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.

The building was stunning and the architecture was impressive. Definitely need to do a tour of…read moreGaudi buildings at least once. You also get a stunning view at the rooftop.

The Palau Güell is one of Antoni Gaudí's earlier architecture designs. The mansion was designed…read morefor Eusebi Güell. The mansion is located in the Ramblas, we went earlier in the day and the line was not very long. The price was 12 euro and includes an audio guide. It was interesting to see the intricate design of the house and opulent furniture. The ceilings are impressive! You can get a feel for how the family lived when the house was occupied. The top floor had modern art and sculptures on display and the terrace has great views of the city. We were there for about an hour and a half, that was enough time for us to walk around and see everything.

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!

Worth a stop. I am a fan of arches. We happened here as walking around the town. I don't know the…read morehistory of the arch nor did I care our tour gave us so much history I was glad you just walk around and explore on my own . Don't know if it was somehow trying to copy the arch in Paris either way it was cool . There's a very interesting part very close by with fountains and parakeets and all kinds of cool stuff so if you come to the arch definitely check out that Park beside the zoo . This was Popular location lots of people ... tourists and street performers. Popular photo spot.

Very cool landmark - not as grand as the one in Paris, but way easier to get a good photo without a…read moremillion people in the background. The red brick design gives it a unique vibe, and it's a nice walk around the area. Heads up: watch out for the photo scammers. They'll snap your pic, print it on a fake "newspaper," and then try to get you to buy it or "donate." Just say no and keep moving. Great quick stop if you're nearby -- and perfect if you're headed to Parc de la Ciutadella right after.

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!

The Gothic Quarter is the oldest section of Barcelona. My husband and I hired a guide to take us on…read morea private tour of Barcelona, and one of my favorite parts of our tour was walking around the Gothic Quarter. We enjoyed seeing the remains of a Roman wall, the Barcelona Cathedral, the Mercado de La Boqueria, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, cobblestone alleyways, public squares, stores, restaurants, and more. If you are planning a vacation for Barcelona, then I highly recommend that you stroll through the Gothic Quarter.

Most of my adventures through the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona were of historic buildings and…read morechurches which are surrounded by retail shops and unique tapas and cafe eateries. The wife and I got the pleasure to take a four hour food and wine tour throughout the Gothic Quarter providing us the opportunity to taste true Barcelona at four different locations. The area has a dark, wet and slightly unsettling gloomy atmosphere with lots of unsanctioned wall graffiti, although gave it added character to the area.

A place to meet in the Heart of Barcelona…read more Placa de Catalunya is where my family most recently went to meet our tour guide Luke from Barkeno for the Ultimate Gaudí Experience. Since I had been to Placa de Catalunya in the past, it's a stop on the Barcelona Turistic Bus tour, I felt confident meeting there. Enter the most popular running race in Barcelona. Cursa de Corte Ingles is a free race that goes a little over 10K as it weaves through Barcelona. It goes through the Olympic stadium where you can live out your Olympic dreams as you run through the stadium and then cross the finish line in, you guessed it, Placa de Catalunya. It was really interesting to weave through the runners as we navigated our family of five to meet Luke and get our headphones for our Barkeno Guru Walk. We even used the underground Metro station twice to cross under the race. It was much harder when we were in a group of 25! Love the energy and spirit of both visits. Two different days. Very unique experiences. A beautiful place in the Heart of Barcelona.

While exploring the L'Eixample area, you can also visit the Plaça de Catalunya, which houses the…read morehistoric older style buildings and the more recent build architecture. There's a ton of space to walk around and see gorgeous sculptures, architecture, and find a lot of local eateries, shops, and activities! You can see the gorgeous Casa Battlo, walk through Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, stroll down La Rambla, or find a little tapas cafe and just watch the bustling streets and sidewalks come alive in this busy area. If you're looking for a place to stay while in Barcelona, this is an area to look near, because you will have so much to do and see right outside your front door!

El Gat de Botero - The famous statue of a fat cat in the middle of Barcelona. He's a chonky cat…read morewith the confidence of a Roman emperor and the physique of some shapes. You will take a photo. You will then look around, realize five other people are doing the same thing, and quietly question your tourist level. Botero said: make it thicc. And Barcelona said: bet.

Great big cat in the middle of rambla del raval, a pedestrian parkway. It's a nice stroll through…read moreoutdoor cafes and a small kids playground. It's a bit of whimsy.

Walk of the sea! This is sort of a wooden boardwalk that…read moreextends across the harbor over to the peninsula that is the Maremagnum shopping mall, the Aquarium, the World Trade Center and this big, long plaza. The boardwalk lifts so that boats can enter. When I went, they had a tow boat towing a bunch of sailboats into the harbor with a long rope. We had just made it across when they started to escort the sailboats into the harbor. Along the walkway is a bunch of different pieces of public art that just make the place interesting. The wooden walkway feels a bit shoddy at times, and since all the planks are parallel, you gotta worry somewhat over a wheel from a bike or wheelchair falling in between the cracks. However, those wheels make a satisfying cr-r-r-r-r--r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r noise as they run over the planks. It's a great place to watch the boats go by or the tide come in. There's places to hang out and just be. Don't feed the birds!

The first Mediterranean in my life. It's kind of fun even…read morewith just such keywords. The location is right there from the Columbus Monument. I took a walk from here to the beach. I'm sure there is a rental cycle somewhere. The cycle movement seemed comfortable.