Sun, sea, spires and a serious amount of tapas: your Barcelona edit starts here.
Barcelona picked a very good year to show off. It’s a century since Antoni Gaudí’s death, and to mark the moment, the Sagrada Família finally has its crowning glory: the Tower of Jesus Christ is complete, making it the tallest church in the world at 172.5 metres. The city is also the 2026 World Capital of Architecture, which, frankly, feels like a title it was born to hold.
Of course, Barcelona is never short of reasons to visit. The problem is squeezing it all in. Beach or basilica? Picasso or paella? A tapas crawl through El Born or a cocktail hidden behind a fridge door? With so much on the menu (literally), it’s easy to spend half your trip deciding and the other half queuing.
So our editors have done the hard work for you (it’s a tough gig, we know). We’ve climbed the towers, braved the Boqueria at lunchtime and eaten more pan con tomate than we’re prepared to admit, then sorted the 40 best things to do in Barcelona by the kind of trip you’re on. First-timers, art lovers, families, romantics and luxury seekers, this one’s for you.
Barcelona at a glance:
Best for first-timers: The Sagrada Família
Best view: The Bunkers del Carmel at sunset
Best for art lovers: Museu Picasso
Best for kids: CosmoCaixa
Best day trip: Montserrat
Best for a date: A sunset sail with cava
Best splurge: Dinner at Disfrutar
How we chose
Every entry is somewhere our editors have visited, judged on the experience itself, value, crowds and whether it truly earns a place in a short break. Barcelona’s big hitters sell out, especially the Gaudí sites, so book online in advance wherever possible; many no longer sell tickets at the door at all. Prices below are the standard adult rate where we could confirm them.
IF IT’S YOUR FIRST TIME
The Sagrada Família, Eixample
Best for: Jaw-on-the-floor wonder
Price: €26 with the audio guide included, or €36 with tower access
Why we love it: Nothing prepares you for the inside. Gaudí designed the columns to branch like trees, and when the sun hits the stained glass, the whole nave glows in shades of emerald, sapphire and fiery orange. It’s like standing in a stone forest at sunset. And now, after more than 140 years of construction, the central spire is finally complete, rising to just below the summit of Montjuïc (Gaudí believed nothing man-made should outdo nature).
Book as far ahead as you can, and pick a late afternoon slot when the warm light pours through the western windows. Add tower access if you have a head for heights.
Park Güell, Gràcia
Best for: Mosaics and city views
Price: €18 for adults
Why we love it: Gaudí’s hillside park is pure joy: gingerbread-house pavilions, a mosaic dragon guarding the steps and a long, curving bench covered in shattered tiles that doubles as the best seat in the city. From the terrace, you can see all the way down to the sea.
Book the first slot of the day, before the tour groups arrive, and wear comfortable shoes (it’s steep). The surrounding woodland is free to wander, so stay for a stroll after your visit.
Casa Batlló, Passeig de Gràcia
Best for: Gaudí at his most magical
Why we love it: Locals call it the House of Bones, thanks to its skeletal balconies, and the rippling roof looks just like the back of a dragon. Inside, everything flows: there’s barely a straight line in the place, and the central light well shifts from deep to pale blue as it rises so the light spreads evenly.
In the warmer months, book a rooftop concert and sip a drink under the stars on the dragon’s spine. Unforgettable.
La Pedrera (Casa Milà), Passeig de Gràcia
Best for: A rooftop straight out of a dream
Why we love it: From the street, Gaudí’s wavy stone apartment block looks like a cliff face. But the real treat is up top, where a surreal army of swirling chimneys stands guard over the city like helmeted warriors (George Lucas fans, you’ll see the resemblance).
Go for the evening experience if you can, when the rooftop is lit up and the crowds have thinned. Pure theatre.
The Gothic Quarter and Barcelona Cathedral, Ciutat Vella
Best for: Getting lost (the good kind)
Why we love it: The medieval heart of the city is a warren of narrow streets, hidden squares and ancient stone, and the joy is simply wandering. Snap a photo under the lacy Pont del Bisbe bridge, then step into the cathedral, where thirteen white geese live in the cloister (one for each year of the life of Saint Eulàlia, the city’s patron saint).
Take the lift up to the cathedral roof for views over the spires. Then find a tiny bar for vermouth. Obligatory.
La Boqueria and La Rambla, Ciutat Vella
Best for: A feast for all the senses
Why we love it: Pyramids of fruit, glistening seafood and legs of jamón hanging from every stall: La Boqueria is one of the most famous food markets in the world, and it lives up to the hype. Skip the pre-packed fruit cups at the entrance and head deeper in for a stool at one of the counter bars, like El Quim, for fried eggs with baby squid.
