Barcelona: the biggest attractions (map, sightseeing plan, tickets, monuments, interesting facts)

Barcelona - view from Park Guell

Colorful Barcelona

Barcelona attracts like a magnet. The capital of Catalonia has a certain color that makes you want to come back all the time. Formed by centuries of changes, beautifully situated, with access to the sea and the beach, with an interesting and turbulent history, and the legendary FC Barcelona football club that attracts people from all over the world.
You could say that Barcelona has everything, and it is hardly surprising that everyone would like to visit and see this city at least once. I have prepared this guide mainly for those who come to Barcelona for the first time or their previous visits were unsatisfactory and would like to catch up.

A good plan is essential!

My proposal is thought out so that you can see as much as possible during one visit. I will not play with the story that "it is best to spend a week or 10 days here". Of course it's worth it, but most people don't have that much time and spend 2-3 days visiting the city. These are the facts, and I'm not going to fight them. On the contrary, I am going to make you get as much out of these 2-3 days as possible for yourself.
The plan is really well packed and you will have to put in a lot of effort to make it complete. I will say even more: the plan is a bit exaggerated. Why? Because not everyone is interested in everything I describe. Even after throwing something out of your plan that interests you less, you will still have something to visit. And that's what I meant! Prepare a plan from which everyone will take something for themselves and when returning home they will think with satisfaction: it was fun in this Barcelona!

When is the best time to go to Barcelona?

The answer to this question is not as obvious as it seems at first glance. It turns out that the most people are in Barcelona in the period that is the least friendly to visiting the city, i.e. in July.
Why is July the worst? Because then there is an accumulation of all things that are unfavorable to visiting. However, I do not want to go into the details of this phenomenon here, because I did it in a separate entry: Barcelona - long-term weather. When to go Air, water and climate temperature. I recommend reading this post. In it you will find not only detailed information about the weather in Barcelona, ​​but also suggestions of the best dates to visit the city.

Detailed itinerary for visiting Barcelona

I divided my visit to Barcelona into two days. However, there are so many attractions that you can easily extend the plan I have prepared for three or even four days. It all depends on how much time you have and what pace of sightseeing you prefer.
For the description of both days of visiting, I have prepared special maps with the location of the described attractions and the approximate walking path. The digital markings of attractions on the map, of course, correspond to the numbers next to the detailed descriptions of the attractions that you will find under the maps.
The path marked by me is obviously not the only and the best one. You can move on other streets. Just walk around the city and go to the next points.

Tickets to attractions in Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the cities where You can buy admission tickets to many attractions without queuing, over the Internet. Wherever possible, I will provide relevant links to ticket websites. It is especially valuable at attractions where admission tickets are sold for specific entry hours. This will allow you to plan your day neatly without wasting time standing in lines or waiting long for the next free entry hour.

An excellent option is the recently available option to purchase tickets in packages. It's best to see this with an example, e.g. Barcelona pass – [click] included in the price:
Sagrada Familia:
– fast entry ticket
– admission to the museum inside the Sagrada Familia
– audio guide on the phone in 17 languages
Park Güell:
– skip-the-line entry ticket
Hop-on Hop-off tourist bus:
– access to two tourist lines: red and blue
– audio guide
– Barcelona map
Audio guide to Barcelona:
– information about over 100 insertion places in Barcelona
– map with navigation
– access to 19 guide languages
At the time of writing these words, the entire package costs EUR 85.

This is, of course, just one of the available packages. You can always check others ticket packages in Barcelona – [click]. Maybe you will find something interesting and beneficial for yourself (e.g. for those who like museums). Barcelona Museum Pass – Articket, entry to 6 art museums for half the price of single tickets).

Use GPS coordinates!

For each attraction, I have provided precise GPS coordinates that will allow you to always reach your destination. Just go to this page on your phone, click on the link next to the coordinates of the attractions and the navigation application will open automatically.
Simply walk towards your chosen tour point along the streets you wish to walk along. Treat the navigation on the phone rather as information whether you are going in the right direction and approaching your destination, or whether your fantasy is already taking you in the wrong direction 🙂
When you reach one point of the trip and want to go further, click on the coordinates of the next point and so from point to point you can freely explore Barcelona on your own!

Visiting Barcelona on your own - day one

First, a map with the locations of attractions planned for the first day of sightseeing marked.

Length of the route: 7,5 km
Walking time (without visiting attractions): 2 hours 30 minutes

The route itself is not very long, but if you include the time you have to spend on seeing each of the attractions then… the day will certainly be full.

Barcelona - sightseeing map - day one
background map source: openstreetmap.org

List of attractions in Barcelona (day 1):
1. Sagrada Familia
2. San Pau
3. Park Guell
4. Casa Milla
5. Passeig de Gracia
6. Casa Batllo
7. Catalan Square
8. Montjuic Hill
9. FC Barcelona Stadium

I also provide the walking route for the first day in form active route on Google maps - [click]

1. Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia
state in 2012

We start with one of the most famous buildings in Barcelona and the world. There are several reasons for this route arrangement. Firstly, there is a metro station directly under the cathedral. So you can quickly get to the start of your tour by metro from every corner of Barcelona. In this way, my sightseeing proposal becomes easily accessible to everyone, regardless of where in Barcelona they will stay overnight. The plan is supposed to be universal, so I thought it would be a good idea. In addition, in the morning at Sagrada Familia, there is not a large crowd yet, so it is definitely more pleasant to visit.

Tickets to the Sagrada Familia
I recommend that you buy tickets to enter the cathedral in advance via the Internet - [click], due to the fact that they are sold for a specific date and time of entry. On another day and at a different time, you will not enter. Buying tickets right in front of the entrance is definitely a bad idea. There are always large lines at the ticket offices and there is no guarantee that you will be able to get a ticket for the next hour. It may turn out that the next free entrance is, for example, in 3 hours. And then what? All day blown away. Instead of leisurely exploring everything you have planned, you wait to enter the Sagrada.

