Barcelona is a megacity with endless attractions to explore, from architecture to food markets. Sure, you could design your own self-guided walking tour of Barcelona. But I would strongly recommend you go on at least one guided tour led by a local to complete your experience.
In this post, I’ll show you the best tours to take in Barcelona in 2020. You can book all the tours I recommend post through Get Your Guide, my number one choice for guided tours in Europe. I’ve gone on many tours with Get Your Guide Tours and love how professional and informative they are. I always leave with a brand new perspective and a ton of notes on my phone.
With Get Your Guide tours, you can skip the notoriously-long lines at Barcelona’s top sites. Also, if something comes up, you can cancel your reservation up to 24 hours and still get a full refund.
1. La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is arguably the most famous building in all of Barcelona. This 200-year cathedral is the work of Antoni Gaudi, a Catalan architect. Even if architecture isn’t your thing, you need to take a tour of this iconic cathedral. To experience La Sagrada Familia in all its glory, I would recommend the Sagrada Familia Tour with Tower Access. I toured only the inside of the cathedral without a guide, which is one of the mistakes to avoid at La Sagrada Familia. To truly experience La Sagrada Familia, it’s best to tour both the inside and then take an elevator up to the towers outside.
2. Park Guell
Park Guell, another work by Gaudi, is like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. It’s colorful, quirky, and just plain fun to tour. Through the Park Guell Guided Walking Tour, your guide will walk you around the vast grounds, hallways, and ginger-bread looking houses. You’ll learn the history of the park and tons of interesting facts.
3. Barcelona Tapas and Wine Tour
If you want to tour Barcelona’s historic neighborhoods while trying the best tapas and wine, this tour is for you. As part of the Tapas and Wine Tour, a guide will give you a tour of the El Born neighborhood and the Gothic Quarter. Along the way, you’ll stop at local tapas bars to try the food and wine. The restaurants selected will give a taste of traditional Catalan cuisine and tapas.
4. Casa Battlo
Casa Battlo is probably my favorite of the Gaudi buildings. The wealthy Batllo family commissioned Gaudi to demolish their existing home and build a new one. Instead, Gaudi simply refurbished it and added his signature waves on the exterior. The best way to see Casa Batllo is to do a guided tour with an interactive video guide.
5. Palau de Musica Catalana
Palau de Musica Catalana is a concert venue in Barcelona an awe-inspiring decor. Through this 45-minute tour, you’ll get to admire the extravagant hallways and areas not normally available to the public while learning about Barcelona’s modernist period. The concert hall is a UNESCO World Heritage site and hosts a variety of performances throughout the year.
6. Casa Mila
Just down the street from Casa Battlo is Casa Mila, also known as ‘La Pedrera.’ Just like Casa Battlo, Gaudi built this house for a wealthy couple. At the time, neighbors thought the house was hideous, but now its one of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona. The best way to experience Casa Mila is to do a tour with an audio guide. With this tour, you get to skip the line and also view the house from the rooftop. The vantage point from the rooftop is really amazing!
7. Barcelona Hop on Hop off Bus
Hop on hop off buses are a fun way to see the top sites of a city. The Barcelona hop on hop off tour transports you in an air-conditioned coach to the city’s top attractions, like La Sagrada Familia, Camp Nou (the FC Barcelona stadium), Port Olimpic (the 1992 Olympic park), and dozens of more sites. The route has designated routes where you can hop off, explore, and then hop back on at a designated time.
8. Gothic Quarter Tour
The Gothic Quarter is, in my humble opinion, the most interesting neighborhood in Barcelona. Home to 2000-year old buildings, it is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Barcelona. It’s fun to meander through the narrow streets with grand arches. With a guided walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, you’ll explore some of the most important monuments and learn about the history of the neighborhood.
9. Barcelona Historical 3-Hour Bike Tour
Barcelona is a very walkable city so you won’t see many people on bikes. Still, a bike tour is a great way to see the highlights of the city. Through a the 3-Hour Historical Bike Tour, you’ll ride through some of the most iconic neighborhoods, like the Gracia and the Gothic Quarter. You’ll make stops at places La Sagrada Familia and Parc de Ciutadella, and your tour guide will tell you about the history and significance of those sites. This is a fun way to see Barcelona and a great choice for those who would rather not walk.
10. Montserrat Half-Day Trip from Barcelona
If you’re looking for a break from the city, then head to the mountains of Montserrat. This is one of the best day trips from Barcelona. Montserrat is a stunning natural landscape that’s home to a famous monastery – the Montserrat Monastery. Christians flock there to see the Black Madonna, a wooden sculpture with important historical significance. Through a guided day trip to Montserrat, you can visit the Montserrat Monastery and experience the beauty of the Catalunya countryside.
Travel Resources I Love
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Skyscanner – Skyscanner.com is my go-to website to search for flights. It’s hard to beat the prices! I’ve snagged a $24 direct flight to Milan, a $30 flight to Berlin, a $400 roundtrip ticket to Colombia, and a $500 roundtrip ticket to Japan. I’ve been using Skyscanner since I studied abroad in Spain back in 2012. I check the website along with the Hopper app to determine the best time to buy tickets.
For more travel product recommendations, check out my travel essentials page.
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Somto Ugwueze
Hi! I'm Somto. Two years ago, I stopped making excuses, ditched my indecisive friends, and started booking flights. Today, I'm a full-time solo traveler on a mission to inspire young women to seek new adventures.
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