Overview

Barcelona is filled with amazing sights and attractions including many Gaudi-inspired architectural wonders. Holiday makers from around the world travel long distances just to see some of the historic beauty of this centuries-old hub. One of the most popular places is La Rambla, which is a long boulevard with an electric atmosphere. The city also has some breathtaking hills and mountains from which great views can be enjoyed. Tibidabo and Mountjuic should not be missed.

La Rambla

La Rambla is perhaps the most famous and popular boulevard in Barcelona. The long boulevard is centrally located near to the Columbus Monument and Placa de Catalunya. There is constant activity along the boulevard with buskers, street performers and markets every day. The Boqueria market is also nearby, which is one of the best food markets in Europe.

Sagrada Familia

This important masterpiece is just one of Gaudi's creations dotting the city. Work on this amazing cathedral, which is still under construction, began in 1882. The architecture reflects rich Christian symbolism with its striking 18 towers and three façades. Visit at night to see this wonder illuminated.

Barceloneta and Port Olimpic

Not far from La Rambla is Barceloneta, which is a maze of narrow streets that used to be the main fisherman port in Barcelona. The area is a beautiful place to take an afternoon stroll to look at the Spanish architecture. There are also numerous Spanish seafood restaurants in this area, some of which are regarded as the best in Barcelona. The Port Olimpic area was built for the 1992 Olympic Games. Nowadays, the port is popular with locals and tourists alike who enjoy the outdoor facilities including numerous bars, restaurants and shops.

Barri Gotic

Just east of the famous La Rambla is the Gothic quarter of Barcelona. Here you will find numerous Gothic styled building dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries including Gothic cathedrals and medieval squares. To learn of all the history, several tours are available that take you through the most significant buildings and areas. The Gothic quarter is also home to a plethora of great cafés and bars, which are perfect for an afternoon snack or drink.

Tibidabo

In the north of Barcelona stands the city's highest point, Tibidabo, at over 1,600 feet. On top of the mountain, spectacular views can be enjoyed of the breathtaking city below. Also on the top is a fun amusement park that locals and tourists alike can visit. To get to the top there is a railway that was built in 1901.

Mountjuic

Overlooking Barcelona from the southwest is the beautiful Mountjuic Hill, which was used in the 1992 Olympic Games. Today the hill is a great place to visit for its uninterrupted views, restaurants and bars, and museums. The hill is also home to art galleries featuring mostly Spanish artworks, with the highlight being the Joan Miró Museum.

Sports and activities

Barcelona is a fantastic place for sports and outdoor activities with great year round weather and lush green landscapes. Of course, being located by the sea provides the city with a plethora of water activities including kayaking, swimming and sunbathing on one of the beautiful beaches. Golfing is popular, with numerous world-class links to enjoy, and children will love horseback riding along interesting back trails.

Beaches

Being located along the coastline, Barcelona is home to some beautiful and breathtaking beaches which offer fantastic water sports and sunbathing opportunities. One of the best regarded beaches close to the city is Playa de Mataro, which in the summer months teems with locals and tourists alike who come for the sun and warm Mediterranean waters.

Horseback riding

The surrounding landscape of Barcelona offers great opportunities to enjoy nature and one exciting way to do this is on horseback. There are numerous stables that offer daytrips for all levels of riders. Pathways and riding tracks meander through rolling hills and mountainous terrain which give riders great view of the spectacular city below. Small ponies are available for children, who will thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Cycling

Cycling is a popular mode of transport for locals and visitors alike in Barcelona with bike-friendly streets as well as dedicated cycle paths. Bicycles can be hired by the hour, day or week and can be found just about everywhere. If you're looking for more of an adventure, there are fantastic downhill paths to conquer in the surrounding countryside. Numerous local tour companies offer half or full day riding excursions with quality mountain bikes and all safety equipment provided.

Trekking and hiking

With beautiful nature reserves and dramatic coastlines around Barcelona, hiking and trekking are popular activities. You will find climbing tours that pick you up from your hotel and take you to the best climbing spots in Barcelona. Levels of climbing vary from beginner to extreme and there are several great places to enjoy these activities including coastline paths offering great views in all directions.

Golf

With several world-class golf courses located within Barcelona, enjoying a round while on holiday is a great experience. Most clubs will let non-members play a round and there are also golfing tour companies that can organise trips with the inclusion of equipment, transport and meals. Alternatively, book a tee time independently and enjoy a match with friends.

Dining and shopping

Barcelona is up there with other top European cities when it comes to great food and variety of shopping. The downtown central district is ladened with superb restaurants offering everything from local Spanish delights to Japanese sushi. Shopping varies across the city with designer brand boutiques, department stores and street side markets.