Fortunately, Sagrada Familia electronically distributes tickets through several channels and you can buy them well in advance for example here - [click].
Recently, the ticket distributor provides live information about their actual availability for specific days. The tool is in the form of a calendar and I present it below.

The calendar highlights the days for which tickets are still available. By clicking on the next days and time slots below the calendar, you can check the number of free places and available entry times.
Clicking alone does not yet book tickets, so you can even use this tool as a good way to check the current availability of tickets. A really great and very useful thing in my opinion.

Sagrada Familia, GPS coordinates:
41°24’14.6″N 2°10’30.0″E
41.404061, 2.175011 - click and route

More information about the Sagrada Familia can be found in a separate entry: Sagrada Familia (Barcelona) - tickets, sightseeing, interesting facts

2. San Pau
The former hospital of Sant Pau is an architectural masterpiece!

Barcelona's most underrated attraction is the building of the former Sant Pau Hospital. A beautiful, outstandingly beautiful complex of buildings located a few steps from the Sagrada Familia. It is overlooked by most tourists… because many guides do not mention it or only mention it in a few words.
Failure to do so is an unforgivable mistake. The mistake is so big that some people who have already been to Barcelona and have not seen it return to Barcelona especially to see it. In 1997, the stunning architecture of the building was appreciated by UNESCO by including the former hospital on its heritage list. You have to see!

You can buy entrance tickets to Sant Pau without queuing online at: Sant Pau - GetYourGuide - admission ticket - [click]

Sant Pau, GPS coordinates:
41°24’41.5″N 2°10’27.6″E
41.411524, 2.174330 - click and route

3. Park Güell
A fragment of buildings in Park Guell

Park Guell was not meant to be a park at all ... it was supposed to be a housing estate for the wealthy bourgeoisie.
Catalan entrepreneur Eusebio Guell, fascinated by English garden cities, decided to implement a similar project in Barcelona. He commissioned his friend Antoni Gaudi to work on the project. Gaudi designed a garden-estate of 60 plots of land, but only five buildings were built: two at the main entrance and three in the present park. Gaudi himself lived in one of them until 1906 (today it is a museum).

Entrance tickets to Park Guell are sold for a specific date and time. It is very likely that if you want to buy tickets on the spot at the box office, there will be no free tickets for the next few hours. The best and probably the only sensible option is to buy tickets online in advance. You can do it directly on the ticket vendor's website, e.g. here: entrance tickets to Park Guell - [click]

Park Güell, GPS coordinates:
41°24’48.5″N 2°09’11.2″E
41.413481, 2.153099 - click and route

4. Casa Milla
Casa Milla - Barcelona
photo by Florencia Potter

Called by the Barcelona people La Pedrera or "quarry" Casa Mila is widely recognized as the culmination of Gaudi's creativity and the most mature project. At the same time, it is the last non-sacred design made by Gaudi.
In creating the shape of the building, Gaudi deliberately avoided the use of straight lines. The undulating shape of the building is often associated with the rocking sea, and the balustrades of balconies with seaweed.
The chimneys on the roof of the building are very characteristic and often seen in souvenir photos. Their shape was inspired by the shapes of the smoke emerging from traditional chimneys. So you can say that at Casa Mila the chimneys are shaped like smoke 🙂

The chimneys at Casa Milla… there are many more and they are all strange

Tickets to Casa Mila are sold for a specific date and time. There is no guarantee that upcoming hour tickets will be available at the ticket office. Fortunately, entrance tickets to Casa Mila are also available online. On page Casa Mila - admission tickets - [click] check availability and order tickets for the day and time you are interested in.

Mile House, GPS coordinates:
41°23’42.5″N 2°09’42.5″E
41.395142, 2.161809 - click and route

5. Passeig de Gracia

Passeig de Gracia is the most prestigious and, at the same time, the most expensive street in Barcelona and the second most expensive street in all of Spain (of course, this is about the prices of real estate next to it). Unfortunately, it does not end with real estate prices. Everything on this street is probably the most expensive. Unfortunately for us, during the march on Passeig de Gracia we got very hungry. So we went to the first typical little eaterie on the bank and from the menu hanging on the wall above the bar we chose a pizza for everyone (two pizzas for EUR 15 each, i.e. EUR 30 in total). In other streets, pizza cost between EUR 6 and EUR 9, but we did not have the strength to look for something cheaper.
We were given a number and the service was supposed to bring food to the table. It did, too, but as the waiter placed our order for a table, I nearly fell off my chair. What on the menu was pompously called a pizza, it turned out to be nothing more than a half of a small roll, a Kaiser located on a tiny saucer-sized plate, delicately sprinkled with a few crumbs of mushrooms and cheese. In the category of TOP 10 worst and most expensive culinary mishaps from my travels, this meal is one of the top positions to this day.
If, however, you want to go crazy with shopping in expensive boutiques, branded stores and expensive restaurants, this is the best place. It will clean your wallets in the blink of an eye 🙂

Why is this street on my itinerary? Precisely to take a walk down the most expensive street in Barcelona. After all, there are also two other important attractions: Casa Mila and Casa Batllo. Besides, Passeig de Gracia simply looks beautiful. The buildings are sumptuous, perfectly maintained, and built with a view to enchanting. Even the streetlights are almost like works of art. It is simply a pleasure to walk Passeig de Gracia.

