11 essential places to visit in Barcelona – part 1 of 4

This list of the best places to visit in Barcelona will help you organize your visit to this cosmopolitan city full of charming corners.
After its transformation and opening to the Mediterranean Sea in the 1992 Olympic Games, the city known as Barcelona has become one of the most visited cities in Europe and in the world in which one of its main attractions, in addition to its extensive offer In cultural and leisure activities, they are the impressive architectural gems of modernism such as the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera and Park Güell, built by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí.
In addition to visiting all these buildings, it is also worth getting lost in its most emblematic neighborhoods such as the Gothic, Born, Barceloneta or Gracia neighborhoods and ending the routes in one of its spectacular viewpoints.
Another of its great claims is its excellent tapas cuisine and traditional Catalan cuisine, which will delight every good palate.

Based on the many times we have visited this city, in the last one we wrote this guide to Barcelona, ​​we have made this list of what we believe are the 10 most beautiful places to see in Barcelona. Let’s start!

1 – The Holy Family (La Sagrada Familia)

Entering the Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Familia, the unfinished masterpiece of the brilliant architect Gaudí, is one of the best things to do in Barcelona.
Gaudí, maximum exponent of Catalan modernism, took the reins of the construction of this church in 1883, of which the first stone had been laid a year earlier, leaving all the plans for his death in 1926 so that future architects could finish the work.

To enter the Sagrada Familia, keep in mind that it is one of the most visited monuments in Europe, long queues form in addition to having a limited quota of daily entries, which sell out quite quickly. One option to ensure entry and learn more about the history of this building is to book this tour with a skip-the-line Spanish guide, which includes a climb to one of the towers from where you will enjoy incredible views.
Another alternative if you do not want to climb the tower is to book this guided tour in Spanish without queues.
To get to this essential to visit in Barcelona, ​​located far from the center, you can take lines 2 and 5 that stop at Sagrada Familia or the urban bus.

Visiting hours: every day from April to September from 9am to 8pm, March and October it closes at 7pm and the other months at 6pm.

The interior and exterior of La Sagrada Familia are wonderful, nothing comparable to other churches in the world, Gaudí employing all his experience and new techniques in it, creating a naturalistic style, where all its elements flow in complete harmony. Outside, the 3 facades dedicated to the Birth, Passion and Glory of Jesus and the towers that will reach 172 meters when the monument is finished stand out. This is expected to happen in the year 2026, the one that has been set as the deadline, and once completed it will become the tallest Christian church in the world, so as you can imagine, we are already eager to see it in its maximum splendor.

2 – El Barrio Gótico (The Gothic Quarter)

The Gothic Quarter, located in the center, is the oldest and most beautiful neighborhood to see in Barcelona. Its origin dates back to Roman times, from which some remains of the ancient city of Barcino can still be seen, although its maximum splendor was achieved during the Medieval Age with the construction of Gothic churches and palaces.

In addition to remembering its medieval past, this neighborhood also has an important Jewish legacy as the largest Hebrew community on the Peninsula. To visit this area called El Call de Barcelona, ​​you can book this guided tour in Spanish where you will discover its most famous corners and see buildings such as the Major Synagogue, the oldest in Spain and the only one of the five medieval ones that is preserved.

After visiting this church we recommend you lose yourself in its narrow streets starting with Carrer del Bisbe and finding magical places to visit in Barcelona such as Sant Felip Neri square, Palau del Bisbe, Temple of Augustus, King’s square, the plaza Sant Jaume, the church of Santa Ana and the magnificent Plaza Real.

One of its most famous churches is the Cathedral of Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia, a 14th-century Gothic wonder that stands out for its facade and interior with a beautiful cloister and a carved wooden choir, which will leave you speechless.

This neighborhood next to Born has some of the best proximity stores and taverns to go for tapas, a good way to find the best is to follow this list of restaurants where to eat in Barcelona very well.
To better understand the history of this neighborhood and much of Barcelona, we recommend you book this complete tour with a guide in Spanish.

3 – La Casa Batlló (Batllo’s House)

A favorite building for many people when visit Barcelona is Casa Batlló, a World Heritage Site and one of the best works by Gaudí in Barcelona.
Located on the elegant Paseo de Gracia, this jewel of Catalan modernism impresses you at first sight for its spectacular façade inspired by the organic forms of nature.
It is interesting to take the virtual reality audio guide (smartguides) that will take you back in time, when the architect commissioned by the wealthy businessman Josep Batlló, began with the remodeling of this old house until it became a landmark in world architecture. In addition to marveling at its exterior, we advise you to enjoy an interior full of magic and fantasy thanks to its undulating shapes, the patio of lights and the roof terrace full of surprising chimneys.
To access there are three types of tickets, although only with the Gold you will skip the long queues that form at the access. You can book your ticket in advance here.
If you are going to visit several works by Gaudí, it may be profitable to book this tour with a guide in Spanish that includes skip-the-line entrance to Park Güell, the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló and a visit to La Pedrera.

Visiting hours: every day from 9am to 9pm (last access at 8pm).

After leaving Casa Batlló we advise you to spend time in the neighboring buildings of Casa Amatller, Casa Josefina Bonet, Casa Mulleras and Casa Lleó Morera, great works by modernist architects and which together form the so-called Apple of Discord.