Barcelona
Top Ten Things to do and see in 2013. What to do in Barcelona? Read our
recommended list of Barcelona's Top Ten Tourist Attractions and sights
that we think are the "must-see" attractions and things to do in
Barcelona Spain for visits in 2013.
Number 1 - La Sagrada Familia church
Top Ten tourist attractions Barcelona
La Sagrada Familia unfinished church by Antoni Gaudi
Number 1 - La Sagrada Familia church
Top Ten tourist attractions Barcelona
La Sagrada Familia unfinished church by Antoni Gaudi
Number
1 on the Barcelona Top Ten list is the unfinished church of La Sagrada
Familia designed by Antoni Gaudi. This is Barcelona's most famous
tourist attraction and gets over 3 million visitors a year, so expect
some queues to see the interior. To see the Sagrada Familia from the
outside is free and takes 30 minutes, but to see the inside then count
on 1 hour to queue for tickets - and at least 1 hour inside. You can
pre-book tickets. This unfinished basilica is one of the most famous
buildings in the world and a definite must-see in Barcelona. It was
designed by famous Catalan architecht Antoni Gaudi over 100 years ago. The original foundation stone was laid in 1882, when the area was mostly fields.
In 2012 the splendid interior was finally finished and is now open to
the public but the outside is still being built. Only 8 towers of the 18
spires are finished. It is
hoped that Sagrada familia church will be finished in 2026 for the 100th
anniversary of Gaudi's death in 1926. When Gaudi died in 1926 only the
Nativity Facade was finished. Guadi knew it would take a long time to
build such a lavish temple. He famously once said, "My client is not in a
hurry." La Sagrada Familia is expected to be finished in 2026. Visitor tip: Beat the 1 hour long queues to get inside by buying tickets in advance. > Buy Sagrada Familia tickets online.
Opening times and ticket prices Sagrada Familia 2013:
Basilica only €14.80 - Basilica and Towers €19.30
Generally open all year, but can be closed for certain services and special religious events.
Number 2 - Magic Fountain show
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
The Magic Fountain of Montjuic music and light show
Number 2. The Font Mágica Fountain. The Magic Fountain is a "must see" Barcelona attraction. You have never seen a fountain like this. It really does feel magic to experience the beautiful show of water, light and music. The Magic fountain was built in 1929 as one of the main attractions for the Barcelona World Fair and the Font Magica is still one of the most famous spots in Barcelona with an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually. There are water and light shows in the summer from Thursday to Sunday and admission is free. See show times below. Please note that sometimes due to exhibitions and events access to the fountain can be closed.
Opening times and ticket prices Sagrada Familia 2013:
Basilica only €14.80 - Basilica and Towers €19.30
Generally open all year, but can be closed for certain services and special religious events.
Number 2 - Magic Fountain show
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
The Magic Fountain of Montjuic music and light show
Number 2. The Font Mágica Fountain. The Magic Fountain is a "must see" Barcelona attraction. You have never seen a fountain like this. It really does feel magic to experience the beautiful show of water, light and music. The Magic fountain was built in 1929 as one of the main attractions for the Barcelona World Fair and the Font Magica is still one of the most famous spots in Barcelona with an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually. There are water and light shows in the summer from Thursday to Sunday and admission is free. See show times below. Please note that sometimes due to exhibitions and events access to the fountain can be closed.
Opening times and ticket prices Magic Fountain
Closed Monday to Wednesdays:
Admission free.
Magic Fountain summer show times:
Monday to Wednesday: no shows
Thursday to Sunday: Show every 30 mins from 9pm to 11.30pm Last show starts 11pm
Number 3 - Picasso Museum Barcelona
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Picasso Museum - early years of Picasso in Barcelona
Number 3. Pablo Picasso grew up in Barcelona. The Picasso Museum is in the Born area of Barcelona and is Barcelona's most famous museum and a top attraction. The Picasso museum celebrates 50 years in 2013 with three special anniversary exhibitions. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga but lived in Barcelona from 1895 to 1904 after his family moved to Barcelona. Picasso's father was an art teacher. Pablo Picasso had already started his art studies in Malaga, but Barcelona was a huge influence on his early years as a struggling painter and Picasso first exhibited his work in Barcelona and considered himself from Barcelona. The Picasso museum in Barcelona does not have any of the most famous Picasso paintings, but the collection is unique. You find early sketches and lesser known Picasso's, which explain and show his development as an artist. The museum is in some magnificent gothic mansions in the medieval part of Barcelona called El Born. The Picasso museum is a top attraction in Barcelona: Visitors tip 1: be early during weekends and the summer, when the queues are long. Visitor's Tip 2. Free admission on Sundays after 3pm.
Opening times and ticket prices Picasso museum
Closed Mondays except public holidays
Admission €11
Closed Monday to Wednesdays:
Admission free.
