In your first journey to Barcelona, there are some locations you simply should see. The Sagrada Família, Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla are on most first time itineraries for good motive.
However what about once you’ve already performed all that?
Probably the greatest issues about returning to Barcelona is you could neglect about ticking off the massive sights and begin exploring extra of town. Spend time in neighbourhoods you barely touched in your first go to, discover new locations to eat, or use Barcelona as a base to see extra of the Catalonia area.
If you happen to haven’t been earlier than, our information to Barcelona for first timers is a greater place to start out. In any other case, listed here are a few of our favorite issues to do in Barcelona once you’ve already skilled the same old highlights.
You’ve seen the Barcelona Highlights. Now What?
Assume again to your first journey. What do you truly keep in mind?
In all probability quite a lot of Gaudí, crowds within the outdated city, a drink close to the seashore and a sluggish shuffle down La Rambla with a number of thousand different individuals.
That’s fairly regular for a primary journey. You need to see the locations Barcelona is known for, and there’s nothing incorrect with that.
The advantage of coming again is that you just don’t should do all of it once more.
Take into consideration what you missed as an alternative. If most of your meals had been near the vacationer sights, make meals extra of a spotlight this time. If you happen to barely left the Gothic Quarter, spend a day someplace utterly totally different.
It may also be value exploring with somebody who is aware of town nicely.
Corporations like Fernwayer supply experiences with native guides that take you past merely transferring between the principle sights, supplying you with extra of the tales and context behind the locations you’re visiting. On a return journey, that may be an effective way to find elements of Barcelona you may in any other case stroll straight previous.
Discover El Raval
If the Gothic Quarter took up most of your first journey, begin simply throughout La Rambla in El Raval.
Traditionally a working class space and residential to generations of migrant communities, El Raval is considered one of Barcelona’s most numerous neighbourhoods. It’s busy, a bit of tough across the edges in locations (however completely protected), and full of eating places, bars, classic outlets and superior avenue artwork.
It’s additionally residence to MACBA, Barcelona’s up to date artwork museum. Even in case you don’t go inside, linger some time within the open plaza, Plaça dels Àngels, simply outdoors to see the skate boarders doing methods and soak within the vibrant environment.
El Raval isn’t actually someplace you want a guidelines for both. Simply give your self a few hours to have a wander.
Spend an Afternoon in Gràcia
Gràcia was its personal city earlier than turning into a part of Barcelona within the nineteenth century, and it nonetheless has a fairly a distinct really feel from the centre itself.
The streets are narrower, small squares pop up all around the neighbourhood and there are many impartial outlets, cafés, eating places and bars.
You possibly can fairly fortunately come right here with out a lot of a plan. Seize a desk in Plaça del Sol, order a drink and keep for some time. Then wander from there and see the place you find yourself.
That’s about as difficult as a day in Gràcia must be.
Eat Your Method Round Sant Antoni
La Boqueria is value seeing, however in case you’ve already been there, attempt Sant Antoni this time.
The massive Mercat de Sant Antoni reopened in 2018 after a significant renovation and is value visiting for the constructing alone. Inside you’ll discover stalls promoting meat, fish, fruit, greens and different produce.
The encircling streets are simply as a lot of a motive to go to, with cafés, bakeries, bars and eating places all inside a brief stroll of the market.
Bonus for in case you’re there on a Sunday, there’s additionally an enormous e book and collectors’ market that pops up outdoors.
Give Montjuïc Extra Than an Hour
In case your solely reminiscence of Montjuïc is driving the cable automotive, taking within the view and heading again down once more, give it extra time in your subsequent go to.
Montjuïc Fort sits on the high of the hill and has a really darkish political historical past, together with intervals when it was used as a jail and execution web site. Elsewhere you’ll discover the Olympic Stadium, botanical gardens, museums and buildings relationship again to the 1929 Barcelona Worldwide Exposition.
It’s additionally one of many greenest areas of town. As soon as you progress away from the busiest viewpoints, there are gardens and strolling paths the place Barcelona all of a sudden feels lots much less hectic.
See a Completely different Facet of Barcelona in Poblenou
Poblenou defintely isn’t the Barcelona you image earlier than you arrive.
It was as soon as of town’s main industrial areas and full of factories and warehouses. A few of these outdated buildings are nonetheless standing at this time, though many have been become workplaces, studios and cultural areas, with newer developments constructed round them.
You possibly can discover independently, however that is a kind of locations the place figuring out a bit about what you’re taking a look at by taking a guided tour with an area makes wandering round rather more attention-grabbing.
Go for Pintxos in Poble Sec
For a straightforward night away from the busiest elements of the outdated city, head to Poble Sec.
Carrer de Blai is understood for its pintxos bars, the place small dishes are laid out alongside the counter. Seize one or two, order a drink after which transfer on to the subsequent place.
There are many native bars and eating places within the surrounding streets too, so there’s no want to stay to the principle avenue if someplace else catches your eye.
The entire level is to make an evening of it moderately than sitting down for one lengthy meal.
Get Out on the Water
You’ve in all probability already seen Barceloneta from the sand. Seeing Barcelona from the water offers you a totally totally different perspective.
Boat journeys depart from the waterfront all through the day, starting from quick sightseeing cruises to longer crusing journeys. It may also be an excellent choice in case you’re searching for extra romantic issues to do in Barcelona, significantly later within the afternoon or round sundown.
When you get additional out, you get a significantly better sense of how the seashores, Olympic waterfront and metropolis skyline all match collectively.
Time it for later within the day and you may head for drinks or dinner once you get again.
Drink Wine in Alella
You don’t have to journey significantly removed from Barcelona to seek out your self in wine nation.
Alella sits between the hills and the Mediterranean simply north of town and is considered one of Catalonia’s smallest wine areas. It’s identified significantly for its white wines, and there are a number of wineries within the space providing excursions and tastings.
It’s shut sufficient to Barcelona to go to for half a day, though it’s value reserving tastings forward moderately than merely turning up.
When you have extra time, keep for lunch and switch it right into a full day away from town.
Take a Correct Day Journey
If you happen to’ve already given Barcelona itself loads of time, use a day to see someplace else in Catalonia.
Montserrat is the plain one, however that doesn’t make it a foul alternative. The monastery and its large jagged mountain backdrop are round an hour from Barcelona, and there are mountaineering trails if you wish to do greater than go to the abbey and head residence. Our information to planning your go to to Montserrat covers the best way to get there and what to know earlier than you go.
Girona is round 40 minutes away by high-speed prepare. Its historic centre is compact sufficient to discover in a day, with medieval partitions, slender streets, the cathedral and the colorful homes lining the River Onyar.
Or head south to Sitges. It’s a straightforward prepare experience from Barcelona and has a totally totally different really feel, with seashores, a reasonably outdated centre and a protracted waterfront promenade.
You’re By no means Actually Accomplished With Barcelona
If you happen to suppose you’ve seen the whole lot, that really means you simply adopted a fundamental tour and noticed all the massive stuff. However Barcelona is far more than that.
The second or third visits generally is a lot extra enjoyable than the primary as a result of you possibly can sort of discover your approach round some elements of town, and also you additionally get to be shocked by the whole lot you didn’t see the final time.
In addition to, the elements that persist with you often aren’t those the place you’re standing with a digicam in your hand, taking a look at a well-known constructing.
So return to someplace you liked. Strive a neighbourhood you missed. Take the prepare out of city. Spend too lengthy over lunch. E book one thing you didn’t have had time for in your first go to. However most of all, simply sluggish it down and luxuriate in!