Best Barcelona Tours & Trips

The famous city along the Costa Meresme, Barcelona’s reputation is a lot live up to, and live up to it the city sure does. Due to its popularity, the city is often mistaken as the Spanish capital. While that distinction belongs to Madrid, Barcelona is, nonetheless, the capital of the Catalan Region, carrying the “Head and Hearth of Catalonia” as its sobriquet.

Many travelers flock to Spain for the warm climate but summers can get muggy. Luckily, Barcelona’s summers are cooler other Spanish cities. Even luckier, in Barcelona, tourists attractions are varied and plentiful. What’s a trip to this city without Gaudí? The undulating features of his fairytale-like building facades are hard to miss and truly memorable. Most, if not all, Barcelona sightseeing tours will include a Gaudí spot or two. The number one stop is the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. This work is symbolic of both Barcelona and Gaudí, and it receives the most number of visitors among all the attractions in the city. Long queues aren’t enough of a discouragement for ardent tourists. So, spare yourself the wait and go for a fast track skip the line Sagrada Familia tour.

Not one for structured tours? Go at your own pace and enjoy the rest of the city’s attractions using a Barcelona Card. With it, you can visit the rest of Gaudí’s works, most notably: Parc Guell, Casa Mila, and Casa Batllo. The card gives you free and unlimited transport using the bus, tram, or metro, and gives you access to discounts on for shows, souvenirs, and restaurants.

It’s summer and that’s the time for the beach. Perfect. Barcelona’s uniqueness shines once more. Stay in the city but still enjoy the sun and the sand; the Barceloneta and other nearby beaches will answer your craving for sea air and a dip in the salty waters in a snap.

Another highlight of going to Barcelona in the summer: the festivals. Go exploring by day and then party at night! While you do you best to get to Barcelona’s numerous historic must-sees—so many have yet been mentioned such the Gothic Quarter and Montjuïc—while the sun is out, nighttime provides a different type of enticement. There are events that run all through summer such as the Música als Parcs held in some of the city’s most beautiful gardens, and the Sala Montjuïc Outdoor Film Festival in Castell de Montjuïc. Barcelona’s own festival, La Merce, is made up of hundreds of cultural attractions and events including some of the best street parties.

Day tours are a popular option as well. There are other interesting destinations in Catalonia within striking distance of the city. Take a day trip from Barcelona to Girona and Costa Brava, visit the ancient fortifications around the city then wend your way to the Mediterranean. Or, opt for a Montserrat tour from Barcelona to visit the Santa Maria de Montserrat Monastery and take in the majestic Montserrat mountain range.