1. Sagrada Família
Gaudí’s great basilica, still being finished more than a century after work began. The forest-like interior and its coloured light are the highlight. Timed tickets sell out, so book online well ahead.
2. Park Güell
A hillside park with Gaudí’s mosaic terraces, the famous lizard and views over the city. The monumental zone needs a timed ticket; the wider park around it is free to walk.
3. Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
Two Gaudí houses a few minutes apart on Passeig de Gràcia. Casa Batlló has a dragon-scale roof; La Pedrera’s rooftop has its warrior-like chimneys.
4. The Gothic Quarter and El Born
Lanes around the cathedral and the Roman walls, then the Born’s boutiques and the soaring Santa Maria del Mar church. Best explored on foot, with no plan.
5. La Boqueria and Sant Antoni markets
La Boqueria off Las Ramblas is the famous one, busy with visitors; Sant Antoni, restored and less touristy, feels more local.
6. Montjuïc
The hill above the port with the Joan Miró Foundation, the National Art Museum of Catalonia, Olympic sites, gardens and the castle. Take the cable car up for the views.
7. Picasso Museum
In linked medieval palaces in the Born, with an outstanding collection of the artist’s early work.
8. Barceloneta beach and the seafront
A city beach for a swim and seafood rice, with a long promenade toward the Olympic Port and the quieter beaches of Poblenou.
9. Bunkers del Carmel
Old anti-aircraft gun emplacements on a hill, now the best free sunset view of the whole city.
10. Palau de la Música Catalana
A modernista concert hall with a stained-glass skylight. See it on a guided tour or, better, at a concert.
Day trips from Barcelona
- Montserrat: about 1h15 by train and rack railway.
- Girona: about 40 minutes by AVE.
- Sitges: about 40 minutes by train.
- Tarragona: about 1 hour by train.
What to eat
- Pa amb tomàquet
- Bombas in Barceloneta
- Seafood rice (arròs negre)
- Vermouth on Sunday at noon
- Crema catalana
Tip: Pickpocketing is common on Las Ramblas and the metro. Keep phones out of back pockets.
Planning to stay longer? Read our full Barcelona guide and where to stay in Barcelona.
