100 Things to Do in Barcelona

The best way to plan a tour of Barcelona is to divide the town into districts, beginning in the center and working your way out to the suburbs. Each area is easily worth a day of your time, but if you have time constraints, each can be covered in one morning or afternoon.

Spain's most famous promenade can be a river of tourists, but it's worth getting swept in for a couple hours to enjoy the stalls, human statues, and eclectic mix of landmarks, from ceramics by Mirò to the Liceu Theatre and elegant but seedy Plaça Reial.

1. Check out the street itself
2. Eat at La Boqueria Market
3. Watch street performers
4. Relax in Plaça Reial
5. Visit a cafe
6. Go up the Colon Monument
7. See a show at the Liceu
8. Palau de la Virreina
9. Bethlehem Church
10. Erotic Museum

Barrio Gotico is the Gothic Quarter, where the La Seu Cathedral, Plaça del Pi, and myriad dark, winding alleyways preserve the area's rich medieval heritage.

1. Walk around La Seu Cathedral
2. Gothic Quarter Walking Tour
3. Els Quatre Gats
4. Human Towers and Sardana dancing in Plaça Sant Jaume
5. Plaça del Pi
6. Treasure hunting in the Gothic Quarter
7. El Call Jewish Quarter
8. Barcelona City History Museum
9. El Bosc de les Fades wax museum
10. Plaça del George Orwell

El Born is the site of one of Spain's finest Gothic churches, Santa Maria del Mar. The medieval passageways adjoining it will take you to the unmissable Picasso Museum and La Palau de la Musica Catalana, while Passeig del Born is one of the trendiest places for a paseo—an afternoon stroll—in the city.

1. La Palau de la Musica Catalana
2. Picasso Museum
3. Passeig del Born
4. Medieval Palaces on Carrer Montcada
5. Cocktail bars of El Born
6. Chocolate Museum
7. Arabic baths
8. Seafood at La Paradeta
9. Santa Caterina Market
10. Santa Maria del Mar

Barceloneta is Barcelona's fishermen's barrio. It has the most popular beaches in the city, some of the best seafood eateries, and a magnificent port.

1. Port Vell
2. Ciutadella Park
3. Bar-Celona
4. Museum of the History of Catalonia
5. La Jaica
6. Paella on Sunday
7. Nudist beach
8. Barceloneta Cable Car
9. Gas Natural Tower
10. Barcelona Zoo

El Raval looks, smells, and tastes different. This multicultural hub showcases delicious international cuisine, much of the city's best graffiti, unusual drinking spots, and contemporary art in the award-winning MACBA Museum.

1. MACBA Museum
2. CCCB Cultural Centre
3. Els Tres Tombs Bar
4. Rambla del Raval
5. Vegetarian food at Sesamo
6. Bar Marsella
7. Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu​
8. Palau Güell
9. Clothing shops
10. Bar Crawl on Carrer Joaquin Costa

Eixample is all about the extraordinary modernist architecture of Gaudi, Domènech ​i Montaner and Cadafelch, centered upon the surreally beautiful Passeig de Gràcia. It's also Barcelona's top shopping avenue. 

1. Sagrada Famí​lia
2. Hospital de Sant Pau
3. Casa Milà​ "La Pedrera"​
4. La Fira
5. Casa Amatller
6. Casa Batllo
7. Casa Calvet
8. Catch a cabaret show
9. Fundació Antoni Tàpies 
10. Passeig de Gràcia

Gràcia sees itself as a village within the city, but visit its buzzing Carrer de Verdi and Plaça del Sol and you'll find a vibrant community whose festival in August is one of Barcelona's most unforgettable.

1. Park Güell
2. Gràcia Festival
3. Casa Vicens
4. Cine Verdi
5. Gràcia nightlife on Plaça del Sol
6. Jaume Fuster Library
7. Carrer de Verdi
8. Fashion shopping in Gràcia
9. Plaça de la Virreina
10. Plaça de la Diamant

Montjuïc is dominated by the presence of its 17th-century castle, Olympic Stadium, and Royal Palace of Pedralbes. It is also home to some of Spain's finest museums, including the Miró Foundation and CaixaForum.

1. Catalonia National Art Museum (MNAC)
2. Miró Foundation
3. Poble Espanyol
4. Montjuïc Magic Fountains
5. Barcelona's Olympic Stadium and Olympic Museum
6. Montjuïc Castle
7. Outdoor summer movies at Sala Montjuic
8. CaixaForum
9. Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya
10. Barcelona Rock Museum

A funicular ride to the top of Mount Tibidabo provides the best views of Barcelona. Lower down, the Royal Palace of Pedralbes has a wonderful ceramics museum, and Pedralbes Monastery stores a treasure trove of religious art.

1. Take the funicular to Mount Tibidabo
2. CosmoCaixa Science Museum 
3. Camp Nou Soccer Stadium
4. Serra de Collserola Natural Park
5. Spend a night walking along elegant Avenida Tibidabo
6. Royal Palace de Pedralbes
7. Plaça Sant Vicenç
8. Plaça de Sarria
9. Tapas at Bar Tomás
10. Collserola Tower

From the amazing rock formations of Montserrat to the charming seaside resort of Sitges and Salvador Dalí's hometown of Figueres, here are some of the top treats within a couple of hours' reach of Barcelona. 

1. Montserrat
2. Figueres (Dalí Museum)
3. Sitges
4. Andorra and the Pyrenees Mountains
5. Nonviolent bullfighting at Finca Tiana
6. Tarragona
7. Girona
8. Torres Winery (Bodega), Penedes
9. PortAventura World
10. Caldes de Montbui