28 Best Things to Do in Barcelona
The soul-caressing Spanish climate might set Barcelona up as an outdoor city, but its indoor activities have kudos, too. Find world-renowned museums that showcase artistic legends and rising stars, markets rich in local produce, and panoramic viewing platforms to take in the iconic architecture. If it’s sun you want, it’s sun you shall get—but the beach is only one option. From a secret maze to a hilltop fairground, Barcelona’s to-do list is every bit as varied as it is pure fun; Antoni Gaudí’s color-pop architecture ensures that dull moments simply don’t exist here.
Consider this your capsule edit of attractions: the definitive list of what to do in Barcelona for the time-smart traveler, from art, iconic parks, and performing arts spaces to so much more. Spanning big-hitters and under-the-radar gems, these are the best things to do in Barcelona—the Catalan-speaking city's most unmissable spots. Vamos.
Read our complete Barcelona travel guide here, which includes:
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Alamyactivity"The World Begins With Every Kiss" Mural
This romantically-named mural near the Catedral de Barcelona was only meant to be a temporary exhibition. It was unveiled in 2014 for the 300th anniversary of September 11, 1714, a day known as Catalonia Day, or La Diada, which commemorates Catalan surrender in the War of Spanish Succession. Celebration might sound wrong—after all, they lost—but having undergone 14 months of siege beforehand, the day is a tribute to the Catalan lives lost, to regional identity, and to freedom. Back to the mural though. Catalan photographer Joan Fontcuberta asked readers of El Periódico newspaper to send him photographs of their own moments of freedom. Fontcuberta and ceramicist Toni Cumella then printed 4,000 of these personal shots onto mosaics, arranging them by color and density so that, from afar, the 26-foot-tall mural shows two people kissing. This kiss—a symbol of affection, empathy, and liberty—felt so poignant that the local government never took it down.
Jorg GreuelactivityPark Güell
Park Güell is an almost make-believe landscape, home to Barcelona’s famous mosaic lizard—the image on a thousand postcards—plus spiral towers that look like fairground slides. The city’s grandest park began life as a collaboration between entrepreneur Eusebi Güell (hence the park’s name) and Antoni Gaudí. Güell’s vision was to build an estate for affluent families—Gaudí planned 60 homes, a market, and gardens inspired by British parks (which explains the English spelling of the Catalan word parc), but the scheme never took off. Work stopped in 1914, with only two houses completed, including today’s Porter’s Lodge. Success came later—the park is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Park Güell is so iconic, so fantastical, it’s hard to justify skipping it—though during peak months, tour buses also subscribe to this notion…an interesting add-on is Casa Museu Gaudí, the pink spired building inside the park. When booking, select the General Admission + Gaudí House Museum ticket (€14/$15); Gaudí actually lived there for 19 years, which makes it the home tour of all home tours.
GettyactivitySanta Maria del Mar
Ask any local to pick their favorite church and we’d bet a glass of (sacramental) Catalan wine that Barcelona's Santa Maria del Mar would be it. If you’ve read Ildefonso Falcones’s thriller Cathedral of the Sea, you’ll already know more about it than you think: the novel’s backdrop is the construction of this particular Gothic church, with the lead protagonist one of its stone workers. In real life, the church’s history is almost stranger than fiction: in 1428, it was shaken by a major earthquake. Then, in July 1936, it was set on fire and burned for 11 days straight. Look inside, and you’ll still see the black scorch marks on the roof. There’s a strange sense of calm. It’s put down to the proportions of the building: very tall columns, set 43 feet apart—that’s extremely wide, by building standards. Combine that airiness with vast stretches of stained glass and it almost feels like someone’s pulling you up into the sky. The church prides itself on an everyone-welcome mindset, likely stemming back to its origins, when local merchants (rather than the monarchy) funded its expansion. If you’re in El Born, everyone should feel the atmosphere inside for at least five minutes. Still on the fence? This will help: Santa Maria del Mar is what inspired Gaudí to build La Sagrada Familia.
