3 Magical Days in Barcelona: 10 Peak Experiences You Can’t Miss

Barcelona is one of Europe’s grandest & most beloved cities. In fact, this enchanting city on the Mediterranean is now the 3rd most visited city in Europe – behind London & Paris! So, I was thrilled to recently spend three days there, exploring all that Barcelona has to offer.

So what makes Barcelona – Spain’s 2nd largest city behind Madrid – so very special & such a visitor magnet? Well, can you spell G-A-U-D-I? Barcelona was home to famed architect Antoni Gaudi who, along with other Catalan architects, forged the wildly colorful & whimsical Modernista style. His huge, fantastical Sagrada Familia is a church still under construction a hundred years later.

Barcelona truly offers it all – fascinating arts & culture, a wide array of wonderful sights, GREAT food, good shopping, excellent museums, pretty parks, and friendly people. It’s a delightful blend of grand old European city meets Mediterranean beach scene! The historic old town is relatively compact & easy for strolling. The larger city is also easy to get around – whether by metro, bus, taxi, bike or foot.

Cosmopolitan Barcelona (population 1.7 million) is the proud capital of the distinct region of Catalunya (Cataluna in Spanish & Catalonia in English). Are you confused yet? This region in northeast Spain has its own distinct language (Catalan), history & culture – and a delicious cuisine. Local Barcelonans will usually speak Catalan, Spanish and English – so no worries!

When to Visit Barcelona

Barcelona is blessed with a benign Mediterranean climate. Early summer and fall are ideal times to visit, especially May to June and September to October when the days are mild and the evenings cool. The actual summertime is hot and sticky with humidity. However, keep in mind that no matter what time of the year you’ll visit, Barcelona will be crowded with tourists.

My Barcelona Visit & the Advance Planning

My 3-day visit to Barcelona took place in early May 2018 & I was joined by my good friend Regina from Germany. With only three days to explore the city and so many compelling things to see & do, I did a lot of pre-trip research & detailed planning so we could maximize our time – and that we did! The only trip “negative” was unseasonably rainy weather a couple of the days, but hey, that’s part of travel and we made it work just fine!

I knew May was going to be a busy time for tourist crowds & we didn’t want to spend hours waiting in lines, when we could buy advance tickets for some of the popular attractions. With Mr. Google’s help, I learned there would be 3-4 big cruise ships in port each day during our visit. That meant thousands of cruise passengers itching to see the same key sights like Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and La Pedrera.

As I always do for European destinations, I used a Rick Steves guidebook for my planning. We pre-booked some tours and bought advance entry tickets for many of the key sights at optimum times (with hopefully less crowds). We eventually fit all the timing pieces together like a complex jigsaw puzzle – and it all worked out great!

Why I Wrote This Blog Post

I wanted to share with you the Top 10 Peak Experiences we enjoyed – and that I highly recommend. However, just like in other great cities like Paris or Rome, you can spend many days exploring all that Barcelona has to offer. But these 10 Sights can give you a reasonably broad range of key experiences – to which you can add other city sights & activities that particularly call to you (like museum visits which we didn’t have time to do).

In each Sight/Experience section, I first give you backgrounder information and then share what Regina & I actually did as an example. I finish each section with a list of Helpful Tips & Resources. I know there’s a lot of information in this post (a quasi-Barcelona Resource Guide), but I sincerely hope you will find the info helpful so it will be much easier to plan your own future travels to Barcelona. [FYI- prices mainly listed in euros (€)]

Let’s get started….

1) Explore Barcelona’s Old Town Districts By Foot or Walking Tour

A top Barcelona highlight is walking the delightful streets of the Old City (Ciutat Vella). This labyrinth of narrow streets, once confined by medieval walls, is ideal for strolling, shopping, people-watching, and eating.

The Old City is comprised of three sections – Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter), El Born (the funky bohemian quarter) & El Raval – with the first two of most interest to visitors. (see map). Barri Gotic was the birthplace of Barcelona, where the ancient Romans built a city. It’s fun to explore its narrow alleys, winding lanes, unique boutiques, its many cafés & bars, plus visit the historic cathedral.

Las Ramblas is a grand boulevard that cuts through the Old City on its way to the waterfront. Its wide pedestrian strip down the middle is packed with locals and tourists alike, out for a stroll. There are colorful flower vendors and street performers. Unfortunately, per Rick Steves, Las Ramblas is also home to pickpockets. So, just be beware (but not paranoid!)