Paseo de Gracia, GPS coordinates:
41°23’36.1″N 2°09’47.3″E
41.393349, 2.163133 - click and route

6. Casa Batllo
Detail of the facade of Casa Batllo - Barcelona

Josep Batllo i Casanovas, who owned the tenement house from 1900, originally planned to demolish it. Ultimately, he gave up on this plan and had it rebuilt. The commission was accepted by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Bayo and Font. Gaudi personally supervised the ongoing work. Looking at the tenement house, you will easily find Gaudi's favorite references to nature motifs: bones, skull bones (balconies), scales (dragon scales on the roof) and fish scales (broken ceramics on the facade). The interior of the building is also the work of Gaudi. He even designed details such as furniture and lighting (including chandeliers).
Undoubtedly, Gaudi gave the building a new life and a new soul, and he did his job so well that the apartment building, which was originally supposed to be demolished, finally found its way to UNESCO list.

Tickets to Casa Batllo are sold for a specific date and time. So if you want to enter at a time that suits you, the best way is to buy tickets online. On page Casa Batllo - admission tickets - [click] check availability and order tickets for the day and time you are interested in.

Casa Batllo, GPS coordinates:
41°23’30.7″N 2°09’53.9″E
41.391859, 2.164969 - click and route

7. Catalan Square
View from Piazza Catalonia towards La Rambla

Plaza Catalunya is one of Barcelona's most important landmarks. Several of the most important streets meet here and one of the key communication junctions functions here. All means of communication intersect here, so it's a great place to start or end your sightseeing tour. You can get anywhere from here and do it really quickly.
This is also the case in the plan I am proposing. This is where the typical walking part of the tour ends. If you have the strength and desire, you can continue your sightseeing, for example by taking the metro towards the Montjuic hill described below or the FC Barcelona stadium.
The choice is yours.

Catalan Square, GPS coordinates:
41°23’13.1″N 2°10’12.1″E
41.386971, 2.170018 - click and route

8. The hill of Montjuic

Barcelona's Montjuic Hill is, in short, a gigantic city park, situated entirely on a green hill, full of attractions for residents and tourists.
In fact, you can spend a whole day or even a few days on the hill itself.
Greenery, sports facilities, playgrounds, brilliant museums, cable cars, restaurants with amazing panoramic views of the city ... There are really a lot of places worth seeing here. I will briefly mention a few of the most interesting ones that will help you plan your visit to the hill.

- Spanish town (Poble Espanyol)

A great place for those who want to feel the atmosphere of the Spanish countryside, but without leaving Barcelona. How it's possible? The idea arose during the preparations for the world exhibition EXPO, which was to be hosted in 1929 by Barcelona. The Spaniards wanted to take advantage of the fact that crowds of people from all over the world would visit Barcelona during the EXPO. So they decided in the vicinity of the EXPO site to build a demonstration small Spanish townthat would present the beauty of buildings that can be found in the provinces of Spain.
The town designers in search of ideas from Fr.they had previously visited over 1600 villages and towns. From the collected material, they chose the best and designed the Poble Espanyol.
The town consists of four parts, each of them reflects the character of four regions: the Mediterranean, North, South and Central Spain.
After the EXPO, the town was supposed to be demolished, but it was so popular that it still stands in Barcelona today and is still one of the city's most visited attractions.
In the Poble Espanyol area - as in a normal city - you will find plenty of cafes, restaurants, tourist attractions, museums and exhibitions. There are often concerts and various shows to make your visit and stay more enjoyable.

Tickets to Poble Espanyol
Admission is ticketed, and my observation shows that ticket prices are regulated in such a way that online purchase - [click] it was cheaper than buying at the checkout counter at the entrance. On average, buying online on one ticket you can save from 1 to 2 EUR

Spanish town, GPS coordinates:
41°22’09.0″N 2°08’48.1″E
41.369156, 2.146698 - click and route

- Castle Montjuic (Castillo Montjuic)

There is usually a castle at the top of the hill. It is no different in Barcelona. To reach the castle, you need to get to the very top of the mountain. This can be done easily because of the metro station Parallel a special line runs to the Montjuic hill, marked as: FM (you can use it on the same ticket as in the subway, you do not need to buy an additional ticket), and further (from the very top station of the FM line) a cable car will take you to the top Teleferic de Montjuic. You need to buy a separate ticket for the cable car.
Barcelona is still struggling with the idea of ​​using the castle to this day. Due to its recent history, the Barcelona people simply do not like it (in the XNUMXth century, during the rule of General Francisco Franco, the castle was poured with the blood of hundreds of Catalans tortured and murdered in it).

Montjuic Castle, GPS coordinates:
41°21’49.9″N 2°10’01.7″E
41.363854, 2.167136 - click and route

- National Art Museum of Catalonia (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya)
National Art Museum of Catalonia, Barcelona

Briefly named MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia), it is one of the largest museums in Spain. It contains works of art from over 1000 years of history (from the XNUMXth century). The exhibition is divided into several parts:
- Romanesque Art (considered the largest collection in the world)
- Gothic - Catalan art from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century.
- Renaissance and Baroque - Spanish, Italian and Flemish art from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth century
- modern Art
- prints
- photography
- coins and securities
In the following sections you will come across works by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Ramon Casas, Antonio Gaudi, Savadore Dalí, El Greco, Zurbaran, Velazquez, Fortuna, Torres-García, Julio Gonzalez.

The National Art Museum of Catalonia is located at the foot of Montjuic hill and is easiest to reach from one of the largest metro interchange stations: Espanya (metro lines L1, L3, L8 reach here)

National Art Museum of Catalonia, GPS coordinates:
41°22’07.7″N 2°09’11.9″E
41.368806, 2.153314 - click and route

- Stadium and other Olympic venues

In 1992, Montjuic Hill was the main arena of the Olympic Games in Barcelona at that time. At that time, many sports facilities were built on the hill, the most impressive of which is the Olympic stadium, which could accommodate 65 spectators.
The main facade of the stadium looks more like a castle or a palace than a stadium and it is by far the most impressive.
The teams from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Croatia performed for the first time in history at the Barcelona Olympics. There are also three new disciplines: women's judo, baseball and badminton.

