By Soren Rivero
With a city so famous and expansive as Barcelona, any visitor may feel overwhelmed with the surplus of exciting activities to enjoy and sites to see. If you find yourself stuck, here are 5 of the best things to do in Barcelona!
Visit La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is a large, gothic-style basilica in the Eixample district that to this day remains unfinished. The basilica is mostly famous for its architect, Antoni Gaudi, who took influence from different styles of architecture that include Art Nouveau, Modern Catalan style, and Spanish Gothic style. The basilica is simply magnificent, and will make you wonder how in the world they managed to build this beauty back in the 1800s!
La Sagrada Familia offers tours to those who want to walk the exterior and interior spaces of the building. If you’re looking to make this experience more unique, upgrade your ticket to include tours of the church towers. You’ll take a lift up to some of the tallest points of the basilica where you can get jaw-dropping, panoramic views of Barcelona.
Bike Around Barcelona
Instead of walking or taking a cab around the city, why not enjoy a breezy bike ride? Bike rentals are posted all throughout the city where you can rent a bike for a given amount of time and explore the city to your heart’s content. Bike tours are offered, but feel free to make your own tour! This is a great, exciting, and cheap way to experience the heart of the city like never before.
You can even make it a day-long experience where you stop at specific locations (maybe shops or restaurants) for some pictures and rest time before heading off again. Plus, Barcelona has tons of bike lanes and side streets, making it one of the most bike-friendly cities!
Create Your Own Custom Wine
Spain is pretty well-known for its wine, but Barcelona in particular specializes in making cava, which is essentially champagne. You can find cava anywhere you go in Barcelona, and even indulge yourself in wine tastings across the city! To spice things up, you may want to take a trip to the southern end of Barcelona, where the Penedes region lies. In this region swarming with grapevines and sunny plains, you’ll be able to make your own cava at one of the century-old farm houses located there!
Fun fact: Cava is fermented inside of the bottle, as opposed to other types of wine such as prosecco which is fermented before going into the bottle.
Indulge at Barcelona’s First Local Market, Boqueria Market
Though the area was used for food peddlers to sell meats and other products in the 13th century, the Boqueria Market (Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria) wasn’t officially opened until 1840. Now, the market is considered one of Spain’s most prized attractions and is a must-see for any visitor.
Found in the center of Barcelona on the Rambla, the Boqueria Market is decorated with vibrant colors and tantalizing scents from fresh Spanish specialties being sold. Make sure to come with an empty stomach, as there are lots of diverse food and drink options! Feast your heart out on fresh seafood, fruit juices, meat delicacies, local cheeses, fine wines, and sweet desserts when you visit.
Stroll Around the Gothic Quarter
The famous Gothic Quarter in Catalan tops the lists of Barcelona’s pride and joys when it comes to aesthetic pleasures. Taking a stroll through these streets will surely make you feel like you’re in a movie — whether it be fantasy, thriller, or even romance. Plenty of restaurants and shops are open near the Gothic Quarter as well, which makes it perfect for either an all-day experience or something to finish your day off!
If you want a more unique experience, visit the Gothic Quarter at night. The numerous lights shining their rays onto the gothic buildings with the night sky above you will truly be a remarkable experience.