GettyactivityTibidabo
Hear the words “fairground on a hill,” and your instinct likely jumps to, “Um, really?” And while Barcelona's Tibidabo mountain is a fairground, it's also so much more. You’ll first notice it from the city center: high on a summit, the silhouette of a majestic temple makes you wonder, “What is that building?” quickly followed by, “How do I go?” Officially called the Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor (or Sacred Heart church, easier on the tongue), its roof is topped with an enormous bronze statue of Jesus that you can take an elevator to. Mind-blown (and a little breeze-blown), you suddenly see the charm of the amusement park next to it—like its retro-styled attractions, such as a Ferris wheel with color-pop seating pods, built for the views as much as the screams. It’s great fun. The most iconic rides are the Avió plane that flies you, bird-like, around the site, or Talaia, a metal arm that goes 1,800 feet above sea level. Being at that height for a few minutes was once thought to have medical healing powers. Which you may need to recover from the park’s organ-flipping new launch, Merlí—a 170-feet freefall. Adults love the views; kids love the rides. Finish with a gin and tonic on the terrace of Mirablau Bar, near where the blue tram stops. The edge seats rule.
Paco AmateactivityGran Teatre del Liceu
As you’d expect from an opera venue, it’s grand, beautiful, doused with art, and occupies a prime piece of zip code on Barcelona's La Rambla. Yet, as with many of life’s most interesting characters, not all is quite what it seems. The vestibule, as you walk in, dates back to the building’s original construction in 1847. However, the main performance space—with a striking domed ceiling, red-velvet chairs and ornate gold moldings that have echoes of the Palace of Versailles—was actually unveiled in the grand old year of… 1999. A fire having wiped out most of the building’s structure in 1994. But you would never know. Beauty, one heck of a backstory to the building, and an extremely central location mean we’ll happily sing the Liceu’s praises. While performances will naturally provoke opinions, the setting and sound quality are undeniable hits. Plus, it’s a stunning spot in which to entertain that other great performance art—that of getting dressed up, and observing the well-dressed around you.
Pol Viladoms/Mirador torre GlòriesactivityMirador Torre Glòries
Even if you don’t know Torre Glòries by name, you’ll know it by sight. The gleaming, iridescent tower that pierces the cityscape like (some say) a gherkin, though architect Jean Nouvel had a geyser in mind. It’s possibly Barcelona’s most famous landmark that Gaudí had absolutely nothing to do with, and at 470-feet tall it’s definitely one of its tallest. Opened in 2005, and famous for housing Meta’s Barcelona outpost, it’s never offered much in the way of visitor interest beyond a snap. That changed in 2022, when the 30th floor became a panoramic public observation deck with unobstructed views across every angle of the city. The visit, including Cloud Cities, takes around an hour—but time flies by. Tickets aren’t cheap—it’s €15 ($16) to visit, rising to €25 ($27) if you include the Cloud Cities climb. But for a memory-making experience that’s unique, ridiculously fun, and which you’ll be chatting about all over dinner, and go again tomorrow, Mirador Torre Glòries is well worth it.
GettyactivityCatedral de Barcelona
It’s impossible to wander the spider-web streets of Barcelona’s old town without being trapped by the presence of its cathedral. It might not have the quirkiness nor the hype of La Sagrada Família, but it holds court: a giant Gothic temple that looms large against the narrow lanes and matchbox shops. Its site originally housed a Roman temple, some 2,000 years ago, when Barcelona was still called Bàrcino (you can track down parts of the old Roman walls and aqueduct nearby). Today, the cathedral’s official name, Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, honors Eulalia, a local girl who refused to accept Roman emperor Diocletian’s demand to recant her Christian faith. His retaliation was 13 forms of torture, followed by decapitation, during which a dove is said to have flown from her neck. It’s why, inside the cathedral’s cloisters, you’ll find a pond with 13 white geese. Not statues, but living, squawking geese. It’s beautiful and atmospheric, as religious buildings so often are. Regardless of your personal level of piety, the architecture inside—plus the city view from the short elevator ride to the top—is quite something. A walk-by, minimum, is a must. Street performers singing and playing instruments in the surrounding lanes make the experience much more memorable than you might think.
