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?
Discover tickets, tours, and activities for Barcelona through these providers:
Most popular city pass for visiting Barcelona
Barcelona Card 48h
/5Book Barcelona Card Express - 48 Hour tickets online and discover the best of Barcelona for less, plus free public transport!
As low as
€27
on Tiqets.com
Barcelona Card (72h/96h/120h)
/5The Barcelona Card is your key to the capital of Catalonia, with public transport, and skip-the-line museum and attraction tickets sorted in advance
As low as
€52.25
on Tiqets.com
Go City Explorer Pass
/5Book Go City: Barcelona Explorer Pass tickets online and discover more ways to culture and fun in Barcelona with Tiqets
As low as
€74
on Tiqets.com
Barcelona Museum Pass
/5One ticket, six great museums. Save up to 45% off ticket prices and see works by great artists, including Picasso, Miró, Tàpies, and more
As low as
€38
on Tiqets.com
Best of Barcelona Bundle
/5Guarantee your tickets for Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and Casa Batlló!
As low as
€92
on Tiqets.com
Barcelona Essentials Pass
/5Save money and see the essentials including Park Güell and Sagrada Familia
As low as
€75
on Tiqets.com
Go City All-Inclusive Pass
/5Get free entry to 45+ attractions and tours in Barcelona with a single 2, 3, 4, or 5-day pass. From Gaudi's impressive body of work to dozens of tours, see it all and enjoy great savings
As low as
€154
on GetYourGuide.com
iVenture Barcelona Unlimited Pass
/5Book Barcelona Unlimited Attraction Pass tickets online and discover more ways to culture with Tiqets
As low as
€145
on Tiqets.com
iVenture Barcelona Flexi Attractions Pass
/5Book Barcelona Flexi Attraction Pass:Choise of 2,3,4 or 5 Top Attractions tickets online and discover more ways to culture with Tiqets
As low as
€69
on Tiqets.com
Turbopass All-Inclusive City Card
/5Enjoy multiple exciting Barcelona attractions with one City Card. Get access to top museums, guided tours, cooking classes, a hop-on hop-off bus tour, and public transportation
As low as
€109.9
on GetYourGuide.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.