Barcelona - the 5 most beautiful sights
Barcelona has been one of the most popular city break destinations in Europe for many years. Even more guests now visit the Catalan capital than the Spanish capital Madrid.
No wonder, since Barcelona has a fantastic combination of a fantastic location on the Mediterranean, beautiful historical and modern architecture, an excellent museum landscape, countless party options, excellent food and mostly good weather.
The Sagrada Família
The Sagrada Família is the main attraction of Barcelona and undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary church buildings in the world. The gigantic basilica, with its 18 towers and five naves, is one of the most interesting places of worship in the world both inside and out.
The Sagrada Família is the masterpiece of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. He spent his entire life working on the basilica, which remains unfinished to this day. The church is not scheduled to be completed until 2026, on the 100th anniversary of the death of its architect.
Despite the ongoing construction work, you can still see the interior and the completed towers of the Sagrada Família. An absolutely extraordinary experience even for people who are not enthusiastic about churches.
The Gothic Quarter
The Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter) forms the center of the old town of Barcelona and is also the oldest district of the Catalan capital. For most visitors to Barcelona, the Gothic Quarter is the starting point for a stroll through the city.
Most of the buildings in the district date from the 14th and 15th centuries, Barcelona's former heyday. In the narrow and winding streets of the Barri Gòtic there is something new to discover at every corner. With the Gothic La Seu Cathedral and the Plaça del Rei, two of Barcelona's most important historical sights are located in the Gothic Quarter.
In addition to its sights, the Barri Gòtic is also worth a visit for food, drink and shopping. Numerous small shops, restaurants and bars are very popular with locals and tourists alike.
The Parc Güell
Parc Güell is one of the most architecturally extraordinary facilities in Europe. Like the Sagrada Família, the Parc is a masterpiece by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. The 17-hectare facility has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for over 25 years.
Parc Güell was once designed as a large garden city with its own market square. Ultimately, however, only three buildings were completed. Today it houses the Casa-Museu Gaudi museum, a school and a residential building. The rest of the complex consists of a large staircase, a huge terrace and a green area.
To visit Parc Güell, you should get tickets in good time. Due to the large number of visitors, the number of daily visitors is now limited.
La Rambla
No visit to Barcelona should end without a stroll along La Rambla. The 1,300 meter long promenade in the city center reflects the wonderful Mediterranean flair of the Catalan capital like no other place.
There is something going on on La Rambla at any time of the day: street musicians and artists perform here, locals read their newspapers on the park benches, families eat ice cream with their children and people buy art objects and flowers at markets.
Montjuïc
The approximately 170 meter high Montjuïc is one of Barcelona's two local mountains. Due to its beautiful location right next to the harbor, its great viewpoints over the city and the Mediterranean and, above all, its numerous sights, Montjuïc is one of the city's main attractions.
The mountain is home to three of Barcelona's most important art museums: the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, the CaixaForum and the Fundació Joan Miró. Also worth seeing are the historic Castell de Montjuïc fortress, the Poble Espanyol open-air architecture museum and the botanical garden. And in the evening you shouldn't miss the light-music show at the Font Màgica fountain.