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.

If you are an architecture buff like my husband and I, consider a visit to Antoni Gaudi's Casa…read moreMila, aka La Pedrera. We did the nighttime tour on the first night of our honeymoon and it was spectacular. A great start to our trip and a truly architecturally magical evening we will never forget. From the light show on the truly unique rooftop facades to ending in the courtyard with a glass of cava.

This house has easy online ticket purchase and plenty of open hours. The view from the roof is…read moreawesome, and the architectural models upstairs are fascinating. I'm honestly not the biggest fan of Gaudi so I don't find this house to be a must-see in Spain for travelers, especially for €25 entry.

Hard to miss and it's huge Beautiful museum…read more It's Catalonian which Barcelona has this divided populations and language and even politics and laws But nonetheless it's a great place to wander around

Looking up from Plaça d'Espanya toward the Montjuïc area, the classical Italian facade of the Museu…read moreNacional d'Art de Catalunya sits atop a hill like an elaborate crown perched on a pedestal. You can't miss it. Walking by, if you weren't sure what building this was, you'd google it for sure. Taking the direct route from the traffic roundabout (and nearest metro station, as well as many bus stops) to the front entrance entails many stairs. Plan a good 10 minutes to walk up, that is if you don't stop for photos along the way. From the side streets, where I came from, there is the option of outdoor escalators (how novel! I haven't seen many outdoor ones before) for part of the trek upwards. Upon entering the ticket counter is to the left/center right inside the door, there is the option to purchase online though I bought them in person and it took only a few minutes with no line on a Friday in September. The ground floor lobby is right beyond the counters and provides direct access to the 6 main areas of the museum - Medieval Gothic art, Medieval Romanesque art, Renaissance and Baroque art, Modern art, Numismatics (coins and medals), and the main auditorium/atrium which also contains the cafe and a massive pipe organ. The exhibits were very thorough and for the most part chronological. I was impressed by their extensive Romanesque fresco collection and maintenance, and also enjoyed the modern art and Art Nouveau/Art Deco furniture collection. Walking around the total museum can easily take 2-3 hours, more if you want to read all the descriptions. The museum attendants are quite detailed in checking your tickets at the entry of each exhibition hall. Larger bags and backpacks must be carried in front of you not on your back. Bathrooms are available. Parking for cars and buses is also available though aside from tour groups it looked like majority of patrons walked there.

Amazing museum, a must see! The layout is essentially 2 sets of the museum. One upstairs on…read moreseveral floors and one downstairs with the ruins. Staff super friendly and accommodating...with wheelchair accessible exhibits and loan. The layout and design flowed wonderfully, through Roman and current events. Great discussion of the various periods and history of Barcelona. Included contemporary demographics with nice visuals. The ruins were fascinating as well. Spent 2 blissful hours exploring and would come back!

Wow, just what an unexpected treat. I was in town for a conference and tried to get in some sight…read moreseeing. I had walked to the Gothic quarter, seen markets, and visited the beach. I stopped in here based on a recommendation from a colleague. My whole family is made up of history teachers so I love getting to visit sites like this. The upper floors of the museum have some artifacts and do a nice job providing a high level overview of the history of Barcelona. It starts with Barcelona as a Roman Colony and goes through the modern era. The main attraction though is ruins underground. You can see artifacts from the Roman Era and Medieval Era. It was really neat. Mostly it is just foundations, but there are some tiled areas that take you back in time. The cost is modest, and your ticket is good for several days. It was a great way to spend ~1.5 hours learning about Barcelona.

Probably a mixed experience depending on what's showing. Ok if you have an hour or two to spare…read more A couple of shows spread over several floors. Not large per se but enough space to wander and discover. I found some great exhibits and some big misses. That's contemporary art I guess. Still a nice, well maintained museum. Apparently an expansion is in the works for MACBA.

An entire exhibition was closed so out of the 3 floors our experience was reduced to about 75% lol…read more The art was very nicely exhibited though, but I only provide a lower review because of the entire floor that was missing, the ridiculous heat, and the protest that was occurring outside. Honestly had I gotten a chance to really read the signs being written outside I wouldn't have gone in, for those that don't know, MACBA is currently still expanding and currently destroying a part of the plaza that has been used by residents and skaters alike. It's always a shame to see community and areas for gathering being destroyed for the sake of expansion of an exhibit meant to promote artists just like them.

