Why go à BARCELONE?
The good reasons to go à BARCELONE
A unique architecture
From Roman remains to Gothic treasures and modernist masterpieces.
Restaurants to die for
Tapas, traditional or avant-garde cuisine: a festival of flavours in perspective!
Fashion made in Spain
Big brands at small prices and local designers: the temptations are great!
Exciting museums
From the MNAC collections to contemporary MOCO: a tour of the art world!
The beach and the sun
Sunbathing and swimming, paddle-boarding, lunch in a xiringuito: viva la playa!
Lively markets
To stock up on jamón or have lunch at a counter.
A busy cultural agenda
From patron saint celebrations to summer festivals, life is in full swing all year round.
A charming hinterland
From the forests of Montseny to the mystical peaks of Montserrat, watch out!
A legendary soccer club
Emotion guaranteed at a Barça match in the mythical Camp Nou stadium.
Unstoppable nightlife
Rooftop concerts, clubbing under the stars, star DJs...
Good to know when visiting BARCELONE
Timetable
Municipal museums are generally open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm, and closed on Mondays. Opening times vary according to location and season, so be sure to check museum websites for practical information. Modernist monuments, most of which are privately managed, have much longer opening hours. They are generally open every day of the year, some even in the evening.
To be booked
For the city's most visited monuments, it's highly recommended - indeed, essential - to buy your tickets in advance, choosing a time slot for your visit. This applies mainly to the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guëll, and to a lesser extent La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. For some museums and monuments, it is essential to download invitations online on free admission days. This is the case for the Museu Picasso and the Palau Güell.
Budget & Tips
Admission to museums and other municipal attractions costs around €6 to €12 for adults, and is free for children under 16. In private institutions, prices are higher: from €26 for the Sagrada Familia, up to €29 for the Casa Batlló.
Many museums and cultural centers offer free admission on certain days or at certain times. The Museu Picasso is open from 6 p.m. on Thursdays. On Saturday afternoons, admission is free at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the MACBA. Finally, on Sundays from 3pm, you can visit the Museu Frederic Marès, the Monestir de Pedralbes, the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona, the Jardí Botànic de Barcelona, El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria, the Museu Blau, the Museu del Disseny, the Castell de Montjuïc and the CCCB.
Outside these free periods, there are a number of passes you can use to visit these sites for less. The Barcelona Card (barcelonacard.com) gives you free access to public transport and many of the city's museums (MNAC, Fundació Joan Miró, etc.). It costs from €27 for 48 hours. The Art Ticket (articketbcn.org) allows you to discover six museums and cultural foundations with a single ticket costing €38. It includes access to the Picasso Museum and the Macba. Finally, the Arqueoticket (€14.50 on bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com) gives access to 4 of the city's museums: the Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya (MAC), the Museu Egipci, the Museu d'Història de Barcelona (MUHBA) and the Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria.
Main events
When the sunny days arrive, the city's museums and institutions compete in inventiveness to attract an audience that is often more inclined to sunbathe on the beach than to perfect its general culture! As a result, the night becomes the best time to attract the crowd. In July and August, don't miss the Pedrera Jazz, jazz concerts organised every weekend on the spectacular terrace designed by Gaudí. Or the Nits Màgiques de la Casa Batlló and the Nits del Palau Güell, with a concert and a glass of cava. Perched on the heights of Tibidabo, the Fabra observatory has found a good idea to attract visitors: organise dinners on its large terrace, accompanied by a night visit to its museum and the possibility of observing the moon from a century-old telescope! Reservations on sternalia.com/ca/sopars-amb-estrelles
Guided tours
On its website (bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com), the tourist office offers classic guided tours on the themes of Gaudí and modernism, medieval Barcelona and maritime Barcelona. More original are gastronomic tours of the city's markets, tapas bar tours with a guide or Catalan wine tastings. Many agencies also offer cycling tours along the coast. If you want to get off the beaten track, opt for a tour of the trendiest new districts (Sant Antoni, Gràcia, Poblenou). The Barcelona Street Style Tour collective (barcelonastreetstyletour.com) offers free tours of the city's finest graffiti. And don't forget the various guided tours available in the city, particularly those offered by Jean-Pierre (visitesguideesbarcelone.com) in French.
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Discover BARCELONE
Sunshine, fiesta and Art Nouveau: a reality, of course, but it would be a shame to sum up Barcelona in these few words. This multi-faceted city has many surprises in store for you, as much for its history as for its culture, its cuisine, its people and its indescribable energy. The birthplace of the genius Gaudí and the painter Miró, a land of traditions that it has defended relentlessly for centuries, the stronghold of the irreducible Barça... the maritime city is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating cities in Europe. All the more so as its relentless dynamism attracts creators and artists from all over, who reinvent fashionable districts and places every day. A Mediterranean Eldorado to be discovered with your nose to the air, letting yourself be carried away by encounters and adventures, without ever forgetting to take an interest in its past, its culture, its traditions, in short, everything that makes its identity so singular.
