Barcelona

Main sights

• Sagrada Família

  Gaudí's basilica, under construction since 1882; walking around the outside is free and the surrounding streets frame it from every angle.

• Barri Gòtic and the cathedral

  Roman walls, the medieval cathedral and a web of alleys around the Plaça del Rei and Plaça Sant Jaume.

• La Rambla

  The famous 1.2 km tree-lined promenade from Plaça de Catalunya to the port; lively, crowded and a magnet for pickpockets.

• Passeig de Gràcia

  The Eixample's grandest avenue, with Casa Batlló, La Pedrera and pavement tiles designed by Gaudí.

• Park Güell

  A hillside park of mosaic benches and colonnades above Gràcia; the monumental zone is ticketed and timed.

• Montjuïc

  A broad hill above the port with museums, gardens, the Olympic stadium and long views; a funicular and cable car help with the climb.

Neighbourhoods worth wandering

• Barri Gòtic

  The medieval core; atmospheric at any hour but busiest in the middle of the day.

• El Born

  Boutiques, wine bars, the Picasso Museum and the basilica of Santa Maria del Mar.

• El Raval

  Diverse and lively, with the contemporary art museum and the Boqueria market on its edge; keep an eye on belongings after dark.

• Eixample

  The grid; modernist façades, good restaurants and the easiest neighbourhood in which to navigate.

• Gràcia

  Former village of small plazas, independent shops and a festival in August when streets are decorated by residents.

• Barceloneta

  The old fishing quarter and the city beach, with seafood restaurants and a long seafront promenade.

Best areas to explore on foot

1. Old city loop

   Plaça de Catalunya – Barri Gòtic – El Born – Barceloneta beach – back along the Rambla: half a day of almost entirely pedestrian streets.

2. Modernist Eixample

   Passeig de Gràcia and the streets either side of it hold a dozen major modernist buildings within a few blocks.

3. Seafront promenade

   From Barceloneta north along the beaches to the Olympic Port and beyond; flat and breezy.

4. Montjuïc gardens

   Paths link the museums and viewpoints across the hill; take the funicular from Paral·lel and walk down.

Practical walking notes

• Terrain

  The old city, the Eixample and the seafront are flat. Park Güell, Montjuïc and Tibidabo are real hills; escalators help on the approach to Park Güell and public transport reaches all three.

• Surfaces

  Smooth paving in the Eixample and on the seafront; flagstones and some cobbles in the Ciutat Vella. Streets in the old town can be slippery when wet.

• Distances

  It takes a little over an hour to walk from the old port to Park Güell, passing the Rambla and the Sagrada Família on a slight incline. Most city-centre walks are between 3 and 6 km.

• Pickpockets

  Barcelona has a persistent problem with pickpocketing on the Rambla, in the Raval and on crowded metro platforms. Carry nothing valuable in back pockets and ignore strangers who approach with petitions, questions or 'spilled' drinks.

• Accessibility

  Metro stations mostly have lifts; the Eixample and seafront are step-free. The old town's narrow lanes are level but often crowded, and the hill parks involve steps and steep paths.

When to visit

• April–June

  Comfortable temperatures in the high teens to low twenties and long days; the best walking season.

• July–August

  Hot and humid, with the largest crowds. Many locals leave in August and some restaurants close, though the beach is at its liveliest.

• Late September–November

  Warm sea, calmer streets and the La Mercè festival at the end of September.

• Winter

  Mild, often sunny, occasionally wet. The city is quieter and prices lower; a good time for the museums and the old town.

Getting there and getting around

Arriving

• By air

  Barcelona-El Prat airport is about 14 km south-west of the centre. The Aerobús runs to Plaça de Catalunya in about 35 minutes; metro line 9 and suburban trains also serve the airport.

• By rail

  Sants is the main station for high-speed trains, including Madrid in about two and a half hours and services from France. It is on the metro, a few stops from the centre.

Local transport

• Metro

  Fast, frequent and air-conditioned; announcements are in Catalan. Trains run late on Fridays and all night on Saturdays.

• Tickets

  Integrated tickets such as the T-casual cover metro, bus, tram and suburban trains within the city zone. Single tickets are poor value if you will make more than a few journeys.

• Funiculars and cable cars

  The Montjuïc funicular is part of the metro system; a separate cable car continues to the castle. Tibidabo has its own funicular.

• Bicycles

  The city has an extensive lane network. The public Bicing scheme is for residents; visitors use private rental shops, which are plentiful.