Attractions in Barcelona
Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic)
The veritable maze of streets known as the Barri Gotic or Gothic Quarter has an unprecedented concentration of Gothic buildings from Catalonia’s golden period of the 14th and 15th centuries, which alternate with Roman ruins beautiful squares and numerous bars and restaurants. Plaça Sant Jaume, located in the heart of the district, is the center of the city’s political life. The square is delimited on one side by the Renaissance palace Palau de la Generalitat, the seat of the Catalan People’s Assembly, and on the other by the Ajuntament (town hall).
Nearby, on Plaça del Rei, the Palau Real houses the City Museum ( Museu d’Història de la Ciutat). The remains of the Roman settlement of Barcino were discovered below the Palau in 1931. Even today, many Roman roads are visible in the extensive underground area that extends to the cathedral (see below). The museum entrance includes access to the underground area and a number of beautiful medieval buildings.
Address: Plaça del Rei, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 315 11 11
Website: http://www.museuhistoria.bcn.es
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Casa Mila (quarry)
The Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera (the quarry), is an undulating apartment block on Passeig de Gràcia. The sea-inspired building is incredible evidence of Gaudí’s ability to shape stone and make it appear supple. The apartments (not open to the public) are arranged around a elliptical courtyard without a single square shape. The roof terrace is lined with chimneys reminiscent of blast furnaces and offers an excellent view over the city to the towers of the Sagrada Familia. The Casa Milá store houses a beautiful museum called Espai Gaudí, dedicated to the works of the architect.
Address: Carrer de Provença, 261, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 484 59 00
Opening hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. (Nov.-Feb.); 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. (March-October)
Website: http://www.lapedreraeducacio.org
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Catedral de la Seu
The Catedral de la Seu was built in the 14th century on the site of a basilica. However, the tower and facade were only added at the end of the 19th century. The spiritual-looking cloister, the carved choir stalls and the Capella de Lepanto are particularly worth seeing .
Address: Plaça de la Seu, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 315 15 54
Opening hours:
Mon-Sat 8 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sun 8 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Website: http://www.catedralbcn.org
Entry fee: Free entry.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
The harbor promenade
A stroll along the wooden planks of the Passeig harbor promenade is an excellent opportunity to see the results of the city’s epoch-making renovation program. The centerpiece of the interest and activity of Barcelona is shifting back towards the sea , not least with the continuous restoration of Port Vell (Old Port). Countless restaurants and bars have settled on the harbor promenade; next to it is the Maremagnum , a gigantic leisure complex with a shopping center, cinemas, restaurants, cafes and amusement park, as well as an excellent aquarium. Barceloneta,an old fishing district that dates back to 1755 still has the best seafood restaurants in the city and is also the gateway to Barcelona’s clean beaches. Further east is the Vila Olímpica , built for the 1992 Olympics in Poble Nou – one of the liveliest and most interesting areas of the city in the warmer months, but often deserted in winter.
Address: Barcelona
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Fundació Joan Miró
Also on Montjuïc is the Joan Miró Foundation, one of the city’s most innovative galleries. The foundation was created by the artist himself and includes a permanent exhibition of his paintings, graphics and sculptures. There are also changing exhibitions.
Address: Parc de Montjuïc, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 443 94 79
Opening hours: October-June: Tue-Sat 10 am-7pm (Thu until 9.30pm), Sun 10 am-2.30pm; July-September: Tue-Sat 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
Website: http://www.bcn.fjmiro.es
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
La Rambla
La Rambla is not a street as such , but rather a seamless series of pedestrian zones that stretches from Monument a Colom near the port to Plaça de Catalunya in the city center. Along this route, for example, is Gaudís Palau Güell in Carrer Nou de la Rambla 3. One of the most captivating attractions of La Rambla is surely the many street artists with their crazy and freaky performances. Other attractions include the Gran Teatre del Liceu , the legendary Café de L’Opera and La Boqueria, Barcelona’s bustling food market. The Plaça Reial, not far from La Rambla, is one of the most attractive squares in the city: elegant 19th-century houses that look down on palm trees, lanterns designed by Gaudí and a colorful mix of people who enjoy the lively atmosphere in the street cafes.
Palau Guell
Carrer Nou de la Rambla 3-5
Gran Teatre del Liceu
La Rambla 51-59
La Boqueria
Rambla Sant Josep
Address: Carrer Nou de la Rambla 3-5, Barcelona
Telephone: Tel: (93) 317 39 74 (Palau Güell). Tel: (93) 485 99 00 (information), (902) 33 22 11 (reservations) (Gran Teatre del Liceu) ..
Opening times:
La Boqueria: Mon-Sat 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Palau Güell: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Website: http://www.liceubarcelona.com
Entry fee:
Palau Güell: With admission fee.
Gran Teatre del Liceu: With entrance fee.
La Boqueria: Free entry.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Mançana de la Discòrdia (block of disunity)
A series of unusual houses designed by Montaner, Gaudí and Puig i Cadafalch form the Mançana de la Discòrdia (block of disagreement) on the Passeig de Grácia between Aragó and Consell de Cent. Information and visitor passes for the Ruta Modernista can be purchased on the first floor of Casa Lléo Morera (number 35). Gaudí’s Casa Batlló at number 43 is more reminiscent of an underwater grotto with its blue-green tiled facade, the frog-headed balconies and a republican roof. The Ruta Modernista Pass grants access to the main apartment.
