6 Ways to Discover Barcelona

Barcelona. Think sun, architecture, food and culture at its finest. With the reputation of one of the most attractive cities in Europe, it’s easy to see why it’s a crowd favourite among tourists and a popular travel destination.

The city is full of life and colours making it exciting to walk the streets and discover hidden treasures along the way. It’s a place where the afternoon siesta (nap) is highly acceptable, and even encouraged, and the locals are as laid back as the tourists. Culture and nightlife play a big part within the city with a popular saying being “the days are long but the longer.”

However, when travelling it can be difficult to know what there is to do in a short period of time. So here is an overview of what to do in Barcelona.

1. Go for a Walk or Take a Guided Walking Tour

Barcelona is an amazing city. There is so much history and culture in the streets that is waiting to be discovered. Although it’s a big city, it’s the perfect size to go for a walk and stop at points you find interesting.

Guided tours are also a good option because the guide will have an insight to information and places that might not be available to tourists alone. This is a good way to truly indulge in the culture away from the tourist hot spots and immerse yourself in the rich culture that makes Barcelona so unique.

2. Familiarise Yourself with Gaudi.

When travelling through Barcelona, you may come to notice the reoccurring theme of mosaic architecture. This is because Barcelona’s architecture gives credit to the architect named Antoni Gaudi. He is responsible for some of the most famous sites around the city including the spectacular Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell and La Pedrera. These amazing spots are worth the look as they are breathtaking both inside and out.

3. Indulge Your Tastebuds.

Pintxos are all the rage in Barcelona. They are essentially like tapas, translated as meaning a snack, something that is typically eaten in a bar. The way they work is that everything is served on a toothpick as a bite sized appetizer, when you’ve finished you take all your toothpicks to the counter and are charged for every empty toothpick. This type of eating can be found at most bars around the city.

There are also the traditional tapas. These are a sit down meal that is good to share with friends and go well with the traditional Spanish drink Sangria. Here, you choose a variety of little share meals and they come to share between groups of people.

Another must try is Paella. This is a traditional Spanish meal served at most restaurants and comes in a variety of flavours. It is essentially a rice dish that has been cooked and served in a round hot dish. Most popular flavours include vegetarian, seafood and chicken.

4. Hit the Beach.

With amazing weather during summer and lovely long days to enjoy one of the biggest tourist spots is definitely the beach. Voted as one of the best city beaches in the world, Barcelona’s beach is a perfect spot to spend the day relaxing, catching up with friends and working on that tan. However, because of the amazing weather the beach can become quite crowded, so best to get in early and reserve a good spot on the sand.

5. Visit Camp Nou.

For all the football fans, Barcelona FC Camp Nou experience is a must see. If it’s the right time of the season, taking in a game is an amazing thing to do, however, if it’s the off-season you can go on the Camp Nou Experience Tour.

The tour lets you go behind the scenes of one of the biggest football clubs in Europe. You are taken to change rooms and media boxes as well as the dugouts and even get to stand on the field. There is also a gallery showing trophies and history of the club so that you can fully immerse yourself in the club culture.

6. Enjoy Las Rumblas.

Las Rumblas is the most famous street in Barcelona. It is a tree lined strip in the middle of the road with restaurants, market stalls and many people. Typically this stretch comes to life at night with fairy lights and buskers taking over and treating tourists to the popular nightlife lifestyle that is Barcelona.

Barcelona is an amazing city. It is full of life, architecture and culture waiting to be discovered. If you get the opportunity, delve in and let Barcelona surprise you.