Top 10 Things to do in Barcelona
Top 10 Things to do in Barcelona
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Barcelona, sweet Barcelona!
The best place to eat paella and drink sangria.
In my heart, this city is like a beautiful summer night that I will always cherish. Barcelona is art, craziness, passion, freedom and love. It is the kind of city, that once you’ve tasted it, you’ll want more.
You’ll want to be one of them, to feel, live and love like the people from Barcelona. They put passion in everything they do and love what they have created. It is like walking in one of Gaudi’s dreams of other lands.
I don’t think that there is someone, that would not dream of going to Barcelona. It is so easy to fall in love and want to explore this city. Some will know about it from their super famous football club – FC Barcelona, others will fantasize about it from the movie: Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona. I was captivated from the movie. Since the moment they landed on “El Prat”, I wanted to be there, to teleport to Sagrada Familia or to taste their sangria.
While travelling, we want to connect with the city and locals, we don’t run to check touristic objectives just to remove them from our list. I managed to create a list of things to see and to experiment in Barcelona.
The Barcelona List
- Wander the streets of Barcelona
- Visit Gaudi’s work
- Relax in Parc de la Ciutadella
- Visit Barcelona Aquarium and Zoo
- Go to La Boqueria
- Enjoy a Flamenco Show
- Eat Paella, drink Sangria
- Feel like a “torero” (toreador, bullfighter)
- Visit one hidden gem
- Relax on the beach and go to Maremagnum
Wander the streets of Barcelona
I could say, that no one can enjoy a city more, than walking through its streets. Even though we bought metro cards and taxis were everywhere, the streets tricked us. It’s like and endless game that Barcelona it’s playing with you.
You go out of your hotel, decide to walk towards the metro, but while walking you see something that captivates your curiosity, then another thing, then another and so on. You already have decided that you will walk at least one metro station, but at the end you will see yourself at the destination.
For the ones that have already been to Barcelona, imagine the whole road from Columbus statue at the end of La Rambla, to Parc Guell. This was one of the days that we were taken by Barcelona.
In this city, the beauty, the intrigue and the curiosity are at home. Here is where you will make over 30k steps per day and even the most comfortable memory foam sneakers will not survive.
I think that the most famous street is La Rambla. It goes from Catalunya Square to Columbus Monument, seaside. La Rambla is a big street, with shops on each side and little restaurants in the middle. It is so vibrant day and night. You will also find the Wax Museum.
Visit Gaudi’s work
One of the first things that comes to everyone’s mind when thinking about Barcelona is: La Sagrada Familia or Parc Guell. So, it means that they think of Gaudi’s masterpiece.
No word is good enough to express the beauty of the incredible “Sagrada Familia”. Everything is one amazing detail that creates this masterpiece. Even though the building of it started in 1882, the beautiful church is the perfect combination of the past and the future. That is because it is not finished yet. The complexity of Gaudi’s work is so big, that it is impossible to hurry up the work.
If you ever wondered how, it will be like to live in a fantasy world, than you should go to Parc Guell. We felt like we were trapped in the movie Avatar and Tinkerbell will suddenly appear from behind a column. This parc is fantastic, in every meaning possible. Don’t expect to have great solo pictures here. The crowds are massive, but in here, it doesn’t matter.
Casa Battlo and Casa Mila – if you ever wanted to see a house that looks like it was warped or with windows, columns or balconies in shapes that no one would ever think of, please visit these amazing buildings.
Gaudi almost means Barcelona. His footprint is so deeply engraved in this city’s heart, that his name is almost synonymous with the city. He was a visionary. For some people, his works were crazy, but now, we could not be more grateful for his thinking ahead of his time.
Relax in Parc de la Ciutadella
The park is not situated in the middle of the city, but for most, it is in the heart of it. Parc de la Ciutadella is where his people gather for small chats, live music or just to relax. It is amazingly beautiful and spacious, but the great vibe is given by the Spanish having their best time there. You will hear flamenco from street performers, or see people gathered to watch a live music concert.
Go to Arc de Triumph and see how different it is from other arches. Each big city has an arch, but Barcelona’s is special. Also, you will be mesmerized by “Cascada del Parc”. It is a beautiful classic fountain, built on two stories.
Visit Barcelona Aquarium and Zoo
Whether you go with kids, or not, both Aquarium and Zoo are super fun and interesting.
