View of the city from Park Güell
Barcelona is the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain. It is a major cultural, economic and financial center of Europe. It is one of the top 20 most visited cities in the world and is renowned for the beautiful beaches and historical monuments like the Sagrada Familia and the buildings by Antoni Gaudí.
5 to 7 days is the ideal amount of time to properly visit the city without having to rush from side to side.
Every month has something unique to offer travelers in Barcelona: a lot depends on what kind of visitor you are and what you expect from your trip. In general, the best time to visit the city is spring (from April onwards) with its mild and not too sultry temperatures but together with summer it is the period with the greatest concentration of tourists. To avoid crowds, it is best to avoid the summer months and any period around major holidays.
How to best experience Barcelona?
Tickets, tours, and activities for Barcelona are available at these providers:
Click on the logos below to easily compare prices.
Feeling lucky? Try the direct search:
GetYourGuide.com Viator.com Trip.com Expedia.com Tiqets.com Ctrip.com (中文)
Most popular city pass for visiting Barcelona
Sagrada Familia + Park Güell
/5Book once and enhance your experience with this convenient combination of must sees
As low as
€47.30
on Tiqets.com
Tickets for Picasso Walking Tour & Picasso Museum: Skip The Line
/5Take an immersive two-hour look in the life of Picasso
As low as
€30.00
on Tiqets.com
Top things to do & see in Barcelona
Select the following sights and activities to discover best tickets and tours available in Barcelona.
The city of Barcelona
| Country | Spain |
| Region | Catalonia |
| Time in Barcelona |
GMT +01:00 (CET) Summer GMT+02:00 (CEST) |
| Languages spoken |
Catalan Spanish |
| Currency | Euro (€, EUR) |
| Religion |
Roman Catholicism (95%) Islam (5%) |
| Airport |
Barcelona–El Prat Airport Girona Airport (GRO) (Girona, 90km away) |
Overlooking the sea and surrounded inland by cool hills, Barcelona is located along the main motorway leading the France and descends southwards along the coast. It is one of the most interesting cities on the western coast of the Mediterranean and it is now a European metropolis, the link between the peninsula south of the Pyrenees and the heart of Western Europe.
Where is Barcelona?
Barcelona is a major cultural, economic, and financial centre in southwestern Europe (Spain) and one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea. It is located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres (1,680 feet) high.
When was Barcelona founded?
Although the exact dates of the earliest settlements remain unclear, there are ruins that have been found dating earlier than 5000 BC. There are two different legends surrounding how Barcelona was founded. The first is that the mythological Hercules founded the city; the second is that Hamilcar Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, named the city Barcino after his family in 3rd century BC.
History, art, architecture
Medieval magnificence left Barcelona one of the most extraordinary examples of Gothic architecture in Europe. The city’s fortunes began to wane as its Mediterranean empire shattered and Madrid strengthened its central power. From an artistic point of view, Barcelona went through a rather sterile period. But then the modernists arrived, led by Antoni Gaudí who spread an unparalleled flow of art nouveau throughout the city. Some of the greatest artist of the twentieth century worked in Barcelona: Picasso and Miró formed an excellent pair, and Dalí was born and spent most of his life on the Catalan coast.
Visit Barcelona
Museums
Barcelona has quickly built up a wealth of museums that many of Europe’s most illustrious cities pale in comparison. The city has 49 museums that are a good alternative for those who do not want to limit themselves only to the funniest aspect of their vacation.
Parks and gardens
Several public parks offer relaxation and interesting cultural ideas. At the Parc de la Ciutadella (at the port) there is a pond, a small tropical forest, a zoo, fountains and sculptures (Gaudì) as well as a couple of small museums. Parc Güell is unlike any other park in the world: the incredible solutions devised by Gaudí (inclined columns, pergolas that come out the stone, colourful majolica mosaics) make it a unique synthesis of architecture and nature. The gardens on the Montjuïc hill, with the Olympic facilities, are the most popular for those who love being outdoors.
Barcelona beaches
The coastline of Barcelona stretches for over 4.5km and offers a wide variety of excellent beaches. The most popular beaches among our visitors include Barceloneta, Mar Bella, Nova Icaria and Bogatell.