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THINGS TO DO IN BARCELONA

Information is gold, and I want to share my wealth with you.!

When staying in a city for several days and it’s your first time there,

sometimes you can feel a bit lost organizing your agenda.

This section will give you plenty of ideas to plan your stay in Barcelona

making the best use of your time.

ON YOUR OWN

CHILDREN

NIGHTLIFE

SHOPPING

ONLINE GUIDES

THINGS TO DO ON YOUR OWN

- If you are arriving in town in the afternoon, but we aren’t having your tour until the next morning, I suggest you have a stroll along La Rambla and the Waterfront, where you’ll also find great dinner options. I’ve made a Googlemaps with plenty of suggestions for that.

- If we aren’t covering the Hill of Montjuïc in our tour, but you want to go on your own, here is another Googlemaps I made for you.

- Palau de la Música Catalana only accepts visitors joining their own tours, so I strongly suggest you buy tickets in advance (they sell out quickly !)

- Palau Güell is a little-known Gaudí work that we could technically include in our tour, but in practice it’s hard to make as tourguides don’t have preference and we’d have to wait in line. If you liked the Gaudí sites, you shouldn’t miss this mansion either!

- Gran Teatre del Liceu is another concert hall (our Opera House), and visits also must join their own guided tours.

CHILDREN (and adults young at heart!)

WALKS & SIGHTS…

A walk down la Rambla enjoying the birds market and the mimes is always a safe bet!

Play hide-and-seek in the cypress tree maze of the Park del Laberint d’Horta (Subway: line 3, Mundet).

Enjoy a boat ride in the port or along the city seafront with the classic Golondrinas, departing from the Columbus Statue (end of la Rambla).

SPORT…

Go ice-skating! In the famous Football Club Barcelona facilities. Or visit their spectacular soccer stadium.

Go cycling! Rent a bike.

Row the boats in the Ciutadella Park (Subway: line 4 Barceloneta or line 1 Arc de Triomf).

Adventure sports for all the family: zip wires, creepers, bungee jumping, suspension bridges... Circuits with difficulty levels from 3 years old to adults.

CULTURE…

Feel like a pirate at the Maritime Museum.

Play instruments and learn about them at the brand new Museum of the Music.

Be a scientist at the Cosmocaixa Science Museum.

Explore the Natural Sciences at the Blue Museum.

FUN…

Discover the local amusement park at the top of the Tibidabo hill. Remember to take the Blue Tramway and then the Funicular to get there!

Or take a day trip to Port Aventura, a theme park owned by Universal Studios!

Have fun with the wax people at the Wax Museum.

Have a delicious time at the Museum of Chocolate.

Check out the newly opened Museum of Magic.

Dance with the stars at the Museum of Rock.

Attend a rehearsal session of the Castellers de Barcelona (human castles). Check their online calendar: rehearsals are shown in green, “assaig” meaning team rehearsals and “assaig de canalla” meaning children rehearsal (as it’s kids who go on the very top of the towers!)

Learn about worldwide famous inventions at the Museum of Ideas and Inventions.

Visit the Motorcycle Museum.

SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION RIDES (cablecars, funiculars and elevators)…

IN MONTJUIC: There are two cablecars: the Aeri del Port connects the Barceloneta beaches with the Montjuïc Hill, then only 5min walk from that station, the Telefèric de Montjuïc takes you to the top of the hill, beside the Montjuïc Castle.

IN TIBIDABO: first take the old-fashioned Blue Tram in Av. Tibidabo, and then change to the Funicular del Tibidabo, that will take you to the top of the hill. There you can enjoy the amusement park, or you can take the elevator of the Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor that rides you to the feet of the sculpture of Jesus that crowns the church. The amazing views are worth seeing! Want more? There is a public vantage point open in the Collserola Tower, just 10min walk from there. Still some energy left? Another funicular, the Funicular de Vallvidrera, this time a local transportation ride, not a tourist attraction is 15min walk, in the well-off district of Vallvidrera.

IN THE PORT: Apart from the Aeri, you’ll also get great views from the top of the Columbus Statue (never thought you could get up there, uh?

ANIMALS…

Say hi to the sharks at the Aquarium.

Learn from the animal world at the Barcelona Zoo.