GettyshopLa Boqueria
La Boqueria might be Barcelona’s oldest market—it started life in 1217 as a mere huddle of meat stalls on La Rambla—but tradition isn’t staid. More than 200 stands unite like a foodie’s choir: traders’ shouts, the clink of glasses, welcome greetings sung out ("holaaaa"). Though, for all the atmosphere, it’s the smell that gets you: warm, ocean-salty, freshly fried fish—the kind that lines your nostrils, excites your stomach, makes your physician tense, and has to be washed down with a glass of cava. Once past the swaths of tourists photographing the stained-glass entrance, the crowd is increasingly local. The back half of the market, especially around the quirkier offal stalls, are still where chefs and quality-savvy Catalan families do their shopping. Unlike many landmark food markets that require a 3 a.m. alarm (we’re glaring at you, Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo), don’t waste your snooze button coming before the 8 a.m. opening. The best time is 10 a.m. to midday; or, for possible bargains, before the 8:30 p.m. closing.
Kyrien/GettyactivityLa Rambla
Barcelona’s most famous street—a nearly one-mile pedestrianized boulevard from Plaça Cataluyna to Port Vell—is still the strolling route for the city's visitors. When it’s charming, oh boy, it’s charming: there’s a past-era nostalgia to its florists, street artists, and stalls glittering with sticky-sweet candies and ice creams. And when it’s intense, it’s intense: a melee of aggressive marketing calls from waiters flogging fluorescent cocktails, as well as the absolute worst in tacky souvenirs. To predict your next question: But is it La Rambla or Las Ramblas? Well, it’s really both. Originally, the area consisted of five mini-ramblas: Rambla de Canaletes, Estudis, Sant Josep, Caputxins, and Santa Mònica. They're often lumped together and today the street sign says La Rambla–from the Arabic for “dry river bed.” If you’ve never been to La Rambla, go. La Rambla has a charm that keeps the 78 million coming. Its building facades can be strikingly beautiful: the opera house, Gran Teatre del Liceu, pulls a crowd both inside and out. At number 83, Antigua Casa Figueras is an unexpected jaw-dropper in Catalan Modernism, all stained glass and mosaics, that’s also a treat of a patisserie. While Plaça Reial (step off La Rambla via Carrer de Colom) is a regal yellow square of bars and restaurants; beside the fountain, find lampposts designed by a young Gaudí. Also, watch your step between La Boqueria and Liceu metro station: artist Joan Miró made a street mosaic that, despite its primary colors, many people miss.
Pere PratdesabaactivityFundació Joan Miró
It takes a certain type of space to accommodate Miró—an artist whose works range from a white canvas with a single black line to bold, primary-colored, robot-like sculptures. So it makes sense that Miró worked with his friend, architect Josep Lluís Sert, to design the building himself. It’s modern, very white, and kind of minimalist by Barcelona’s standards—it's no La Sagrada Família—but the coolest part is knowing that you’re seeing Miró’s work laid out exactly as he intended. However you feel about Miró, the collection is lively and energetic and devoid of the stuffy pretense that art museums can attract. (A blue dot in a white rectangle might have some traditionalists shaking their heads.) But there is a vibe about this place that’s as irresistible and energizing as your morning coffee. As well as space for his own works, Miró wanted a venue for contemporary arts research and conversation—so there’s a wealth of seasonal displays. Downstairs, the Espai 13 studio is always taken over by a freelance curator or emerging artist–you’ll find videos, light installations, even personal performances. Recent years have seen fascinating temporary deep-dives into Miró’s creative and personal relationship with other artists, notably Picasso and Matisse.
Courtesy Els EncantsshopEls Encants
Els Encants is the flea market with the fabulous roof. That ceiling is over 80-feet high, built from undulating zinc and aluminum, and mirrored silver-gold to reflect a kaleidoscopic whirl of stalls below. This market of odds-and-sods has existed in Barcelona since around 1300; for years, as a nomad–goods laid out on ever-changing streets and squares around the city. That changed in 2013 when Els Encants’ sparkling new home opened in Poblenou. The design wizardry of architect b720 Fermín Vázquez (which is now modernizing the city’s iconic Camp Nou soccer stadium), it’s a visual stunner blessed with good-looking neighbors. On one side, the tin-foil-shiny Torre Glòries and Disseny Hub, the design museum. Turn 90 degrees, and there’s La Sagrada Familia saying hola in the background. There are two types of shoppers. Those with a practical list—for a tablecloth, DIY tools, low-cost sportswear, say. And those on a speculative hunt for gems. For the latter, you have to be prepared to wade through tat. But if that’s your vibe, you’ll find stealth members of your tribe here, too—interior and fashion designers, prop sourcers, decorators, and people with homes full of where-did-you-find-THAT pieces.