Go early, it’s closed on Sundays, and keep an eye on your bag on La Rambla. Then walk it once, for the experience, and escape down a side street.
Montjuïc, Sants-Montjuïc
Best for: Views, gardens and a cable car ride
Why we love it: The hill that rises over the port is packed with things to do: gardens, museums, the 1992 Olympic stadium and a clifftop castle with some of the best views in the city. Ride the cable car up for the full effect, then work your way down on foot.
At the bottom, the Magic Fountain puts on a light and music show on selected evenings. Check the schedule before you go.
Spotify Camp Nou, Les Corts
Best for: Football fans (and their long-suffering partners)
Why we love it: Barça are back home and playing their matches at the Camp Nou again, though the stadium is still very much a building site in places. For now, the classic pitchside tour hasn’t returned, but the club museum is open and the immersive tour includes a 360-degree show and a viewpoint over the construction.
For the full experience, get tickets to a match. Hearing 60,000-odd fans sing is something else entirely.
IF YOU’RE INTO ART
Museu Picasso, El Born
Best for: The making of a genius
Price: €15 for the permanent collection, with free entry on Thursdays from 4pm to 7pm from 29 September (book ahead)
Why we love it: Spread across five medieval palaces on Carrer Montcada, this museum is all about the young Picasso, who moved to Barcelona as a teenager. It’s fascinating to see his astonishingly accomplished early work, before he broke all the rules.
The highlight is his Las Meninas series, dozens of reinterpretations of Velázquez’s masterpiece. Book online, even for the free slots, which go fast.
MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya), Montjuïc
Best for: Romanesque treasures and a killer view
Why we love it: Housed in the grand Palau Nacional on Montjuïc, this museum holds one of the world’s finest collections of Romanesque art. The frescoes, rescued from remote Pyrenean churches and reassembled here, are breathtaking, all bold colours and wide-eyed saints.
Don’t leave without heading up to the rooftop terrace for a sweeping view over the city. One of Barcelona’s best-kept secrets.
Fundació Joan Miró, Montjuïc
Best for: Colour, joy and sculpture gardens
Why we love it: Set in a bright white building designed by Miró’s friend Josep Lluís Sert, this gallery is as playful as the artist’s work. Expect bold primary colours, stars, moons and birds. Don’t miss Alexander Calder’s Mercury Fountain, a mesmerising sculpture that once used real mercury.
The rooftop terrace and garden, dotted with sculptures, are perfect for a breather. Pure happiness.
Palau de la Música Catalana, Sant Pere
Best for: The most beautiful concert hall in Europe
Why we love it: Every surface of this Modernista concert hall is decorated, from the mosaic columns to the sculpted horses bursting out of the stage walls. Look up and you’ll see the showstopper: a huge, inverted dome of stained glass, glowing gold and blue like a sun.
A guided tour is lovely, but a concert here is better. Anything will do. The building is the star.
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, Guinardó
Best for: Art Nouveau without the crowds
Why we love it: Believe it or not, this dreamy complex of pavilions, all tiled domes, turrets and mosaics, was once a working hospital. Designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, it’s one of the largest Art Nouveau sites in the world, and it gets a fraction of the visitors that queue at Gaudí’s houses.
It’s a short walk from the Sagrada Família along Avinguda de Gaudí, so combine the two.
MACBA, El Raval
Best for: Contemporary art and street culture
Why we love it: Richard Meier’s gleaming white building is a bold contrast to the gritty streets of the Raval, and the plaza outside has become the city’s unofficial skate park. Inside, you’ll find a strong collection of contemporary art from Catalonia and beyond.
Afterwards, explore the Raval’s vintage shops, bookshops and bars. It’s where Barcelona’s creative scene lives.
Casa Vicens, Gràcia
Best for: Gaudí’s first house, minus the queues
Why we love it: Gaudí’s very first house is a riot of colour: green and white tiles, patterned with marigolds, cover the façade, and the interiors are full of Moorish-inspired details. It’s smaller and quieter than his more famous works, which makes it an absolute treat.
Afterwards, wander the lanes of Gràcia, one of the city’s most charming neighbourhoods.
Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Eixample
Best for: A quieter art fix
Why we love it: Look up as you approach and you’ll spot a tangle of metal wire on the roof, Tàpies’ sculpture Cloud and Chair. Inside the Domènech i Montaner building, you’ll find the work of one of Spain’s most important post-war artists, all textures, earthy tones and mysterious symbols.