What We Did / Our Experience

We spent lots of time walking the Old City over our three days, including on the Art Tour (see #2). Using the Rick Steves guidebook, we followed Rick’s 1-hour Barri Gotic Walking Tour, which took us past the beautiful 14th century Gothic-style Cathedral on the lovely Placa Nova. (FYI – placa means plaza/square in Catalan) The guidebook also offers a 1-hour walking tour of Las Ramblas, entitled “Ramblas Ramble.”

We visited the popular market – La Boqueria – located just off Las Ramblas. It’s very popular with tourists because the stalls filled with local produce and fresh fish are so colorful and great for photos. Apparently, the Santa Caterina Market, in El Born district, attracts more local shoppers and less tourists.

Helpful Tips & Resources

• With a good map (and/or guidebook), you can easily explore the Old Town area on your own.
• Be aware (in Barcelona & all of Spain) that many shops are closed on Sundays & during the mid-day siesta.
• You can also pre-book a wide variety of themed walking tours in Barcelona with a local guide. Offerings, prices, group size, etc. can vary. Check out the following websites:

Local Guided Tours

• Tours By Locals – has been operating since 2008 / offers tours in 160 countries / they tout their hand-picked, first-rate guides.
• With Locals – the newer kid on the block (2013). It’s a peer-to-peer marketplace (more like AirBnb) so the guide quality can vary widely. You might be able to customize your tour by direct communication with the guide in advance.
• Viator (now owned by TripAdvisor) – a destination tours and activities provider in more than 2,000 destinations.
• Context Tours – “Tours for the Intellectually Curious” (with Ph.D. & MA-level scholar guides).

2) Barcelona Urban & Street Art Walking Tour

We booked a 3-hour “Barcelona Street Art Tour” which turned out to be excellent! Here’s the tour description that sold us: We’ll weave in and out of Barcelona’s hidden streets and alleys at El Born, El Gotico and Raval. Along the way, Picasso, Dali, and Miro were in the modernist period and visit the places they loved to visit, pop into the coolest galleries, and uncover the city’s ever-growing underground street-art scene.

Our tour leader Kat (originally from the UK) was great – and our group of 8 people were all fun folks. We visited four cool galleries, plus walked many of the streets of Old Town. Kat’s passion & information really helped us develop a better appreciation for the talent of the street artists she showcased. Coincidentally, one of the gallery owners – Rob of Base Elements – recently moved to Barcelona from my home town of San Diego. Small world…

Helpful Tips & Resources

• I highly recommend this tour by Kat if urban/street art interests you.
• We booked the tour through Airbnb (because we used them for our Barcelona lodging & got their post-booking promos). The tour cost was 32 €/pp.
• However, you can book directly with Kat (Katrina Affleck) through the ArtSpaceTours that she runs. She/they offer a variety of art-focused tours.

3&4) Gaudi-Designed Private Residences

Barcelona & Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) were truly a match made in heaven. Visiting several of Gaudi’s design creations is a highlight of any visit to Barcelona. Modernisme is Barcelona’s unique contribution to the European Art Nouveau movement. The term means “a taste for what is modern.”

This free-flowing organic style lasted from 1888 to 1906. Much of Barcelona’s Modernista architecture is located in the elegant Eixample district, especially along the swanky Passeig de Gracia boulevard. There, on the famed “Block of Discord” you will see three colorful Modernista facades – Casa Battlo, Casa Amatller, and Casa Lleo Morera – all competing for your attention. (photo above)

Of course, in planning our trip, seeing the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s masterpiece, was a must! However, we also wanted to tour one or two of the famed private residences he designed. Upon further research, I chose the top two – Casa Battlo & La Pedrera (Casa Mila) – and Regina & I are really glad we did. Both Casas were great and very different – providing a real compliment to each other.

3) Casa Battlo

The building was purchased in 1903 by Mr. Josep Batlló y Casanovas, a textile industrialist. He hired Gaudi to renovate the house between 1904 and 1906. Gaudi completely changed the façade & converted the inside into a true work of art. Fast forward to today – people still live and work in this architectural marvel.

Many feel (including me!) that visiting the Battlo House is like entering a fairy tale. The interior is definitely more over the top than La Pedrera. It features a funky mushroom-shaped fireplace nook on the main floor, a blue-and-white ceramic-slathered atrium, and an attic with parabolic arches. There is barely a straight line in the house and the home is topped with a fanciful dragon-inspired roof.