Stadium and other Olympic venues, GPS coordinates:
41°21’53.3″N 2°09’13.3″E
41.364810, 2.153699 - click and route

- Joan Miro Museum (Fundació Joan Miró)
One of the sculptures in front of the Joan Miro museum - Barcelona

One of my favorite museums, but mine in this case may not be objective, I'm just a fan of this artist's work. You could find out about it on the occasion of the entry related to a visit to Joan Miro's house in Majorca - [click]
For art lovers, and especially for those who like the Miro style, this is a must-see. The museum is large and the collection is impressive.

Tickets to Fundacio Joan Miro can be buy online - [click]

Joan Miro Museum, GPS coordinates:
41°22’06.4″N 2°09’35.6″E
41.368438, 2.159879 - click and route

- Teleferic de Montjuic - cable car

The cable car mentioned in one of the previous paragraphs allows you to effortlessly get to the top of the hill where it is located Montjuic Castle. The lower cable car station is located at the FM railway station (the FM line starts at the Paral-lel metro station and takes the same ticket as on the metro). You need to buy a separate ticket for the Teleferic de Montjuic cable car.
Of course, the main attraction of Teleferic de Montjuic are the views that we have a chance to see during the journey.

Tickets for the cable car to Montjuic can be buy online - [click]

Teleferic de Montjuic cable car station, GPS coordinates:
41°22’07.4″N 2°09’48.5″E
41.368728, 2.163477 - click and route

- Teleferic del Port - cable car
Teleferic del Port cable car in Barcelona

Also called Transbordador Aeri del Port is old and looks quite archaic, but the views of the city available from it are unique.
The cable car route takes you from the port of Barcelona to Montjuic Hill and after a short walk to the valley station of the Teleferic de Montjuic, you can continue up the hill to the castle.

Teleferic del Port - Montjuic hill station (Estacion Miramar), GPS coordinates:
41°22’16.0″N 2°10’20.9″E
41.371098, 2.172474 - click and route

Teleferic del Port - station in the port, GPS coordinates:
41°22’23.4″N 2°11’16.1″E
41.373162, 2.187818 - click and route

9. FC Barcelona Stadium and tickets to the team's matches
Impressions from the live match are priceless

This object needs no special introduction. A must-see for football lovers.
On the main pedestrian street of Barcelona, ​​La Rambla, there are special points where you can buy tickets for the next Barcelona matches. The way it works is that if the owner of a pass, who has a guaranteed seat for the entire season, cannot attend the game, he or she will submit his seat for resale. You can buy such a free seat at one of the points on La Rambla, thanks to which you can see the game and the owner of the pass gets money.
Unfortunately, the repurchase prices are higher than the original ticket price (the owner of the ticket and the broker in the La Rambla booth earn), but often there is no other option to buy a ticket for a FC Barcelona match.
Some Barcelona residents buy season tickets every year only to sell them throughout the season and earn money on it. For some, the second ticket circulation is an opportunity for additional earnings, and for others it is the only opportunity to see the match of their favorite team.
While in Barcelona, ​​I used the opportunity to buy a free seat and bought a ticket for the Barcelona derby, which took place the next day. FC Barcelona won 3-0 against Espanyol de Barcelona and it was also Pep Guardiola's farewell match as FC Barcelona coach.
I have posted a picture of this event above.
Nowadays, purchasing tickets for an FC Barcelona match is much easier than ever. This is due to distribution via the Internet. You can easily buy free tickets as well as second-circulation tickets. Just click and you immediately get the entire FC Barcelona schedule along with ticket prices and the distribution of available seats.

The FC Barcelona stadium is currently under renovation (until the end of 2024), but the club's museum has been reopened in a new location and can be visited.. Tickets to visit the FC Barcelona museum you can buy online - [click]

check out: second circulation tickets for FC Barcelona matches – [click]

ATTENTION! For football lovers
- check: tickets for the entire Spanish La Liga – [click]
- check: UEFA Champions League tickets – [click]

Camp Nou (FC Barcelona Stadium), GPS coordinates:
41°22’50.1″N 2°07’18.4″E
41.380588, 2.121771 - click and route

Visiting Barcelona on your own - day two

The second day of sightseeing seems even more demanding than the first. On the list of attractions, however, there are some that not everyone will use, because not everyone likes it (eg the Oceanarium or the Maritime Museum). These attractions, however, are perfect for families with children who do not necessarily like to see monuments.
You can, therefore, opt out of selected attractions, because you will not have enough time to complete everything.
On the second day, the route goes through the port of Barcelona, ​​so if on the first day something went wrong (mainly Montjuic hill), you can take the Teleferic del Port cable car from the port to the hill.
The routes of the first and second day can therefore be combined with each other, which gives you the flexibility to build your own plan.

Length of the route: 6 km
Walking time (without visiting attractions): 2 hours

Barcelona - sightseeing map - day two
background map source: openstreetmap.org

List of attractions in Barcelona (day 2):
10. Palace of Catalan Music
11. Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic)
12. Cathedral of Saint Eulalia (Catedral de Barcelona)
13. Place del Rei
14. Place de Sant Jaume
15. Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi
16. Oceanarium
17. Christopher Columbus's Column
18. Maritime Museum
19. La Rambla
20. Guell Palace
21. La Boqueria Bazaar
22. Catalan Square
23. Barceloneta Beach

The walking route for the next day is also available in form active route on Google maps - [click]

10. Palace of Catalan Music
Palace of Catalan Music in Barcelona
photo by Manuel Torres Garcia

We start the second day with a visit to the Palace of Catalan Music. A beautiful, architecturally extraordinary building with amazing interiors. One of the most beautiful monuments of Catalan Art Nouveau. The fact that the building is entered on the UNESCO heritage list is probably enough for all other recommendations.
An interesting fact is that the palace was average ... for listening to music. After the initial admiration for the building, the first negative reviews of the palace as a music listening place appeared about ten years after it was put into use. More and more flaws were noticed in it, and finally a new (of course unofficial) name stuck to it: Palau de la Quincalleria Catalanawhich in translation means Palace of Catalan Rubbish.
There were ideas to deprive the palace of most of the interior decorations, because perhaps then it will better fulfill the function for which it was created. Most likely, the fact that listening to the music inside drowned out the tolling of nearby bells and the traffic caused that these ideas were abandoned. Thus, the palace has survived in its original form to our times and we can enjoy the eyes with a wonderful interior design.
Do Palace of Catalan Music the easiest way to get there is on foot from the Urquinaona metro station (lines L1, L4). I also marked the location of the metro station on the map.

