12 Things To See During Your Visit to Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is a beautiful, artistic city that just so happens to also be the capital of Spain’s Catalonia region. If you’ve ever spent time on Pinterest, then you have for sure seen Gaudi’s magnificent work, like the Sagrada Família church. But there is so much more to see than the interiors of the church. Let’s get started, shall we?

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1. La Sagrada Familia – This is easily the first location you should check off your bucket list when arriving to Barcelona. You can take the underground metro right to the entrance of the church. The building, while incomplete, was absolutely stunning and artistically crafted. Each awning, door, and window was creatively sculpted by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí is basically a hero in Barcelona and is highly respected as a creative so expect to hear a lot about him and to see a ton of his artwork. We chose not to go inside the church, but overall it was just beautiful. You could stand there all day taking photos from different angles and it still wouldn’t be enough. (It will take you 21 minutes to walk to your next location…)

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2. Arc de Triomf – One of Barcelona’s iconic landmarks was built in 1888 to serve as a gateway to the fair while hosting the Universal Exhibition. Another extraordinary sculptured piece of art. If you look closely at the art work and design you can see Barcelona’s history being played out. At the top of the arch the shields of the 49 Spanish provinces are presided over by the coat of arms. Since it was a beautiful day when we visited, we took a walk around the gardens near the arc.

3. Casa Batlló – Gaudi designed this masterpiece as a home for the Batlló family. The family seemed to care more about their home’s location than the impractical design of the house. Overall it is a wacky building with weird looking balconies. Due to lack of time and construction, we did not go inside but we’ve heard the interiors are beautiful and you could easily spend 2 hours doing an audio tour inside. (Please note: March seemed to be the month every building was under construction, probably because it is offseason. We did not mind, but if you would, then maybe try and visit a different month!)

4. Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera, is (you guessed it) yet another Gaudí building. It was the last residence he designed before agreeing to work on the Sagrada Familia. The whole building is made of stone and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site today. Spain’s history and Antoni Gaudí in general is fascinating. I highly encourage you do some research before visiting. It makes the trip that much more memorable. There is an entry fee to see the cultural exhibits and to visit the rooftop. You can buy tickets here.

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5. Las Ramblas – a central street in Barcelona that connects Plaça de Catalunya (further down the list) with the Christopher Columbus Monument (Mirador de Colom) at Port Vell. Las Ramblas is bustling with energy with different restaurants and vendors lining the street since its a pedestrian-only street. At the end is the Columbus monument which stands 60m tall and faces the pier making it a great spot to watch the sun go down. The monument was constructed to honor Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas. You can buy tickets to go up inside the monument for a 360º view of Barcelona.

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6. Brunch & Cake is arguably the most Instagram-worthy restaurant in Barcelona. I’m not kidding, Allie and I watched two girls take a photoshoot with their food for at least 50 minutes. #NoJudgement. The food really is that pretty! The restaurant is covered in pink and white roses, wall art, plants and they offer colorful food, fresh juices, and well-deserved treats. I highly recommend the açaí bowl w/ tropical fruits, the vegan eggs and potatoes with chipotle hollandaise sauce and the paleo banana bread with peanut butter. Something this healthy shouldn’t taste this good! But how cute is the cantaloupe spelling out brunch!?

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7. Take a day trip to Monserrat. Monserrat Royal Basilica is about an hour outside of the city. Allie and I opted in to take a half-day trip with Julia Travel and it did not disappoint. If you have seen photos online of the Stairway to Heaven, then you will definitely want to check it out! The monastery, history behind the Black Madonna, and the mountains are only some of the reasons you should visit. I plan to write a separate blog post on our day there, so be on the lookout!

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8. Chok the Chocolate Kitchen for the best donuts in Spain! The earlier you go, the better the selection you have. We went in the evening so our choices were limited but I was grateful! There were so many to choose from. We went with a chocolate donut with shaved chocolate on top and oh my yum!

9. Bunkers el Carmel aka MUHBA – Bunkers dating back to the Civil War are located in the El Carmel district and offer an excellent view of the city. When the civil war was over, the bunkers became somewhat of a town and people started living there until 1992. After sitting abandoned for many years, MUHBA (Museu D’Historia De Barcelona) restored the bunkers and installed a small museum in 2011. It is arguably one of the more popular places to watch the sun go down over the city.

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10. Park Güell – A tourism hotspot! If you’ve ever seen the Cheetah Girls, you know that Park Güell is one of Barcelona’s major attractions. What many don’t know is that why entry to the park is completely free, in order to go inside and see the mosaic tiled backdrops you need to pay an entrance fee. And buying tickets in advance is a must! There is a cut off each day and once they sell their allotted tickets, you are not going inside. The views from afar are stunning so I can only imagine what the inside must look like!

11. Arenas de Barcelona is an excellent place to go grab a bite to eat, watch a movie or shop. Originally built to serve as the bullring for Barcelona, bullfighting never caught on in Catalonia so the arena closed in 1977 and stood vacant for decades. In 2000 plans started circulating to turn the bullfighting arena into a modern shopping and entertainment center and viola! It is now a great place to walk around and browse during your visit. Allie and I snagged dinner inside at Frank4 and it was one of our cheapest, most delicious meals we had.

12. Plaça Catalunya – the grand square is also Barcelona’s most central area so it’s an easy meet up point for visitors. It’s surrounded by shopping centers and department stores if you’re looking to do some shopping. Overall, we just saw it as a great opportunity to sit outside in the sunshine and picnic.

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Other great spots to check out if you have time:

1. Nomads Coffee – It was closed when we visited, but truly looks like a great place for a cup of coffee. (Located at: Passatge Sert, 12, 08003 Barcelona, Spain)
2. Skye Coffee – The cutest coffee shop ever! Unsure if it’s mobile but its based out of a van. (Located at: Carrer de Pamplona, 88, 08018)
3. W Hotel Rooftop – A great place to catch a sunset and take in Barcelona’s city views.
4. La Federal or Picnic a tasty brunch.
5. Berenjenal bar for the best €2.50 mojitos. The ginger one is my new favorite flavor and the mango will change your life!
6. Walk by foot through the Gothic Quarter to see beautiful architecture. Satan’s Coffee Corner in the quarter is a solid, simple coffee shop.

Have you been to Barcelona? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear some areas you explored or want to explore in the future! As always, please tag me in your travel adventures on Instagram. I love connecting with you!