Your next trip to Barcelona will be special if you follow these tips

Weather of Arabia - Barcelona is the most visited city in Spain, and it is not difficult to see why - the historic capital of Catalonia is full of galleries, museums, tourist attractions and thriving restaurants.

The city is located between the mountains and the sea, and is famous for its unique architecture, famous artists and urban beaches. Plan your activities with this guide to the best things to do in Barcelona.

Visit the Church of Sagrada Familia

Every city has at least one landmark that you can't miss, and Sagrada Familia is Barcelona's landmark. Under construction for more than 130 years, this masterpiece by Antoni Gaudí remains unfinished.

A few steps away from the construction site, the church features two grand facades decorated with delicate stone carvings, towers gleaming with gleaming tiles and an interior full of columns that rise towards the high ceiling. Construction work was halted during the pandemic, but work has resumed and construction is expected to be completed in time for the first centenary of Gaudí's death in 2026.

Planning tip: The Sagrada Familia is one of the most popular sights in Spain, and it can get very crowded. To avoid the crowds, visit early in the morning (opens at 9 am) on weekdays.

See more of Gaudi's designs

The Sagrada Familia may be the most famous of Gaudí's buildings, but all of his marvelous designs are well worth a visit. Among his most famous designs are Casa Batllo, with its gleaming dragon design and skull-and-bone balconies, and La Pedrera, with its undulating stone facade and fanciful chimneys. Some of his other equally beautiful buildings include the Casa Vicens, the first home he designed; Palau Guell, which he designed for his patron, Eusebi Guell; and Tori Bellesguard.

Walk around the old Qutub district

The Old Pole (Barri Gòtic) neighborhood of Barcelona is the oldest and most atmospheric part of the city. Featuring little alleys, hidden squares and historic buildings, it is located east of La Rambla, the famous pedestrian street that runs through the old town centre.

The neighborhood is dotted with hundreds of years old shops and small cafés. Among the highlights of the old Qutb district are the attractive Plaça Real surrounded by cafes and palm trees, the Sant Jaume square, which includes the grand palace Palau de la Generalet, and the magnificent cathedral.

Explore the food markets in Barcelona

La Boqueria may be the most famous food market in Barcelona, but every neighborhood has its own market, and there are many excellent markets to choose from. La Boquería is the oldest and most atmospheric, but in recent years more stalls have prioritized things like tropical fruit smoothies and novelty treats over traditional produce.

For a more authentic atmosphere, visit the modern Mercat de Santa Caterina with its multicolored roof or the large Mercat de Sant Antoni with its 250 stalls.

Soak up the sun on the beaches of Barcelona

Whatever time you visit Barcelona, its beaches will not disappoint you. Even in winter, there may be enough sunshine to sit outside and enjoy a meal at one of the beach restaurants, while summer offers all you need from sunbathing, swimming and water sports.

The city boasts a coastline of 5 kilometers (3 miles), which includes nine different beaches. There is St. Sebastian Beach with a variety of upscale restaurants, Somorostro Beach dotted with many modern nightclubs, and Nova Icaria Beach with a water sports center and beach volleyball.

Explore the hills of Montjuic

Montjuic is the green hill in the south of the city, and it hosts the Olympic Games Park, in addition to many museums and gardens. As you begin your journey from Plaza de España, you will first see the grand staircases and gushing fountains of the magnificent palace that houses the Museo Nacional de Arte de Catalunya. Behind that, you'll find the massive Olympic Stadium and the rest of the Olympic Park.

Planning tip: Museo Nacional de Arte de Catalunya has a terrace that offers stunning views of the city and is a popular place to watch the sunset. You can enjoy a few drinks at the outdoor bar to enjoy the view.

Sample some tapas

When hunger strikes in the afternoon or early evening, take advantage of the pre-dinner tapa. This means going to the local favorite for a bite of anchovies, sausage, squid, wild mushrooms, roasted peppers or many other delicacies.