Entrance tickets to the Palace of Music of Catalonia you can buy online - [click]

Palace of Catalan Music, GPS coordinates:
41°23’14.9″N 2°10’32.0″E
41.387479, 2.175541 - click and route

11. Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic)
Architectural delights in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter

The Gothic Quarter is a part of the city, which I marked on the map with number 11. For a better illustration, I also put a red rectangular frame on the map, which more or less indicates the area Gothic Quarter. Visiting this area is mainly about aimlessly wandering through the streetswhich you want to enter at the moment. Along the way, you will probably come across several attractions, which I have distinguished with the numbers: 12, 13, 14 and 15.
There are many more interesting places in the Gothic Quarter, so don't limit yourself to those mentioned by me. Just spend some time in this part of town. Have a coffee, have a cookie or do whatever you want and surrender to the gothic atmosphere.

12. Cathedral of Saint Eulalia (Catedral de Barcelona)
Saint Eulalia Cathedral, Barcelona

The cathedral was built in several stages from the XNUMXth to the XNUMXth centuries. It has a beautiful, monumental, neo-Gothic facade and is also the seat of the Catalan Archdiocese.
Inside the cathedral there is a richly decorated tombstone made of alabaster, in which the patron of the cathedral is buried. Eulalia (died in 304 as a martyr during the persecution of Christians during the reigns of Diocletian and Maximian).
On the south side of the cathedral there are buildings of the former seat of the archbishop adjacent to it. Among them is a pretty courtyard surrounded by cloisters with a small pool with a fountain. Usually thirteen white geese swim here, symbolizing the age of the church patron.

Saint Eulalia Cathedral, GPS coordinates:
41°23’03.4″N 2°10’34.3″E
41.384281, 2.176181 - click and route

13. Placa del Rei
Placa del Rei, Barcelona

The Royal Square (or Placa del Rei) is a medieval public square built in the XNUMXth century, surrounded by interesting buildings that make up the Grand Royal Palace. The Grand Palace includes:
- Salón del Tinell, a large hall with an impressive vaulted arches
- Saint Agatha's Royal Chapel
- Palau del Lloctinent, i.e. the Governor's Palace with the five-story Mirador del Rei Martí tower (i.e. King Martin's Watchtower)
On the south side of the Royal Square is the Casa Padellas Palace building, transferred here stone by stone from another part of Barcelona. Currently, it houses the Museum of the History of the City of Barcelona (called MUHBA for short), where you can also visit the neighboring buildings of the Grand Royal Palace.

Place del Rei, GPS coordinates:
41°23’03.1″N 2°10’38.7″E
41.384182, 2.177414 - click and route

14. Placa de San Jaume

In translation, St. James's Square is widely recognized as the central and at the same time the most important square in the Gothic quarter. The reason is that there are two most important buildings next to it:
- the historic city hall, or Casa de la Ciudad de Barcelona, ​​where city council sessions are still held
- the seat of the Catalan government, i.e. Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya
It is interesting to note that the present Saint James' Square is located exactly where the center of the Roman city of Barcino used to be. The two most important streets of the city of Cardo (today Llibreteria and Call Streets) and Decumanus (today Bisbe / Ciutat / Regomir streets) crossed here. At the intersection there was a forum and the Roman Temple of Augustus, of which four columns have survived to this day (currently it is Carrer del Paradís street number 10).

Placa de San Jaume
41°22’57.8″N 2°10’37.3″E
41.382731, 2.177020 - click and route

15. Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi

A very characteristic gothic church, which cannot be missed while walking around the gothic quarter. Above the entrance to the church there is one of the largest rosettes in the world, which unfortunately did not survive to our times in the original and was completely recreated.
It is possible to climb the bell tower of the church, from which there is a beautiful view of the city, but admission is paid (€ 2021-5 in 10).

Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi, GPS coordinates:
41°22’56.6″N 2°10’25.4″E
41.382377, 2.173709 - click and route

16. Aquarium
Barcelona Oceanarium
photo by Mathis Jrdl

The attraction opened in 1995 arouses great interest and joy among children and, of course, adults. The biggest attraction of the Barcelona Oceanarium is, of course, the underwater tunnel with a moving walkway “at the bottom of the ocean”. The possibility of observing life in the ocean from the bottom of the reservoir is always amazing. The passage, and in fact the passage through the underwater pipe, is organized in such a way that we can do it even several times.
The aquarium is very popular, but admission tickets can fortunately be purchased online in advance. I definitely recommend this way.

Check availability: skip-the-line admission ticket to the Barcelona Oceanarium - [click]

Barcelona Oceanarium, GPS coordinates:
41°22’36.6″N 2°11’02.8″E
41.376846, 2.184114 - click and route

17. Column of Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus points at the column with his hand ... that's it. Until today, it is not known what!

One of the most characteristic points of the city and at the same time an important landmark for tourists. Of course, the positioning of the column in this place is not accidental. It was here that Christopher Columbus, welcomed by the royal couple, landed on his way back from his trip to India.
The figure of Columbus on the monument has his arm stretched out in front of him and is clearly pointing at something. The first idea is always that it points to America… but unfortunately it is not. It is still not certain what Columbus points to, and many ideas for it (mainly humorous) have already been created. Currently, the official version is that it points to…. the port he has in front of him.

