Barcelona is a foodie’s paradise. In addition to the tapas, paella, and sangria, the city offers some of the most interesting architecture in the world. Barcelona sits atop most Spanish vacation wish lists for a reason – incredible cities like this, perched on a beach, don’t come around too often.
Lamb Stew at Ziryab
Where to Eat
We recommend you spend the week before going to Barcelona eating as much as possible. That’s the only way you can properly prepare for the amount of delicious food you will want to consume while visiting the city. There are a million fantastic restaurants in Barcelona, but below are our personal favorites.
Cervesería Catalana: This was our favorite tapas restaurant in Barcelona. It came highly recommended from friends, but it still managed to exceed expectations. We recommend going during an off hour to shorten the wait. Our favorite dishes included the daily vegetable special, duck with foie gras, and crema catalana.
Ziryab: This delicious restaurant offers Mediterranean fusion tapas that brought some great flavor diversity after all the traditional tapas we had been eating. The atmosphere and affordable cocktails were perfect, and the menu highlights include lamb stew and chocolate marquis.
Arume Restaurant: We had our favorite paella of the trip at this restaurant. Best of all – Arume has two delicious paellas that we were able to get to share. We honestly can’t pick a favorite between the seafood and duck options, so we suggest you sit back, order both, and accept the inevitable food coma that will follow.
Alsur Café: This cute little cafe has some delicious baked goods along with a full food menu. If you’re ever in need of a quick grab-and-go bite, consider visiting Alsur.
What to Do
We visited Barcelona in October when the weather was a bit colder, so we spent most of our time exploring the city’s architecture and learning about its history. The below activities are a great way to cross off some bucket list items and learn more about this awesome city.
La Sagrada Familia: Yes, Spain has a ton of beautiful churches. Believe us, though, that this church stands out. The stained glass windows create a truly incredible effect on the interior of the church, so try your best to visit on a sunny day. Also, make sure to book your tickets at least a few days in advance. We decided not to book tickets to climb the towers, which turned out to be the right decision since the towers were closed due to wind conditions.
Park Güell
Park Güell: This park offers some of the best views and photo opportunities in Barcelona. Again, make sure to book your tickets at least a few days in advance. It gets crowded. Still, this site is well worth a visit and showcases a great selection of Gaudí’s work.
Free Walking Tours Barcelona: We tend to do a free walking tour in most cities we visit, but the Barcelona tour may have been our favorite yet. It covered a ton of interesting sites and shared a lot about Catalonia’s history that we didn’t know before. Our tour guide Aidan was very knowledgeable and personable – so much so that we decided to go on a second tour with him to see Gaudí ‘s work and learn about the architect’s life (see below).
Casa Batlló
Casa Milà
Gaudí houses in Barcelona
Gaudí and Modernism Walking Tour: This tour through Free Walking Tours Barcelona was not free (despite the company’s name), but it was worth every penny. Gaudí’s works are incredibly unique and really lend to the character of Barcelona. This tour will teach you more about the man’s life and showcase some of his more famous works in the city. You’ll also get to stop for some of the most famous hot chocolate in Barcelona – right in one of the homes built by Gaudí.
Balcony view in Palau de la Música Catalana
Palau de la Música Catalana: At the last minute, we decided to book a tour of this historic music venue. It turned out to be a great decision, as the interior of this building is stunning and unlike any other venue we’ve visited. Our only regret is not seeing a show here, so we recommend taking a look at the venue’s website to see if the concert schedule aligns with your visit.
Other Tips & Tricks
Las Ramblas: This historic street can provide a pretty picture, but it is essentially just a tourist trap now. We recommend taking a quick stroll down the path to get a feel for the area, but you are best suited going elsewhere for meals and shopping.
Catalan vs. Spanish: Unlike what you might have learned in high school Spanish class, Catalan is not a dialect of Spanish – it is its own language. Yes, there are some similarities, but certain common phrases differ across the two languages. We recommend doing a bit of research on the differences before visiting Barcelona, as some locals may view you more favorably if you use the right terminology.
Airport transportation: If you are staying in Barcelona’s old town, you have the option of taking a bus straight from the airport to Plaça de Catalunya. It is a quick and easy drive that will save you a good chunk of change.
Negresco Princess Hotel: We stayed at the Negresco Princess while in Barcelona because of its central location and good reviews. Honestly, you’re going to have a hard time finding a nice budget-friendly option if you stay in or close to the old town. In hindsight, it wouldn’t be the end of the world to stay further north in the newer part of the city, but we enjoyed being able to walk everywhere quickly. The hotel also has a beautiful rooftop pool that you can take advantage of if you’re visiting in the summer.