Nono07activityCasa Batlló
It’s easy to see why Casa Batlló has been likened to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies: covered in shards of stained glass, the façade given a restorative facelift in 2019—sometimes appears blue, then green, then shimmering like the glassy layer of a lake. Even in a city stuffed with beautiful buildings, Casa Batlló (pronounced ‘Casa Bat-yo’) feels otherworldly. Textile industrialist Josep Batlló commissioned Gaudí to design this home after seeing what Gaudí had done with Park Güell—his brief was to create a house style that none of Batlló’s other family members would have, and which also paid homage to Catalonia’s patron saint, Jordi (who you’ll know as Saint George of dragon-slaying fame). The result is both grand and intimate—and, per the instructions, unique. You come for the architecture—or, rather, to get your head around the architecture. Influenced by nature, Casa Batlló has no straight lines (because they don’t exist in nature, said Gaudí), stone pillars that contort like animal bones, and a tall, ocean-blue stairwell that’s very Jules Verne. Inside the Gaudí Dome, 1000 screens and 38 projectors animate the architect’s inspiration process. While the LED-walled Gaudí Cube immortalizes his imagination. Digital art pioneer, Refik Anadol, used machine learning to unpick the patterns running through Gaudí’s out-there constructions and then turned them into an audiovisual experience. It’s vivid, kaleidoscopic stuff—and very smart.
GettyactivityPalau de la Música Catalana
It might be the Palace of Catalan Music, but you come as much for your eyes as your ears. Outside, hefty stone pillars draped in floral mosaics hint that something special lies within—that, and the small matter of a UNESCO World Heritage classification. Still, the auditorium will surprise you: a kaleidoscope of roses, chandeliers, and stained glass, it’s like 50 brides threw their wedding bouquets and they all exploded in the sky. For once, we don’t have Barcelona poster boy Gaudí to thank. This is the work of Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, a building some say is even prettier than the mosaic master’s La Sagrada Família. Built to house the Orfeó Català symphonic choir, today’s musical acts span from choral to pianists, jazz, flamenco, and operas such as La Traviata and Carmen. Ticket prices vary with notoriety, from around €18 ($22) to a bank-note-hitting €175 ($215) for a headline act. A key decision is whether to visit in daylight, for a tour, when the building is at its most spectacular, or at night, for a concert, when the music is.
GettyactivityBarceloneta
Barceloneta is the high-school jock of beaches: loud, popular, and boisterous. Its version of a buff torso? A strip of sand that’s no less of a showoff; at one end, there’s the metallic, sail-like silhouette of the W Hotel, at the other, the blinding gold sculpture of a fish by starchitect Frank Gehry. When you’ve arrived at Barceloneta, you know it. Barceloneta is convenient, chaotic, and a must-see carnival. But it’s increasingly proving its mettle as an LA-esque outdoor lifestyle destination. Take the promenade running towards the W Hotel. It’s a-buzz with joggers and inline skaters; there’s an outdoor pool that’s serious about laps not lazing; while outdoor gyms contain a spaghetti tangle of lithe limbs that raise weights and the impressed eyebrows of people walking by. At the walkway’s very end, a new elevated viewing platform (that opened in 2022) presents a sweeping perspective across the Mediterranean and Barcelona’s urban center. We’re calling it: this is Barceloneta, rebooted.
GettyactivityMontjuïc
There are many grand elements to Montjüic, Barcelona's green lung that’s a whole lot more than ‘just a hill’. A great introduction starts from the roundabout at Plaça España, where a dramatic, architectural staircase leads up to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (National Museum of Catalan Art). It looks like a fairy-tale palace, and the water feature in front is even called the Magic Fountain. (Recent drought conditions have paused its famous evening water-light spectacular—but check for updates here). So far, we’ve described about 400 meters of Montjüic: the remainder boasts internationally acclaimed arts institutions, stadiums from the 1992 Olympic Games, exotic gardens, and enough panoramic views to jam a smartphone camera roll. The site is vast; you can spend hours circumnavigating it, only to discover entire sections you’ve missed. Focusing on its outdoor potential, don’t miss Montjüic Castle, particularly in July and August, when its grounds host an open-air sunset cinema. Walk around the old Olympic stadium site, taking in the giant spike in the sky: a telecoms tower built by architect Santiago Calatrava. There are also two great gardens: the botanical garden, Jardí Botànic, and a more secluded one dedicated to cacti. If the catchy name Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera doesn’t help you locate it, it’s by the back of the Miramar hotel and the sea.