Christopher Columbus Column, GPS coordinates:
41°22’33.0″N 2°10’39.8″E
41.375839, 2.177731 - click and route

18. The Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum in Barcelona, ​​functioning in the former port buildings, has a really great atmosphere. Mainly due to the buildings themselves, which are perfectly restored in themselves, arouse admiration. For this, it is enough to add a clever and interestingly organized exhibition and two hours of sightseeing pass in the blink of an eye.
In 2021, the entrance ticket to the museum cost EUR 10.

Maritime Museum, GPS coordinates:
41°22’31.6″N 2°10’36.0″E
41.375453, 2.176675 - click and route

19. La Rambla
La Rambla, Barcelona

Probably the most famous and popular walking street in Barcelona. Its entire length is filled with cafes, stalls, street artists. Due to the number of tourists walking around La Rambla, it is also the main workplace for petty thieves and pickpockets. Probably the largest number of petty thefts per square meter of area takes place here. I recommend that you have your wallet and pockets under constant control while walking around La Rambla.
Despite the large number of small restaurants encouraging consumption, I do not recommend eating on La Rambla. It is expensive and not necessarily tasty. You can get better and cheaper food in places away from the tourist center.
The La Rambla walk, however, is an obligatory point of the program, the more so as it leads to the next attractions in our plan.

La Rambla, GPS coordinates:
41°22’38.8″N 2°10’34.9″E
41.377438, 2.176352 - click and route

20. Palau Guell

Another of the buildings designed entirely by Antoni Gaudi. Often overlooked by visitors to Barcelona, ​​but definitely wrong. The Guell Palace is worth a visit and it is worth to summon a little more strength, because look inside. Gaudi designed almost everything here. From the basement to the roof and chimneys down to the last detail. He was not limited by any finances (Guell had a huge fortune), so everything was made of the highest quality materials by the best craftsmen.
In 1984, Palau Guell was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Palace of Guell, GPS coordinates:
41°22’43.7″N 2°10’26.6″E
41.378816, 2.174051 - click and route

21. La Boqueria market
Colors at La Boqueria in Barcelona

The most famous and huge bazaar in Barcelona. Filled with everything you can imagine. Countless varieties of beautiful, colorful and fragrant fruits and vegetables are displayed by merchants in such a way that they create an amazing rainbow of colors from which it is difficult to take your eyes off. I had the impression that arranging the displays on the stalls had already taken the form of a forwarding art.
In addition, cold cuts, meat, fish, preserves, alcohol, sweets ... over 13 square meters (because this is the size of the bazaar) of everything your heart desires.
Of course, there is also a quarter with street fast food. Inexpensive and really tasty. I definitely recommend looking for something for yourself here. Much cheaper and much tastier than on La Rambla, located a few steps away.

Main entrance to La Boqueria market, GPS coordinates:
41°22’55.2″N 2°10’19.9″E
41.381993, 2.172192 - click and route

22. Catalan Square

At the end of the tour, we reach Plaza Catalunya again, from which you can get anywhere quickly. Now comes the time to decide, do you still have the strength and willingness to continue exploring, or is it time for the sinful pleasures of drinking and eating in the evening? Or maybe you have something to catch up on from the day before?
Perhaps it would be a good idea to spend an evening by the sea on the beach? After all, Barceloneta is in Barcelona. which is a huge city beach.

Catalan Square, GPS coordinates:
41°23’13.1″N 2°10’12.1″E
41.386971, 2.170018 - click and route

23. Barceloneta Beach
Bareceloneta Beach on the Mediterranean Sea

Barceloneta is basically one of the districts of Barcelona, ​​but tourists usually call it the beautiful, wide, sandy beach that is located in this district.
The beach itself has several names because it is divided into several parts: San Sebastian beach, Sant Miquel beach, Somorrostro beach ... but who would remember it all? The name Barceloneta is commonly used and everyone knows what's going on.
The easiest way to get to the beach is by metro (line L4) and get off at a stop with a shockingly surprising name: Barceloneta : )
Then you still have to walk a bit through the residential area and we are on the Mediterranean Sea.
Near the beach you will find seafood eateries and traditional tapas bars.

Barceloneta Beach, GPS coordinates:
41°22’36.2″N 2°11’28.4″E
41.376708, 2.191228 - click and route

Buses for tourists

If the sightseeing plan proposed by me was too demanding for you physically, I can propose an interesting lifebuoy. Hop On-Off buses, i.e. bus lines especially for tourists who do not want or do not have the strength to walk everywhere. These lines run over and over again on fixed routes and have stops next to the city's top tourist attractions. You can get on and off as many times as you want, because the ticket is valid for a specific time, not for a journey. 1-day and 2-day tickets are available.
By using the Hop On-Off buses, you can drive to an attraction, get off, visit it, return to the bus, drive to the next attraction and so on ...
Some carriers offer even more than one Hop On-Off line within one ticket. Such an offer I found it here - [click].
As part of one ticket valid for 1 or 2 days, you can use two bus lines: red and blue. Both lines run approximately every 20 minutes and serve a total of 36 stops.

