What is it about Barcelona that makes everyone fall in love with the city?
It’s one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Spain, and the number of tourists who choose to visit Barcelona continues to grow every year. Some of its main attractions like Sagrada Familia and Las Ramblas are known all over the world and have now become symbols of the city.
Barcelona requires more than one visit, but if you want to make the most of trip to the Catalan capital, keep reading, as we’ve prepared the top-five places you ‘must’ see.
Number 1 couldn’t be anyplace other than Sagrada Familia. Work began on the neo-Gothic style church in 1882. Antoni Gaudi was the architect behind the church’s design, whose idea was to create a temple with 18 spires but only managed to complete one before his death. Since then, both Catalan society and many artists have devoted themselves to its completion through donations. Given that work on the church depends on the funds collected, it’s almost impossible to predict how long it will take to be completed, although some optimists hope it will be finished in 2026.
Park Güell is an instagrammable spot full of colour covering more than 17 hectares of land with curled, rippling forms, stone columns in the shape of trees, animal figures and geometric shapes. Most of the surfaces are decorated with mosaics made of coloured ceramic pieces. One of the park’s most iconic images is a multicoloured sculpture cum fountain of a salamander on the steps of the main entrance. However, access is now limited to a certain number of visitors each day, so it’s better to book online and expect to queue.
Another ‘must’ is Passeig de Gràcia, one of the city’s major avenues, and probably its most well-known as it’s home to several of the city’s most impressive modernist buildings. Notable buildings include Casa Milà “La Pedrera”, and Casa Batlló, both designed by Gaudi, Casa Bonaventura Ferrer, Casa Malagrida and Palau Robert.
Las Ramblas is undeniably the city’s most famous street, which stretches for 1.5km connecting Plaza Catalunya with the Christopher Columbus Monument. If there is one thing that defines the boulevard, it’s undoubtedly the word ‘picturesque’. Bars and restaurants on Las Ramblas are always crowded so it can often be difficult to find a free table. One of the city’s big tourist landmarks, La Boqueria Market, is also on Las Ramblas and a great spot to visit with many different tapas stalls.
The Raval, the Born and the Gothic quarter are other neighbourhoods just a stone’s throw from Las Ramblas that are all worth a visit. The Gothic quarter is the oldest part of the city, dating back to Roman times, and remains from this time can still be seen dotted around the area. In the 19th and 20th century several palaces and buildings were created in the neo-Gothic style, which today is characterised by its narrow streets, local shops and tapas bars.
After all this, you will surely want to relax in a quiet hotel with all the comforts and away from the hustle and bustle. We recommend staying at the BlueBay City Barcelona Sant Cugat**** which is located in one of the most prestigious areas on the outskirts of Barcelona, just 15 minutes from the centre and with excellent access to the city.
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