Barcelona · Catalonia · Spain
The top things to do in Barcelona start with Gaudí, above all the Sagrada Família and Park Güell, followed by the old city: the Gothic Quarter with its cathedral and El Born with Santa Maria del Mar. Add the Modernista Eixample, the hill of Montjuïc and the seafront at La Barceloneta and you have the core of any first trip.
Beyond the sights, Barcelona is a city to walk neighbourhood by neighbourhood, eat in its markets and watch the sunset over the old harbour. The city's official tourist board publishes itineraries from 24 to 96 hours, and in winter you can add a day's skiing in the Pyrenees. Opening times and prices below come from the official websites and are correct as of October 2026.
Below are Viator experiences in Barcelona: guided tours of Gaudí's buildings, walks through the Gothic Quarter, trips to Montserrat and more. Each one shows its price and reviews from people who have done it; availability depends on the date you choose.
Barcelona began as Barcino, a Roman colony, and the Gothic Quarter still holds stretches of its walls and the Temple of Augustus. At its heart stands the Gothic cathedral, built between the 13th and 15th centuries. A visit costs €16 and takes in the cloister, home to thirteen white geese, and a lift up to the roof terraces. It opens on weekdays from 9.30am to 6.30pm, on Saturdays until 5.15pm and on Sundays from 2pm to 5pm.
La Rambla runs down towards the sea past La Boqueria, the fresh produce market, and Plaça Reial, whose lampposts were designed by Gaudí. Just off it, in El Raval, is Palau Güell, one of his early works.
Across Via Laietana, El Born is home to Santa Maria del Mar, a 14th-century church considered one of the finest examples of Catalan Gothic, built in just 54 years. Close by are the Museu Picasso, with more than 5,000 works spread across five palaces, and the Palau de la Música Catalana, which you can see on a guided tour or, better still, at a concert.
The Sagrada Família is Barcelona's best-known landmark and is still under construction: the Tower of Jesus Christ, 172.5 metres tall, was blessed on 10 June 2026. Tickets are sold online for a set day and time; prices, towers and opening hours are on our Sagrada Família page.
Passeig de Gràcia holds most of the rest. Gaudí remodelled Casa Batlló between 1904 and 1906 with shapes drawn from the sea; the visit takes 1 hr 15 and tickets start at €29. A few blocks up, La Pedrera (Casa Milà), a World Heritage Site since 1984, shows a period flat, the attic and the rooftop with its futuristic chimneys. Adult entry is €29; it opens 9am to 8.30pm until 1 November and 9am to 6.30pm afterwards. The rooftop shuts when it rains.
Gràcia is best explored square by square: Plaça del Nord, Plaça de la Virreina, Plaça del Diamant and Carrer de Verdi. The neighbourhood is also home to Casa Vicens, Gaudí's first major work and a World Heritage Site since 2005.
Further up, Park Güell has capped numbers and timed tickets, so don't head up without one. The tourist board suggests bus 24 to the Carretera del Carmel stop, the flattest way in. Prices and opening hours are on our Park Güell page.
The quickest way up Montjuïc is the funicular from Paral·lel metro station (L2 and L3), a two-minute ride on a standard ticket. From Avinguda Miramar the cable car climbs to the castle in about 10 minutes; in October it runs from 10am to 7pm.
The MNAC fills the Palau Nacional built for the 1929 International Exhibition and holds the Romanesque wall paintings from the churches of the Vall de Boí. Entry is €12; in winter it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm and on Sundays until 3pm, and there is no charge on Saturdays from 3pm if you reserve ahead. Nearby are the Fundació Joan Miró, in a building by Josep Lluís Sert, the 1992 Olympic Ring and the Font Màgica, a light, water and music show you can watch without a ticket.
La Barceloneta is the old fishermen's quarter, with traditional tapas bars and a long seafront promenade. Its beaches, Sant Sebastià (the oldest), Sant Miquel and Barceloneta (the liveliest), are a short walk from the Gothic Quarter. Further north come Nova Icària, with a family feel, Bogatell, Mar Bella and Llevant, which has a section for dogs.
Behind them, Poblenou is the former industrial district: old textile mills such as Can Ricart sit beside the 22@ tech quarter and, near Glòries, the Disseny Hub design museum.
FC Barcelona play their home games at the Spotify Camp Nou, which is still being rebuilt. As of October 2026, the club's official website sells museum tickets from €28, with an audio guide and a viewpoint over the works, and the Spotify Camp Nou Experience from €69, which adds a panoramic view of the stadium.
Two days covers the essentials; three or four lets you see the city at an easy pace.
The centre is walkable, and metro, buses and trams share one fare system: the T-casual gives you 10 journeys and lets you change between them within 1 hr 15, while the Hola Barcelona card offers unlimited travel for 1 to 5 days, including the metro to and from the airport.
Montserrat is about 90 minutes away by public transport: FGC trains leave every hour and connect with the rack railway at Monistrol de Montserrat or with the cable car.
In winter, the nearest snow is in La Cerdanya. According to the resort, Masella is 140 km from Barcelona, 1 hr 30 by car via the Cadí Tunnel. It shares the Alp2500 ski area with La Molina, which is on the R3 Rodalies rail line; during the season there are train and lift pass deals and ski buses from Barcelona.
The Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, the Gothic Quarter with its cathedral, El Born and Montjuïc.
Two days covers Gaudí and the old town. With three or four you can add Montjuïc, Gràcia, the beach and a day trip.
Yes. Both sell timed tickets online; in high season, buy as soon as your dates are fixed.
The Barceloneta beaches: Sant Sebastià, Sant Miquel and Barceloneta, a short walk from the Gothic Quarter.
Yes. The club sells museum tickets, with a viewpoint over the works, and the Spotify Camp Nou Experience on its website.
Yes. Masella and La Molina form the Alp2500 ski area in La Cerdanya; Masella is 1 hr 30 away via the Cadí Tunnel and La Molina is on the R3 train line.