11 Greatest Issues To Do In Barcelona & Hidden Gems

Barcelona is a metropolis which wants little introduction. It’s probably the most bustling, charismatic and common 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, baggage of historical past, fairly structure and scrumptious meals, it’s straightforward to see why. There’s a lot to do in Barcelona and when planning a brief break, it’s straightforward to be over confronted with the variety of well-known websites and issues to see.

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

Be part of us as we talk about the perfect issues to do in Barcelona…

11 Greatest Issues To Do In Barcelona

#1. SagradaFamilia

Sagrada Familia is likely one of the most uncommon and jaw-dropping architectural initiatives in the entire of Europe, designed by world well-known Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Building started on the UNESCO World Heritage web site again in 1882 and nonetheless to at the present time work continues.

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

The outside is a sight to behold, however you too can discover inside for a price 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 likely one of the most modern 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. It’s also possible to watch live shows on the roof of the constructing within the hotter months, a beautiful approach to spend a night in a surprising setting.

#3. Mercado de la Boqueria

Now let’s speak about meals. On Barcelona’s giant 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 recent produce, together with many small eating places, set amongst a community of passage methods.

It operates year-round and is an excellent 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.

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

#4. Camp Nou

We’ve already talked about one essential Barcelona non secular web site 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 folks, and sometimes promoting out.

FC Barcelona is likely one of the most adorned soccer groups in European soccer historical past, with many legends of the sport having worn the membership’s crimson and blue shirt – together with Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff – amongst many many extra.

Watching Barcelona play is a bucket listing second for a lot of soccer followers and it isn’t not possible to supply tickets, however vacationers can discover themselves paying method over and above the really useful retail value. Our prime tip – solely purchase from official channels, don’t purchase from resale web sites.

There’s additionally a unbelievable soccer museum on web site, which celebrates the historical past of this legendry soccer membership.

#5. The artwork of skateboarding

This won’t be an apparent one for some, however Barcelona is a Mecca for skate boarders. The town’s liberal angle in direction of skateboarding in public locations and the town’s modern design and structure, makes it an city playground for skateboarding.

A few of the world’s greatest skate boarders stay in Barcelona consequently and lots of thousand skate vacationers are drawn to the town yearly from everywhere in the world.

A few 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 apply in an enormous public sq. outdoors the museum, with a few of the world’s greatest usually seen within the space.

After you’ve been to have a look at the artwork, calm down with a beer within the sq., which is usually thronging with life, and watch skate boarders on the prime of their craft.

#6. Eat native meals

Many vacationers go to Barcelona and anticipate tonnes of tapas eating places to be dotted across the metropolis’s streets. And though you will see 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.

In consequence, they’ve their very own delicacies and might generally fiercely combat in opposition to Spanish dishes like tapas. So, ensure to get a few of the native conventional tasty meals.

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

In addition they take charcuterie very significantly and you will discover wonderful hams and salamis on this space.

Arros negre is one other very fashionable dish, which is shared with pals or in large household teams – much like paella, it’s a black rice dish, which is given its color by squid ink, and crammed with pretty sea meals.

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

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

The town’s seashore is filled with folks exercising year-round – with many sports activities amenities on the sand and alongside the big promenade which runs north alongside the coast.

It’s additionally an extremely cyclable metropolis, because of its largely flat geography, with an amazing community of cycle lanes.

Our prime tip – attempt to minimise your use of the busy metro system, which could be crowded and stiflingly scorching in the summertime. Get out on a motorcycle as an alternative.

#8. Road artwork and graffiti recognizing

Barcelona is an extremely artistic place and though it has many unbelievable artwork galleries and exhibition areas, we expect a few of the greatest work is out on the streets. The town is likely one of the most painted in the entire of Europe and you may’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 few of the greatest hotspots for road artwork embody the El Raval and Poble Nou districts of the town – the place you possibly can see works by a few 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 repute on this planet of craft beer. The town’s is awash with unbelievable craft beer bars and the town is dwelling to considered one of 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 nearly a every 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 an amazing place to relax and calm down on one of many many heat days within the metropolis.

Take within the rays and watch the yachts depart the harbour or do because the locals do and curler skate or skateboard in one of many pretty 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 broad to soak up Barcelona’s nightlife. The town has a booming music scene and the town has a packed occasions calendar as end result with gigs and DJ occasions on nearly each night time.

You possibly can 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 case you’re on the lookout for a celebration, you’ll all the time discover one in Barcelona.

Closing ideas

Barcelona is sort of rightly probably the most common 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 straightforward to see why it’s so common, with greater than 300 days of sunshine, a pumping nightlife, stunning eating scene, a big seashore and world main sights. However there’s extra to the town than simply the headline vacationer websites.

We have now tried to offer 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 ingesting your method round considered one of Europe’s hottest metropolis locations.