The blue line route includes:
1. Plaça de Catalunya
2. Casa Batlló - Fundació Antoni Tàpies
3. Passeig de Gràcia - La Pedrera
4. Sagrada Familia
5. Example
6. Park Guell
7. Tramvia Blau - Tibidabo
8. Sarria
9. Monestir de Pedralbes
10. Palau Reial - Pavellons Güell
11. Football Club Barcelona
12. Diagonal Les Corts
13. Francesc Macià - Diagona
14. MACBA - CCCB

The red line route is:
1. Plaça de Catalunya
2. Casa Batlló - Fundació Antoni Tàpies
3. Passeig de Gràcia - La Pedrera
4. Francesc Macià - Diagonal
5. Estacio de Sants
6. Creu Cobert
7. Spanish Square
8. Caixa Fòrum - Pavelló Mies van der Rohe
9. Poble Espanyol
10. Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
11. Anella Olimpica
12. Joan Miró Foundation
13. Teleferic de Montjuic
14. Miramar - Jardins Costa and Llobera
15. World Trade Center
16. Colom - Museu Maritim
17. Velli Harbor
18. Museu d'Història de Catalunya
19. Olympic Port
20. Zoo
21. Pla de Palau - Parc de la Ciutadella
22. Barri Gotic

If you have read my entire post, you can easily find the attractions described by me on the list of stops provided above.
Note that the common stop for both lines is well known to us Catalan Square (Plaça de Catalunya) and at this stop, if necessary, you can change from one line to the other.

Ticket for Hop On-Off buses in Barcelona you can buy online here - [click] ... in fact, you buy a voucher online, which is converted into a ticket when you get on at any stop on the route. Only when the coupon is exchanged for a ticket does the counting of the ticket validity period start.

Barcelona - accommodation and hotels

In terms of accommodation, Barcelona is very specific. Theoretically, finding an interesting accommodation should not be a problem, because these are huge cities, but in practice this is not always the case. Most often you can find it at an attractive price hostels with rooms without bathroom or dorms. Not everyone is happy with this. Hotels of a better standard, which we consider to be a normal standard on a daily basis, i.e. a typical double room with its own bathroom, unfortunately, are much more expensive than in other cities. This is probably due to the popularity of Barcelona. Finding the right quality accommodation at a good price in Barcelona can be difficult and you will need to spend a bit more time doing it.
Fortunately, in Barcelona you don't have to live in the very center of the city. Due to the excellent communication (I mean the metro) it is enough to live close to any metro station and you can get to any point in the city in no time.
For your convenience, here are some suggestions that I found interesting. Perhaps you will like them or they will be a good starting point for further research. Click, search, choose!

Casa Jam Barcelona - [click]

Hotel Rec Barcelona - [click]

Hotel Omnium - [click]

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Pozdrawiam




55 comments on "Barcelona: the biggest attractions (map, sightseeing plan, tickets, monuments, interesting facts)"

  • o
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    Very useful info. Thanks to the article, I adjusted my plan better.

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    • o
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      A sensational sightseeing plan, I used it to the maximum and thank you very much 😊

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      • o
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        Ooooooo! Cool! I'm glad it worked 👍

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      • o
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        A light but factual description of Barcelona's attractions. Cool.

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        • o
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          thanks for the information. very useful. links to tickets are a good solution

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    • o
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      I read it with interest and will come back before and during my departure.

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    • o
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      Very helpful, probably the best "guide" that I used to travel around Barcelona, ​​it was great that there were photos, even better with an active map, it was very helpful, factual, well-thought-out - I will recommend it and will also use it in other places

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  • o
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    Beautiful photos and a great guide. Barcelona is one of the must-see places in Europe.

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  • o
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    A very useful sightseeing plan. I will definitely use it.
    pozdrawiam

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  • o
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    great plan, no unnecessary writing about writing. Thanks.

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    • o
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      Great description of the trip.
      All very useful news.
      Best regards and I wish you further success in this kind of work🤗

      Reply
  • o
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    I am a little online person, but I will be happy to write a comment.
    We visited Rome with my family based on your guide and we were exhausted but happy :) Very practically written with links to google (made it very easy).
    Now we are going to Barcelona and we will certainly follow your tips, hoping for similar satisfaction. We highly recommend it

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    • o
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      I am very pleased and very happy! I know very well how important are nice memories from such journeys.
      Good luck in Barcelona!

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    • o
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      A very good guide!
      I can't wait to leave :)
      Thank you for making it easier to arrange the sightseeing plan :)

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      • o
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        We are going at the end of May, pensioners 72/75, no language and I think this material about Barcelona will be very helpful

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    • o
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      I was just getting ready to prepare a sightseeing plan and I came across the article, beautifully prepared, a huge help, I'm grateful 👍

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  • o
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    A very good plan. It's a pity I found it on the last day of my stay. But I will recommend it to anyone who asks me to visit Barcelona.

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  • o
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    Great article, very substantive, clear and accurate. Thanks to him, he is just adjusting his confiding plan!

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  • o
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    Great article, going to Barcelona in April we will definitely use it :) I have one question - if we land at the airport in Barcelona at 15.20 we have a chance to get (city transport?) to the Camp Nou stadium for the match at 18.00? I'm looking for an answer from someone who knows the realities of moving around the city. I will be grateful for your response:)

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    • o
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      It takes about an hour to get from the airport to the stadium. It should be fine if the flight is more or less on time.

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    • o
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      Great article! Specific, practical and interesting. congratulations. Thank you!

      Reply
  • o
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    A very useful itinerary. We will definitely take advantage of the planned trip in May.
    Best Regards

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  • o
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    Good job!!! It makes it much easier to plan sightseeing in Barcelona. Thank you 🙂

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  • o
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    A very helpful article, especially for people visiting Barcelona for the first time. A great idea with maps that make planning and sightseeing much easier.

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  • o
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    I've already used the guide to Rome, it's great, I'm going to Barcelona in March, I also used the great guide. I'm looking forward to the Naples guide 🙂 I'm going in October 😉

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    • o
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      You normally read my mind.
      The guide to Naples is being created and is already 50 percent ready.