What We Did / Our Experience

We went on a Sunday morning at 9:15am – it had just opened at 9am. The visit is not a guided tour, but you are given a very good audio-guide. It took us just one hour to tour – and I looked at everything. I really loved Casa Battlo – it was so creative, whimsical, colorful & curvy. Yes, I dig Gaudi, big time!

 

Helpful Tips & Resources

• Casa Battlo Website –  It’s good & easy to use.
• Open from 9am-10pm.
• You can get tickets online to avoid the lines, especially fierce in the mornings.
• It’s not a timed reservation, but it lets you skip to the front of the queue.
• When you book the ticket, you still select a date & time.
• Rick Steves says advance tickets are less necessary than for La Pedrera (but still not a bad idea!)
• Online Tickets – 24.5 € (2018) /2024 price – from 29 €
• You may also save money (like 5 €) by buying tickets online.
• Yes, the ticket price is not cheap, but really worth it!

4) Casa Mila / La Pedrera

This Gaudi-designed home, built between 1906-1912, is another icon of Modernisme. It was commissioned by wealthy industrialist Pere Mila (thus Casa Mila). But most call it La Pedrera (the Quarry) because of its jagged, rocky façade. The Mila couple occupied the main floor and rented out the other apartments.

The entry ticket includes non-guided visits to the apartment, attic, and rooftop terrace – spread over 5 floors. Its delightful, undulating rooftop is a forest of colorful tiled chimneys & stairwells – the crowd favorite, for sure!

What We Did / Our Experience

We booked our La Pedrera/Casa Mila timed entry ticket for Monday at 9:00am (right when it opened). Like Casa Battlo, the entry comes with a free & good audio-guide. A small elevator first took us to the roof. So, we were on the rooftop by 9:15am when it was still relatively un-crowded. I loved the Darth Vader looking chimneys – while others have described them as medieval knights guarding the roof.

You then take the stairs down one flight to the cool Attic & its interesting Gaudi museum. Another level down is the Pedrera Apartment, which recreates the life of an affluent Barcelona family in the early 20th century with its furnishings. We spent a total of 1.5 fascinating hours touring La Pedrera.

Helpful Tips & Resources

• La Pedrera Website
• Hours: 9am-8:30pm (summer schedule)
• Lines can be very long (up to 1.5 hours) – so it’s best to reserve tickets ahead
• Online tickets have an assigned entry time
• If you don’t have a reserved ticket, it’s best to arrive right when it opens
• Ticket Cost (2018): La Pedrera By Day (usual entry) – 22 € / Senior – 16.50 €
  • 2024 Prices – 28 € / Senior – 19 €
• Note: The Roof Terrace is closed if it’s raining (could be slippery.)

5) Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia is certainly Antoni Gaudi’s opus! His grand unfinished masterpiece was begun in 1883 under his careful watch. Barcelona has a goal of finishing the massive church project by 2026, the centennial of Gaudi’s untimely death. Of the 18 towers Gaudí planned for the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, there are presently eight completed; four on the Nativity facade and four on the Passion facade.

Without question, Sagrada Familia is a visitor MUST SEE (inside & out). Visitors get a closeup view of the dramatic exterior, the other-worldly, rainforest-esque interior, and access to a fine museum detailing the design & construction of the church and the pure genius of Gaudi. It’s truly a thrill to witness the bold, wildly creative, unmistakably organic architecture and décor – both exterior & interior.

What We Did / Our Experience

We booked a 1.5 hour tour of Sagrada Familia (exterior & interior) online through Viator. The actual tour was contracted out to locally-based Amigo Tours. The 40 € (~$48) cost included the admission ticket (with bypass the lines access) & the tour guide. Our Sunday tour began at 3:30pm right outside the church.

Our tour group was divided into Spanish & English speakers with separate guides. My 16-person English-speaking group had Jordi as our guide – and he was good. Plus, we each got special earphones to hear the guide’s commentary inside the packed-with-people church. Most of our tour time was spent inside the church.

After the formal tour ended, we could (and did!) go back inside the church and look around some more, plus Regina & I went down to the excellent Museum located one level below the church. Besides fascinating exhibits about Sagrada Familia & Gaudi, you can also view the current workshop (staffed with about 15-20 architects) and look down another level into the crypt where Gaudi is buried.