Address: Passeig de Gracia, Barcelona
Telephone: (0034) 93 216 03 06
Opening hours: Open Mon to Sat from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sun from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Website: http://www.barcelona.com/barcelona_directory/monuments/manzana_de_la_discordia
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Montjuïc
The hill of Montjuïc (Judenberg) offers enough attractions that you could endure here for days. Most of the venues for the 1992 Olympic Games are located here. In addition to the Palau Nacional and the Fundació Joan Miró , visitors can also explore the Estadi Olìmpic and the associated Museu Arqueològic . Other attractions include a replica Spanish village ( Poble Espanyol), the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion and the Castell de Montjuïc(an 18th century fortress) and an amusement park. The trip up the mountain alone with the cog railway and the outstanding view are worth the trip.
Address: Barcelona
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC)
The Palau Nacional on Montjuïc was the centerpiece of the World Exhibition in Barcelona in 1929 and now houses the National Museum of Catalan Art . In the museum there is a breathtaking collection of Gothic, Romanesque and medieval treasures as well as religious art objects. An imposing path up to the palace leads from Plaça Espanya via Avinguda de La Reina Maria Cristina, which is lined with fountains illuminated at night.
Address: Palau Nacional, Montjuïc, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 622 03 75
Opening hours:
October to May: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
June to September: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Website: http://www.mnac.cat
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Picasso Museum (Picasso Museum)
The Picasso Museum is one of the main attractions of Barcelona and is located in two palaces from the 15th century. The impressive permanent exhibition is dedicated to the artist’s early work, including numerous paintings from his pink and blue phase, exhibition posters and drawings from his childhood. This wonderful collection is located in two 15th century palaces near the Parc de la Ciutadella.
Address: Carrer de Montcada, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 319 63 10
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Website: http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA)
The bright white museum of contemporary art , which seems rather out of place in the less attractive surroundings of the Raval district west of La Rambla, is at the forefront of efforts to upgrade this district. The opening of the museum in 1995 was accompanied by a lot of buzz. It houses a permanent exhibition of contemporary international art from the post-war period as well as various temporary exhibitions.
Address: Plaça dels Àngels, 1, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 412 08 10
Opening hours:
September 25 to June 23: Mon, Wed, Thu and Fri open from 11 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. Tue closed except on public holidays. Open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun, public holidays and on May 1st from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed on January 1st and December 25th.
June 24 to September 24: Mon, Wed and Thu open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tue closed except on public holidays. Open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on public holidays.
Website: http://www.macba.cat/es/inicio
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Parc Guell
With Parc Güell , Gaudí created a fantasy landscape that seamlessly merges natural and artificial elements and also offers a wonderful view of the city. This park, initially conceived as a garden city, occupies a hill north of the city center. The gardens come to life with fantastic pavilions, stairways, pillared halls and a natural plaza decorated with breathtaking mosaics ( trencadís) by Gaudí’s colleague Josep Maria Jujol . At the foot of the hill is an estate designed by Francesc Berenguer, which today has a collection of Gaudí’s furniture and other memorabilia.
Address: Carrer d’Olot, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 424 38 09
Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. (Dec.-Feb.); 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. (March, Nov.); 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. (April, October); 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (May-September).
Website: http://www.parkguell.es/
Entrance fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Reials Drassanes Atarazanas Museu Marítimo (Maritime Museum)
The Maritime Museum deals with the legacy of Barcelona’s maritime tradition and presents a grandiose number of nautical exhibits, including a map by Amerigo Vespucci. The museum is located in the Royal Shipyard ( Reiales Drassanes), which dates back to the 13th century.
Address: Avinguda de les Drassanes, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 342 99 20
Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Website: http://www.mmb.cat
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Santa Maria del Mar
The Santa Maria del Mar is considered the most beautiful church in the city and is a prime example of Gothic architecture in the Mediterranean. It is located directly northeast of the Barri Gòtic in the chic district of La Ribera . A rose window from the 15th century gives the simple, harmonious structures of the portico a little color.
Address: Plaça de Santa Maria, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 310 23 90
Opening hours:
Daily 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
Website: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com
Entrance fee: Free entry.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia (Atonement Temple of the Holy Family)
Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece and arguably the city’s most unusual landmark, the Atonement Temple of the Holy Family, overlooks the checkered street pattern of Eixample and was ultimately the bone of contention as to who would ultimately be responsible for the cost of the final completion. The cathedral, although reminiscent of a construction site in many places, radiates a certain beauty, which drowns out even the ubiquitous construction work. This extraordinary structure is able to evoke astonishment, awe, amusement and annoyance among visitors and residents alike, and is still one of the most visited attractions in the city.
Address: Carrer de Mallorca, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 207 30 31
Opening hours: Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (October-March); daily 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (April-Sept.).
Website: http://www.sagradafamilia.org
Entry fee: With admission fee.
Disabled access: No
UNESCO: No
Tourist offices
Turisme de Barcelona
Further information points are located at the airport, in the Central-Sants train station, in the town hall on Plaça Sant Jaume, in Montseny, Las Ramblas, Mirador de Colom and in the cruise terminal.
Address: Plaça de Catalunya 17 S, Barcelona
Telephone: (93) 285 38 34
Opening hours:
Daily 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Website: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com
Visitor passes
The Barcelona Card grants free admission to most interesting tourist attractions, including over 80 museums, entertainment and leisure facilities, shops and restaurants, as well as free travel on public transport.
The card is available for 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. It is issued by the tourist offices at Plaça de Catalunya, Plaça Sant Jaume, Mirador de Colon, Infopista Montseny, at the airport and in Central-Sants train station.
With the Ruta Modernista Pass (discounts available), all major modernist buildings in the city can be visited (see city tours). The pass is available from Casa Lleó Morera, Passeig de Gràcia 35, Mon-Sat 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sun 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.