Barcelona Aquarium is situated in Port Vell and it is one of the biggest aquariums in Europe. It houses more than 11000 marine animals. You can also enjoy a walk in an underwater tunnel and see sharks swimming near you.
The Barcelona Zoo is located in Parc de la Ciutadella and it is more than a regular zoo, it is a place to relax and spend a nice afternoon. Being in a very big park, you will find shadow from the beautiful palm trees.
Go to La Boqueria
La Boqueria is the most famous market of Barcelona. It is located on La Rambla, in the center of the city.
Going to this market, it’s an authentic experience that one can feel only here. Inside the market, you can enjoy traditional food or some tapas, at one of the little restaurants located inside. The food is amazing and the vibe as well.
Pro tip: for a fresh start of the day, go to La Boqueria in the morning (after 8 AM) and grab some fruit salat bowls. They are incredibly delicious and gives you that extra boost you will need for exploring Barcelona.
Enjoy a Flamenco Show
Flamenco is art, music and dance. It is a complex display of folk music and dance, originating from southern Spain. In Barcelona, you will find several cafes and venue halls that host flamenco shows at night. If you cannot find them, for sure you will be given a flyer when you pass through La Rambla. It is a must experience and a beautiful way to spend the night. The music, the dance and the Sangria are the perfect combination for a lovely Barcelona night.
Eat Paella, Drink Sangria
My mouth is watering just by thinking of them.
Paella is a traditional dish made of rice, meat, vegetables. Sometimes the meat is replaced with seafood.
The Sangria is an alcoholic drink, made of red wine and fresh fruit with juice or not.
Just imagine walking on the streets of Barcelona and a little restaurant catching your eye. Nothing seems a better idea than siting there, eating a paella and drink some sangria. A lot of beautiful restaurants are in the Gothic Quarter.
Remember that if you want to go for dinner at 6 PM, it is a very good chance to be alone or just with some tourists nearby. The Spanish people eat their dinner very late, 9 PM being the earliest.
Feel like a “torero”
Bullfighting is a traditional sport in Spain. Even though it is blamed by a lot (with good reasons), the Spanish are very involved with this national sport. It is all about the tradition. In general bullfighters come from families of toreros and keep it from generation to generation. In Catalonia, bullfighting was forbidden since 2012, the last bullfight being held in 2011.
La Monumental is a bullring in the center of Barcelona. It is a massive construction from the beginning of the 20th century. This is the place where most and biggest bullfights were held in Barcelona. Now the ring can be visited.
Even though we were never involved with such a sport, curiosity drove us to the ring. We learned a lot about the tradition, history and passion that Spanish people have with this sport.
Visit one “hidden gem”
I call it “hidden gem” because nobody talks about it and it is beautiful and mostly very important.
Spain, historically, was one of the biggest naval forces. From here a lot of explorers started their journey towards conquering the seas. The biggest name is Cristofor Columb.
Museu Maritim de Barcelona
Av. de les Drassanes, s/n, 08001 Barcelona, Spania
Its location is very near the Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla.
The building itself is impressive. The museum is located in an old shipyard. In the museum you will find replicas of some of the most important vessels in Spanish history. Here is where a lot of sea tales are told.
You will also see the people working here, handcrafting little wooden replica boats and ships. For the ones passionate about sailing and history, this is a must-see location.
Relax on the beach and go to Maremagnum
If you dream of a summer getaway at the beach, but also to visit a beautiful city, Barcelona is the place to go. The city has a gorgeous coast line with beautiful beaches. The most popular is: Barceloneta Beach, but also the others keep up. Grab a “Bicicleta” and ride along the coast line and chose your spot to relax.
Visiting Barcelona in cold weather times, will keep you away from sunbathing, but not away from the amazing sea views. One of the best spots is at Maremagnum Mall.
It is not the biggest commercial center you will see, but it will do its job. All Inditex and also other local and international shops are to be found here. After a little shopping spree, you can enjoy a cup of coffee with a beautiful view.
There are a lot of other places to be seen in Barcelona and the list is enormous. This beautiful city has a lot to offer and you will for sure love and cherish it, you, as well as the other more than 27 million visitors per year.
We love Barcelona. For us is one of the most…
Travelicious places we have ever been to.