Popular areas to dine at include Gracia, Eixample, Poble Sec and Ciutat Vella, but you will also offer a wide range of eateries along Passeig de Gracia and Rambla de Catalunya. The touristy tapas bars and large cafés offer good food but at inflated prices so it's worth venturing off the beaten track for a memorable meal.

The coast is awash with outdoor eateries that have a great atmosphere, especially during the summer when thousands of holiday makers descend on the beaches. From cafés to quick local snacks, you will enjoy the vibrant dining ambiance at Barceloneta and other nearby sandy stretches.

Spanish cooking varies with numerous simple yet tasty dishes available. The local dishes that are popular include seafood paella, which is a rice based dish that is cooked slowly with herbs and spices. Also found everywhere is tortilla de patata, a potato omelette cooked with cheese, beans and meat.

Barcelona has an abundance of shopping opportunities available from sprawling malls with large department stores such as El Corte Inglés to small designer boutiques as well as great flea markets selling all sorts of bric-a-brac. Visitors come from all over the country and surrounding international cities to enjoy the wide selection of retail outlets here.

One of the most famous places to shop is the fantastic five-kilometre long shopping strip which stretches from Avenue Diagonal to the top of La Ramblas, passing through Placa de Catalunya. Here you will find an endless selection of everything including designer brands such as Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Diesel, Bally, Cartier, Versace and Burberry.

In central Barcelona you will find the massive Passeig de Gracia and Barri Gotic streets, which are filled with smaller speciality shops. Not far from this area you will find the city's food markets, which are a must-see, with some of the best cheeses, cold meats and exquisite sweets available.

For a great atmosphere as well as great bargains you have to try the Spanish open-air markets. Famous the world round, La Boqueria market is one of the best in the region, selling everything you could imagine. At weekends by the harbour is the popular Port Vell flea market, a great place for clothing, jewellery and home wares.

The seaside city of Barcelona is teeming with fantastic restaurants and cafés. The local specialty of tapas is a must-try, and these small serves of food enable you to try a large variety of dishes at the same time. Japanese food is popular in Barcelona with a few notable restaurants. Being so close to the sea, the city's restaurants offer tasty fresh seafood.

Overview

Getting to Barcelona is easiest by air with a plethora of flights arriving daily from all corners of the globe. Budget carriers servicing Europe have a multitude of flights to Barcelona each and every day. Travelling through the country by train is an enjoyable experience that offers great views of the surrounding countryside while travelling around Barcelona city is easy with a fast and efficient metro system as well as buses, trains and metered taxis.

Airports

Situated just six miles from the city centre is Barcelona International Airport, Spain's second busiest airport. With three terminals the airport handles domestic air traffic and flights from all over Europe, as well as from other international cities around the world. Budget carriers such as Ryanair, Thompson Fly and easyJet all operate low-cost flights to and from Barcelona.

Barcelona International Airport has modern facilities including money exchange, duty-free shopping, restaurants, bars, postal services, newsstands and car hire companies. There is also a shuttle service connecting the domestic and international terminals.

Getting into the city from the airport is a breeze with a train service departing every 30 minutes and an aero bus departing every 13 minutes. If hiring a car, the drive is direct along highway C32. Metered taxis are also available and take around 25 minutes.

Public transportation

With Barcelona being conveniently located close to the rest of Europe, getting here is relatively easy by road, rail, sea or air. Driving into Barcelona from other parts of Spain is straightforward, with direct motorways available. The E-15 expressway is the fastest route coming from the north or you can take the scenic coastal road along the Costa Brava.

Arriving by train is a popular mode of transport as it's reasonably inexpensive as well as scenic, with great views along the railway. Train services are available to France but require a changeover at the border. Trains make there way directly to Barcelona's main train station, Estacio Sants. Although the bus services in Spain are inexpensive, they are best avoided unless for short journeys.

The ferry services available to and from Barcelona are limited to the Balearic Islands. There are several services per day and tickets should be bought before departure.

Getting around Barcelona couldn't be easier with a fantastically organised transport system. There are trains, buses, a metro network as well as metered taxis. When possible, use the metro network as it is the fastest and easiest mode of transport. Tickets can be bought at vending machines in stations and in increments of 10 rides for a discounted price.

The train service in Barcelona is only useful for travelling to the city's outskirts and is mainly used by local residents. The bus service is relatively easy to use by picking up a bus map. There are also tourist buses which travel routes past all the main attractions and sights. You can buy a day pass then hop on and off as you please between 06:00 and 23:30.

Taxis are easy to spot and relatively inexpensive. It is best to use them outside of peak traffic times as the roads in Barcelona can become busy. Be sure to insist on the meter being turned on and expect an extra charge for luggage.