Review for only the self-guided tour of the Palau itself, we did not see a show. Phenomenal design…read moreand accents in this colorful, mosaic-covered masterpiece. Easily as worthy as its many heritage counterpart structures in this bountiful city of wondrous architecture, it still seems like a hidden gem that gets overlooked amidst multiple world heritage sites. It is not just a beautiful building, it is one of the most photo-worthy UNESCO sites in town. Gorgeously preserved seats, wood, sculptures, stained glass, historic cafe, and don't miss those yummy balcony columns outside! There is much to love here, but if you are short on time and can only snap photos and move along, you can see it all in 20 minutes. Squeeze it in. It's one of the most beautiful buildings you've never heard of.

This place is absolutely stunning -- the architecture, the colors, the detail... just wow…read more Definitely one of the most beautiful buildings I saw in Barcelona. I was a little disappointed that during the night performance, the patio area with the famous mosaic columns was completely closed off. It's one of the highlights of the building, and I was really hoping to see it lit up at night. Apparently, it's only open during day tours, which is kind of a bummer if you're only going for a show. Also, heads up -- the main photo you see everywhere is taken from the upstairs balcony seats, so if that's the view you want, book accordingly.

Honoring the past of Catalonia! This is a cultural history…read morecenter, where you can lay eyes on the ruins of the past Catalonia. Here, there's ancient walls, streets, houses, cisterns, and all kinds of archaeological finds. The building is an old looking building that has been lovingly placed over the ruins, and built around it. It's pretty amazing how the building is held up by pieces of wood that can be moved around and under, if need be. The audience of pedestrians walk around these elevated walkways over the open ruin excavations, but under an enclosed roof. You can rent earpieces that talk you through what's going on here, or I think they had an app. When I went during the pandemic, they were pretty vigilant about wearing masks. Even if sitting off on our own taking it all in, we were reminded to wear masks. I wish they could have had little placards along the way to let you know in more detail what's going on in the ruins, but I suppose that if you're really interested, you can take the audio tour or download the app. The whole thing is free! It's in close proximity to the park and the Picasso Museum, and the Arc de Triomph.

An amazing old completely restored market that instead of holding the 1990's planned Library is now…read morea fully enclosed archeological site. It tells the story of the Catalan people, it's culture and ultimate demise in the 1700's. You see streets, the remains of Catalan nobility homes, as well as a sense of the way of life in Catalonia in the 1700's. There is also a lovely cafe for coffee and sandwiches inside. It is definitely worth a trip while touring around El Born.

I was lucky to be able to attend a conference in this historic building in Barcelona. Such…read morebeautiful architecture and all the intricate details and designs. Staff were all very friendly and facilities were updated and modern while keeping the old world charm.

Casa Macaya is one of the finer examples of Catalan modernist mansions, the work of Josep Puig i…read moreCadafalch and it's found in the l'Eixample area. Majestic and opulent it was refurbished to original glory in 2012 to house the Espai Caixa association, a conservation organization. They allow visitors free of charge when they don't have an event going on. This is walking distance from La Sagrada Familia and walking here you will shed the madding crowds, I found respite in a shaded bench in front (there is a little playground there too but I was too big for the swing).

This is a truly wonderful artists and museum space - we also visited the one in Madrid and was…read moreequally as interesting. The building is an old factory building and is very cool. Admission is 4€ but beware - I gave the cashier a 10€ note and she gave me 1€ change. Then she got up and was about to walk away when I said she owed me 5€ - she sheepishly grinned and then handed it to me (the register was closed and she had it in her hand no doubt looking to stash it in her purse). I'd give them 5 stars - but this treatment drops them to 3.

We are staying nearby, and have walked by numerous times....finally popped in and did the English…read more4pm tour. So worth it!! We walked around the balcony and read all the display signs, so when we did the tour, it tied it all together. A great Barcelona history lesson. Makes the street we are staying on even more interesting than before.

The Born Museum! This is a cool spot to behold right next…read moreto the big park in Barcelona! This is a lovingly created building that's just barely there. It's more like a greenhouse than a big building. It's because it houses a special museum inside. Archaeologists found the ancient Catalonian town of Barca, which dates back to Roman times. They found old roads, foundations and walls of old houses, pits for making wine, jars for storing olives- all the stuff that archaeologists dream of. So to protect and preserve these ruins, they built this Victorian style building over it, which is supported by pylons resting on top of ruins, which, if needed, can be moved easily to access, preserve and not destroy the ruins under the foundations of the building surrounding. There's a connected set of walkways that traverse the ruins, where you can peer down, and check them out. There's helpful signage that'll help you understand what you're looking at. On top of that, this place offers an app where you can get the full history of the place over your smart phone. The place also seems to have exhibits- they had a temporary one on Italian directors, which looked interesting. Next door is the city's largest, most famous park. So this place is worth checking out and sitting a spell on the way.

Whether or not you're a fan of Cubism, everyone knows Picasso--and the Picasso Museum in Barcelona…read moreis an absolute must to understand the origins of this brilliant mind. There a handful of Picasso Museums around the world, but the one in Barcelona is worth a visit as this was not only the first museum dedicated to Picasso's work, but also the only one created while he was alive. The museum is sectioned off by eras of Picasso's life, starting with his early formal training under his father, Jose Ruiz, at age 7 and his earlier works when his family were his muses. I always knew Picasso was talented, but I had no idea just how truly multifaceted he was. Entry is by timed ticket, and can be reserved for free 4 days before your actual visit between certain hours. NOTE: If you need to use the bathroom, hold on to your ticket--you'll need to scan it for re-entry.

How can you not give a lovely museum 5 stars? The building itself is really cool -- a series of…read moreconnected medieval palaces with beautiful courtyards and stone details -- and the exhibits are genuinely interesting. You get to see Picasso's early works and sketches, which give great insight into his evolution as an artist, plus some of his famous Blue Period pieces and later reinterpretations of Velázquez's Las Meninas. I'll admit, I'm more the type who'd rather wander the streets of Barcelona than hang out in a museum, so I'm probably not the best art critic. But still -- it's Picasso! Totally worth a visit. And the best part? Afterward, I grabbed an amazing lunch of tapas and beers just around the corner. Perfect way to cap off the visit. 5 stars all around, lol.