Barcelona engages all your senses. The swirling skirts of flamenco dancers, endless stalls of bright-colored produce at Barcelona’s mercats, and the twirling spires of the Sagrada Família are a feast for the eyes. The tempting aroma of tapas tickles your nose while the cool Mediterranean breezes dance on your skin. And all around you is the busy hum of a thriving international city.
Your day in Barcelona
What do you want to do today in Barcelona? Wander the winding passageways of Barri Gòtic and sample the best tapas and Spanish wines? Taste your way through La Boqueria, Barcelona’s most famous mercat? Lose yourself in Casa Milà, Gaudí’s Modernist marvel? While away an afternoon taking pictures in Park Güell?
There’s something for every adventurer in Barcelona and you can do it all.
Great views and amazing chimneys at the rooftop of la Pedrera, Casa Mila by Gaudi
Show your adventurous side
Looking for an adrenaline boost? Try the eight loops of the Dragon Khan roller coaster or the free-falling drop of Shambhala, Europe’s highest roller coaster. The PortAventura theme park is an easy day trip from Barcelona and the perfect way to recharge your batteries after a busy day sightseeing.
Satisfy your inner thrill-seeker with a helicopter ride over the city. Barcelona’s most famous landmarks are especially enchanting with a bird’s-eye view—the Columbus Statue, World Trade Center and the graceful curves of Maremagnum against a backdrop of the azure sea.
View form the helicopter.
Work up an appetite for Barcelona’s incredible cuisine with a yes-you-can e-bike tour from Montjuïc to Barceloneta Beach. From your perch above the city at Montjuïc, the incredible cityscape views beg to be photographed. Explore Montjuïc’s leafy green park, home of the 1992 Olympics, and wander the museums—don’t miss the Fundació Miró—before making your way to the Barceloneta waterfront and an amazing seafood lunch.
Get to know Catalan culture
Ready for a little local culture? El Palau de la Música Catalana is a Barcelona institution with its iconic columned balcony. The interior is a riot of vibrant colors capped with a vast and brilliant skylight.
The palau is the home of the Orfeó Català, but headliners such as Ella Fitzgerald and Norah Jones have graced its gilded stage. The palau is the signature work of Catalan Moderniste Lluís Domènech i Montaner, a Gaudí contemporary and rival.
Speaking of Gaudí—no Barcelona escape is complete until you take in his extraordinary works. Of course you should see the Sagrada Família and Park Güell, but don’t miss Casa Vicens, his very first house, if you really want to understand the Master.
Get to know the Modernist master at the Gaudí Exhibition Center, then hop the train for a 20-minute ride to Colònia Güell and the Cripta Gaudí. Think of the Gaudí Crypt and Colònia Güell as the creative laboratory for the Sagrada Família—it’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the Gaudí genius.
Shop ‘til you drop in Barcelona
Indulge yourself in a little retail therapy at the trendy boutiques and cutting-edge shops of El Born. Tangled streets lined with renovated mansions give El Born a unique flair. By day, it’s a shopper’s paradise of fashion and design—by night, it’s the place to see and be seen in its swanky restaurants and bars.
If your idea of shopping leans toward luxury outlets and modern brands, take the bus to La Roca and give your credit cards a workout—don’t forget an extra suitcase for your loot!
Life’s a beach in Barcelona
Barcelona’s beautiful beaches deserve a day of their own. Crashing waves, flying kites, the lighthearted rhythm of beach music…Barceloneta is a nautical escape from the beating heart of the city. After a light picnic lunch on the beach, pop in to L’Aquarium Barcelona and visit the sharks.
See the blue side of Barceloneta and the city’s massive port with a boat ride around the harbor on the Goleta Karya. Sip Spanish wine and snack on small bites from your seat on the luxurious deck.
The Goleta in the Mediterranean Sea
Do it all your way
The best way to do it your way in Barcelona? Grab a two-day pass on the hop-on, hop-off Barcelona bus tour and let their wheels take you wherever you want to go.
Feel like fútbol? Take the Blue Route to the upper parts of the city and FC Barcelona’s stadium, Camp Nou. Hop off on the Passeig de Gracia for a glimpse of the lifestyles of the rich and famous at Barcelona’s ultra-luxe boutiques.
Camp Nou
The Red Route takes you to Plaça de Catalunya and the Port Vell waterfront, and meanders along to Montjuïc’s museums and gardens.
When you’re ready for the beach, hop the Green Route bus and cruise along the Mediterranean sea.
Do it all in Barcelona
Ready to try something new and exciting in Barcelona? Get in touch and let our professional travel advisors help you plan the ultimate city escape.
