Things To Do in Barcelona

Gaudí First

Barcelona's most visited monument is the Sagrada Família, still under construction a century and a half after Gaudí started it, and its timed tickets are the first thing to book. The entry ticket with audio guide is the budget option; the small-group tour with an official guide is the one travelers rate highest, because the symbolism of the facades and the forest of columns inside need explaining. Park Güell, on the hill above the Gràcia district, has the same capacity limits, and the skip-the-line tour with a guide covers the mosaic bench, the dragon staircase and Gaudí's house. The complete Gaudí tour does both in a single afternoon with transport between them.

The Old Town on Foot

The Gothic Quarter, the Ramblas and the Gaudí houses on Passeig de Gràcia fit into one two-and-a-half-hour walk, and the small-group version is the best introduction to the city. El Born, the medieval merchant district beside the Picasso Museum, is where the food tour goes: cured ham, cava, vermouth and tapas in bars the guides know personally.

Montserrat and the Sea

Montserrat, the serrated mountain an hour inland, has a Benedictine monastery, the Black Madonna and hiking trails above the clouds. The train, cable car and cogwheel railway tour gets there without a bus, and it is the most popular day trip from the city. In the evening, the small-group sunset sail from Port Vell goes out past the W Hotel with cava and snacks on board.

Practical Notes

Barcelona is busy from April to October and the big monuments sell out in high season, sometimes a week or more ahead. Metro lines reach every sight, and the airport train takes half an hour. Pickpockets work the Ramblas and the metro, so keep bags closed. Most tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before.