Sightseeing in Barcelona: The Top 5 Must See Tourist Attractions!

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So you’re planning on sightseeing in Barcelona…

You’re in town for only a few days and want to get as much sightseeing in Barcelona done as is possible? Maybe it’s your first time in the city and you are not so interested in going off the beaten track, but you want to see all of the top tourist attractions that you have heard so much about?

If that’s the case then great! This is the article for you.

Even though the top tourist attractions in Barcelona can get pretty busy with well.. tourists (believe it or not) they are busy for a reason. You simply can’t come to Barcelona and not see them!

Let’s jump right into the list and start off with probably the most famous street for sightseeing in Barcelona..

1) La Rambla

For those of you who don’t know about La Rambla, it’s a street that runs down from Plaza Catalunya (the main square in the centre of the city centre) to the marina where the rich and famous like to leave their boats.

It’s roughly a kilometre long and is a favourite amongst tourists and locals alike for taking a gentle stroll down.

Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas

Restaurants, bars, flower stands and kiosks line the pedestrian area that is nestled between two roads either side of it. The restaurants and bars can be super expensive but if you feel like splashing out on one of the giant beers or sangrias on offer than it buys you an hour of people watching in the sun.

2) Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia
Sagrada Familia

This masterpiece, originally designed by Antoni Gaudí, is hands down the most impressive of all his works. No question about it. In my opinion it’s also the most impressive cathedral in the world, am I allowed to say that? Well it’s the most impressive cathedral I have ever seen that’s for sure.

Works on the Sagrada Familia started in 1882 and to this day it is still being constructed. It just goes to show the amount of detail and work that has gone into the building. Construction is due to finish in 2026 and will coincide with the centenary of Gaudi’s death.

If you plan to go inside and take a look around you will need to buy tickets beforehand, especially in the summer as it is impossible to get same day tickets sometimes. You can buy them online just do a simple google search or visit www.sagradafamilia.org/en/tickets.

3) Park Güell

Another Gaudi creation, Park Güell is one of the most popular attractions when it comes to sightseeing in Barcelona. The park sits on a hill overlooking the city of Barcelona called ‘El Carmel’ and from there you have some amazing views stretching right down to the sea.

Park Guell
Park Guell

In order to get access to the ‘Monumental Zone’ of the park you have to pay a small fee (they introduced the fee in 2013 for anyone wondering why they didn’t have to pay it on a previous trip to Barcelona).

If you visit Park Güell you are going to want to pay it as the Monumental Zone is where all of the interesting bits are, like the famous balcony with the stunning views. Well they were never going to give the best bits away for free were they?

4) Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter)

The dark and atmospheric alleyways that criss-cross in and around the Gothic Quarter are a great place to get lost in and see what you come across. Full of little boutique shops selling handcrafted items and local bars and restaurants, Barri Gotic is a must for anyone sightseeing in Barcelona.

Barri Gòtic
An alleyway in Barri Gotic

It’s amazing how the different neighbourhoods of Barcelona all have there own very distinct feel to them but the Gothic Quarter stirs up real feelings of how it used to be in this city and the influences that have shaped it into what it is today.

5) Casa Batlló

The 5th and final thing on this list is another master class in architecture by Antoni Gaudí. Are you starting to realise he’s a pretty big deal around here? Barcelona was his playground when it came to designing his now famous buildings.

Casa Batllo
Casa Batllo

The most striking feature of Casa Batlló is its exterior facade. In a very Gaudi fashion it stands out from the surrounding buildings in the same way Donald Trumps hair does from.. his head?

Another example of Gaudi’s genius, and if you want to explore it further you can buy tickets to go inside and have a look around but these can be quite pricey especially as the building is now privately owned.

If you manage to get through all of those 5 suggestions then there are still plenty of other amazing things to do in this city, you really never know what is just around the corner in Barcelona!

There you have it, my top 5 tourist attractions you have to visit to get the most out of your time sightseeing in Barcelona. If you get through all of them and you still have some time left or you want some other suggestions for more ‘off the beaten track’ things to do then check out my other post about the Top 10 Alternative Things To Do In Barcelona.

Thanks for reading!