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The best things to do in Mallorca, Spain
Your vacations are fast approaching and you’d like to visit Mallorca in the Balearic Islands? Discover our complete guide on our travel blog!
- Spain
- Travel Guides
Barcelona is one of the cities we know best, as Clémence’s parents live there. In our opinion, it’s a city that shines for its liveliness, climate, culture and joie de vivre. Barcelona is an ideal destination to unwind and enjoy the mild Mediterranean climate.
Come visit Barcelona to discover the Gothic architecture, the lively atmosphere of the city center, the delicious tapas and sangrias and go in search of Gaudi’s mischievous touches all over the city. In this article we deliver our list of must-sees in Barcelona, as well as all our good hotel and restaurant addresses. If you’re looking for things to do in Barcelona, this blog post is for you!
On our last visit to Barcelona we stayed at the Ohla Barcelona, which we loved. We’ll let you discover our selection of the best hotels in Barcelona with swimming pools by clicking on the button below to discover even more hotel ideas for your Barcelona vacation.
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Wondering what to do in Barcelona? Although the center is best known for the rambla, there’s so much to discover in this city! Have you ever taken the cable car up to Montjuic? Are you so familiar with Parc Güell and the city’s various must-see monuments? Today, we’re taking you on a tour of Barcelona, the multi-faceted capital of Catalonia. Happy reading!
It’s impossible to visit Barcelona in 3 days without stopping off at Parc Güell. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1984, Parc Güell is one of Barcelona’s favorite spots. Equally popular with tourists, the park is one of Barcelona’s must-sees. For the record, it was in 1900 that Eusebio Güell asked Antoni Gaudí to design this crazy project. The aim was to build 60 luxury homes spread over 20 hectares of gardens for Barcelona’s wealthiest citizens. Construction lasted until 1914, but was halted due to the high cost. Subsequently, in 1923, the park became the property of the city.
Today, 20 magnificent hectares of parkland overlook Barcelona. Admission to the park costs €10. Don’t hesitate to book your tickets in advance and come as soon as it opens. The park is one of Barcelona’s must-sees, attracting many tourists. We therefore advise you to start your day in the park. To get there, take metro line 3 to the Lesseps stop. Then head for Avinguda del Santuari de Sant Josep and take the escalators up.
As with Parc Güell, it’s impossible to visit Barcelona in 3 days without visiting at least one of the houses designed by Antoni Gaudi. There are four of these houses, all of which are open to the public. Our favorite is the incredible Casa Batlló, right in the heart of the city. The visit to this Barcelona must-see is not cheap (€29 entrance fee), but it’s well worth it, as it’s so impressive! No guided tour, but good audioguides, and no queue-cutting tickets either, as you book a specific time slot to visit, in advance on the Internet. Allow between 1h30 and 2h to take in every detail of this unique architecture.
La Pedrera was built between 1906 and 1910 by Gaudi for the Mila family. Gaudi created this building in an unprecedented way. There are no straight lines, and the marine world is evident throughout the house, starting with its wave-like facade and moving ceiling. The house, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has the advantage of displaying a wealth of furniture, created by Gaudi with great modernity. We recommend a visit during your vacation in Barcelona, with an audioguide that explains Gaudi’s scientific reasoning and gives meaning to his various creations. A visit to La Pedrera costs €25 per person.
Casa Vicens is less touristy than Casa Batllò and Casa Mila, yet it’s well worth the detour! Namely, it’s Gaudi’s first achievement. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and highly recommend it. The building is truly splendid. There are fewer visitors here than in Gaudí’s other houses, which makes for a very pleasant visit. In short, a must-see address in Barcelona.
The Sagrada Familia Basilica is undoubtedly Barcelona’s most emblematic landmark. Considered Antoni Gaudí’s wildest and most over-the-top project. Begun on March 19, 1882, the project will not be completed until 2026! Despite the fact that it is still unfinished, the basilica is one of Spain’s most visited monuments. It’s also impressive to see how the work has progressed over time. The price of your ticket goes some way to financing the work! A word of advice: book your tickets in advance to avoid long queues and make sure you get in.