Helpful Tips & Resources

• Sagrada Familia Website – excellent website
• Sagrada Familia Photo Gallery
• Hours – 9am-8pm (Mon-Fri, summer season)/ weekend hours slightly different.
• Located 1.5 miles north of Placa Catalunya – you can take a metro there
• It’s helpful to do a Tour of Sagrada Familia. You’ll want to look for those that include “skip the line!” access & make sure they include tours of the interior.
• Here’s a Skip the Line Barcelona Sagrada Familia Tour on Viator – it’s similar to what we did. It does not include Tower visits. Cost around $47/pp (USD).
  • 2024 Price = from $62 USD
• We were at Sagrada Familia for around 2.5 hours, so make sure to allow enough time to enjoy the museum & church after your tour ends. This does not include time to do the Tower, which might add 30 minutes or more (see below).
• Ticket Costs for Sagrada Familia – Church (basic visit) – 15 € / 22 € includes audio-guide / 29 € includes tower visit (2018 prices)
  • 2024 Prices – from 26 €
• Sagrada Familia itself offers 50-minute guided tours..

Best Times to Visit

Rick Steves recommends later in the day – he says it’s less busy after 4pm (might have something to do with cruise ship passengers!). He says it’s most crowded in the AM. Waits can be up to 45 minutes at peak times. In addition, in the later afternoons, you can get beautiful afternoon light thru the stained-glass windows. (FYI: My  window photos were taken between 4-5pm.)

Touring the Church Towers

In addition, you can make a visit up to one of the two towers on the Passion Façade or Nativity Façade. You will need to buy a separate ticket (possibly timed) for an additional 4.5 €. You take an elevator up (I’ve read only 6 people at a time). But to get down – apparently things have changed recently – all visitors must now walk down the steep, winding stone staircase of around 300 steps.

With my fear of heights, I opted not to do the tower visit after looking at photos and reading some online reviews. It sounds like the stairs can be crowded and a bit claustrophobic – and some people loved it and others did not.

Apparently, the views of Barcelona at the top aren’t all that great. Sources quoted better places for views, like Montjuic Hill and Park Guell. Ironically, it turned out the towers were closed our day because of recent rain and slippery surfaces. Phew…

6) Park Guell

Park Guell (pronounced like Gway) is another of the city’s beloved Gaudi icons. Tucked into the foothills at the edge of Barcelona, this whimsical park offers colorful mosaics, fountains and stunning city views (minus the 300 church steps down!) It was designed by Gaudi as part of an upscale housing development for early 20th century urbanites.

In 2013, to control the massive crowds flooding the park, they created the Monumental Zone – the part of the park with the most popular sights. This fairly compact zone includes a pair of gingerbread-style houses, the grand staircase with a ceramic dragon fountain, the Hall of 100 Columns, and a spectacular view terrace with its undulating, tile-shard decorated balcony (above). The Zone requires an admission fee and a timed entry to visit.

Outside the Monumental Zone, Park Guell contains a pleasant network of trails with additional viewpoints, picnic areas, and a Gaudi House museum. In fact, the house was Gaudi’s home for 20 years.

What I Did / My Experience

Since Regina had already seen the Park, I booked a reserved ticket for myself for Sunday at 6:30pm, following our afternoon tour of Sagrada Familia. Since there is no convenient one-stop public transport to Park Guell, I took a taxi from the church (12 €).

After first touring the lower sights of the Monumental Zone, I arrived at the famed View Terrace around 7:20pm. However, no matter what time of day, the Park is always filled with people – a mix of Barcelonans and tourists alike.

Unfortunately, some of the Terrace (Nature Square) was under renovation in 2018 (photo above). However, it was still great for the Barcelona city views but not so pretty for photos.

From the Terrace, I departed the Zone to explore other parts of the Park, passing by the “pretty in pink” Gaudi House. I headed up the road and some trails to arrive to the top of the hill to Casa Trias for even better city views – and some needed walking exercise for my pre-Camino legs!

Helpful Tips & Resources

• Park Guell Website – excellent
  • Plan Your Visit – be sure to visit this page for the latest info on times & prices!
• Park Hours (spring/summer) – 9:30am-7:30pm
• To be guaranteed entry to the Monumental Zone, it is strongly recommended that you buy an advance ticket with a timed entry since they limit numbers.
• The timed entry ticket allows you to enter up to a half hour past the time on your ticket.
  • For example, with my 6:30pm ticket, I could enter the Zone only between 6:30-7:00pm.
• Ticket Cost (in 2024) = 10 €
• The Park does offer 50-minute Guided Tours. Cost (in 2024) – 22 € (which includes entry)
• The tickets for visiting the Monumental Zone do not include the Gaudi House Museum.
  • There is a separate ticket for the Gaudi House Museum.  (See website above)
• There is no cost to visit the other areas of Park Guell that lie outside the Monumental Zone. If you can, do take some time to enjoy other parts of the park – and enjoy those views!