When researching popular tourist destinations in Barcelona, Casa Batlló came up on many a list. I…read morelike to take in museums and other historical structures whenever I visit a new city, so this sounded perfect. That being said, I purchased tickets for us to explore during our first full day in the city. Casa Batlló is one of several structures in Barcelona designed by Antoni Gaudí. I believe this was originally designed as a private residence, and has since become a showcase of the type of work Gaudí produced. The visits are self-guided, and once you enter you are given an audio guide that you can use throughout the house that provides information about the space you're in. The house itself is gorgeous. It's so intricately designed with different themes throughout the space. The audio guide really helped here as it told the history behind each room. I found myself snapping tons of pictures, or just standing there and taking it all in. As expected, there were a couple of gift shops, and some interactive exhibits scattered throughout the house as well. Note that not all spaces are open to all guests, it depends on the type of ticket you buy; that being said, even if you get the base ticket you will see a lot. Also, this place naturally attracts Instagrammers - be aware there are lots of people posing for the camera, Overall, Casa Batlló was an awesome experience. It was my first taste of Gaudí's influence on the city, and I would definitely return for another visit.

Strolling after our Senior Dinner and there he was behind us, one of Anthony Gaudi's whimsical…read moreperfection!

The Cathedral of Barcelona, which is also called the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia,…read morewas built in the Gothic style from 1298 to the 15th century. It is an active church that provides masses, confessions, and other sacraments. It also provides tours for 16 euros and up (as of the time of this review). I understand that some people think that a church should be free to enter, but I also understand that many tourists are not practicing Catholics and that the church needs to bring in revenue to pay its bills. My tour guide took my husband and me to the exterior of this church and explained its architecture and history. We did not pay for an interior tour. It is a lovely church to see.

The cathedral was beautiful and the rooftop views were simply stunning. Definitely worth a visit…read morewhen visiting Barcelona.

We came here unplanned on our last day in Spain. Ticket price was a bargain compare to other places…read morein this touristy city. The museum is housed in a former ship yard. They even had a section on Spain's role in the slave trade in the Americas, very informative and a somber reminder of the cruelty endured by millions of people. The day we came here was the day before El Día de los Reyes Magos, so we also saw the boat parade by the dock and a festive parade from inside the museum later in the night.

The Maritime Museum of Barcelona is located in Drassanes Reials de Barcelona, the Royal Arsenal of…read moreBarcelona. It is dedicated to shipbuilding between the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries. Construction of the Royal Arsenal started in 1285 with Peter III of Aragon. Additions continued over the next four centuries in the Catalan Gothic style. From the inception, the purpose of the shipyard was to build the galleys for the Aragonese Armada to help control the Mediterranean Sea. So amazing to be able to visit the beautiful reproduction of the 1571 Royal Galley of John of Austria from the Battle of Lepanto. It is a full-scale replica. You can view it from platforms looking over the beautiful, ornate carvings and from below the hull. The museum is free to all on Sundays from 3-6 PM. It is located at the Port Vell stop on the Hop on Hop Off Bus tour which is also the stop for the cruise shuttle. Great for a quick stop to see the Royal Galley or for a longer stop to explore the Spanish maritime history.

I have visited more churches/cathedrals than i can count but this was so unique. Love those huge…read moregothic churches but they are dark inside. This was stunningly and lots of light. The colored rays from the stained glass was breathtaking and like nothing I've even seen. I hear it changes at different times of day. The outside can be seem from miles away due the the size but once right there the details are so interesting. We signed up for guardi excursion and they got us in quicker as the lines are ridiculous. But they limited our time. I would have stayed much longer. Its nearly finished after all these year and one of the reasons I chose Spain as a travel destination. If you are in Barcelona definitely dont miss visiting here. No matter your relationship with religion this is a work of art. Stunning even though crowded. as with most things the pictures just cant do it justice. I feel so blessed to have been able to finally see it in person. I don't know that Spain and Portugal are places we would return but this was on top of our list for Spain. Designed by Antoni Gaudi construction was began in 1882 and not funded by Vatican or government so depends of ticket and donations. Plus construction was slowed by need to acquire adjacent properties that were anxious to sell. crazy it took over 140 yrs. So its a rare mixture of new and old. Be very aware tickets sell our weeks ahead. This was an added excursion with our go ahead tour. If i were to return to Barcelona I'd def visit all the Gaudi locations again.

This was more than I expected it to be. Our tour was amazing! If you can, book a tour. Our guide…read morewas very passionate and knowledgeable about the basilica. Initially, I thought I knew what we were getting into but quickly found out I had no clue. On top of this being an immense building project, it is also filled with symbolism. Everything in the cathedral has a declarative and deliberate purpose, nothing is random. Also, there is a fantastically assembled museum under the church. Don't miss out on this amazing experience. Enjoy!