Some of our favorite things in Barcelona
We've put together a list of some of our favorite things to see and do in Barcelona. We'll be updating this list over the months, so check back in September!
Some of our favorite things to see
Even after 2 years of travelling frequently to Barcelona, we still haven't explored all the popular visitor sites. This list is our top picks from what we've visited so far.
Sagrada Famillia
Awe-inspiring every time. Get their early as it's always crowded. Doing the spiral stair climb is worth it, but intense if you're either hesitant about heights or prone to dizziness.
Caso Batllo
Our other Gaudi favorite and just a few minutes walk from our apartment. It's open late and the rooftop at night is spectacular and romantic. Crowded as well, but often less so in the evenings.
Barcelona Cathedral and the Old City
Leave plenty of time to walk along the old streets and explore. Restaurants around here can be hit or miss, so it's better to just stop for a glass of wine or Churros.
Favorite Museums- MacBa and Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MnAC)
MacBa is the museum of contemporary art. Located in El Ravel, it's in an all white, extremely modern building. We've seen some great exhibits here, particularly for photography, and others were more hit or miss. Check out what's going on beforehand. They also have a very good book store
MnAC is in Park Montjuic, close by to the wedding location. The building is spectacular, sitting atop the Magic Fountain area. The art collection is large- among the highlights are Romanic frescos, restored on reproductions of the building walls that originally came from and what we found to be a surprisingly beautiful set of Spanish impressionists.
Born/El Ravel
There are tons of great restaurants here and it's less touristy than Barri Gothic.
Park Guell
Our homepage picture for this site is from Park Guell. Fun and whimsical, it somehow feels a bit less 'candy-land' when you're there. Lots to see, great for sunny days.
Parc Cuitedella
Close to the beach with beautiful fountains and lots of playgrounds for kids. A great place to chill out and picnic.
Our favorite restaurants and bars
- Tapas: Cerveceria Catalana (super busy, so be prepared for an hour wait with a glass of wine)
- Splurge meal: ABaC (one of our favorite tasting menus in the world, well deserving of its 2 michelin stars)
- Mini-splurge: Koy Shunko (amazing Japanese flavours)
- Places we go when Allie's missing NYC-style cafes: Mary's Market, Cornelia & Co.
- Right by our apartment, Carrer Enric Granados is a semi-pedestrianised street, with lots of fun restaurants, most with outdoor seating. And if you're renting an apartment in the area and want some great empanadas to go, there's a good Argentine deli at C/Enric Granados and Valencia.
Some fun places to run
- Barceloneta beach (all the way to Port Forum)
- Park Montjuic (for some hills and lots of stairs above the Magic Fountain
- Carretera de les Aigües (a 9km, winding trail in the hills with great views over the city, yet almost completely flat!)
- Av Diagonal (a major road, but has a surprisingly nice running track along it)