7) Barcelona Food Scene – Foodies Rejoice!

You will never go hungry in Barcelona. Instead, you will be dazzled by all the wonderful food choices. Per Rick Steves: As the capital of Catalan cuisine, Barcelona offers a tremendous variety of colorful places to eat – from workaday eateries to homey Catalan bistros (cans) to crowded tapas bars to avante garde restaurants.

Many eateries serve both stand-up tapas and sit-down meals, often starring seafood. Cafes are filled by day, and people crowd the streets at night, popping into tapas bars for a drink and those delectable bite-sized tapas. Rick recommends the lively neighborhoods of El Born & Barri Gotic (specifically Placa Reial) for tapas & drinks in the early evening.

What We Did / Our Experience

Unfortunately, our packed schedule didn’t really allow a typical tapas evening, so I can’t personally speak to that experience. However, we did enjoy a wonderful Catalan dinner party one of the nights. (see #8) Twice, we ate at Flax & Kale, Barcelona’s first healthy flexitarian restaurant (mostly plant-based & oily fish). We had a delicious lunch & a dinner at their two locations with different menus & decors.  Bottom line, all our meals in Barcelona were great!

8) Catalan Dinner Party with Eva & Olga

Regina & I really wanted to have an authentic dining experience with locals while in Barcelona, so we checked out the many offerings on the “EatWith” food-oriented website. We were excited to book a “Catalan Dinner Party” (max. group size of 6-8 people) for Saturday evening with hosts Eva & Olga in their home in the Gracia district.

The dinner (scheduled from 8:00-10:30pm) cost 50 € (~$59) per person. That evening, there were a total of 6 guests (3 Germans, 3 Americans) plus Eva & Olga who prepared the multi-course gourmet meal while socializing. And OMG, the Catalan cuisine they served was incredible – from the delectable salad to the melt-in-your-mouth sole with bright violet potatoes to the Catalan Crème dessert, plus wines. (See photos & the printed menu).

Besides the delicious food, we enjoyed wonderful conversation among the whole group. Plus, it was great to get Olga & Eva’s nuanced perspective on the current happenings in Catalunya. I truly feel we made some wonderful new friends. And, if I am lucky enough to return to Barcelona, I’ll be sure to schedule a repeat dinner performance!

We were all intrigued by the black & white photo on the wall of Salvador Dali & fascinated to learn the woman was Eva’s mother, a journalist in those days.

After interviewing Dali, she was hamming it up with him, pretending to cut his moustache. Reluctantly, the party finally disbanded at 11:30pm, after sharing a very special evening together.

Helpful Tips & Resources

• As you can imagine, Regina & I highly recommend an event like Olga & Eva’s Catalan Dinner Party. They only do their dinners on Saturday evenings. They also change the menu each season, always using seasonal market ingredients.
• EatWith is the world’s largest community for authentic food experiences with locals, in over 130 countries. The offerings include dinner parties, cooking classes, food tours & supper clubs. (Note: July 2022 – Unfortunately, I do not see Olga & Eva listed).
• The EatWith website was easy to use. While searching, we could check out potential hosts and their menu, plus see photos of meal venue & the food. Also, after booking, we could communicate directly with our hosts through the site for final details.
• FYI: European-based Vizeat recently purchased U.S.-based “Eat With” and now uses the EatWith name for all their food offerings.

9) Explore Montjuic Hill & Its Many Sights

If you’re feeling the need to “get high in the woods,” head to Montjuic – a large wooded hill overlooking Barcelona to the southwest. This beautiful park-like setting is dotted with a variety of museums (including Joan Miro) and other interesting sights. It is topped by Montjuic Castell (fortress/castle).

The castle offers commanding views from its ramparts over the Mediterranean Sea & the busy port of Barcelona, with its many cruise ships and other seafaring vessels. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics and you can visit the Olympic Stadium and the Olympic & Sports Museum high up on Montjuic.

In addition, Barcelona hosted a World Expo in 1929, from which many of the park’s beautiful buildings and sights originated. This includes the Catalan Art Museum housed in the magnificent Palau Nacional – a huge, Italian-style building from that time.

Just below is the Magic Fountain, which provides music-enhanced light shows many evenings, during much of the year. (NOTE: June 2024 – shows have been suspended indefinitely due to drought protocols).