They aren’t actually alive, but… Did you know there is a Mammoth museum in town?

CHEETAH GIRLS 2, THE BARCELONA ITINERARY:

These are some of the settings where Cheetah Girls 2 was shot. Your kids might want to check them out!

The balcony at the entrance of the MNAC museum. It’s the first place they visit when they get to Barcelona. Great views of the city!!!

Montcada street. The street of the Picasso Museum and the Palau Dalmasses, where they first meet Angel, the guitar player.

Passeig del Born, and area around it. That’s where Angel takes them around, and where Aquanette loves going shopping.

Park Güell. Tha famous Gaudí park, Angel is the first to take them there, and later they’ll come back with Marisol and his mum Lola.

Palau de la Música Catalana. In this magnificent concert hall they have to pass their audition!

Restaurants of the Garraf seaside village. Beach party!!!

Estaci de França. The train station where Galleria wants to take the train to meet her father, before the girls stop her.

Plaça del Rei. That’s where the stage of the Music Festival is set up. There you’ll also find the Museum of History of Barcelona: its Chapel of Saint Agatha is the backstage and changing room where the Cheetah Girls prepared for the show.

Unfortunately, you’ll have to tell your kids that the Dancing Cat club and Joaquin’s dance studio aren’t real places…

NIGHTLIFE
CLASSICAL, OPERA, DANCE		JAZZ		FLAMENCO		SALSA DANCING
CLUBBING	UNDUBBED MOVIES		CABARET		THEATER		MORE OPTIONS

Classical music, Opera, dance…

Palau de la Música. The most beautiful concert hall in town, built by one of our best modernist architects, Domènech i Montaner, programs music concerts almost every day.

Gran Teatre del Liceu. The city’s opera hall, a meeting point of Barcelona’s upper class.

L’Auditori. This modern building by Rafael Moneo is the largest concert hall in town.

Espai Barroc. Weekly opera concerts by local young promises in this medieval mansion fully decorated with antiques.

Jazz clubs

JazzSí Club - Taller de músics. This school for young professional musicians programs jazz and latin music concerts almost every night in their dusty dark bar: MON - Jazz Masters, TUE - Jam Session (Rock, Pop, Blues), WED - Hot Jazz, THU - Cuban, SAT - Jam Session (Jazz), SUN - Jam Session (Rock).

JazzRoom - Cova del Drac. One of the most emblematic jazz clubs in town, meeting point for the local musicians.

Jamboree. Another must for jazz lovers in Barcelona. Here performed Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, Chat Baker and many more.

Harlem Jazz Club. Latin jazz, rhythm & blues, swing…

Bel-luna. Jazz concerts & dinner.

Café Vienés. Weekly concerts featuring the most locally renowned jazz musicians, in the cozy modernist café of the Casa Fuster Hotel.

Flamen co

Although Flamenco isn’t a genuinely Catalan activity, Barcelona has a large population of Andalusian immigrants that are proud to have founded in our city renowned flamenco schools.

Tarantos. Pure flamenco life music for those who want to avoid tourist traps.

El Tablao de Carmen. Located in the Spanish Village, here the famous Carmen Amaya started her way to fame. Dinner & Show or Drink & Show.

El Cordobés. The second most famous tablao in Barcelona, centrically located in la Rambla. Dinner & Show or Drink & Show.

Palacio del Flamenco. The newest flamenco venue, opened in 2007. Dinner & Show or Drink & Show.

JazzSí Club - Taller de músics. This school for young professional musicians programs flamenco concerts every Friday in their dusty dark bar.

Flamenco OB Sessions. The Apolo Ballroom offers monthly nights with “duende”.

El Molino. A classic venue in the Paral·lel Avenue, it’s just been reopened after years of renovation works and they are also planning to schedule monthly flamenco nights.

Opera Flamenco Shows. Flamenco show in opera-theater format: the music and choreographies are developed to narrate a passionate love story.

You can also buy tickets for Spanish guitar concerts in beautiful venues at the Tourist Information Point, or directly in front of your favorite venue: Santa Anna church, La Mercè Basílica, Santa Maria del Pi church, Museu Europeu d’Art Modern, Sant Jaume church or Palau de la Música Catalana.

Clubbing and dancing

CDLC. Restaurant & Lounge, a meeting point for the city’s beautiful people.