GettyactivityLa Sagrada Família
It’s practically illegal to go to Barcelona and not visit La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s extraordinary temple dedicated to the Holy Family—otherwise known as the world’s largest unfinished church. The latest projected end date for structural work (excluding decorative details) is 2026, tying in neatly with the centenary of the architect’s death, though local theorists speculate it will never be done in order to preserve its in-process cachet. To say you'll experience a sense of wonder feels corny, but it’s very hard to walk inside, tilt your head up to the vaults and rainbow stained glass, and not gasp out loud. So, good corny. The bread and butter of a first-timer’s itinerary, La Sagrada Família will also be the one you keep returning to. Not just to witness quantifiable increases in height, or scale, or intricacy, but for the feeling inside—which is, simply, magic.
GettyshopMercat de Sant Antoni
Imagine Barcelona's iconic La Boqueria–the heaving, calamari-scented food market on La Rambla—before it became famous. When the only voices were local, and daily specials were scribbled in felt-tip pen on scraps on paper. That’s Sant Antoni today. A food and clothes market that’s revered by locals and cemented in their daily routines. Telling an international audience about it feels like breaking a secret code, so come with respect for that authenticity and a willingness to practice your high-school Spanish–as well as an appetite. Oh yes, you’ll definitely want the latter. Aim for that sweet spot where you’ll salivate upon seeing trays of olives piled like sandcastles, but aren’t so ravenous that you’ll blow all your hunger on the first stall of cured meats you come to. The flavors here are as traditional as the maroon-and-gold market itself: built in 1882, it recently closed from 2009 to 2018 for an €80 million refurb. Today, it’s restored, reopened and thriving–with the surrounding blocks becoming car-free to enhance the community-first experience. On Sundays, when the main market is closed, the outside edge turns into one of Europe’s largest open-air book markets, selling vintage editions and stamps. It starts at 8:30 am and is open until 2:00 pm—though Barcelona isn’t known for its early starts, so you’re safe to press snooze.
Barcelona Architecture WalksactivityBarcelona Architecture Walks
While most sightseeing tours simply describe what’s in front of you, Barcelona Architecture Walks explore a building’s wider context: from the juicy politics of how that frightfully out-of-context glass office block really swung planning permission, to what the wealthy textile tycoons who commissioned Gaudí actually thought when he left them with a swirly ceilinged bedroom covered in religious motifs? Of the five tours available, the flagship is Barcelona & Gaudí—a three-hour, pre-reserved ramble around Eixample that’s capped at 20 people. Expect fast-paced historical insight that spans Barcelona’s Roman origins, recent attempts to greenify the city, as well as explainers into the technical wizardry and mathematics behind Gaudí’s zany ideas. Guides are all architects—either practicing, or professors—and this knowledge and critical eye really adds credibility. These are fantastic, talking-point tours for anyone who wants to know more about a building than simply how it photographs.
activityPicasso Museum
A museum spread over five palaces—we’d expect nothing less for Picasso, who moved to Barcelona as a 14-year-old boy and made frequent trips back throughout his life. Downstairs, a courtyard and Gothic archways lead into white studios that illuminate his works. Upstairs, the rooms are lavish: epic painted ceilings that almost drip crystal chandeliers. Visitors flock here to see Picasso's work, but the special setting is why they come back again and again. If you’re expecting Picasso’s big-hitters, you might be disappointed—for a few minutes. Guernica resides in the Reina Sofía in Madrid, The Weeping Woman at London’s Tate Modern. What Barcelona’s museum has, is everything around those postcard images. In chronological order, it shows every brushstroke (all 4,251 works’ worth) of how he moved from a classically trained painter (see Ciencia y Caridad in Room 3) to a Cubist pioneer, plus some things we never knew he did, like ceramics.
