Top 9 Things to See in Barcelona
Source: Jaume Meneses at flickr
When my wife and I visited Barcelona earlier this year, we got off the plane, took a taxi to our hotel, spent an hour or so freshening up after the long flight, and then high-tailed it out of the hotel to go find something to eat. We walked only a couple of blocks down La Rambla and into this interesting looking restaurant. And we had an absolutely amazing meal – a bit of paella, a bit of tapas, some beer and sangria. It was the best way to start our 7 week trip to Spain.
Later that same night, Barcelona FC defeated Real Madrid to clinch the Spanish La Liga championships. Europeans take their football seriously. La Rambla erupted into an all-night celebration. Unlike such celebrations in North America, it did not result in businesses being trashed, cars being set on fire, or multiple arrests. The celebrants were up until 4:30 in the morning, and the next day the street had been cleared and no visible damage had been done. It was a fun safe night being in the midst of that.
So without further ado, here are my personal top 9 places you should visit when in Barcelona:
1. La Rambla
This is a great place to get a hotel, as there is a lot to do within walking distance. First, the street itself, and several blocks in the immediate area, is a great shopping/walking district. The street has a grand boulevard down the middle, and there are all sorts of interesting characters and experiences to see. This is the quintessential Barcelona experience, and if you don’t immerse yourself in La Rambla, you have not experienced Barcelona.
2. Gaudi’s Casa Batllo
Antoni Gaudi was the reason we fell in love with Barcelona. Well, was it him, or was it the city planners 100 years ago who decided that they would not approve boring buildings? Gaudi’s stamp is all over the city, from many buildings to parks and even the great cathedral (#4 below). But the best Gaudi work has to be Casa Batllo. Don’t just drive past it, stop, buy a ticket, and go inside. Think about how much planning and though went into the design of the walls, ceilings, stairwells, hallways and roof. I wasn’t much into architecture before going to Barcelona, and I left there in love with the art in the design. Coming home and seeing the boring office towers and condos made me in a way sad that we’ve lost the bravery that it takes to approve buildings that are in ways works of art.
3. Barcelona Bus Turistic
I highly recommend taking a bus tour of the city. For 27 Euros per person, you can get a two-day hop on and off pass. This will take you to almost all the sites on this list. And so much of what makes Barcelona special did not make this list, and with this pass you can see all that.
4. Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia
Some people are into cathedrals and churches and some people are not. La Sagrada Familia is interesting in that it is incomplete and still actively being built. There is scaffolding and building materials within the cathedral. The church is being built, apparently, using the same plans and methods as it was 100 years ago when construction started. You don’t have to rush to see it being built however, as I expect it will be another 50 years at least before it’s complete.
5. Passeig de Gracia
Once you’re out of the old district of La Rambla, there is a wonderfully long shopping street called Passeig de Gracia. This is where Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Hugo Boss and other high end brands are. More than that, on a lovely summer day, it’s nice to walk up this street from store to store.
6. Port Vell
The government invested a decent amount of money in Port Vell, the main port at the foot of La Rambla. There are some great seafood restaurants and things to do down there. There also seem to be hundreds of small sailboats parked in the marina, but they’ve taken what could have been an old run-down part of town and turned it into something special.
7. Torre Agbar
Now why on Earth would the office tower of a water company be a top place to see? Well… take a look at this.
Source: pogurì at flickr
Torre Agbar is a modern work of art on the Barcelona skyline. It’s controversial, as many people have remarked how the tower resembles a particular part of the male anatomy. That’s probably intentional. But you have to take risks, and count me among those that like this tower.
8. Olympic Stadium
Barcelona hosted the Olympics in 1992. As is usual, this event pumped billions of dollars into the infrastructure of the host city and Barcelona is no different. The olympic area is worth a visit, including the stadium with it’s olympic torch.
9. Taller de Tapas
Finally, a friend suggested this restaurant to us and it was an amazing experience. It helped that our waiter was extremely friendly and made some excellent suggestions in terms of food to order. We went back a second time over a month later, and had another great experience. So I pass this suggestion on to you, and hope you love this restaurant as much as we did.
LikeRelated posts: