Barcelona is blessed with enough to hold the greatest lovers of culture and self-indulgent of trencherman happy for weeks, below are some things to engage in when you visit Barcelona
A cosmopolitan heart of Catalan culture, Barcelona is graciously happy with its all year round fair weather as well as its Mediterranean placement. If you do not have ample time to explore all of the great cities in Spain, just focus your time and attention on the best Barcelona things to do. They include;
Browse the Mercat de la Boqueria
This popular indoor market space is a colorful explosion of seafood rows, fruit, vegetables, and rows of cured jamón including some mind-blowing butchers’ displays.
Also, there are pizza stalls, tapas bars, and all kinds of produce that you may try before you purchase them.
Admire Modernisme architecture
Although lots of Barcelona’s architectural precious stones have entrance fees to enable you to gain access to the interiors, the arguably more beautiful facades may be accessed free of charge.
The mind-blowing craftsmanship of Gaudí’s magnum artwork, the cathedral-like La SagradaFamília, for instance, or the three exceptionally beautiful examples of Modernism that sit beside one another on the Passeig de Gràcia – the Casa LleóMorera, the Casa Amatller as well asGaudí’sCasa Batlló.
Bask on a beach
Barcelona possesses some great beaches that are quite excellent for relaxing aching feet following days of sightseeing.
Barceloneta is the most famous, alongside its magnificent sweep of golden sand with the promenade backed with restaurants. For something of few crowd, walk up north in the direction of the Fòrum area.
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Visit the cradle of independentisme
One of Barcelona’s fresh attractions is the Born Centre Cultural, a splendidly modified former market building that possesses as its centerpiece relics of some of the hundreds of buildings demolished by the forces of Philip V following the siege of 1714.
For lots of Catalans, the incident was the starting point of the interest in separation. It’s an emotionally burdened place.
Modernist architecture
Barcelona is the birthplace and home for contemporary Catalan since the late-19th down to early-20th-century. Also, modernist architecture can be sighted around the entire city. Its major antagonist was Antoni Gaudí, Park Güell designer- the jewel in Barcelona’s modernism proponent crown.
The city of recent brought a €7 entrance fee for the park, but some of its masterpieces can still be viewed from outside: both Casa Batlló and La Pedrera are spectacular instances.
Check the website of Modernism Route for information on where to locate buildings not only by Gaudí but also by significant key modernist architects, like Lluís Domènechi Montaner (the designer of Palau de la Música Catalana) as well as Josep Puigi Cadafalch
Views from the hills
The great thing concerning this upwardly rising city is that people around to the north provides lots of spots to take breathtaking sights. The Carmel Bunkers, located at the upper part of the Turó de la Rovira hill, is a free open spot.
They were created to serve as an anti-aircraft bunker in the 1973 Civil War, and after which the ruins turn to shacks, which were eliminated for the 1992 Olympics. At the moment a fraction of the city’s Museum of History, they are free of charge open space with unending surrounding views.
The 10km Carretera de Les Aigües trail by the side of Tibidabo, the mountain located on the north-western city edge. Full of cyclists, runners, and wanderers during the weekends, it provides spectacular sights and, easily, is in Serra de Collserolanatural Park.
Outdoor movies
Barcelona has an excellent weather for viewing outdoor movies and, not astonishingly, some film festivals have come up in the past few years. Amidst the free offerings is Cinema Lliure, which often shows independent films at the Sant Sebastià beach on Thursday as well as on Sunday evenings.
The Centre of Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB) designates its Grandules, festival, showing short films with documentaries free of charge in its courtyard. Also, for a free and soul reaching local music taste, visit the gardens of the University of Barcelona on one of July evenings.
Santa Maria del Mar
The Santa Maria del Mar church was built in the 14th century, it worth an article of its own as one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in history. While Barcelona’s cathedral was the heart of the ancient city, this church turns out to be the major building of what was then the fresh part of the city, near the sea, in which some merchants’ including ship owners lived.
The rate at which the new church was constructed – 55 years – was an unbelievable feat at that time when lots of churches were built in a longer time frame, and this makes it a rare instance of pure Gothic architecture. Ensure you visit the cathedral too, but the special harmony, as well as the elegance of this church’s interior, will surely take out your breath.
Sunday afternoons at the museums
Lots of the great museums in Barcelona are free of charge entrance fee on Sundays after 3 pm: the Picasso Museum is a place to visit for his early works; also the Museum of History of Barcelona is quite important for history suckers – most especially if you’re looking into Roman destructions and will like to check out the 4,000 square metres city of archeological findings, and the medieval landmarks as well as the impressive views of Catalonia’s history.
CCCB is good for innovative modern exhibitions; or new Born Cultural Centre is available, a 19th-century market with a cast-iron structure under which are the destructions of the 18th-century city before it was ruined in the 1714 siege.
Also, it is free of charge on first Sundays, the National Museum of Art of Catalonia for medieval as well as modernist art.
The above are some of the best places to keep you occupied whenever you pay a visit to Barcelona.
Barcelona Things to Do
La SagradFamilia
This is no doubt, AntoniGaudi’s best creation, the La SagradaFamilia cathedral is yet to be finished. It began in 1882, and the church brings together the Spanish Late Gothic, Art Nouveau designs with Catalan Modernism. The tallest will be 18 spires stands for Christ, after which the four Evangelists followed, then the Virgin Mary, with the 12 Apostles.
Except you enjoy waiting in long ques, purchase your tickets online to gain access to the fabulous interior where organic columns grow like trees as well as beautiful bright stained glass windows shine in the sun.
BarriGotic
The Gothic Quarter connotes the earliest residence of Roman in Barcelona and is a complication of Gothic, Medieval, as well as Neo-Gothic architecture that fills in the narrow little back streets.
Ensure you come with a map since it’s easy to miss your way here. Search for the Bridge of Sighs, which looks like the one in Venice; the three heads located at the Fivaller Fountain at the Saint Justus square; as well as the Five Heroes Monument that is used to honor the martyrs killed for opposing French troops during the city occupation in 1808.
Las Ramblas
One of the great shopping streets in the world is a tree-lined mall that begins at the Plaça de Catalunya and ends at the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell, that’s about 1.3 kilometers in length.
A simple walk on this high tourist visited road will reward you with al fresco dining spots, retails boutiques, souvenir shops, street entertainers, newspaper stands, and sex workers.
Ensure you hold tight your wallet or purse because you’re in the den of pickpockets and con artists.
Mercat de San Josep
Situated a bit after Las Ramblas, this bustling, as well as colorful market, showcases a lot of products, including vegetables, meat, fruits, fish, and chocolates.
Although some people report that they’ve been offering goods for sale here as far back as the medieval times, the present market was constructed in 1840 with lots of adorns until 1914. If you’re unable to fix a quick meal for yourself from the range of produce, you may visit any of the several cafes or restaurants around the edges for your meal.
Parc De Ciutadella
When you require rest following a heavy day of touring, go for the Parc De Ciutadella. Helmed by the Catalan Parliament structure, these green spots are the Barcelona Zoo, a beautiful looking lake with turtles and fishes, as well as a monumental fountain