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Barcelona

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Walking through Barcelona park near Sagrada Familia.

© Johnny Greig/Getty Images

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Overview

Barcelona is an enchanting seaside city with boundless culture, fabled architecture and a world-class drinking and dining scene.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • BARCELONA - AUGUST 9: View of the Sagrada Familia, iconic landmark in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, on August 9, 2017. Designed by Gaudi and estimated to be completed by 2028. Cranes digitally removed
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    La Sagrada Família

    L'Eixample

    The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família (Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family) is considered to be the symbol of Barcelona by many residents, and the…

  • OCTOBER 26, 2014: People walking past market stalls on the La Rambla street in Barcelona.

    La Rambla

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    La Rambla is a tree-lined boulevard featuring a wide array of architectural delights, beautifully decorated flower stalls and particularly talented (and…

  • Park Güell, Barcelona, Spain

    Park Güell

    Barcelona

    Visitors and locals alike love Park Güell. The waving balcony and the colorful Guard’s House, with the imposing Barcelona skyline and sea in the…

  • Mercat de la Boqueria

    Mercat de la Boqueria

    La Rambla & Barri Gòtic

    Barcelona's most central fresh-produce market is one of the greatest sound, smell and colour sensations in Europe. It's housed in a packed-out Modernista…

  • Barcelona, Casa Batlló is one of the two great buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí on Passeig de Gràcia From the outside the façade of Casa Batlló looks like it has been made from skulls and bones.

    Casa Batlló

    L'Eixample

    One of Europe's strangest residential buildings, Casa Batlló (built 1904–6) is Gaudí at his fantastical best. From its playful facade and marine-world…

  • Barcelona, Spain - June 12, 2017 : Casa Mila  popularly known as La Pedrera or open quarry, a reference to its unconventional rough-hewn appearance, i

    La Pedrera

    L'Eixample

    In the top tier of Gaudí's achievements, this madcap Unesco-listed masterpiece, with 33 balconies, was built in 1905–10 as a combined apartment and office…

  • Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona, Spain

    Fundació Joan Miró

    Barcelona

    Joan Miró was a Catalan painter and sculptor born in Barcelona who combined abstract art with surrealism. He is considered one of the most influential…

  • Image taken on Montjuïc

    Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

    Barcelona

    The spectacular neobaroque silhouette of the Palau Nacional can be seen on Montjuïc's slopes from across the city. Built for the 1929 World Exhibition and…

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Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip

Best Things to Do

Barcelona is the gift that keeps giving, the most popular destination in Spain. Here are 21 attractions you can't afford to miss when you visit.

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Best Time to Visit

Barcelona is Spain's most popular city and no wonder – endless sunshine, festivals and culture await you. Here's how you pick the best time to visit.

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Things to Know

From the best ways to avoid the crowds to keeping yourself safe, this is what you need to know before visiting Barcelona.

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Transportation

With its compact size and developed public transport, Barcelona is a pretty easy city to get around. Here's everything you need to know.

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Free Things to Do

Barcelona has it all for visitors but those attractions can destroy your budget. Save your cents with our top free things to do in the Catalan capital.

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Best Neighborhoods

Barcelona's lively neighborhoods put the city on the travel map. Here's a guide to the top areas to explore in Barcelona.

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Day Trips

Barcelona isn't the only gem in Catalonia. Take a break from the bustling city on one of our five favorite day trips.

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Money and Costs

Packed with attractions, a visit to Barcelona can quickly smash even the most generous of budgets. Here's how to stretch your cents and have a great time.

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Traveling with Kids

From teen-oriented exhibitions to playgrounds next to tapas bars in star-lit plazas, Barcelona is a place where culture and children happily collide.  

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5 Shops

Shop delicious market fare, vintage finds, best-selling books and much more at these five independent retailers, which you’ll find only in Barcelona.

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