BARCELONA Upbeat culture, nightlife, authentic cuisine, exquisite art, original architecture, beaches, and harbors.

Barcelona, Spain is known for its upbeat culture, its nightlife, its authentic cuisine, and its exquisite art and original architecture, as well as its beaches and harbor.  This is a city that has it all.

Visit the Gothic Quarter for a look at the old center of town with plenty of cathedrals and beautiful squares.  Picasso once walked these streets, and you can walk the halls of the Picasso Museum for hours taking in the many different stages of his life and how it reflected in his art. There is also a multitude of other art galleries and museums featuring other famous artists such as Joan Miró, Francisco Goya, El Greco and Salvador Dalí. If it’s sports you are looking for, Barcelona has one of the most well-known fútbol (soccer) teams in the world, with one of the best fan followings.

Make sure to take a stroll down Las Ramblas to witness street vendors and performers.  Visit Boqueria Market off of Las Ramblas to take in a traditional Spanish market and to purchase fresh produce.  At the end of Las Ramblas is a large statue honoring Christopher Columbus that looks over the beautiful harbor filled with boats and lined with more vendors and performers.  The beach here is rated by many as one of the best city beaches in the world.

The cuisine and nightlife of Barcelona are both exquisite, and often go hand in hand.  Many groups go out for drinks and tapas (small plates or appetizers) before hitting up the dance clubs, often staying out until early in the morning.  If you are looking for a more relaxing and laid-back evening, there are plenty of restaurants that offer traditional Spanish cuisine.

Gaudi

Barcelona, is inextricably linked to the architecture of Antoni Gaudi. His most famous and unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, is the emblem of the city.

Like the basilica, Barcelona takes traditional ideas and presents them in new, even outrageous, forms. And the city’s bursts of building and innovation give the impression that it’s still being conceived. Both the church and the city can be tough places to get a handle on, yet their complexity is invigorating rather than forbidding.

Pro Tip

Don’t expect to eat lunch before 1 pm, or dinner before 8 pm at most restaurants. The Catalans eat later than most visitors, so use the time before to try out some tapas like the locals do.