For centuries, Barcelona’s Port Vell was an industrial area, but that all changed in the 1990s. Today, this hip waterfront district has everything a traveler could ask for, from late-night seafood restaurants to shopping boutiques and endless waterfront views. Centrally located and easy to reach, this cauldron of culture, landmarks, and things to do is a must for any Barcelona itinerary.
In the Sant Martí district of Barcelona, Platja de la Mar Bella (Mar Bella Beach) is a popular local hangout over the summer. In addition to a lovely stretch of sand and plenty of recreational facilities, Platja de la Mar Bella is also home to Barcelona’s only clothing-optional beach and is LGBTQ+-friendly.
Housed in a repurposed textile factory, Otto Zutz Club has been a mainstay of the Barcelona club scene since the mid-1980s. While it's best known for reggaeton, there's plenty of hip-hop, disco, house, and R&B thrown into the mix, all blasted on massive sound systems over three floors. If you need more convincing, everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to The Rolling Stones has apparently partied here.
Catch Barcelona’s top flamenco performers at this 19th-century theater. Home to perhaps the city’s most beloved show, it’s a quick dose of culture for any traveler interested in the passionate Spanish art form, and who wants to know what makes Barcelona tick.
A one-of-a-kind museum in the heart of Barcelona, Guitar Legends Hall provides an immersive and interactive way to delve into the history of rock ‘n’ roll. In this experience, you can play with jukeboxes, listen to old records, put your musical ambitions to the test—and even admire a collection of guitars once played by musical legends like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.
Three centuries of history lie behind the distinctive, sgraffito-adorned facade of the House of Silk (La Casa de la Seda), Barcelona’s only guild house. On the central boulevard of Via Laietana, the opulent headquarters of the Art of Silk Association is just as impressive on the inside—decorated with silk wall coverings and filled with original antiques and archival documents.
Learn about the past, present, and future of cannabis and hemp at the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Barcelona—one of the largest cannabis museums in the world. Housed in the historic Palau Mornau, the museum’s collection of art, artefacts, and exhibits cover the history, cultivation, and use of the controversial plant.
In the heart of Barcelona is the Museum of Modernism (Museu del Modernisme), a gallery and exhibition space designed to showcase Catalan modernist art. This petite museum has a collection that far surpasses its small size, and includes sculptures, stained glass, and paintings. See works by Antoni Gaudí, Joan Busquets, and Ramon Casas, and enjoy learning about a movement that inspired many artistic developments across Europe in the early 20th century.
Located on the outskirts of scenic Lloret de Mar, Water World Lloret is one of Costa Brava’s top water parks. The park spans 7 acres (3 hectares) and features more than 20 aquatic attractions, from wave pools and play zones for kids to racing slides, an 820-foot (250-meter) water coaster, and an adrenaline-pumping free fall drop.
Situated on the banks of the Llobregat River on the outskirts of Barcelona, RCDE Stadium (formerly Stage Front Stadium) is the home stadium of the RCD Espanyol football (soccer) club—one of the top Spanish league teams and the crosstown rival of FC Barcelona. The 40,000-capacity stadium ranks among Spain’s leading sporting venues, as well as being used as a concert venue for international music artists.
Spanning roughly 38 square miles (98 square kilometers), the Llobregat Delta (Delta del Llobregat) is one of Catalonia’s most important wetland zones and the region’s second-largest delta. Located just southwest of Barcelona, the delta is a designated conservation area known for its rich biodiversity. It’s a popular place for bird-watching and a habitat for rare plants, including more than 22 orchid species.
After opening its doors in 1896, Els Quatre Gats quickly became the meeting point du jour for the artists, literary maestros, and luminaries of Barcelona’s modernist era; Pablo Picasso, Santiago Rusiñol, and Antoni Gaudí all frequented the Gothic Quarter café. Today, the famous café remains a memorable spot for a coffee break, while the atmospheric restaurant is known for its traditional Catalan cuisine.
One of Barcelona’s most fascinating museums, the Museum of Forbidden Art (Museu de l'Art Prohibit) is true to its name, exhibiting banned, censored, and controversial artworks. The collection spans pieces by Ai Weiwei, Andy Warhol, Banksy, and Robert Mapplethorpe, as well as Picasso etchings, a Klimt sketch, and Andres Serrano’s notorious Piss Christ.