Planning tip: Many tapas shops are lively places with people standing around the bar. When it's time for a change of scenery, Barcelona residents head to dinner or head out to another tapas spot, skipping the formal seating.

Discover an icon at the Picasso Museum

Picasso lived in Barcelona between the ages of fifteen and twenty-three, and elements of the city certainly influenced his work, from the simple brightly painted walls in the Museo Nacional de Arte de Catalunya to the Trinkades-style (some say pre-Cuban) mosaics in Gaudí's innovative work. The setting of the Picasso Museum adds to the appeal, as well as the vibrant and history-rich surrounding streets of the Elborn district.

Attend a match at Camp Nou

FC Barcelona plays a prominent role in the city's imagination. Going to a soccer match at the Camp Nou between September and May is the best way to catch a bit of Barcelona fever, but watching it on screen in a café can be just as fun, depending on the crowd.

Planning tip: Even if you can't make it to the match, the interactive Barcelona Stadium Tour and Museum Experience takes you through the locker rooms and into the stadium, a sacred ground for many Catalans.

Enjoy the famous Barcelona nightlife

Barcelona night holds endless possibilities. Start with drinks on the hotel's rooftop terrace as the sun sets, or dip your feet in the sand at rustic and elegant Chiringito Beach. As darkness falls, the city transforms with crowded squares and live music, around midnight.

Choose from traditional cafés, luxurious lounges in medieval candlelit rooms, elegant bars specializing in cocktails, cellars producing spicy jazz and more. If you're still up at 3am, hit the clubs and keep going until sunrise.

Spend an early morning in La Rambla

Of course, Las Ramblas, the 1.2-kilometer (0.75-mile) botanical promenade towards the sea, is the city's most visited spot – at times, you can barely pass yourself through the crowds. But when you come early in the morning, you will see that, far from the gift shops and handicraft sellers, it carries a purely sensory thrust.

Outdoor cafés, stalls of fragrant flowers, and submerged mosaics of Miro adorn the sidewalk, while prime spots line both sides of the street, including the elegant Gran Teatrio del Liceu, the vast Mercat de la Boqueria market, and its many galleries. Several other neighborhoods, such as Poblenou, have their own attractive squares, too.

Enjoy Catalan food

Barcelona is a wonderful city for foodies, known the world over for its innovative chefs and creative cuisine.

Dine on traditional Catalan dishes, such as botivara amp monjes (sausage with white beans), suquet de peche (a fish soup dish), escalivada (roasted red peppers, onions and eggplant) and crema catalana (similar to for Creme Brulee). Try the food at Casa Delfin.

Celebrate during the festive period

With Barcelona having a festival almost every month, it wouldn't be difficult to coordinate your trip to the city with one. These include the patron saint Santa Eulalia and Lamercy in February and September respectively, the Diada de Sant Jordi (when people give each other gifts of books and flowers to celebrate Saint George) and the San Juan Fire Festival in mid-June.

Some of the main features of Catalan festivals include the castellers (stacked human towers), huge wandering giants and the corifox, where demons carrying fireworks dance in the streets.

Look at a variety of works at the Joan Miro Foundation

Joan Miro, the city's most famous son of the 20th century, left this art institution for his hometown in 1971. The bright buildings are filled with seminal works, from Miro's modest early sketches to paintings from his later years.

Explore examples of modernist architecture

One of the things that makes Barcelona so charming is its modernist architecture. An artistic movement that influenced everything from literature to art to architecture was known as Modernism and lasted from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century.

These buildings can be recognized by their bright colours, floral or floral motifs, ornate tiles and curved lines. Some of the best examples can be seen around the Eixample district, but you can also find them scattered throughout the city. In addition to Gaudí's modernist works, the Palau de la Musica Catalana and Recent Modernista de Sant Pau are some of the best examples in the city, both designed by architects Lloys Domenech and Montaner.

Explore the up-and-coming neighborhood of El Pobleno

El Pobleno, northeast of the center, is an up-and-coming neighborhood. Empty warehouses are reimagined as technology and creative design centers, coffee shops, convenience stores, and more.