11 Greatest Issues To Do In Barcelona & Hidden Gems

Barcelona is a metropolis which wants little introduction. It’s one of the crucial bustling, charismatic and well-liked vacationer locations in Europe. The Catalan metropolis, on Spain’s north-west coast, attracts in round 27 million vacationers yearly.

With a surprising shoreline, booming artistic scene, thriving nightlife, luggage of historical past, fairly structure and scrumptious meals, it’s simple to see why. There’s a lot to do in Barcelona and when planning a brief break, it’s simple to be over confronted with the variety of well-known websites and issues to see.

We’ve streamlined the method for you, so you’ll be able to hit the bottom operating in your go to, whereas additionally avoiding the massive queues and vacationer traps, which include a big metropolis like this.

Be part of us as we focus on one of the best issues to do in Barcelona…

11 Greatest Issues To Do In Barcelona

#1. SagradaFamilia

Sagrada Familia is without doubt one of the most uncommon and jaw-dropping architectural initiatives in the entire of Europe, designed by world well-known Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Development started on the UNESCO World Heritage website again in 1882 and nonetheless to today work continues.

Its hanging design makes it not solely a dwelling museum of Gaudi’s work, but in addition ever altering, as new components of the church are added. Our high tip is to get there early within the morning, beat the queues, and go to this lovely website earlier than the hordes of tour teams arrive.

The outside is a sight to behold, however you too can discover inside for a charge and go as much as the highest of church in an elevator, with views throughout the town.

#2. Gaudi recognizing

Since we’re on the subject of Gaudi, it might be impolite of us to not point out a few of his different websites round Barcelona. The architect and designer, who died in 1926, is without doubt one of the most progressive and celebrated to have ever lived.

And you may’t go far round Barcelona with out recognizing a few of his work – there are quite a few different vastly spectacular websites across the metropolis. Casa Batllo, within the coronary heart of Barcelona, is a big mansion home, now museum, which was renovated by Gaudi again in 1904.

It’s a surprising instance of his work and ingenuity. You too can watch live shows on the roof of the constructing within the hotter months, a beautiful method to spend a night in a surprising setting.

#3. Mercado de la Boqueria

Now let’s speak about meals. On Barcelona’s massive pedestrianised road, La Rambla, which runs from the centre of the town, all the way in which all the way down to the seashore, you’ll discover a thriving meals market referred to as La Boqueria.

It’s a feast for the senses with beautiful native contemporary produce, together with many small eating places, set amongst a community of passage methods.

It operates year-round and is a superb place to seize some tasty grub at lunch-time. Do because the locals do and luxuriate in an ice-cold beer from one of many stalls and wander round till some meals takes your fancy.

High tip – watch out of your pockets and luggage on this space, the community of alleyways are a haven for pickpockets. Maintain your luggage tight to you and preserve costly possession hidden away.

#4. Camp Nou

We’ve already talked about one vital Barcelona non secular website in Sagrada Familia, however the Camp Nou is the town’s cathedral of soccer. The Camp Nou is the house of FC Barcelona and one of many largest soccer stadiums in the entire of Europe. It’s a feat of engineering, holding near 100,000 individuals, and sometimes promoting out.

FC Barcelona is without doubt one of the most adorned soccer groups in European soccer historical past, with many legends of the sport having worn the membership’s pink and blue shirt – together with Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff – amongst many many extra.

Watching Barcelona play is a bucket checklist second for a lot of soccer followers and it isn’t unimaginable to supply tickets, however vacationers can discover themselves paying manner over and above the really helpful retail worth. Our high tip – solely purchase from official channels, don’t purchase from resale web sites.

There’s additionally a implausible soccer museum on website, which celebrates the historical past of this legendry soccer membership.

#5. The artwork of skateboarding

This may not be an apparent one for some, however Barcelona is a Mecca for skate boarders. Town’s liberal angle in the direction of skateboarding in public locations and the town’s progressive design and format, makes it an city playground for skateboarding.

A number of the world’s finest skate boarders dwell in Barcelona because of this and plenty of thousand skate vacationers are drawn to the town yearly from everywhere in the world.

A number of the metropolis’s websites have legendry standing within the sport, together with MACBA, the town Museum of Modern Artwork. Day-after-day 100s upon 100s of skate boarders observe in a giant public sq. exterior the museum, with a number of the world’s finest typically seen within the space.

After you’ve been to have a look at the artwork, loosen up with a beer within the sq., which is commonly thronging with life, and watch skate boarders on the high of their craft.

