12 Things to Do in Barcelona That Travelers Say Are Totally Worth It

I love learning about what I should see, do, or eat from people who have actually experienced an amazing destination.

It’s a great way to make sure I have a more immersive experience and know what’s actually worth it (and what’s not). And below, I’ve gathered up some great tips on the best things to do in Barcelona from Redditors who have experienced the city and loved it.

I see it as a bit of a bucket list for me and for you if you plan on visiting Barcelona anytime soon. Each one of these iconic landmarks and insider ideas look like they’re gonna make my vacation (and yours) an unforgettable trip.

And whether you’re into major and popular attractions or wandering through quiet streets and exploring small eateries, this list of what to do in Barcelona is a great place to start!

1. Check Out Neighborhood Markets

“Visit a neighborhood market. Everyone goes to La Boqueria so it’s very touristy. I especially liked Mercat del Nino (Carrer de Mallorca, 133) and Mercat de Santa Caterina (Av. de Francesc Cambó, 16). Take a food tour. I went on two – one was a market tour where we got to sample all sorts of great stuff at Mercat del Nino and the other was a tapas tour to a few places with very different vibes.” – kb7384

“Our first stop after landing and checking in was Mercat de Santa Caterina, a food market in the El Born neighbourhood. The market has a buzzing atmosphere and we were spoilt for choice when it came to food. We recommend ‘Bar Joan‘ for tapas – its really reasonably priced and the food was delicious. The onion omelettes don’t look the best but they taste amazing.” – Electrical-Cream-884

2. Head Over to El Born

“Eat myself silly in El Born. Sure it’s more expensive but it’s pretty, no cars, and you can get lost in the alleys. I love it and that’s where I always stay. I can spend an entire week there and never leave.” – sailbag36

3. Poblenou

“I know this is not a very typical touristy Barcelona thing, but while I was there for a month I went to the “cool” industrial area of the city called Poblenou, which now is full of co-working spaces and new hipster fresh like style cafes. If you’re a fan of modern architecture, a walk there could be nice. Also, at the Chen Ji restaurant (on Carrer d’Alí Bei, 65, L’Eixample) I’ve had the best Chinese food 😍” – gbirdy21

4. Explore the Surrounding Seaside Villages

“If you enjoy villages, you could take the R1 and explore some of the villages on the coast. I used to live in Canet de Mar (it’s 40 mins away from Barcelona city center with the R1 train) and I loved every bit of the small village experience. With traditional houses and not so crowded beach, up until climbing the hills and seeing totally different houses.” – gbirdy21

5. Hit Up Sagrada Família Before Noon

“sagrada familia is a must see. Ideally on a sunny day before or after noon so the sun hits the stained glass windows.” – oviforconnsmythe

6. Get Lost in the Gothic Quarter

“Get lost in the Gothic Quarter. Trust me. I’ve been to Barcelona twice and I could spend hours just wandering around, taking pics, and shopping/eating. There are also walking tours you can take!” – LetterheadFew8948

“I second the Gothic quarter . We stay here anytime we visit.” – Left-Ear2284

“Barri Gòtic [Gothic Quarter], all the neighborhood is quite beautiful, but, at least, this places:

• Sant Jaume Square – you will see two palaces there: one is the city hall, the other one is the autonomous government palace (Palau de la Generalitat).
• Sant Felip Neri Square – you will see there an old church with a battered facade, there was an orphanage in that church, and the sqare was bombed during civil war. The facade never was restored just in memory of that.
• Cathedral Square – there is a gothic cathedral there, founded on XIII century, and finalized onf XIV century. Additionally, annexed to the cathedral you’ll see the remains of the roman walls, builded between I century b.C. and IV a.D. (it was not built for 400 years, but was renovated and expanded). It has a Gothic cloister, I think you can visit it.

In Barri Gòtic you also have:

• Barcelona’s History Museum, were you can see the underground roman ruins.
• Villa de Madrid Square, were you can see a Roman Necropolis (Cementery).
• Centre Excursionista de Catalunya, were you can see the remaining (4 columns), of an old Roman Temple.”

– Mimosinator

7. Spend Time at Parc de la Ciutadella (Ciutadella Park)

“Parc de la Ciutadella, it is an old citadelle (XVIII century), reconverted into a park (XIX century). It still has the three main buildings inside: a Church, that’s still using it as that; the Governor’s House, that’s now a Highschool; and the powder keg (the warehouse for guns, etc.) that is now the Parliament of Catalonia.” – Mimosinator

8. Check Out Lluís Domènech’s Architecture

“What made me fall in love with Barcelona is the architecture. I’m a huge fan of an architect named Lluis Domenech. He designed the hospital San Pau and the music palace. He believed in making things beautiful for regular people. The hospital was such a cool place to visit, you can go all over the grounds and even in the underground tunnels, and there’s a lot of information about him and his beliefs for architecture.” – delectable-detriment

9. Flamenco Show

“If you want something really special at night, check out this flamenco show at City Hall Theatre. I loved it, really powerful and atmospheric. Even if you’re not into dance, it completely draws you in.” – Top_Masterpiece_7181

10. Go to Vinitus for Good Tapas

“Vinitus on Calle Consell de Cent 333. Cheap and delicious tapas, friendly and quick service. The staff speaks English. They don’t take reservations so you need to get there and get your name on the list. The wait can sometimes be about 30 mins but it’s worth it.” – fnordlife

“This place is ridiculously good” – hip-hop_anonymous

“Thank you past Redditor – my partner and I are at the Vinitus on Carrer d’Aragó on this recommendation and had a wonderful time. I’m not sure if it’s the same as the one that crosses the Rambla but it was so cheap and delicious, and we went on the advice of this recommendation! We’re both absolutely stuffed now” – Eyupmeduck1989

“The cod with honey aioli is possibly the best tapa ever” – SolidSnake-26

11. Crematori de Montjuïc

“The crematorium at montjuic, i know it sounds weird but it’s so beautiful, if you start at the entrance to it you can walk the whole thing up the top of the mountain to the old fort, then from there down through the botanical gardens past the olympic stadium and open air museum and then down to behind the art gallery. It’s an amazingly beautiful walk and a great way to kill a whole day.” – whoppo

“Yeah I took a guided walking tour of the cemetery of montjuic and it was amazing. the guide showed us all these weird and/or beautiful graves and showed and told us stories we would have known otherwise. othrworldly place.” – ohhojawn

12. Parc del Laberint d’Horta

“The Parc del Laberint d’Horta is well worth a visit, and not something you hear about often. We accidentally ended up there on a day where all the lids visiting were in costume and it was amazing” – Ashilleong

“I second this, it’s less than 3euro to enter and so worth a visit” – JacquiK1983

---