Adrià GoulaactivityMoco Museum Barcelona
A hot-pink logo. A giant sculpture of a Smurf posing like Frankenstein’s monster in the courtyard. And a mirrored room where hundreds of dangling diamonds change color as you walk inside. Have you got all of that? Barcelona's Moco Museum is a riot–of colors, of styles, of pushing artistic boundaries. Mainly, of joy. It may be next door to the Picasso Museum, but you’re about as far away from Picasso’s melancholic blue period as you can get. Here’s the thing: you cannot be bored here. The majority crowd is young, cool and scene-y: wearing outfits intentionally curated for the visit, with bodies contorted into angles to snap the best social-media content. After all, aesthetic impact is kind of the point of this place. Don’t be fooled though; museumgoers are very much here for the art. Discussions with animated hand gestures try to unpick what’s on the walls, while many works provoke a long-linger. Even if you hit 10,000 steps by lunchtime, Moco’s fluorescent, lively, reaction-provoking collection is a guaranteed perk-you-up. Yes, even if you’ve been known to yawn at the word “museum”. One last hack: tickets for time slots before 11am and after 6pm are cheaper.
GettyactivitySant Pau Art Nouveau Site
$This is a hospital, you say? Well, it was—but one with a twist. Built by legendary Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner (he of Palau de la Música Catalana fame) with all the features of Catalan Art Nouveau—extravagant domes, stained glass windows, epic pillars—it was designed to be a building that people enjoyed recuperating in. His vision was a garden city for nursing the sick instead of the clinical-looking spaces we still know today—buildings are oriented for maximum sun exposure, for example. When the hospital was moved further north in 2009, this site went through its own rehabilitation: into a museum and arts venue. It now hosts the runways for Barcelona Fashion Week. The pavilions earned UNESCO World Heritage status, so the buildings alone are inspiring, particularly given their previous incarnation. The gardens, with lime trees and sleepy lavender bushes, make it good for the eyes and soul. This is the landmark to visit if you want a less obvious, less traveled itinerary. While locals expect you to do the Gaudí gems, they’ll be genuinely impressed if you come here—because they do.
Christian HorzactivityParc de la Ciutadella
“And here’s the Arc de Triomf”—a phrase you might not expect to hear in Barcelona. It gets even more confusing when you discover that the monumental stone gateway at the entrance of Parc de la Ciutadella (which indeed shares a name with the French landmark), was actually supposed to be the Eiffel Tower. True story: The Barcelona council rejected Gustave Eiffel’s design, leading him to pitch it to Paris. Inside the Ciutadella? The core is a tree-lined boulevard with couples promenading, kids running, street artists blowing giant bubbles, locals training their dogs, students sunbathing on the grassy banks, and older folk watching on. The site is vast: few parks could house a city’s zoo and its regional parliament, let alone put them next door to each other, which is the case here. Other beautiful structures that are open for strolling include the cast iron Umbracle, where arched roofs shade verdant kentia palms, fig trees and giant elephant’s ears; the recently restored Hivernacle, a spectacularly decorated 135-year-old greenhouse; and the natural sciences museum, Centre Martorell d’Exposicions.
Manuel Medir/GettyactivityHivernacle
This ornate greenhouse inside Barcelona's Parc de la Ciutadella dates back to 1888, when architect Josep Amargós i Samaranch designed it as a grand reception hall for the Universal Exposition fair. Sadly, as with many projects whose purpose post-event isn’t given much thought, by the 20th century it fell into disrepair. The Hivernacle had spells as a bird and reptile house, and even as a bar, but its recent history is one peppered with disuse and dashed promises of renovation projects. Until–cue a big cheer—a detail-orientated 15-month renewal was completed in December 2023, restoring the ironwork and decorative details back to their 1888 glory. It’s now an atmospheric, serene plant house that’s ideal for resting or reading a book under soft, leaf-shaded light. That it’s an essential stop for plant-lovers and gardeners is a given. But it’s also a beautiful example of urban conservation done right, and a relaxing—and free—stop-off to sample Parc de la Ciutadella’s expanding focus on natural history and sciences.