Magic Fountain summer show times:
Monday to Wednesday: no shows
Thursday to Sunday: Show every 30 mins from 9pm to 11.30pm Last show starts 11pm
Number 3 - Picasso Museum Barcelona
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Picasso Museum - early years of Picasso in Barcelona
Number 3. Pablo Picasso grew up in Barcelona. The Picasso Museum is in the Born area of Barcelona and is Barcelona's most famous museum and a top attraction. The Picasso museum celebrates 50 years in 2013 with three special anniversary exhibitions. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga but lived in Barcelona from 1895 to 1904 after his family moved to Barcelona. Picasso's father was an art teacher. Pablo Picasso had already started his art studies in Malaga, but Barcelona was a huge influence on his early years as a struggling painter and Picasso first exhibited his work in Barcelona and considered himself from Barcelona. The Picasso museum in Barcelona does not have any of the most famous Picasso paintings, but the collection is unique. You find early sketches and lesser known Picasso's, which explain and show his development as an artist. The museum is in some magnificent gothic mansions in the medieval part of Barcelona called El Born. The Picasso museum is a top attraction in Barcelona: Visitors tip 1: be early during weekends and the summer, when the queues are long. Visitor's Tip 2. Free admission on Sundays after 3pm.
Opening times and ticket prices Picasso museum
Closed Mondays except public holidays
Admission €11
Number 4 - Las Ramblas street
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Las Ramblas – Barcelona's most famous walking street
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Las Ramblas – Barcelona's most famous walking street
Number 4. La
Rambla is another must-see. Also called Las Ramblas The Spanish poet
Federico García Lorca said about La Rambla, "It is the only street in
the world which I wish would never end." La Rambla starts at Plaza
Catalunya and ends at the Monument of Columbus at the Port Vell harbour
of Barcelona. La Rambla it is not a spectacular sight, but very pleasant
to stroll down and enjoy the human heartbeat of Barcelona. If you have
not strolled down it, you cannot say you have been in Barcelona. Also
called Las Ramblas as it is really a collection of various stretches of
street with different names. During the day and early evening completely
safe and free to visit. However, be careful of pickpockets on La Rambla and in the Metro stations nearby. In the early hours of the morning 2-4am be wary on lower part of La Rambla near the harbour.
Number 5 - FC Barcelona museum
& Camp Nou stadium
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
FC Barcelona Camp Nou Stadium and Barça museum
Number 5. Camp Nou Experience. If you can see Barça play then that is the best Camp Nou experience. See the museum then watch the stars in action. But even when there are no games the Camp Nou stadium and FCB museum are among the most popular attractions in Barcelona and Camp Nou has the one of the largest Nike stores in Europe with football merchandise. Unmissable for football fans. > FCB calender of games
Number 6 - Barrio Gotico area of Barcelona
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Barrio Gotico - Gothic area of Barcelona's medieval city
Number 6. The Barrio Gotico gothic quarter is the old medieval city of Barcelona, which is built on and around the old Roman town of Barcino. The oldest part of the city has many beautiful churches, plazas, markets and museums. You can see parts of the old Roman walls and beneath the history musuem - Museu d'Història de la Ciutat - you can see remains of Roman houses and streets of Barcino.
Free to visit. No dangerous areas but be aware of pickpockets.
Number 5 - FC Barcelona museum
& Camp Nou stadium
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
FC Barcelona Camp Nou Stadium and Barça museum
Number 5. Camp Nou Experience. If you can see Barça play then that is the best Camp Nou experience. See the museum then watch the stars in action. But even when there are no games the Camp Nou stadium and FCB museum are among the most popular attractions in Barcelona and Camp Nou has the one of the largest Nike stores in Europe with football merchandise. Unmissable for football fans. > FCB calender of games
Number 6 - Barrio Gotico area of Barcelona
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Barrio Gotico - Gothic area of Barcelona's medieval city
Number 6. The Barrio Gotico gothic quarter is the old medieval city of Barcelona, which is built on and around the old Roman town of Barcino. The oldest part of the city has many beautiful churches, plazas, markets and museums. You can see parts of the old Roman walls and beneath the history musuem - Museu d'Història de la Ciutat - you can see remains of Roman houses and streets of Barcino.
Free to visit. No dangerous areas but be aware of pickpockets.
Opening times and ticket prices
Always open and free to visit
Number 7 - Modernist Park Guell
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Park Guell – Gaudi's modernist park on hill overlooking Barcelona
Number 7. Parc Guell by Antoni Gaudi. Parc Guelli is a UNESCO Worid Heritage Site and considered one of Gaudi's top works. Parc Guell is a top attraction and definite must see. It is on Carmel hill and seeing this site means some uphill walking. The original plan for Parc Guell was to build a private and exclusive residential garden city with 60 houses on the grounds. The plan to sell houses on this development failed due to lack of interest, and in 1923 the site was given to the city council and it became the public park we can all marvel at today. Difficult to get to due to uphill walking but worth seeing.
