Barcelona Visitors Guide
Hey friends, here are some of the things we think will make your visit more fun! We counted in August 2024, and at that point we had had almost 100 people visit Bareclona since we moved here. Some to see us specifically, some passing through on a grand adventure, and even a few here for work. Hopefully this guide has helped. And hopefully it will continue to evolve so we can share a bit of our experience and recommendations about this amazing city
Average Temps
Barcelona is one of the sunniest places around with 300 annual days of sun. The daytime average is actually pretty close to North Carolina, but the highs and lows aren’t as extreme. But even with all the sun, the difference between playing on a humid, sunny beach at 14:00 and a Gin Tonic in a quaint alley at 20:00 can be significant, so having layers (especially in the fall through the spring) is always a good idea. Oh, and you will see both 12-hour and 24-hour clocks, though 24 hour is kinda the default.
Neighborhoods
Barcelona has lots of amazing and really diverse neighborhoods. Here is a brief overview so you know where to wander.
Pro Tip: Barcelona’s Best Coffee ‘n Books
We created a Google List of our favorite coffee & book spots (we think they go well together). We have some listed on this page, but this Google Maps list will be the most up-to-date and easiest to find. Click the button or scan to download Barcelona’s Best Coffee ‘n Books.
Pro Tip: Food & Drinks
In the guide, we have shared a few of our favorite places in each neighborhood, but here are some overall tips to help you take advantage of the amazing culinary options in the city:
- Download the Michelin app – the great places are countless. The photos show a screenshot of just the 1, 2 & 3-star Michelin restaurants within walking distance. This doesn’t show all their other recommendations.
- Read Google reviews – they are pretty accurate.
- Barcelona Food Experience has a good blog and Instagram for some of the latest openings
- Make reservations – The Fork app is a good place to make reservations for many of these; otherwise, just click on their website from Google Maps or Instagram
- Old Bodegas – they are all over the place – they look old and cool and usually are – wander in for a vermut or copa de vino
- Las Ramblas – don’t eat there… all tourist places, but the Boqueria market is worth a wander through to grab a walking lunch — also keep hold of your valuables around this part of town
- You’re going to want to try some good Jamon Iberico. As they say here, Serrano & Prosciutto is what you feed your kids. Here is a good guide: Read about it here
- Vermut — not just for martinis — Vermut is a drink all to itself, and often the Vermut de la casa is perfect.
Eixample
“The Expansion” We have lived in both Right and Left Eixample. Both great. The division between left and right is Carrer de Balmes — a couple of blocks from Passeig de Gracia–literally the passage to Gracia. Eixample is where you will find the heart of Modernismo (modernisim) architecture, with never-ending, amazing shops and restaurants.
Esquerra de l’Eixample
Restaurants
Walk up and down Caller Enric d’ Granados (one block South) in between Diputacio and Diagonal, as well as Concell de Cent – these are the happening streets for restaurants – lots of good ones, but check Google ratings
- Albe Barcelona – Lebanese Tapas – ask for seats in the window
- Ali – Amazing Turkish restaurant
- Billy Brunch & Garden – Breakfast – too busy on weekends, no wait on weekdays – sit out back
- Boca Chica
- Bodega Borras
- Cervecería Catalana / Vinitus / Flauta – all the same – good, solid tapas
- De Cruz Morales — this is our butcher, and their restaurant
- Disfrutar – Three-star Michelin molecular gastronomy is the place – need reservations far in advance – expect a 4 to 6-hour experience and dropping a lot; In 2024, Disfrutar was named the Best Restaurant in the World and the best restaurant in Europe — the “Living Table” Chef’s Table is even more renowned and special if you can get in.
- Inquiet – we rented out this place for Thanksgiving in 2023; Love the manager
- Mediamanga
- Mont Bar – Fancier tapas
- Oma Bistro – Sandwiches – just if you’re here for a while and want a sandwich–they’re pretty good
- Pepa Bar a Vins – Wine-focused, old library vibe
- Robata – Japanese/Sushi
- Suru – Across from the market and hidden — a very small place to sneak away to
Coffee
- The Roast Club – Coffee and quick breakfast!