- Quim Llenas/Cover/Gettyactivity
The Barcelona Pavilion by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
The Barcelona Pavilion was designed by German architects Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich for the 1929 International Exposition—a global showcase of architectural styles. Exposition over, the pavilion was duly dismantled back to Germany. It was only in the decades after—cue: a face-palming moment of hindsight—that the architectural community realized just how pivotal Mies van der Rohe’s founding symbol of modernist architecture was. In 1980, Barcelona City Council enlisted a team of Catalan architects to turn salvaged photographs and drawings into a delicate, atmospheric reconstruction. Most people’s overarching takeaway from the Pavilion is that it’s smaller than they imagined, so use this as your battery recharge before tackling the other arty big-hitters on Montjuïc, such as Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) and Fundació Joan Miró.
GettyactivityCamp Nou
The importance FC Barcelona soccer club has in the city can be felt in the noise of its home stadium, the Camp Nou. At 99,354, it’s the biggest in Europe—and there's an expansion plan in place to push it to 105,000. All seats are actually owned by season-ticket holders, who then release them to the public if they can’t go. Don’t worry: it means there’s usually a good chunk available, especially against lower league teams, and 72 to 48 hours before a match. Barcelona’s home matches in La Liga—the Spanish soccer league—usually run from mid-August to the end of May, and tours of the stadium and the FC Barcelona museum are still kicking off (from €28 or $30.50). Glimpse Messi’s trophies, the players’ tunnel, and the first team’s bench.
Museu de l'Art ProhibitactivityMuseu de l’Art Prohibit
A word to the easily offended, cover your eyes now: This is the world’s first museum comprised entirely of artworks considered so scandalous that they were banned, censored or withdrawn from public view. New to Barcelona’s arts scene since the end of 2023, spot it via bright-red flags (evoking smut-shop undertones) hanging outside the juxtaposed setting of a grand Modernista-era townhouse. Word is still getting out, so it’s enjoyably uncrowded, which is helpful as you’ll get the most out of the visit by lingering at each work and reading about the wider context. The free digital guide, accessible via QR code, contains everything you need to know. Continuing the cheeky theme, the store features hand-shaped candles flipping the bird, necklaces with the word “no”, banana vases, and mini lamps with Keith Haring illustrations. An hour gives you time to see everything, read most of the blurbs, and do a spin of the gift shop. Architecture buffs may want to spend longer admiring the building itself (called Casa Garriga Nogués by architect Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia), which has spectacular stained glass.
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Pol ViladomsactivityCasa Vicens
Wildly colorful ceramic flowers? And tiles that look like a green and white chessboard? No, we haven’t been tippling the lunchtime vermouth—this is the feeling upon discovering Casa Vicens down an unsuspecting side street in Barcelona's arty Gràcia district. Built in the 1880s as a summerhouse for stockbroker Manel Vicens, it was the very first house Gaudí designed. Following a refurb, it opened in November 2017 as a museum space and a fascinating house to snoop around. Forget the Gaudí of La Sagrada Família fame, this is his Orientalist Period. What’s it like? Imagine a Moorish palace married a Rubik’s cube and had a child. It’s crazy. Anyone who’s a fan of tiles or maximalist design will geek out on the (dare we say jumble of) oriental palms, pink walls, flower-adorned tiles and flying birds. Add in a terracotta roof terrace, a couple of elaborate domes, and some Gaudí ironwork and you’re left wondering how it all harmonizes together. Because, weirdly, it does.
JOSEP LAGO/GettyactivitySuperilla
Superilla, which means “superblock,” is a transformative new pedestrian project that’s created some of the loveliest strolling routes across Barcelona. Urban planners picked congested, lung-clogging roads within the Eixample neighborhood’s tic-tac-toe-shaped grid and converted them into green streets. Today, these paved avenues prioritize walkers, cyclists and planted areas, and café terraces dance out across what was once highway. A wonderful walking route is the horizontal street, Consell de Cent. It runs left from Passeig de Sant Joan, a wide tree-lined boulevard known for its comic stores, across to Parc Joan Miró, a sandy, parakeet-filled park that features Miró’s ‘Woman and Bird’ sculpture. Walk continuously, and the almost-two-mile route takes around 40 minutes. But that’s kind of missing the point. This is a stretch in which to savor the hubbub of Mediterranean life: stop for a lazy café con hielo (iced coffee), join the older residents reading newspapers in the shade, and snap the typography of the preserved-in-time shopfronts. It’s enough to have La Rambla quaking in its boots.
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