Number 8 - Modernist buildings
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Modernist buildings in Barcelona
Number 8. Modernist buildings Barcelona. Modernisme was a Catalan cultural movement centred in Barcelona and Catalonia from 1888 to 1911. It is most famous for its architectural expression in particular the many works of Antoni Gaudí. There are a handful of modernist buildings in Barcelona that are outstanding. Three of them are in the one Barcelona city block called the “Illa de la Discòrdia” - the "Block of Discord" on the street Passeig de Gracia. They are "Casa Amatller" designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, "Casa Batlló" by Antoni Gaudi and "Casa Lleó-Morera." A little further up the street Passeig de Gracia on the opposite site is one of Gaudi's most famous buildings in Barcelona called "Casa Mila" - nicknamed "La Pedrera" (the Quarry). which is picture above. At Casa Mila you can take a guided tour, see exhibitions and enjoy summer concerts on the roof terrace and enjoy a coffee or drink in the new Casa Mila cafe on the first floor. At Casa Batllo you can tour the builiding and enjoy summer concerts in the modernist courtyard. Another modernist treasure is the newly renovated beautiful Palau Guell town house near Las Ramblas, also by Antoni Gaudi. For modernist art and furniture visit to the Barcelona Modernist museum.
Number 9 - Poble Espanyol village
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Poble Espanyol - Exhibition Spanish Village on Montjuic hill
Number 9. Poble Espanyol de Barcelona - the Spanish Village of Barcelona. This unique attraction was built in 1929 for the 1929 World Fair and Universal Exposition in Barcelona. It was an architectural experiment to create an “ideal” model for a village, which would represent popular Spanish architecture. Due to popular demand it was left intact after the exhibition. It now houses a wide variety of cafés, summer open air night clubs, restaurants, over 40 superb handicraft shops and a good programme of concerts and events, especially in the summer. You can also enjoy an very good quality flamenco show called El Tablao de Carmen at Poble Espanyol which includes 1 hours free entrance Poble Espanyol. Poble Espanyol was designed by Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Always open and free to visit
Number 7 - Modernist Park Guell
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Park Guell – Gaudi's modernist park on hill overlooking Barcelona
Number 7. Parc Guell by Antoni Gaudi. Parc Guelli is a UNESCO Worid Heritage Site and considered one of Gaudi's top works. Parc Guell is a top attraction and definite must see. It is on Carmel hill and seeing this site means some uphill walking. The original plan for Parc Guell was to build a private and exclusive residential garden city with 60 houses on the grounds. The plan to sell houses on this development failed due to lack of interest, and in 1923 the site was given to the city council and it became the public park we can all marvel at today. Difficult to get to due to uphill walking but worth seeing.
Number 8 - Modernist buildings
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Modernist buildings in Barcelona
Number 8. Modernist buildings Barcelona. Modernisme was a Catalan cultural movement centred in Barcelona and Catalonia from 1888 to 1911. It is most famous for its architectural expression in particular the many works of Antoni Gaudí. There are a handful of modernist buildings in Barcelona that are outstanding. Three of them are in the one Barcelona city block called the “Illa de la Discòrdia” - the "Block of Discord" on the street Passeig de Gracia. They are "Casa Amatller" designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, "Casa Batlló" by Antoni Gaudi and "Casa Lleó-Morera." A little further up the street Passeig de Gracia on the opposite site is one of Gaudi's most famous buildings in Barcelona called "Casa Mila" - nicknamed "La Pedrera" (the Quarry). which is picture above. At Casa Mila you can take a guided tour, see exhibitions and enjoy summer concerts on the roof terrace and enjoy a coffee or drink in the new Casa Mila cafe on the first floor. At Casa Batllo you can tour the builiding and enjoy summer concerts in the modernist courtyard. Another modernist treasure is the newly renovated beautiful Palau Guell town house near Las Ramblas, also by Antoni Gaudi. For modernist art and furniture visit to the Barcelona Modernist museum.
Number 9 - Poble Espanyol village
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Poble Espanyol - Exhibition Spanish Village on Montjuic hill
Number 9. Poble Espanyol de Barcelona - the Spanish Village of Barcelona. This unique attraction was built in 1929 for the 1929 World Fair and Universal Exposition in Barcelona. It was an architectural experiment to create an “ideal” model for a village, which would represent popular Spanish architecture. Due to popular demand it was left intact after the exhibition. It now houses a wide variety of cafés, summer open air night clubs, restaurants, over 40 superb handicraft shops and a good programme of concerts and events, especially in the summer. You can also enjoy an very good quality flamenco show called El Tablao de Carmen at Poble Espanyol which includes 1 hours free entrance Poble Espanyol. Poble Espanyol was designed by Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Number 10 - Tibidabo hill
Top Ten attractions in Barcelona
Tibadabo hill, Sagrat Cor church and Tibidabo amusement park
Number 10. A visit to Tibadabo is a fun thing to do in Barcelona and great for kids. The views of Barcelona are fantastic and there is a small and fun vintage amusement park at the top, which is open in the summer from March to September. You can reach the top of Tibadabo via a vintage Blue Tram which connects to a mountain railway, Or take the bus from the Plaza Catalunya directly to Tibidabo. The fun-fair is closed in winter, open at weekends in spring and autumn and generally open from Wednesday to Sunday in summer, but check before visiting. The Skywalk where you can enjoy views of Barcelona is free and open all year except a few weeks in February for annual maintenance. The Sagrat Cor church at the top of Tibidabo is open all day and is free to visit.
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