Best Barcelona Tours: Experiencing the best of Barcelona

Barcelona is a thriving, seaside destination offering a heady mix of breathtaking architecture, inspiring art, culinary gems, and Catalan traditions. There is plenty to do and see in this historic city that also doubles up as Spain’s party capital and you can get easily overwhelmed while planning a trip here. However, choosing well-curated and locally guided tours ensures you make the most of what Barcelona offers. Our list of the best tours of Barcelona not only guarantees a phenomenal trip – featuring the city’s many must-see landmarks - but might even save you money and present you with unique perspectives of the city. Read on to know more!

What are the advantages of choosing Barcelona tours?

Barcelona is a city of contrasts - where skyscrapers coexist with medieval architecture. Steeped in proud Catalonian heritage, the city is home to a well-preserved Gothic Quarter and museums that speak of its vibrant history. Its neighbourhoods celebrate local traditions while also playing host to some of the world’s leading restaurants and offering party-goers a lively nightlife. To uncover the nuances of this fascinating city, we recommend you take your pick from a long list of Barcelona tours that showcase the best the city has to offer.

Get the complete experience with the best Barcelona tours

From the Gothic Quarters and the Sagrada Familia to the high-rise buildings and sunny beaches, Barcelona is multi-faceted. While this makes it a traveller’s paradise, it may also mean that you’ll struggle to pack your itinerary with experiences that cover all aspects of this vibrant city. With tours, however, you’ll be guided by local experts who will show you how to make the most of your time here.

Discover the city’s breathtaking architecture with the best Barcelona tours

From the larger-than-life Sagrada Familia to the picturesque Park Güell, Antoni Gaudí left his mark on this Catalan city. Additionally, no trip to Barcelona can be deemed complete without marvelling at the centuries-old churches and buildings that populate every nook and cranny of its Gothic Quarter. All these attractions hold a wealth of history and are best unpacked on a professionally-led tour.

Enjoy the thriving city life with the best Barcelona tours

One way to discover Barcelona’s exciting nightlife is with the help of a local guide. You can choose from nightlife tours that give you access to the city’s best clubs and pubs. These tours are specially crafted to ensure that you experience Barcelonian nightlife like a local.

Save time and money with the best Barcelona tours

Visiting various attractions individually takes up a lot of time and stacks up additional expenses. When you choose combo tours, you are assured of value for money since you can visit multiple attractions at reduced rates. Plus, buying these tours online almost always gets you additional discounts!

Make you experience a hassle-free one with the best Barcelona tours

Standing in line for hours, battling long lines and navigating through a foreign country can get overwhelming, especially if it is your first time. On curated tours, you can sign up for hassle-free experiences. With guided tours, all you have to do is show up at the designated spot and wait for your guide. From procuring tickets to navigating the crowds, your professional guide will do all the hard work.

Choosing the best Barcelona tours

Barcelona is home to numerous attractions such as the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell and the Picasso Museum. To make your experience a little easier, we have put together a list of the best Barcelona tours. Depending on your areas of interest, budget and availability of time, you can select the ones that suit you the best.

Best Barcelona tours: Sagrada Familia

Recognised as Gaudí’s most fantastical creation, Sagrada Familia, a Catholic Basilica that is still in the making, is Barcelona’s star attraction. An astonishing edifice marked by towering spires, a lavishly decorated exterior, and a soaring vaulted interior speckled with colourful glasswork, Sagrada Familia is Barcelona’s pride and Spain’s most visited monument.

Best Barcelona tours: Park Güell

Showcasing Gaudí’s vision of blending nature with architecture, Park Güell sits on a hilltop above Barcelona and looks like a mosaic-cover dreamland that features over-the-top sculptures of lizards, wave-shaped benches, Doric-style colourful temples and a Greek-style theatre. The park serves as a peek into Gaudí’s wild imagination!

Best Barcelona tours: Picasso Museum

Showcasing over 4,000 works from Picasso, this dedicated museum traces the life and work of the renowned artist. It also highlights Picasso’s years in Barcelona and the influence the city had on his art. The museum lends wonderful insight into the evolution of one of the leading artists of the postmodern world.

Best Barcelona tours: Day trips from Barcelona

No trip to Barcelona is complete without indulging in day trips to nearby regions. Places like Montserrat and Girona are ideal and would make for a relaxing day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. If you are thinking of taking a day trip from Barcelona, here are a few options to consider.

Best Barcelona tours: Hop-on Hop-off tours

Explore the city of Barcelons with these hop-on hop-off tours. Discover the most popular attractions of Barcelona such as the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Barcelona Cathedral among others. According to your convenience, you can choose from 1 and 2 day hop-on hop-off tours.

Best Barcelona tours: Barcelona Cathedral

Part of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, the Barcelona Cathedral is the city’s preeminent church and one look at it will tell you why! Largely constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries, this neo-Gothic features decorated spires and is adorned with mythical creatures. Inside, elegant archways lead to a central nave that is home to a gleaming choir stand.

Visiting Barcelona: Tips, guidelines and more

Book your tickets in advance

Booking tickets in advance is a must, especially if you are planning to visit popular attractions like Sagrada Familia, which is one of the most visited attractions in Barcelona. It is recommended that you purchase your ticket at least three to four days in advance and online so that you don’t spend hours at the ticket counter.

Beware of pickpockets

Barcelona is infamous for pickpockets. Exercise basic precautions to keep yourself and your belongings safe. For example, dress simply and leave your expensive jewellery at home. Take extra care of your belongings in crowded areas. When travelling by metro, keep your belongings close.

Invest in multi-day metro cards and passes

If you are staying in Barcelona for a few days, investing in travel cards and passes such as the Barcelona Hola Travel Card is a good idea. These travel cards allow you to use the metro at a subsidised rate, which in turn allows you to save a considerable amount of money.

Forego the usual tourist haunts

Barcelona has many hidden gems within its expansive landscape. Do your research before you go and experience Barcelona like the locals do. Do not fall into tourist traps. Instead, visit the lesser-explored attractions of the city. For example, instead of visiting the popular La Barceloneta Beach, you can choose to visit lesser-known but gorgeous beaches like Mar Bella, Llevant to escape the crowds and have a memorable beach outing.

Discover interesting street art

The Three Chimneys Urban Park, Poble Nou and Huertos of Raval are some of the neighbourhoods where you can find unique works of art. Look out for graffiti artists like Zosen y Mina, Btoy and Aryz. If you are a lover of art, this experience is not to be missed. You can even find special street art tours that take you to all the best spots.

Experience a festival

Barcelona is known for its extravagant and breathtaking festivals, such as the Festa Major de Gràcia. These festivals often include interesting events such as fireworks, games, concerts, and even food festivals. They are also a good opportunity to experience the local way of life. Before you plan your trip to Barcelona, it is a good idea to read up on these numerous festivals.

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