It’s a calm, thoughtful space. A perfect antidote to the crowds on Passeig de Gràcia.
IF YOU’RE WITH THE KIDS
CosmoCaixa, Sant Gervasi
Best for: Curious minds of all ages
Why we love it: This science museum is a winner for everyone, but the real star is the Flooded Forest, a slice of real Amazonian rainforest under glass, complete with fish, frogs and capybaras. Kids will also love the hands-on exhibits and the planetarium.
It’s up in the hills away from the tourist crowds. Great for a rainy (or scorching) day.
Tibidabo Amusement Park, Tibidabo
Best for: Old-school rides with a view
Why we love it: Perched on top of the highest hill in Barcelona, this is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, dating back to 1901. The vintage rides are charming, and the views across the city to the sea are spectacular, especially from the red Talaia ride.
Next door is the Sagrat Cor church, with a lift up to the top. Go on a clear day. Magic.
L’Aquàrium de Barcelona, Port Vell
Best for: Budding marine biologists
Why we love it: The highlight here is the 80-metre underwater tunnel, where sharks, rays and turtles glide over your head. Kids will also love the penguins and the touch pools. It’s at the end of the Maremagnum pier, in the heart of the old port.
Combine it with a stroll along the waterfront. Easy.
Barcelona Zoo, Parc de la Ciutadella
Best for: A wild day out in the city
Why we love it: Tucked into the corner of Ciutadella Park, the zoo is manageable for small legs, with everything from lions and giraffes to red pandas and gorillas. Kids will love the farm and petting area.
Pack a picnic and make a day of it, with a trip to the park afterwards.
Parc de la Ciutadella, Ciutat Vella
Best for: A breather from the city
Price: Free
Why we love it: Barcelona’s green lung is a lovely place to relax. Rent a rowing boat on the lake, admire the huge, flamboyant Cascada fountain (a young Gaudí worked on it as a student) and spot the life-size mammoth statue, which children adore.
It’s also where the locals come on weekends, so expect jugglers, drummers and dancers. Great for people-watching.
Poble Espanyol, Montjuïc
Best for: Spain in miniature
Why we love it: Built for the 1929 International Exhibition, this open-air museum brings together replicas of buildings from all over Spain, with plazas, streets and craft workshops. Kids will love watching glassblowers and potters at work.
It’s a fun way to see a whole country in an afternoon. There are also plenty of places to eat and drink.
Museu de la Xocolata, El Born
Best for: Sweet-toothed little ones
Why we love it: Your entrance ticket is a chocolate bar. Need we say more? This small museum tells the story of chocolate, with chocolate sculptures of everything from famous buildings to cartoon characters.
Kids will be in heaven, and there are workshops for older children. Just be prepared for the sugar rush.
Barceloneta Beach, Barceloneta
Best for: Sand, sea and a sundowner
Price: Free
Why we love it: How many cities let you spend the morning on a Gaudí tour and the afternoon on the beach? Barceloneta is the city’s most famous stretch of sand, lined with beach bars and seafood restaurants. Kids can splash in the sea while you relax.
Keep a close eye on your belongings, and after a swim, head into the old fishing neighbourhood for paella. Bliss.
IF YOU’RE ON A ROMANTIC TRIP
The Bunkers del Carmel, El Carmel
Best for: The best sunset in Barcelona
Price: Free
Why we love it: These Civil War anti-aircraft bunkers sit on top of a hill with a 360-degree view over the city, from the Sagrada Família to the sea. It’s the spot for sunset, and you won’t be alone, but the atmosphere is part of the magic.
Bring a bottle of something and a snack, and keep noise down for the neighbours. Then watch the city light up below.
El Born and Santa Maria del Mar, Ciutat Vella
Best for: A candlelit evening
Why we love it: El Born is Barcelona at its most romantic, a tangle of cobbled streets full of cocktail bars, boutiques and tapas joints. At its heart is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, a soaring Gothic church built by the city’s dockworkers and fishermen, and one of the most beautiful in Spain.
For a drink, head to El Xampanyet, a tiled bar serving cava and anchovies. Romance, sorted.
A sunset sail with cava
Best for: Falling for the city from the water
Why we love it: Seeing Barcelona’s skyline from the sea as the sun goes down is something special. Several companies run sunset catamaran trips from Port Vell, usually with a glass of cava and snacks included. Kick back, soak it all in and watch the city turn gold.
Book ahead in summer. And bring a jumper (it gets breezy).
Gràcia
Best for: A village feel in the city
Why we love it: Once a separate town, Gràcia still feels like a village, with a lively mix of locals, students and creatives. Its squares, such as Plaça del Sol and Plaça de la Virreina, are perfect for an evening vermouth on a terrace.
