Check Hotel Prices in Barcelona (Expedia)
Planning a trip to Barcelona? Get ready to dive into a city bursting with rich history, stunning architecture, and mouthwatering food. From the iconic Sagrada Família to the bustling markets and beaches, there’s something to charm every traveller in this Catalan gem.
Places to Eat
Mercat de la Boqueria
A visually stunning feast for the eyes, and for your stomach: the Mercat de la Boqueria is right off the main La Rambla shopping street. The convenient location is the tradeoff for the typical crowds of tourists, but the market is not overwhelming if you arrive early enough. Ham is carved and prepared in many stalls, fresh herbs and spices in others, and fresh fruits are offered as well.
Directions to Mercat de la Boqueria
Restaurant Palermo
This restaurant served us an amazing seafood paella at a good value, served tableside, with complimentary bread that was covered in a delicious tomato sauce. Absolutely would recommend coming here, and grabbing a bottle of wine to go with it as well.
Directions to Restaurant Palermo
Bilbao Berria La Barra
If you want cathedral views and a wide selection of self-service montaditos (a small, open-faced Spanish sandwich) – this is your place. The wait for the patio spots fill up fast, and we were lucky enough to only wait a handful of minutes for a spot. The crowds gained shortly afterwards, but we never felt rushed to leave. Service is relatively poor here from our experience, but the food and view made up for it.
Directions to Bilbao Berria La Barra
SayCheese! Burger Bar
Wouldn’t normally recommend a burger joint on a trip to Spain, but the truffle beef burger here was absolutely delicious (albeit, I’m a major sucker for anything truffle-flavoured). Pair with a cerveza by the beach, and this combination is deadly good.
Directions to SayCheese! Burger Bar
Drinks at Bar Oviso
A beautiful gem in the middle of a bustling plaza, often accompanied by live music in the square: the Bar Oviso is a humble little bar with outdoor seating spots. Tapas, sangrias, beers, they were all quite affordable and tasty here.
Any Patio by Barceloneta Beach
I say any patio by Barcelona Beach because practically all of them will be tourist ripoffs. That being said, that doesn’t mean that they have bad food, just higher prices. I mean, you’re eating and drinking by the beach, what could be better? A note to watch out for any patios without overhead covering, as there were a lot of birds flying around when we were there, leading to many surprises from above (bird poo).
Bun Bo Barcelona
As what normally happens on many trips and vacations for Asians, you grow a little weary after a few days without some Asian cuisine. Bun Bo Barcelona was a very adequate choice for Vietnamese food in Barcelona. I’d recommend the Bun Bo (beef Vietnamese salad), they did not skimp on the beef at all.
Directions to Bun Bo Barcelona
Places to Shop
Musica Casa Beethoven
An absolute gem for music lovers, and musicians, right off the street from La Rambla. Music books, sheet music, music boxes – they can all be found here. Classical music lovers should certainly allocate an hour to explore the store in full.
Directions to Musica Casa Beethoven
Nativa, Raices de America
A nice cozy jewelry store that focuses on Native American designs and jewelry in the heart of Barcelona. Their prices were very affordable, and the staff were attentive in helping us with our purchases. They also have finger puppets!
Directions to Nativa, Raices de America
La Rambla
It should be on the top of every tourist’s list to walk La Rambla, but I will say that it can likely be skipped. A majority of the stalls here offer the standard souvenir/tourist fare, at prices that aren’t exactly competitive. There are also lots of petty theft incidents that occur here.
All this being said, the street is still a beautiful one to wander up and down, so it’s still a nice spot to go to.
Sightseeing Spots
(The Kiss Mural) El Món Neix en Cada Besada
The world comes to life with each kiss. This mural is a mosaic consisting of photos of loved ones showing affection to one another, creating an overall piece that looks like an ultra close-up of a kiss. It’s pretty neat to see. I think this blew up on Tiktok so there are decent crowds here to see it. Bun Bo Barcelona is located right next to this as well, which is a bonus!
Directions to El Món Neix en Cada Besada
Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona, known as Barri Gòtic, is a captivating maze of narrow medieval streets that date back to Roman times. This historic neighbourhood is home to ancient buildings, including the majestic Barcelona Cathedral, offering a glimpse into the city’s rich and storied past. It’s a beautiful place to wander.
Directions to the Gothic Quarter
Casa Batlló
Casa Batlló, a masterpiece by the renowned architect Antoni Gaudí, is a stunning example of modernist architecture in Barcelona. Completed in 1906, the building features vibrant mosaics and a facade that reflects Gaudí’s innovative design. Entrance fees are considerably high given the small building, so we opted to skip it, but this would likely be different for architecture fans. It’s recommended to book tickets in advance.
La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Família, Antoni Gaudí’s most ambitious project, is an iconic basilica in Barcelona that has been under construction since 1882. This awe-inspiring cathedral is incredible in terms of its sheer scale, and a must-see in real life at least once. Tickets sell out days in advance, even in the low season, so please book online well ahead of time.
Directions to La Sagrada Familia
Check Hotel Prices in Barcelona (Expedia)
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My name is Alex Lau, and I’m a travel blogger and photographer. I’ve worked in the automotive digital marketing business for 6+ years before I decided to uproot and explore this little blue marble we find ourselves on, meeting new people, telling their stories, and discovering new places.
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