      Reply
  • o
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    Tomorrow we are flying to Barcelona, ​​which we chose this year instead of skiing.
    We will be there for 4 days but I already see that we will spend 2-3 days as described in your guide,
    If only the weather didn't make it difficult to visit.
    The description shows that in total we will only use the subway to get from the hotel to the starting point and when returning to the hotel

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    • o
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      So fingers crossed for the weather!👍👍👍

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  • o
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    Great tips, you worked hard 🙂 thanks a lot! I am flying with a friend in April but Barcelona only for 1 day. Can you please write to me, is it possible to buy 1-2 tickets for this bus, and not the entire card for two days? Best regards <3

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  • o
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    Very helpful article especially for people planning to go to Barcelona for the first time 😊 thanks!

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  • o
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    Very nice plan, everything clear, understandable and helpful :) great locations

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  • o
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    When I read all these blogs vlogs and other shit ..... I can't wait to visit Spain for the first time in my life. The long - awaited holiday is coming , full 7 days of sightseeing without any time or financial limitations . Really well done article. We saw everything on the list and we were at least walking in many other places. We made it on foot!!!! During these days over 90 km. Walking from about 9-10 am to about 1-2 am every day. One thing I do know is that the food is disgusting. How much can you eat a baguette or a croissant for breakfast, and for lunch and dinner, as well as brunch and afternoon tea, fries with sauce or roasted peppers in oil and other tapas of this type?! Their famous paella looking different in every "restaurant" for 15-30 euros? I will gladly send photos. This is their question entering every restaurant or bar or pub will I eat or drink? Because as soon as I drink it, they will give me a place by the toilets like on the terrace, it's 10 % more on the bill 🤣. And it is clearly written on the napkin holder. One is the truth is beautiful. For us Poles, a different place, different weather, different climate, but the way they treat tourists "like idiots" is unacceptable. I think that everywhere is good where we are not there is a perfect saying. I've been to many places, maybe not in the world but in Europe and I think that Poland's gastronomy is at a really high level. You know that in only one restaurant there was warm water in the toilet and we were in about 40 places 🤣 muck and dirt everywhere. Everywhere . Have a nice holiday 🤗🤗🤗

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  • o
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    I just booked plane tickets for the winter holidays 2024 🙂 I will definitely use the guide, especially since my kids love sightseeing and long hikes. Thanks

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  • o
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    Jack, great respect and thanks for all your tips. I've been to Spain 3 times, but to Barcelona for the first time. Trip planned in one day with the whole family. And what. We were able to handle such a makeshift only thanks to your hints. With your maps and descriptions, we walked the whole city in 2,5 days, visited almost everything. The remaining 2,5 days in Cambrils are more lazy and the May weekend is perfect. I recommend your site, really helpful.

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  • o
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    On Sunday we fly to Barcelona, ​​we will walk step by step according to your instructions.
    Thank you very much for the great plan and description.

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  • o
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    Great elaboration, great job! 👍 I didn't read sentence by sentence, but I looked through it from the perspective of a person who had just returned from Barcelona (so, unfortunately, "after") and planned what and how to see (so I have some insight), and then the idea is one thing, but the implementation by the way, because logistically something else comes out of the place, and here is a ready list of attractions and most importantly - the order, and these coordinates are a masterpiece! 😁 . I haven't seen half of these places (but I've been to places off the list - Tibidabo, Montserrat, Cituadella Park, Triumphal Arch - in the neighborhood anyway), but I'm glad I got here, because I'm going to go to Barcelona one day and there will still be a lot to see. And let everyone who manages to find this study be happy 😊 Greetings! 😉

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  • o
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    Great, as usual. (Same as new entries from Portugal). You put a lot of work into it.
    We are going there in November and I will also follow your advice. Thank you and best regards

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  • o
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    After reading all these comments, let me copy the plan and use it.
    I will be in Barcelona in November and I will also add Montserrat to the plan.

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    • o
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      We are in Barcelona (February 2024), great routes. Thank you very much for the maps. Barcelona is a beautiful, clean, well-organized and cultural city (visiting monuments and people). We are very positively surprised, after visiting many European cities - number 1! It's worth knowing - Sagrada familia accepts Polish cards for large families. However, you must first contact the service directly: descomptes@ext.sagradafamilia.org

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  • o
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    I'm going to Barcelona in March for a week. Great tips, maps. I create my sightseeing plan based on your plans. Thanks, great advice.

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  • o
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    Good morning, which of the above-mentioned attractions do you absolutely recommend visiting, and which ones can only be seen from the outside? Because almost everywhere there are indications where to buy tickets, and I wonder if it's just for information purposes, or if each of these places is actually worth going inside.

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    • o
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      It depends on what someone is interested in. If, for example, you have a weaker need to admire interiors, seeing one of Gaudi's tenement houses may be enough for you. On the other hand, there are those who come to Barcelona especially for Gaudi, so letting go of the tenement houses would make no sense to them.
      However, you must make the final choice yourself, according to your interests. Don't miss out on entering: Sagrada Familia, Sant Pau, Park Guell.

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  • o
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    brilliantly prepared! you can get in and go, without searching, comparing or investigating! I love!

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  • o
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    You saved my day in Barcelona, ​​which thanks to this plan and many other tips will come to fruition. I'm leaving tomorrow. However, I have a request for help. I'm going by car, we want to start from point 1 on the map. Where is the best place to leave the car, taking into account the price and the fact that we have to return there from the last location?

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  • o
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    Great guide. We have already used your tour plan many times. We have already visited several countries with you. I have recommended your blog to many friends. COOL

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  • o
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    Puikus vadovas. After savf vyksime savaitei į Barselona. Puikūs patarimai, žemėlapiai. Savo sekkursijų planą sudarysiu pagal jūsų Planus. Ačiū, puikus patarimas.

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  • o
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    Brilliant guide. I am preparing for the trip and based on your guide I will organize a great trip for my family. Thank you and best regards

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  • o
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    great described plan for visiting Barcelona!! very helpful!!! best regards

    Reply

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