It’s not easy picking the top 10 tourist attractions in Barcelona. There are so many to choose from. But we have many requests for such a list, so here is our best guess.
We have tried to include the attractions in Barcelona which we think will have broad appeal to new visitors to Barcelona.
Number 1 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona La Sagrada Familia - the unfinished church.
La Sagrada Familia officially called "Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia" has to be the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona for many reasons. It is the only cathedral in the the world still under construction. Work started in 1882. The architect Antoni Gaudi died in 1926 and only saw part of his creation completed. When work started the area of Eixample, where it is located was mostly fields. Love it or leave it - this is a spectacular and audacious structure which will make you gape! The author George Orwell called it “the ugliest building on earth!” The construction is completely financed by private donations and visitor fees and expected to be finished in 20 years.
Number 2 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona The Magic Fountains of Montjuic.
This is definately a must see. A magnificent spectacle of water, light and music. When it was built in 1929 the Magic Fountain of Montjuic in Barcelona was one of the biggest attractions of the 1929 World Fair and Universal Exposition, which took place in Barcelona the same year. To this day it remains one of the most famous spots in Barcelona with an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually.
Number 3 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona The Picasso Museum – Calle Montcada.
Pablo Picasso’s lived in Barcelona from 1895 to 1904, after he came with his family The Ruiz-Picassos, who moved here permanently from Malaga, where Pablo Picasso was born. Although his father was an Art teacher and Pablo Picasso had already started his art studies in Malaga, Barcelona was arguably a huge influence on his early years as a struggling painter. The museum in Barcelona does not have any of his most famous paintings, but it does have many sketches and lesser known paintings, that are also a treat. Also the museum is housed in some fabulous gothic mansions in Barcelona. The café is excellent too. All in all a top attraction in Barcelona. A good tip is to get there early during weekends. Visit the Barcelona museum website for more information on exhibits and Picasso.
Number 4 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona La Rambla – pedestrian street
The Spanish poet Federico García Lorca is attributed with saying about La Rambla, "It is the only street in the world which I wish would never end". La Rambla starts at Plaza Catalunya and ends at the Monument of Columbus and although it is not a spectacular sight like so many others it is the human heartbeat of Barcelona and if you have not strolled down it, you cannot say you have been in Barcelona. Also called Las Ramblas as it is really a collection of various stretches of street with different names.
Number 5 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona FC Barcelona and & Camp Nou Stadium
The stadium tour and museum tours are one of the most popular attractions in Barcelona. Seeing a game with the world stars is of course also a major attraction for sports fans who visit Barcelona
Number 6 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona Barrio Gotico - The Gothic area of Barcelona
The Cuitat Vella is the old Gothic city of Barcelona that was built on the old Roman town of Barcino. This part of the city is an attraction in itself and you can find many amazing attractions in the Barrio Gotico. Roman walls and ruins can still be seen in various locations and in the cellars of the City History Musuem - Museu d'Història de la Ciutat - you can find Roman remains of houses and streets. The Gothic area is also home to numerous churches and many beautiful plazas.
Number 7 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona Park Guell – by Antoni Gaudi
Designed by Antoni Gaudi and now a UNESCO Worid Heritage Site, a The original plan for Parc Guell was to build a private and exclusive residential garden city with 60 houses on the grounds. The plan to sell houses on this development failed due to lack of interest, and in 1923 the Gaudi’s patron Count Eusebi Güell who had commissioned the job donated the site to the council and it became the public park we can all marvel at today. A must see.
Number 8 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona The Modernist buildings on Passeig de Gracia
There are three buildings that a worth seeing. Three of them are in the same block. Casa Amatller designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch - Casa Batlló by Gaudi and Casa Lleó-Morera, are the three famous modernist buildings in Barcelona's famous “Illa de la Discòrdia” ("Block of Discord") A little way up the same street, Passeig de Gracia, you will find another modernist masterpiece by Gaudi called Casa Mila and nicknamed La Pedrera (the Quarry) Click here to see our listing for Casa Batllo.
Number 9 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona Poble Espanyol - The Spanish Village on Montjuic
Designed by the Catalan architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, the Poble Espanyol de Barcelona - the Spanish Village of Barcelona - was built in 1929 for the 1929 World Fair and Universal Exposition in Barcelona. The Spanish Village was an architectural experiment to create an “ideal” model for a village, which would represent popular Spanish architecture. Due to popular demand it was left intact after the Exhibition ended Now it houses a wide variety of cafés, restaurants, and over 40 craft workshops.
Number 10 in the Top 10 attractions in Barcelona Tibadabo hill and amusement Park
A visit to Tibadabo is a fun thing to do in Barcelona. The views are fantastic and there is a funky old Scooby-doo style amusement park at the top. You can reach Tibadabo using a variety of transport means including vintage trams and mountain railways so if the weather is good, then it is a great way to spend a few hours.
