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Discover the city of Gaudí with us!
We could give you an endless list of sights to see in Barcelona, but let’s start from the beginning! In this article, we will tell you about the 6 most important must-see places in the city that you don’t want to miss. If you heard about these already, don’t worry and read our “Hidden treasures of Barcelona” article to find those secret corners that most of the tourists don’t know about. And now, let’s see which are the most monumental places and sights in Barcelona!
Sagrada Família
The construction of the Holy Family Basilica started in 1882. The uniqueness of Gaudí’s masterpiece (besides of many others) is that it is still not finished. At the time of Gaudí’s death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. The style of the Roman Catholic minor basilica is variously likened to Spanish Late Gothic, Catalan Modernism or Art Nouveau. Once it’s finished, it will have eighteen spires, representing in ascending order of height the Twelve Apostles, the Virgin Mary, the four Evangelists and, tallest of all, Jesus Christ. The completion of the spires will make Sagrada Família the tallest church building in the world.
Our apartments close to Sagrada Família:
SILVER BARCELONA
SWEET BCN (long term rental)
Did you know? The Archdiocese of Barcelona holds an international mass at the Basilica of the Sagrada Família every Sunday and on holy days of obligation.
Passeig de Gracia – Casa Batlló, La Pedrera (Casa Milà)
The Passeig de Gracia is one of the main avenues of Barcelona due to its touristic importance, commercial areas and businesses. And it is more than just an avenue. Gaudí designed some of the most famous buildings of this street, such as the Casa Batlló, Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera), or the Casa Lleó Morera. Until 1897 it was also the main road that connected Gracia (that was an independent city) with Barcelona through the Portal del Ángel.
Did you know? The roof of Casa Batlló is arched and was likened to the back of a dragon or dinosaur. A common theory about the building is that the rounded feature to the left of centre, terminating at the top in a turret and cross, represents the lance of Saint George (patron saint of Catalonia, Gaudí’s home), which has been plunged into the back of the dragon.
La Rambla
La Rambla is an iconic promenade that forms the boundary between the quarters of the Barri Gòtic and El Raval. It also connects Port Vell and Plaza Cataluña. When it comes to sights to see in Barcelona, you definitely cannot miss taking a walk on La Rambla. Of course, don’t forget to stop by La Boquería market for a refreshing juice.
Did you know? The course of La Rambla was originally a sewage-filled stream, usually dry but an important drain for the heavy rainwater flowing from the Collserola hills during spring and autumn.
Parc Güell
The park was built from 1900 to 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under “Works of Antoni Gaudí”. The park was originally part of a commercially unsuccessful housing site, the idea of Count Eusebi Güell, after whom the park was named. Visiting the park is free, however, you have to buy a ticket to enter the main square where most of the buildings are.
Our apartments close to Parc Güell:
SILVER BARCELONA
MIRLAND (long term rental)
SWEET BCN (long term rental)
Did you know? Neither houses in Parc Güell were designed by Gaudí, but at Güell’s suggestion, he bought one of them with his savings and moved in with his family and his father and lived there between 1906-1926
Plaza España – Montjuïc
Plaça d’Espanya is one of Barcelona’s most important squares. It was built on the occasion of the 1929 International Exhibition, held at the foot of Montjuïc. It is also a major transport hub that serves most parts of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. Montjuïc translates to “Jewish Mountain” and remains of a medieval Jewish cemetery have been found there. Naturally wooded, the people of the neighbouring Ciutat Vella traditionally used the slopes of the Montjuïc to grow food and graze animals. In the 1890s, the forests were partially cleared, opening space for parklands. The site was selected to host the 1929 International Exposition (a World’s Fair), for which the first large-scale construction on the hill began. Furthermore, the Montjuïc was selected as the site for several of the venues of the 1992 Summer Olympics, centred on the Olympic stadium.
Our apartment close to Plaza España:
SPANISH SIESTA
CLASSY BCN
Did you know? The roads in the slopes facing the city were once the Montjuïc circuit Formula One race track, hosting the Spanish Grand Prix on four occasions. However, a terrible accident in the 1975 race saw Rolf Stommelen’s car crash into the stands, killing four people. As a result the Spanish Grand Prix never returned to Montjuïc circuit.
Camp Nou – FC Barcelona
Camp Nou (meaning new field) opened in 1957 and has been the home stadium of FC Barcelona since its completion. With a seating capacity of 99354, it is the largest stadium in Spain and Europe. It is also the fourth largest football stadium in the world in capacity.
Our apartments close to Camp Nou:
MARTI & JULIA
METROPOLITAN
CLASSY BCN
Did you know? Camp Nou has been used for various purposes other than football, often hosting major concerts. Pope John Paul II celebrated mass for a congregation, and several world famous singers like Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, U2 and Julio Iglesias performed here in front of their fans.
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