What To Do In Barcelona: Museums, Parks And Unique Buildings

Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in the world and has a lot to offer. There are thousands of things you can do in Barcelona. Activities for the whole family, all tastes, all budgets … in this article we are going to get to know some of its best museums, buildings and parks.

Once you have visited the great tourist attractions such as the Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter or the Rambla, there is still a lot to do in Barcelona. If you have enough time, here are some suggestions to make the most of it.

Barcelona museums

The artistic heritage of the Catalan capital is unbeatable. The greatest temples of art in Barcelona are:

1. National Museum of Art of Catalonia

It is located on Montjuïc, in the National Palace, a beautiful neoclassical building built for the 1929 International Exhibition.

The museum has a vast collection of sculpture, painting, drawings, prints, photography and numismatics.  Its collection of Romanesque art stands out, considered one of the best in the world.

2. Joan Miró Foundation

It is also located on the mountain of Montjuïc. It keeps some of the best works of this Catalan artist. It contains more than 10,000 pieces including paintings, engravings, sculptures, tapestries and drawings.

3. Picasso Museum

It opened to the public in 1963 and is located in the Ciutat Vella (one of the most touristic areas). It houses about 3,800 works, many of them belonging to Picasso. In addition, it organizes temporary exhibitions.

Be sure to visit the room dedicated to the artist’s self-portraits and the series of 52 canvases based on Velázquez’s Las Meninas .

4. Museum of Contemporary Art

It occupies an impressive building in the El Raval area, opposite Plaza dels Ángels. It is a museum dedicated to art from the mid-20th century to the present, with a collection of more than 5000 works.

Unique buildings in Barcelona

Many of them were built by Gaudí or within the current of modernism. Others are more contemporary, but equally impressive. Visiting them is something you must do in Barcelona yes or yes.

1. Modernist works

Barcelona is synonymous with modernism. We are going to stop our steps in three magnificent examples created by the ingenuity of Antoni Gaudí. La Pedrera is a building with a sinuous façade articulated around two patios and with a roof terrace where chimneys and ventilation towers create a magical universe.

Casa Batlló marvels at its façade for its great color and also for its curves. In it, pieces of ceramic glass were used to simulate the scales of a dragon on the roof.

Casa Vicens was Gaudí’s first important work. For its design it was inspired by the Orient, hence the profusion of elements that recall both Mudejar art, such as Persian or Byzantine.

2. Torre Agbar

It is the symbol of the most modern Barcelona. It opened in 2005 and is one of the tallest buildings in the city. It has 34 floors and 134 meters high. According to its architect, Jean Nouvel, it is a tribute to the mountain of Montserrat and the Sagrada Familia.

In addition to its peculiar structure, it is surprising for its night lighting system, which allows creating a whole series of effects thanks to thousands of lighting devices.

More to do in Barcelona: visit the best parks

Another thing you can do in Barcelona is visit its parks and green areas. Perfect for walking, relaxing or resting after visiting the city. The most prominent are:

1. Park Güell

Everything in this place is magical. A place where Gaudí left his mark in every corner, from the ceramic-coated dragon that presides over the access stairway to the columns of the so-called Hypostyle Hall or the magnificent central park bench.

It is worth visiting the park calmly, getting lost in its corners and enjoying all its beauty. In addition, from the terrace there are fantastic views of the city. 

2. Ciutadella Park

It is one of the oldest, largest and most beautiful parks in Barcelona. It houses the zoo and at one end there is an Arc de Triomphe. The place was a military citadel in 1714 and 150 years later it became a public park. You can visit the pond, the Castell dels Tres Dragons and a beautiful fountain.

3. Montjuïc Park

You can explore it on foot or go up to the top in the cable car. Here you can visit the old castle and admire a magnificent panoramic view from it. A castle built in the 17th century that houses a military museum.

On the mountain of Montjuïc there are also some of the great attractions of Barcelona : the Museum of Art of Catalonia, the Lluis Companys stadium, the Palau Sant Jordi or the Magic Fountain, among others.