Barcelona Sightseeing and Tourist Attractions
La Rambla
It's more than likely that you'll be staying near the Ramblas on your stay in
Barcelona. It will be central to your daily activity and nights out.
It is a long boulevard which joins the Columbus monument by the port to Plaza
Catalunya.
All day long you'll find all kinds of buskers and mime artists
in action as well as stalls selling flowers, newspapers, birds and rabbits.
Look out for Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, which is
next to the Boqueria market.
The market (Mercat de la Boqueria) is well worth a look and is also a good spot
to visit at breakfast time for excellent tortilla at one of the internal bars
near the back. Further south is Barcelona's Opera house (Gran Teatre del
Liceu) after which the Ramblas begins to get seedy as you approach the sea with
peep shows and the like. La Rambla ends at the Columbus Monument which you
can go up in a lift for spectacular views up the Ramblas and across the
harbour.
Barri Gòtic
The Gothic Quarter is just east off the Ramblas and contains medieval Gothic buildings
dating from the 14th and 15th century in what was the centre of old Barcelona. It's a maze of
interconnecting dark streets linking with squares, and there are plenty of cafés
and bars especially around Plaça de Sant Jaume where you'll find some
cheap accommodation. The Cathedral is the main sight along with the the
Ajuntament and the Palau de la Generalitat.
La Sagrada Família
If you only do one thing in Barcelona you must visit Gaudi's
La Sagrada Família.
The magnificent spires of the unfinished cathedral are the most stunning
of attractions on Barcelona's skyline. Gaudí died in 1926 before his masterpiece
was finished which has caused ongoing controversy amongst architects as to how
the completion should progress.
La Pedrera
La Pedrera is another of Gaudi's masterpieces which is also called Casa Milà.
It was built between 1905 and 1910 in the upmarket Gracia district serving as an apartment and
an office block. The interior is fascinating as you step back a century into the
home of the Milà family and see the different rooms of the apartment. Visitors can tour the building
and go up to the spectacular roof - see photo on top left of this page.
From July to September at 9pm you can enjoy 'La Pedrera de Nit' when you can
have a glass of cava on the roof with delightful music. See
Barcelona Gaudi.
Montjuïc
Montjuïc is the hill which overlooks Barcelona from the southwest and is home
to the Olympic Stadium which was used in the 1992 Olympic Games. It also
has some excellent art galleries including the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
and the Fundació Joan Miró. The best approach is to get to Plaça d'Espanya
then climb the steps.
Parc Güell
Parc Güell is a must see attraction for Gaudi fans. It is a park with
superb city views which he landscaped in spectacular fashion ... the Casa Museu
Gaudí within the grounds is where he lived for most of the last 20 years of his
life. The giant coloured lizard is one of Barcelona's most photographed
attractions. See Barcelona Gaudi.
Tibidabo
Tibidabo is the 542m hill you can see from the city looking north. It
affords great views over Barcelona and has an amusement park which attracts many
locals. A funicular railway gets you to the top.
Museu Picasso
The
Picasso Museum in Barcelona is the city's most visited museum
which is housed in three
medieval palaces. Few of his most famous works are here but the exhibits
allow visitors to recognise his development as an artist.
FC Barcelona Museum
The FC Barcelona Museum is the second most visited museum in the
city. It is located in the main stand of the Nou Camp and provides
memorabilia depicting the history of this great club.
|