Bikini. Life music, three different ambiences.

Luz de Gas. Another classic of the Barcelona night for life music and dancing.

Mirablau. Pl Doctor Andreu 2. Drinks and dancing with spectacular views over the city.

Eclipse. Trendy nights at the top of the W Hotel.

Razzmatazz. A wilder option…

Nuba Lounge Club. A must in the local night.

Ura BCN. The latest incorporation to the top incorporation to the Barcelona fancy nights.

Salsa dancing

Of course, salsa is not Spanish but Cuban. But… it’s fun!

Antilla. Maybe the most emblematic salsoteca in town.

Mojito Club. Another must in the local salsa scene.

HBN BCN (Habana Barcelona). Restaurant & dancing. Authentic Cuban ambience, they often program life music. La Máquina del Saborrrrr!

Everything about the Barcelona salsa scene here: http://www.salserosbcn.es.

M ovies in English - Did you know in Spain most movies are dubbed? Not in these places:

Cines Verdi & Verdi Park. The first movie theatres in town to offer undubbed cinema with subtitles. European and Asian author films.

Renoir Les Corts & Renoir Floridablanca. Minority as well as commercial movies.

Icaria Yelmo Cineplex. Commercial movie theatre.

Cabaret

Barcelona City Hall. Dinner & Show / Cabaret.

Casino Barcelona. Dinner & Cabaret & Casino.

Taboo nights. Burlesque shows at the Apolo.

El Molino. An old cabaret recently recovered that aims at being again the center of the nightlife in the Paral·lel avenue.

Theater plays

Most theater plays in Barcelona are performed in Catalan, some in Spanish, and only occasionally the summer arts festival Grec will program shows in other languages such as English. For the brave who still want to experience our stages, here is a list with the best recommendations:

Teatre Nacional de Catalunya. The largest theater venue in town, managed by the Government of Catalonia. The smaller rooms also program dance shows and children shows.

Teatre Romea. One of the oldest theaters in Barcelona.

Teatre Poliorama. Another classic of the local scene.

Teatre Victoria. Large theater programming commercial plays by well-known local companies, and one of the few to offer musicals.

Other ideas…

Montjuic Magic Fountain. An outdoors free water, music and light show, a classic of the Barcelona summer nights.

SHOPPING

DESIGNERS

Passeig de Gràcia: The upper part is hold by the high couture temples, while the lower part has all the more affordable prêt-à-porter brands. Don’t miss the Boulevard Rosa commercial gallery.

Rambla Catalunya: Mostly for shoes, bags and leather, as well as some good design houseware.

Diagonal Avenue: the top designers are also located in the area of the Diagonal Avenue between Passeig de Gràcia and Plaça Francesc Macià.

Born quarter: the so-called Barcelona SOHO, creative young local designers.

CASUAL

Pelai Street: teens and youngsters fashion, and good price/quality shoes.

Portal de lngel: Women fashion and shoes.

Portaferrissa: teens and youngsters fashion and shoes.

SHOPPING MALLS & DEPARTMENT STORES

Corte Inglés: the most famous Spanish Department Store in Spain has several stores in town. Two of them are in Plaça Catalunya, but they’re packed with tourists. For a local and more relaxed atmosphere, go the one in the “posh” neighborhood: Corte Inglés Diagonal (subway: Maria Cristina).

The Posh District: Right next to the Corte Inglés Diagonal you’ll find another commercial gallery, Pedralbes Centre, and two blocks further the fancy shopping mall Illa Diagonal. And just a couple of blocks more and you’ll be able to link your shopping itinerary with the Diagonal Avenue and continue down to Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla Catalunya… if your credit card isn’t burnt yet!

Diagonal Mar: probably one of the largest and nicest shopping malls in town, my favorite after Illa Diagonal.

Maremagnum: Only Sunday left for shopping? Hum… not a good thing: almost everything is closed on Sundays in Barcelona! But don’t worry, this mall at the Old Port opens everyday!

La Roca Village: the outlet mall only 20min away from Barcelona. More than 100 boutiques with more than 60% discount year-round! A bus departs the city center 4 times a day to take you there.

AND REMEMBER I can also unveil for you the shopping secrets of the city with my FASHION TOURS!