#6. Eat native meals

Many vacationers go to Barcelona and count on tonnes of tapas eating places to be dotted across the metropolis’s streets. And though you will see that tapas spots to eat at, tapas aren’t a Catalan dish.

Understanding Barcelona’s historical past is import – the town is the most important within the Catalonia, an autonomous group, which has fought all through the years to interrupt away from Spain and return to being unbiased.

Because of this, they’ve their very own delicacies and may typically fiercely struggle towards Spanish dishes like tapas. So, make certain to get a number of the native conventional tasty meals.

Pan Catalan is an absolute staple right here, typically eaten for breakfast – its skinny crispy bread layered with crushed tomatoes, olive oil and salt. Scrumptious. Escalivada is one other easy, but lovely dish – roasted pink peppers, eggplant and onions combined collectively.

Additionally they take charcuterie very severely and you will discover glorious hams and salamis on this space.

Arros negre is one other very talked-about dish, which is shared with pals or in large household teams – just like paella, it’s a black rice dish, which is given its color by squid ink, and full of beautiful sea meals.

#7. Train on the seashore & get your cycle on

You would possibly really feel fairly heavy after just a few days of munching your manner round Barcelona, so getting just a little sweat on received’t go a miss. Fortuitously, Barcelona has you coated for that.

Town’s seashore is stuffed with individuals exercising year-round – with many sports activities amenities on the sand and alongside the massive promenade which runs north alongside the coast.

It’s additionally an extremely cyclable metropolis, resulting from its largely flat geography, with a terrific community of cycle lanes.

Our high tip – try to minimise your use of the busy metro system, which could be crowded and stiflingly sizzling in the summertime. Get out on a motorbike as an alternative.

#8. Avenue artwork and graffiti recognizing

Barcelona is an extremely artistic place and though it has many unimaginable artwork galleries and exhibition areas, we predict a number of the finest work is out on the streets. Town is without doubt one of the most painted in the entire of Europe and you’ll’t go far with out seeing color oozing out of the partitions.

From full constructing commissioned jobs, to bucket a great deal of unlawful graffiti on the aspect of vans, trains, metros and all-over public areas – it’s a pleasure to stroll round.

A number of the finest hotspots for road artwork embody the El Raval and Poble Nou districts of the town – the place you’ll be able to see works by a number of the world’s most well-known road artists.

Get on the market and get recognizing – what’s extra, it’s completely free.

#9. Craft beer

Barcelona has a rising popularity on the planet of craft beer. Town’s is awash with unimaginable craft beer bars and the town is dwelling to one among Europe’s most adorned and well-known craft breweries, referred to as Storage.

It’s a paradise for beer lovers, with many taprooms by world well-known brewers located within the metropolis, together with the Danish Mikkeller, however there are additionally smaller operations cropping up on virtually a day by day foundation.

Bar hopping is an absolute should whereas visiting Barcelona.

Our favourites:

• Storage
• Biercab
• Freddo Fox
• Mikkeller

#10. Life by the harbour

The world round Barcelona’s harbour is buzzing with life all year long and it’s a terrific place to relax and loosen up on one of many many heat days within the metropolis.

Take within the rays and watch the yachts go away the harbour or do because the locals do and curler skate or skateboard in one of many beautiful waterside public areas.

If that’s not for you, why not go to the native aquarium, wine and dine at a harbourside restaurant or take a cable automotive from the harbour to the hillside Parc de Montjuic.

The world is a central hub of exercise within the metropolis and isn’t a spot to be missed.

#11. Nightlife

Folks come from far and extensive to absorb Barcelona’s nightlife. Town has a booming music scene and the town has a packed occasions calendar as end result with gigs and DJ occasions on virtually each evening.

You’ll be able to see world well-known musicians play within the metropolis or get misplaced in cavernous, underground, techno nightclubs. It’s a metropolis which dances well past dawn on weekend nights and in the event you’re in search of a celebration, you’ll at all times discover one in Barcelona.

Remaining ideas

Barcelona is sort of rightly one of the crucial well-liked locations in the entire of Europe. It attracts in thousands and thousands of vacationers yearly who come to see the town’s world-famous websites and soak in its artistic bustling vibe.

It’s simple to see why it’s so well-liked, with greater than 300 days of sunshine, a pumping nightlife, lovely eating scene, a big seashore and world main points of interest. However there’s extra to the town than simply the headline vacationer websites.

We’ve tried to present you a flavour of each, in our greatest issues to do in Barcelona information, and hope you’ll now go to the town and take in each the touristy and the genuine aspect of the town. Now get on the market and get dancing, tasting and consuming your manner round one among Europe’s hottest metropolis locations.