- Lady Babka — The poppyseed babka is my favorite
- Ripa — To go only and so good
- Flat Cafe — great breakfast or brunch here too
- Billy Cafe and Billy Brunch – walk up coffee on the corner, full restaurant as well – usually a wait but moves quickly
- Odd Kiosk – Walk up the street for great coffee and, let’s just say, an interesting selection of magazines
- Bonsai Coffee
- La Papa Barcelona
Drinks
- Curtis Audiophile Cafe – Vermut & a DJ – need a reservation
- Sips — this bar was just named one of the Best Bars in the World. Check out the back room — you can make reservations through their Instagram link
- Hemingway – The inside is small but perfect; Also has outdoor tables
- Morro Fi – grab a Vermut, and if they are full, get one “para llevar” and enjoy on a park bench
- Garage Beer Co. – Favorite brewery in town
- Tandem Cocktail Bar — Probably what we consider our local bar
- Bodega Picarol — a great little bodega for a quick vermut
Markets & Bakeries
- Baluard – One of the best bakeries in town – a few around town
- Cloud Street Bakery
- La Castafiore – Italian fresh pasta
- Mercat del Ninot – Local, traditional stands with meats, fruits/veggies, cheese, seafood
- Reserva Ibérica – Get your fresh Iberica cut while you wait–try the differences in the shop (maybe with some wine) and take home your favorites
Dreta de l’Eixample
Restaurants
- Compartir Barcelona – Disfrutar’s other restaurant – more traditional but still amazing, and Michelin recognized
- Rooq – Fried chicken sandwiches – owner graduated from ECU
- Sartoria Panatiere — good pizza
Coffee
Drinks
- El Nacional – Worth popping in for one drink just to see the surprising place
- El Tros – Lovely little wine bar that also serves a few tapas (on our new street)
Markets & Bakeries
- Baluard – One of the best bakeries in town – a few around town
- La Cava Cakery – The best cupcakes you’ll ever have, period
Sarria Sant Gervasai / Turó Park
Just up the hill from Left Eixample, the area around El Parc Turó has lots of nice boutiques and is worth a visit if you’re in town for a bit. Gaze or hike up the hill to Tibidabo and Sagrat Cor for a great view of Barcelona.
Restaurants
- Parking Pizza
- Parking Sotano
- Sotano – Great for large groups who like tasty steaks
- Rabbit’s Bar
Coffee & Bakeries
Groceries
- Colmado Quilez – Huge liquor store on one street
- Colmado Quilez – Same place, different street – great deli and gourmet foods around the corner
Gracia
An old suburb that is now part of Barcelona, it is a super cool area with good restaurants, narrow streets, & squares to grab a drink and some tapas. They take siesta seriously, so best after about 5 pm or so.
Restaurants
- Berbena – Small and amazing – our current favorite – make reservations – ask for chef’s table
- Brabo – The best steak. Just the best. Sit downstairs — better ambiance
- Fonda Pepa – The menu is handwritten in Catalan — ask them to translate — cannot miss with any of their options
- Formatgeria – Not a restaurant, but a great cheese shop
- Parallelo – One of the two best gelato spots in town. Also, on Glovo!
- Tangana
Coffee & Bakeries
Drinks
- Bodega Marin – OLD, gritty, vermut and wine from barrels
- Elephanta Gin Bar – You can get a flight of Gin Tonics
- Old Fashioned – Get your high-priced Pappy here
El Gotic
The old city with tons of history and great shops & restaurants. Calle Laietana separates El Gotic from La Ribera & Las Ramblas separates it from Raval. This area is worth wandering around and getting lost, grabbing a drink, then getting lost again. Make sure to see the Roman Walls and Jewish Quarter.
Restaurants
- Lots of great restaurants—just need to add to this page; Wander the narrow streets past the cathedral to find some good ones
Coffee & Bakeries
- Dumas
Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i la Ribera
(including El Born)
A favorite–old windy streets. You will get lost here for sure, but that’s okay. So many cool places to wander into.
Restaurants
- Bar del Pla – Casual
- Cal Pep – Popular, make reservations
- El Set – lovely charcuterie trays, wine, and other simple tapas; takes reservations
- Narciso – Italian sandwiches; There is one in Left Eixample, too
Coffee
- Hidden cafe – Also a great place to work
- Nomad – You will find their coffee in tons of places around town
Drinks
- Collage – Craft cocktails, now rum focused
- Dr. Stravinsky – Craft cocktails
- El Xampanyet – Order a bottle or two of their famous, bottled in-house sparkling Xampanyet! – No reservations here, but worth going
- Pro tip: If you can’t get into El Xampanyet, sit in the bar or outside at Bodega La Puntal next door (and only the bar or outside) – same owners, and you can order it there
- Paradiso – Deli up front, a speakeasy in the back
- Story – the best Vermut de la Casa around
EL Raval
Dirty, grungy, awesome. But know where you are and keep your wallet tucked away! There is no vibe like a weekend night Raval vibe.
Restaurants
- Dos Palillos – Japanese – same owners as Dos Pebrots
- Dos Pebrots – Mediterranean
- Fat Schmucks
- Makan Makan – Southeast Asian – more of a lunch spot, but gets you to a good, grungy neighborhood
- The Paella Club – Paella cooking class – book in advance – tons of fun–it is a must-do
Coffee & Bakeries
Drinks
- Caravelle – Nice little brewery and brunch spot
- Two Schmucks – Sit outside and watch Raval
St. Antoni
Some of the most amazing restaurants in the city, including those from El Barri (The group from the creative director of El Bulli — worth googling)
Restaurants
- Benzina – Amazing pasta, Italian
- Last Monkey – Very unique Asian tapas
- Maleducat
- Ocho BCN – Try the Secreto Ibérico (Iberian secret)
- The Egg Lab – Brunch & Bloody Mary spot
Drinks
Poble Sec
Visit Blai for some Donostia (San Sebastian) pinxos or on your way to the Olympic stadium.
