5 Great Things to Do in Barcelona, Spain

If you are planning a trip to Barcelona, this is the blog post for you. Today, I will share with you 5 great things that you can do when in Barcelona. It is ideal for a weekend trip to Spanish land. Whether if it is food, art, architecture, tours… it has it all!

Last February, I had the opportunity to travel to Barcelona for the first time in my life. I was surprised by how much the city had to offer! Today, I will share with you my top 5 things to do in Barcelona.

1. Take a free walking tour

Different companies organize free walking tours. For instance, there is SANDEMANS new Europe tours, Free tour, Runner bean tours, Strawberry tours.

I personally recommend you the SANDEMANS new Europe tours and the Free Walking Tours Barcelona, which are the ones I have already tried.

This is how a free walking tour works

Most of them are covered in both English and Spanish
You will be visiting the main attractions of the city on foot
A short historical background of the places that you discover will be given
You might discover hidden places
The guide tours will give you local recommendations
You can ask questions to the guide tours at the end of the tour
You choose the price of the tour (if you are short on cash and cannot pay, it is totally ok)

Tip: I recommend you to book a free walking tour on your first day so that you can get to know the city with a local and get some inspiration of which places to visit.

2. Eat paella with sangria

Paella is a traditional dish from Valencia. I personally recommend you to try it in Barcelona, unless you are visiting its’ city of origin. You can eat a chicken or a seafood version. And, it is best if you share it with your travel buddy, boyfriend, family…

They also have sangria, a red wine-based drink, which you definitely have to taste! It will go perfectly with paella.

3. Take a bicycle tour

If you are staying for a very short period of time in Barcelona and you love riding a bike, I suggest you book a bicycle tour. When I visited the city, the friend whom I traveled with and I opted for this option. And, we LOVED it!

The difference we found with visiting the city on foot or with public transportation or with a bike was that we could reach more places in a shorter period of time.

The tour we took lasted 3 hours, which was pretty tight for the schedule we had. We visited the Barceloneta beach, the Ciutadella Park, the Arc De Triumf, and more. It was the best option for us as it was very practical and educational. So, if you find yourselves in a similar situation or you want to visit the city on a bicycle, this tour might be a good option for you.

Here is the link for the one I took.

4. Eat at La Boqueria

La Boqueria is a food market near “La Rambla”. It is pretty well known and you can find food to go or you can eat there. What I loved and miss the most is the fruit as it is pretty expensive in France. During our stay, my friend and I tried a menu, which included a smoothie, fruit, and an empanada. And… OH GOD! It was delicious! We only paid 5 euros and it was enough for the both of us.

You should definitely go to La Boqueria and see it for yourself.

5. Visit La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia is a MUST place to go to. It has been in construction for years and even though it is yet to be finished, it looks AMAZING! The church is HUGE and has exceptional architecture.

If you want to visit the interior, you will have to pay. For more information, here is the official site.

Visit the Parc Güell

And last but not least, there is the Parc Güell, which is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. A ticket must be bought to enter the park. However, if you want to save some cash, you can visit the surroundings. It is still a beautiful and worthwhile experience.