Our trip to Sitges wasn't just about beaches, bars, and boys. I mean Jamie W and I did other…read morethings. Give me a second. Ah yes, we went to this museum, for example. It was hard to miss on the cobblestone streets of El Baluard. We had absolutely no knowledge about the museum and just noticed a queue in front of it. It might've been because it was International Museum Day, and admission was free. This was the first of two adjoining museums, this one focused on the wrought ironwork and art collections of late 19th century Catalan artist and writer Santiago Rusiñol. They converted two old houses into an exhibition space that reflects his eclectic tastes running from archeological ruins to El Greco paintings. Over two floors, it was an impressive display for just one person to bequeath the city, and the Maricel museum is just up the stairs next door. RELATED - Exploring Barcelona and Sitges? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/4dTEx5T

Enjoyed the museum experience, they had excellent exhibits in the multilevel museum. It's sits on…read morethe edge of the of the cliff overlooking Mediterranean, just plain gorgeous.

Another excellent museum with a mixture of ancient Roman to Medieval Tarragona but mostly focused…read moreon the Roman city. Very well laid out, and the only way to see inside the corridors that you can only glimpse from the outside. If you don't have the patience for the whole museum, make sure you see the mosaics and bigger better preserved statues.

This impressive museum charts the history of Roman 'Tarraco' and contains some of the most…read moreimportant finds from the city. It is a 'must' on any visit to Tarragona. The basement includes a section of the original Roman city wall in situ, and subsequent floors include exhibits depicting civic, commercial and domestic life. Most impressive is the collection of statuary and funeral monuments, and a series of mosaics, including a wonderfully vivid and well preserved one showing some 50 species of marine life from the area. Other finds include items from shipping such as anchors and a large collection of amphorae, and household luxuries, such as glassware and jewellery. A favourite of the school party visiting at the same time as us much to the embarrassment of their teachers was the collection of erotic objects. These include brooches, ritual objects in the shape of penises and a small statue of an infeasibly well-endowed Bacchus, sporting his appendage in front of him like a third leg! Items are described in Spanish and Catalan, and there also are free guide pamphlets on each floor in English, French and German. The museum is also fully accessible with ramps and lifts. There is a small gift shop and audiovisual room used for occasional exhibitions.

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.

Situated on an impressive and commanding site at the northern end of the Parc de Foix, with superb…read moreviews over the impressive Foix reservoir, the Castle of Castellet dominates the small (and rather well-to-do) settlement that has grown up around it. The castle, heavily restored, is famous for its attractive grouping of square and round towers, and the adjacent (and separate) hillside chapel. Built in the 10th century, it is first referred to in a document dated 977AD, although most of what you see today is the result of a series of mediaeval rebuilding, reflecting its major strategic importance during the period of the reconquest of Catalonia by the Christians from the Moors, when it was owned by the Counts of Barcelona, and through the mediaeval period (when it was a possession of the joint Catalonian and Aragonese Crown) until the 16th century. Thereafter, the castle slowly fell into ruin. Restoration began in the 1920s and 1930s, but what you see now is essentially the result of its acquisition in 1999 by the Albertis Foundation, itself sponsored by the large Spanish infrastructure group of the same name, which acquired the castle as a home for its research work on the environment and transport. The renovation has produced a thoroughly modern corporate presentation inside while respecting the fabric of the original castle. It's not an approach normally adopted in the UK, but it at least ensures a safe future for the building. The most notable features are its oval 10th century tower and walls from the 15th century. The castle itself is only open for guided visits on rather limited hours around lunchtime at week-ends. Inside, there is a small museum of the site's history. There's a small car park next to the castle, with a rather larger car park at the foot of the hill. Slightly closer access can be had by parking close to the village's classy restaurant, although this is reserved for patrons when the restaurant is open. Alternatively, the castle lies on a number of long distance footpaths between Sitges, Vilanova i la Geltrú and Vilafranca del Penedès.

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.

I've seen better in other cities, but it made for fun photos so there's that. Price does appear to…read morebe a bit steep, but it's a tourist attraction in a tourist area, and we were tourists. It did the job, but left much to be desired (see the Sex Museum in NYC!)

Out of curiosity and on a friend's recommendation, we entered this museum. We were surprised at…read morewhat we learned and also laughed at a lot. We were met with a flute of champagne too. And the gift shop is not to be missed!!

Half way between Barcelona and Tarragona, the unassuming town of Vilanova i la Geltrú houses one of…read moreEurope's foremost railway museums. Centred around an old locomotive shed and turntable, the museum focuses on its collection of over 25 steam locomotives, including the two oldest in Spain, dating from 1854 and 1857. In addition, there are diesel and electric locomotives, maintenance vehicles and carriages including the first Talgo, Spain's unique contribution to articulated trains. It's great for kids (and the kid in you!), as you can get right up close, and even go in some of them. A locomotive is usually in steam on the first Sunday of every month. The locomotives rather overshadow the museum's other collections, although the old signalling panel from Barcelona's Franca station is interesting, and there are activity areas for small children and a decent audiovisual presentation in different languages on the development of railways in Spain. Inevitably, there's a shop selling all sorts of items to tempt transport enthusiasts of all ages It's conveniently located adjacent to the RENFE railway station and a car park.

We had a tour Friday and arrived on the mountain around 10:30 via Bus and Rack Railway (Cremallera)…read morefor the last 10 minutes. You get some breathtaking views as you climb towards 1236 ft. and also experience the railway car that has been around since the 1800s with the original car on display at the station. Once we got to the main area of the mountain, there is quite a bit to do and you can spend a full day if you took the time to take it all in. The jagged rock formations of the mountain range give a few photo ops. The main event was the Basilica/Abbey with the Black Madonna and hearing the Escolania Boys Choir. Peaceful, serene and listening to this choir for a few minutes before bed has to help with insomnia. There are plenty of hiking options with a 15 minute hike to the top for more breathtaking views. Would recommend visiting the museum. Many shopping and food options (Cafes) with our tour guide recommending a Buffet restaurant. I tend to stay away from Buffet spots and should have followed my instincts. It was ok and really was at a disadvantage after the meals we had in Barcelona-stick with the Cafes. Overall, well worth the time and visit!

The Montserrat Mountain nearby was a cool shape and religious locals make the pilgrimage there. The…read moretown operates at a slower pace. The Abbey was pretty but small and there are grander ones elsewhere but it is one of the few locations with a Black Madonna. There are cheese vendors in town and I recommend the Mel I mato and Truffle cheese.

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.

What a place to find a first class art museum! I was not expecting this, added a couple of hours…read moreto my visit to Montserrat. They have a remarkable collection, well balanced with a rather unbelievable selection of the most famous Dutch Masters and French Impressionists but also abstract, ancient, medieval and Catholic (okay that part isn't as surprising) paintings, sculpture, and sketches. Also, a very good presentation of the history of Montserrat using the very latest in multimedia AV technology. I've been to art museums around the world, all the great ones are in major cities. I've never been to such a wonderful art collection hidden away in a mountain before. Save some time (a couple of hours at least) and energy for this museum.

Home to the iconic Black Madonna, Montserrat is absolutely worth the trip. People from around the…read moreworld come just to see the Black Madonna, and while that alone is incredible, it's the breathtaking views and hundreds of priceless artworks that make this a must-do day trip for me. Whether you're religious or not, the landscape alone will move you. Plus, the museum houses masterpieces from Dalí and Picasso that elevate the experience even further. Words and pictures can't capture the essence of this place--trust me, just book your visit.