The Palais de la Musique Catalane is one of our latest finds in Barcelona, and what a discovery it was! The building is superb and the tour with audioguide is very nice. The tour is fairly quick, which can be a plus if you’re traveling with the family. A visit to the Palais de la Musique costs €16. It’s a bit steep, but well worth it.
The narrow streets, many peaceful squares, bars and restaurants of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter make it the ideal place for a cool stroll through the city. Look up and admire newer buildings alongside older ones, creating a rare charm. You may find it hard to find your way around, as the medieval-style streets seem so similar and timeless! But that’s the charm of discovering Barcelona. When visiting Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, don’t miss the Plaça Réal, the Mur Del Beso and the Plaça Nova. In the early evening, take advantage of the lively district to stop for a drink and a dance.
The El Born district is one of our favorite neighborhoods in Barcelona. We recommend heading there after your visit to the Gothic Quarter. El Born is a trendy district where it’s great to lose yourself in its lively alleyways. Here you’ll find a wealth of stores, bars and restaurants. For Parisians, this district is a lot like the Marais. El Born lies between Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and the Parc de la Ciutadella.
Parc de la Ciutadella is a very large park in the heart of Barcelona. The fountain in the middle of the park is magnificent. The park is very pleasant and offers plenty of shade, making it Barcelona’s must-see park after Parc Güell. Admission is free, and you can rent a boat on the park’s lake for €6. The park is located between the El Born district and Barceloneta beach.
A former fishermen’s district, Barceloneta offers a beautiful beachfront promenade with palm trees, small fresh-fish restaurants and bars. Like a Californian in the heart of Barcelona! As you stroll along the waterfront, you’re sure to come face to face with the Estrella Herida sculpture, a symbol of the district’s past. What a change from downtown Barcelona and the narrow streets of the old Catalan town!
Nor can you miss the imposing Hotel W, shaped like a shark’s fin and situated right on the beach. This 5-star hotel was designed by the famous architect Ricardo Bofill. He is responsible for Barcelona airport and Calp’s famous Muralla Roja. The price of a night in this hotel is quite expensive, so don’t hesitate to head there for a drink on the top floor.
We end our list of Barcelona must-dos with the city’s highest point, Montjuïc. Here you’ll find a panoramic view of Barcelona! Note that there are cable cars that take you up and down. We decided to go up on foot, and although it was a bit sporty, we didn’t regret our choice.
If you’ve got a bit of time during your vacation in Spain, we recommend heading south of Barcelona to discover the beautiful town of Sitges. A superb destination for partying and relaxing on the beach. It takes an average of 45 minutes by train from Barcelona Sants station.
While in Barcelona, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to discover Montserrat, a beautiful place that we loved. Montserrat is located some 60 km northwest of the city. To get there from Barcelona, allow 1 hour by train on average.
To find the best mode of transport to get to Barcelona, we recommend you visit the Liligo travel comparator. This will enable you to easily find your mode of transport according to your budget and availability. The best way to compare offers and choose the one that suits you best. For our last trip to Barcelona, we took the train directly from Paris. It’s a 7-hour journey from Gare de Lyon in Paris to the heart of Barcelona. We found it very comfortable for working, chilling out while watching a film or admiring the view to music. We recommend it!
In order to find the best hotels in Barcelona and benefit from the best conditions (security, cancellation…) we go almost exclusively through Booking.com for our trips. We recommend that you take a look at the available hotels before you leave. You can filter them according to their ratings. There are plenty of recent customer reviews, so there are no unpleasant surprises when you’re traveling!
If you want to get ideas for things to do on your Barcelona vacation and want to book in advance, we’d also recommend taking a look at the GetYourGuide website. This will give you an overview of the activities on offer in your destination, so you don’t have to wait until you get there to book your places.
This article was produced in collaboration with Liligo. We were able to test the service and give you our personal and sincere opinion. We remain totally free in what we say.
We hope that the tips and addresses on our travel blog will help you to organize
your next stay in Barcelona!
You can also follow our daily adventures on Instagram 🙂
Clem & Alex
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