In August, the Festa Major de Gràcia sees streets decorated with incredible handmade designs. Worth timing a trip around.
The Labyrinth of Horta, Horta
Best for: Getting lost together
Why we love it: The oldest garden in the city is also one of the most romantic, with a cypress maze at its centre, statues, fountains and a neoclassical pavilion. Legend has it that couples who find their way to the centre together are destined to stay together.
It’s a bit out of the way, which keeps crowds down. The perfect escape.
A flamenco show at Palau Dalmases, El Born
Best for: Passion and drama
Why we love it: Flamenco may be Andalusian at heart, but Barcelona does it beautifully. At Palau Dalmases, you’ll watch in a baroque palace, with performers just a few feet away. The raw emotion, the guitar and the stamping feet will give you goosebumps.
Book a show with a glass of wine. Then find a late-night tapas bar nearby.
Sitges
Best for: A seaside escape
Why we love it: Just 40 minutes by train from the city, Sitges is a charming seaside town with whitewashed streets, golden beaches and a lively bar scene. Wander the old town, visit the Maricel museum, and settle in for a long, lazy lunch by the sea.
It’s the perfect day trip for couples. Stay for the sunset.
Montserrat
Best for: A breathtaking day trip
Why we love it: An hour from the city, the jagged peaks of Montserrat rise dramatically from the plain, with a Benedictine monastery tucked into the mountainside. Take the rack railway or the cable car up, then visit the famous Black Madonna and, if you time it right, hear the boys’ choir, one of the oldest in Europe.
Hike one of the trails for even better views. Unforgettable.
IF YOU LIKE LUXURY
Passeig de Gràcia, Eixample
Best for: Shopping in Gaudí’s shadow
Why we love it: Barcelona’s grandest avenue is lined with Modernista masterpieces and designer boutiques, from Chanel to Loewe. It’s the city’s answer to the Champs-Élysées, but with better architecture.
Stop for a coffee on a terrace and watch the chic crowd pass by. Very civilised.
Disfrutar, Eixample
Best for: The meal of a lifetime
Why we love it: Topping the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2024, Disfrutar is run by three chefs who trained at the legendary elBulli, and its tasting menu is a playful, mind-bending journey through Mediterranean flavours. Expect surprise after surprise.
You’ll need to book months in advance. Worth every penny.
Paradiso, El Born
Best for: A secret cocktail
Why we love it: Walk into what looks like a small pastrami bar, open a fridge door and step through into one of the world’s most celebrated cocktail bars. Paradiso was once named the best bar in the world, and its theatrical drinks live up to the reputation.
Expect a queue, or book ahead. It’s a night you won’t forget.
Mandarin Oriental, Passeig de Gràcia
Best for: Rooftop drinks and a spa day
Why we love it: Set in a former bank on the city’s grandest avenue, the Mandarin Oriental is elegant, calm and effortlessly chic. Head to the rooftop terrace for a drink with views over the city, or book a treatment at the spa.
It’s the ultimate place to unwind after a day of sightseeing. Pure indulgence.
Gran Teatre del Liceu, La Rambla
Best for: A night at the opera
Why we love it: Barcelona’s opera house, rebuilt after a fire in 1994, is a glittering jewel of red velvet and gold leaf. Seeing a performance here is a real treat, but if you can’t make a show, a tour of the building is worth it too.
Dress up and enjoy a glass of cava in the interval. Very glamorous.
Eclipse at the W Barcelona, Barceloneta
Best for: Cocktails with a view
Why we love it: The sail-shaped W hotel is one of the most recognisable buildings on the city’s waterfront, and its top-floor bar, Eclipse, offers dazzling views over the sea and city. Come for sunset and stay for the DJ.
Dress to impress. It’s that kind of place.
Gran Hotel La Florida, Tibidabo
Best for: A pool with a view
Why we love it: Perched on the hill of Tibidabo, this glamorous hotel has one of the most spectacular infinity pools in Europe, overlooking the entire city and sea. It’s a world away from the bustle below.
Book a spa treatment or stay the night. Heaven.
A cava tasting in the Penedès
Best for: Bubbles at the source
Why we love it: Less than an hour from the city, the Penedès is the home of cava, and a tasting here is a real treat. At Codorníu, you can tour the Modernista cellars designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch and sip cava in the vineyards.
Book a tour with a tasting, or hire a driver for the day. Salut.
Planning your stay? See our guide to the best hotels in Barcelona for the perfect base.
