanish painter is Pablo Picasso and there is a wonderful small museum that has a collection of some of his work from his period in Barcelona and other periods. If you are in a Picasso mood it is worth stopping in and taking a look.
The Picasso Museum
And now we finish our day in Barcelona with a stop at the Arc de Triomf (Triumphal Arch). We hope you enjoy your trip to Barcelona and it is one of the best cities in Europe to check out and definitely a top ten pick for Spain.
The Arc de Triomf
Other Spain Travel Pages
Wolters World Visit Barcelona City Page: full of videos and tips on what to see and do in the party-est town in Europe.
Wolters World Visit Sevilla City Page: learn what to do and what not to do visiting the capital of the South.
Wolters World Visit Cordoba City Page: Know what to see and do in the home of the UNESCO World Heritage Mesquita.
Wolters World Visit Cadiz City Page: Hit the beach and enjoy the plazas in possibly the oldest town in Europe.
Wolters World Learn Spanish Video Series: Why not learn some Spanish before you head to Spain, it will definately be worth your while, for Tourists to Advanced Speakers.
Wolters World Spanisch Lernen: Man kann Spanisch lernen, aber dieses mal AUF DEUTSCH!