What I Did / My Experience

I visited Montjuic my final afternoon, using Rick Steves recommendations & his trusty Montjuic map. I began by taking a taxi up to the Castle where I took in the grand city & harbor views. From the top of Montjuic, it’s a lot easier to explore the sights by walking downhill! Since it’s quite a big park, I took the Teleferic cable car down from the castle to the Parc station (end of the short line) for 8 €.

From there, I started my exploration – walking down to the beautiful Catalan Art Museum with its grand plaza. I didn’t have time to go inside the museum, but it’s supposed to be excellent. Its plaza provides a wonderful overlook of the magnificent World Expo buildings, the “momentarily dormant” Magic Fountain & the grand boulevard leading out to Placa Espana (see photo for the area’s classic views).

After walking down the many steps to street level, I ended my tour & caught a metro at Placa Espana (a major transit center – photo below) back to my lodging.  I was happy that I had made the “trek” & gotten a “taste” of Montjuic.

10) Bike Ride and/or Bike Tour Along the Waterfront & Citadel Park

Today’s Barcelona is a bike-friendly city filled with bike lanes – in fact, covering over 180km! Many of the large, busy city streets have bike paths running down their wide, tree-lined middle median strips. The paths are filled with both locals and tourists happily & safely cycling along.

Touring by bike is a great way to explore Barcelona, especially along its lively waterfront area. A series of broad, sandy beaches stretch northeast from the Port Olímpic marina – for some 4km all the way to Parc del Fòrum (a setting for outdoor summer concerts and funfairs).

The wide beach-front promenades are thronged with pedestrians, joggers & cyclists alike. You can also enjoy lunch in one of the beach bars (“chiringuitos”) close to the Olympic harbor or the many seafood restaurants along the way.

Another popular place to visit by bike (or foot) is the idyllic Parc de la Ciutadella (Citadel Park) – Barcelona’s greenest oasis & a haven for local families, especially on weekends. Formerly a military citadel, it was transformed in 1888 into the park for another World’s Fair.

Don’t miss the beautiful “Cascada” – a triumphal arch at the center of a beautiful waterfall & fountain. It was originally designed by Josep Fontsère and his young student, Antoni Gaudi. (photo below, right)

What We Did / Our Experience

Regina & I rented bikes from the very good Rent-A-Bike store in Gracia for 11 € /day.  We did our own bike tour because Regina was already familiar with the route. She & her son had taken a formal Barcelona bike tour just last year and later, they rented bikes from the same shop – so she was my “free” & experienced bike tour guide.

We spent about 2.5 hours on the bikes, working our way down to the waterfront along busy streets – but on the safe bike paths. Then, it was pure delight cycling along the wonderful waterfront promenade. I felt like I was back home in Southern California! Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stop at one of the “chiringuitos” beach bars for a bite of seafood.

As we passed by the Olympic Marina & the Barceloneta district, Regina pointed out the very cool Giant Goldfish, a fish sculpture designed by Frank Gehry (see photo). It has become one of the beloved symbols of post-Olympic Barcelona – when the seafront was transformed in 1992 for the Olympics.

On our way home, we cycled through Citadel Park so we could see the lovely Cascada waterfall & fountain – and get the classic photo in front.

Helpful Tips/ Recommendations for Bike Tours

• You will probably want to rent bikes closer to the waterfront, for easier navigation & quicker access to key sights.
• However, you might want to consider taking one of the many guided bike tours offered in Barcelona.
• For example, one company (back in 2018) offered a 2-3 hour bike tour that combined visits to the heart of the old city with the seaside (Barceloneta Beach) and Citadel Park.
• I don’t have personal recommendations of companies but.. here’s a recent article on Top 6 Barcelona Bike Tours by Urban Travel Blog to give you a flavor.

---

***Barcelona Hop-On & Hop-Off Bus Tours:  Even though I didn’t do one of these tours (so I can’t make any personal recommendations), I wanted to mention that Barcelona also offers this good sightseeing option. Check out the company website to learn more:  Barcelona Bus Turistic

---

This blog post has finally come to an end. Phew, we’ve covered a lot of territory. I hope this “Barcelona resource guide” has helped you better understand the many wonderful sights & activities that Barcelona offers – and will be a valuable resource to you as you plan your visit to Spain’s magical city!

Happy Travels to Barcelona

COMMENTS: Have you already visited Barcelona? If so, what were some of your favorite experiences? Any new ones to add to the list?  If not yet visited, is Barcelona on your Travel Wish List?