Restaurants
- Deanassus
- Carrer de Blai — This street is LOADED with Pinxos bars. Worth a wonder and stopping in a few. Just pick what looks good, and in the more authentic places, they will just count your used toothpicks at the end to charge you (f you’re going to a game at Mont Juic, this is a great place to pre-game)
Sants
Sants is a train station, but also has some great spots, especially around the places listed here.
Restaurants
- La Mundana
- Smash House – Order on Glovo too if you want a smash burger fix
Coffee
Drinks
La Barceloneta
The beach! Also, a very cool old neighborhood with great old bodegas. The further north you go, the more chill the beach. Go too far north, and the more nude the beach.
Coffee
- La Cala – Good place to grab a coffee on the way to the beach
Port Vell
Home of the 2024 America’s Cup. Sail or take a peek all the amazing super yachts. Then, wander back through Gotic or El Born.
El Poblenou
The start-up part of the town–also on the Mediterranean. Not necessary to visit unless you’re here for a while, but if you do have time, this “start-up hub” has some really neat spots and great beaches.
More
Here are some links to a bit more information about the various parts of town. Visit all of them if you can.
- https://housinganywhere.com/Barcelona–Spain/barcelona-neighborhood-guide
- https://devourbarcelonafoodtours.com/barcelona-neighborhood-guide/
- https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/the-trendiest-neighborhoods-in-barcelona/
Places to visit & things to do
- La Sagrada Familia – worth getting a tour guide from Context Travel or at least through the church when booking
- Tibidabo – you can walk from town, but it is a long walk, so we suggest you take a cab to the base and hike from there – there are amazing views of the city
- Camp Nou – FC Barcelona! Vamos Barça!
- Maritime Museum – great exhibits and history of Barcelona waterfront
- Montjuïc – you want to walk here or cab it and walk back
- Fountains
- Castell de Montjuïc – lots of torture and prison stuff here
- Brightside Sidecar Tour
- Barcelona Tiles — make sure to pay attention
Museums and art
There are so many museums–we’ve only hit the surface. Google and visit the ones that sound fun. If you’re looking for some galleries, the streets around Concell d’Cent are loaded with galleries. Fun to browse — the Limna App can help you with valuing if you’re interested in pricing.
In addition to formal art, there is lots of great street art around the city too. Gracia, El Born & Raval seem to have the highest concentration. Here is my Instagram Petsolt Aveces just for photos of street art.
Day trips
- Figures – to see the Salvador Dali Museum (book tickets in advance)
- France – It is really close!
- Montserrat – Monastery on top of a mountain, hiking
- Olympics – 1992 Olympic stadium and grounds
- Penedes – white wine and cava region (tours available from the city)
- Priorat – amazing terraced wine country (mostly reds)
- Tarragona – roman ruins
Language
Yup, it isn’t Spanish. But Spanish (Castellano) works everywhere. And English works almost everywhere too. But if you want to endear yourself to the locals, here are a couple of Catalan phrases:
- Good Morning – Bon dia.
- Good Afternoon – Bon Tarda.
- Good Night – Bona nit.
- Please – Si us plau.
- Thanks – Gracies or Merci.
- Cheers – Salut.
- Do you speak English? – Parla angles?
Books
We love to read books that take place in the place we’re visiting. Here are a couple to consider…
- Cathedral by the Sea – Very Pillars of the Earth about building Santa Maria del Mar in El Born – plenty of middle ages Barcelona history
- Fear and Loathing in La Liga — Yep, there are a lot of reasons Barça and Real Madrid don’t get along
- Shadow of the Wind – takes place in our neighborhood & Barcelona over several years and books. It is a series–but you can read just the first or all of them.
Transportation
First… walk.
The city is very walkable and safe. We walk everywhere.
Taxis
You can walk anywhere in the city. If you’re feeling like you want to take a taxi, they are easy to grab on the street. You can also use the app Free Now, which will call a taxi if you are out and can’t find one. There is Uber too, but they can’t use the taxi lanes, so we stick with taxis. Also note that if you’re down by the port or El Born, they have to go a long way around to get back to Eixample. This is just because of how the streets run–they aren’t trying to add distance.
Metro
Pretty easy to navigate. There are several within a couple of blocks of pretty much anywhere — can be a good way to move around.
Trains
Trains go to Montserrat, Sitges, and all kinds of other great places. But there are a few stations, so make sure to check for the right one. If you’re heading further, the high-speed trains will connect you to places like Madrid, Lyon, & Paris.
Crime
Crime is mostly petty theft — Barcelona is a very safe city. I would much rather walk the streets of Barcelona at night than most places in the States. That said, as a tourist destination, it is known for pick-pocketing. So just be smart. No open bags; keep hold of things when you’re in highly touristy places; don’t leave your phone sitting on the edge of a table; don’t have a trunk with all your belongings open and unattended; etc. Just use common sense, and you should be fine. One small tip: Most of the theft we’ve known about has been non-natives, so beware of small groups doing something distracting — that’s kind of the calling card.
News
Read about the latest events, politics, sports and changes in the city at Catalan News in English.