My Barcelona top 10 places to visit

During my short (almost 2 week) visit in Barcelona, I took some time with a friend to wander around and visit this city everybody seems to talk about yet few have visited. I actually loved it and it won a place in my “List of towns I could live in”.

Here is my top 10 places not to miss in Barcelona (in no particular order):

1- La Sagrada Familia:

Maybe the most famous landmark in Barcelona. This unfinished cathedral designed by Antoni Gaudí in 1883 (and supposed to be completed in 2026, on the 100th anniversary of his death) is seen from everywhere, sitting like a spiked beast in the center of Barcelona.

Describing the cathedral would take me ages, I’ll leave that to more adequate websites. However, it is not possible to just pass by next to it without stopping to stare at one of the millions of details ornating the many facades of the structure. It just makes you feel so small..

Also as people always ask: “Chose your favorite side”: The modern and abstract-like facade resuming the history of Jesus in very cubic style statues? Or the “organic facade” that seems like a jungle of stone plants with many reference to mythologies. I personally prefer the latter one but would love to see the whole cathedral completed and rise in all it’s glory to the sky with no less than 18 towers.

(Oh and don’t be fooled by the postcards of the cathedral without cranes.. they are photoshopped.. Cranes have always been there for yeaaaars!)

2- Park Guell:

There are many parks in Barcelona, but by far the most interesting and impressive is the garden complex designed by Gaudi again (originally meant to be a housing complex). It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.

This maze like park is so rich in architectural designs and elements easily identifiable as Gaudi’s work that you definitely need many hours to just enjoy every detail, every corner... Or you can just sit on the grass and let Barcelona’s sunshine caress you while reading a book… Or maybe sit on the Terrace surrounded by mosaics and listen to the different bands playing around while socializing… How about climbing to the highest point where a cross stands overlooking the city.. In any ways, you will never be bored in that park.

3- Santa Maria del Mar:

A cathedral built “by the people, for the people”. It’s an imposing and austere structure from the outside as well as the inside comparing to most cathedrals in Spain. It was built in the XIV century in a Catalan Gothic style.

The cathedral is huge and the interior appears surprisingly luminous. The lack of decorations and golden facades which the Spanish are so fond of make it seem cold but gives a sense of peace and purity. The acoustic is also impressive and I wish i had the occasion to hear someone play the organ hanging on one of the walls.

A virtual tour of the inside of the cathedral.

4- Palau de Musica:

One of the gems of Europe. This Palace (concert hall) located behind buildings, hidden from sight was built in only 3 years with a starting budget of 6000€. It was designed by the famous spanish architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner.

The Palau de Musica transported me into a “victorian style” world, where I could almost feel the rich Bourgeoisie attending an opera while the Phantom is stalking from behind one of the 18 muses that ornate the stage! I was constantly amazed by the richness of the details and the fabulous stained-glass “skylight” representing a Sun in the shape of a drop of water.

The guide (yes, it is a guided tour), instead of trying to explain in words, gave us a taste of what the organ sounded like: I definitely had an eargasm! It was enough to understand how majestic and enchanting this place was.

(Photos were not allowed so I took the skylight from wikipedia … )

5- Hospital Sant Pau:

Built by the same architect that did the palau de musica. This hospital complex is so rich in decorations that it almost made me feel like breaking my leg to be admitted in.

Although the exterior looks beautiful, I was curious to know what the inside looked like. I only was able to trespass and enter the undergrounds where and web of tunnels link all the different sections together.. It looked more like a bunker than a hospital.

6- Montjuic:

(I have already talked about Montjuic on my photoblog so I’ll just repost it here. It also remains one of my favorite places in Barcelona.)

Montjuic, the "Hill of the Jews" is located on a hill in the city, overlooking Barcelona in all its glory.

There is a beautiful fortress located on top of it that served for many inglorious purposes during the war. It was a prison for political prisoners as well as the site of many shady executions.

Later it served as the site of the International Exposition in 1929. It also hosted the Spanish Grand Prix, an Olympic Stadium, a National Museum of Art de Catalunya, a botanical garden and a cemetery.

7- Las Ramblas / Barri Gòti:

Las Ramblas is a 1.2km long street that has become mainly a popular touristic attraction with many shopping centers, markets and artists along the sidewalk eager to distort your face on a sheet of paper and sell it to you for a fortune. If you are into shopping, you definitely have to go there.

Otherwise, why not get lost instead in the maze-like streets of the “Barri Gòti” (the gothic quarter) where hidden treasures appear at every corner and old shops wait for a lucky customer to enter their world and be transported to a different dimension, back in time. It is the oldest part of Barcelona and you can easily feel it. Many of the streets also end up in squares where you can just sit and enjoy and cup of coffee while the flock of tourists stroll up and down the Ramblas a few steps away.

8- the Beach:

How can you visit Barcelona without having a walk on the beach? Although not the best beaches I have seen on the Mediterranean coast, it is still nice to catch up with some friends, have a short walk on the white sand and sit in one of the many chilingitos (mini-bars) while enjoying some tapas and a cool glass of sangria!

9- Montserrat:

While not really IN Barcelona, Montserrat is located 40km outside the city but is a site worth visiting.

A Benedictine abbey built in the mountains, it is home of the famous “Black Virgin” of Spain.

One can only be impressed by those huge stone monoliths guarding the Basilica that only made me lose my jaw..

I did not have the time (or will) to stand for hours just to take a snapshot of the Virgin of Montserrat so I just went in the souvenir shop to see what it looked like. The black color of the skin comes from all the candles that have been burning around for years.

The whole place is also worth the walk and one can only feel a sense of peace while climbing up the mountain, following the yellow arrows that lead the way to Santiago de Compostella.

10- Just Barcelona:

Actually… To be honest… The way all those magnificent structures seem to blend in the city makes the whole of Barcelona a pleasure to be in.

It’s not only the structures but also the many details on buildings, benches, fountains, light poles make it a city where you cannot get bored.

Of course, not to forget the magical atmosphere and the friendliness of the spanish people.. Barcelona is truly a city to visit at least once in a lifetime and let it take you by the hand into a fantastic world of details and history.