15 Reasons to Visit Barcelona as Told by a Local

Barcelona, a city known for its sun and sea, Sagrada Familia, food, and nightlife. I could tell you that these are reasons to visit Barcelona — because, well, they are — but you already knew that. This article is here give you 15 reasons why you should visit and experience Barcelona, from a local’s perspective, because I can tell you for sure we don’t dance around Sagrada Familia like the Ed Sheeran song suggests. Here are 15 reasons to visit Barcelona (as told by a local).

15 reasons to visit Barcelona. Have you considered visiting one of Spain's best cities? A mix of Spanish, Mediterranean, and Catalan flair, Barcelona is amazing. Here's why you should visit Barcelona.

1. There’s a whole street dedicated to delicious and cheap pinchos.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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2. You could spend hours wandering the narrow and mesmerizing streets of the Gothic Quarter.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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3. Bunkers El Carmel offers exquisite 360 degree views of Barcelona, and is also a great spot to head to with friends and a couple bottles of wine to watch the sun set and city light up around you.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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4. There’s a whole park dedicated to cacti and tropical plants.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Cactus lovers paradise right in the city. 🌵 . . . . . #cactus #cactuspark #cacti #exploremore #barcelonastravel #lightroomedits #visitbarcelona #parksofinstagram #naturelovers

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5. There always seems to be a festival going on.

One of the best is La Mercè, Barcelona’s city festival, which features a firework run where ‘devils’ twirl fireworks down Via Laietana and pedestrians run and dance in the street with them.

6. There’s plenty of rooftop bars with exquisite views.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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7. It’s full of the quirky modernist architecture of Antoni Gaudí.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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8. You can wake up early and watch the sunrise over the beach.

The sun sets over the land, but the sunrise is gorgeous.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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9. There’s lots of funky dive bars. Like this bar Nevermind has a literal skate park inside of it.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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10. Most museums are free on Sundays or the first Sunday of every month.

But arrive early to secure your ticket! See more details here.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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11. You can find craft beer if look hard enough.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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12. But the vermut and pinchos combination is still better.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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13. Because the Catalan region is full of culture.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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14. It’s full of vintage shops and flea markets.

One of the best is held at Ovella Negra of Poblenou where everything costs €1. It runs once a month and you can find more information about it and other markets here.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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15. There’s tons of quality street art.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Game of Thrones, anyone? Amazing work from @axe_colours in Barcelona!! Bummed that several of my favorites have been graffitied over, but lucky to see this one still intact. 👏

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Any other reasons to visit Barcelona that I didn’t include in my 15 reasons? Share in the comments below!

My Top Travel Recommendations ♡

These are a few of my top travel tips that will save you time and money while setting up for an AMAZING trip.

Booking flights: I almost exclusively use Google Flights. They have a cool feature where you can type in your departure airport and discover where you could fly within a certain budget. Otherwise, you can also compare airports and see what day is best to fly in/out to help you save money and have the most efficient flight path.

Travel insurance: SafetyWing is my go-to choice for travel insurance. They have a global policy that covers 180+ countries. You can visit any doctor, cancel anytime, and you’re even covered for a few weeks after returning to your home country.

Anti-theft bag: To help protect against pickpockets, I like to carry my beloved Travelon bag. It’s slash-resistant, has locked zippers, and is very sleek and functional for traveling abroad.

Accommodation: I love using Booking.com to find places to stay when traveling. Booking has everything from hotels and hostels to b&bs and entire house/apartment rentals.

Travel Credit Card: I love-love-love my Capital One Venture One credit card. It has a $0 annual fee and no fees when using abroad or paying in a foreign currency. Plus you get 20,000 bonus miles when you spend $500 in your first three months when you get this card.

Car rentals: I use DiscoverCars.com when renting a car. Great deals, customer support, and range of comapnies. You can save up to 70% via the website instead of booking a car directly.

Tours: I don’t travel on complete tours as I like to travel on my own terms, but I do like to book experiences and walking tours on GetYourGuide. They have an amazing line-up of things to do in destinations around the globe. You can also access skip-the-line tickets.

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Hi, I’m Christa! Welcome to my sustainable solo travel blog dedicated to inspiring others to travel slowly, embracing a heart-forward and spirited approach to adventure. 

-The Spirited Explorer

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