Barcelona is Spain’s most popular tourist destination. The city has much to offer – fine beaches, green parks, chic cafés, trendy shopping, street performances along the renowned Les Ramblas Boulevard, gothic palaces, and displays of Antoni Gaudí architecture. The best time to visit Barcelona is in the spring when the temperature is warm but not excessive. The city can also get extremely crowded in the summer months.

There are several places in Barcelona that are worth visiting, especially museums. The Museu Nacional d´Art de Catalunya has a collection of the best Romanesque, Gothic, Rennaisance, and Baroque art in the world. At the Museu Picasso, on the other hand, located in a medieval palace, you’ll find a compilation of early Picasso paintings and his early and later-stage oils and drawings. In total, there are over 3,500 works including 24 of his masterpieces such as the “Margot or the Period of Waiting”, the “Man in a Baret”, and the “Blanquita Suarez”. Other museums in Barcelona include the Fundació Miró, where you’ll find a wide sample of Joan Miró’s works.

The architecture in Barcelona is also astounding. There are a number of places where you can view Roman ruins including the four remaining columns at the Temple at Centre Excursionista. Gothic architecture is on display at the Barri Gòtic. There, you’ll find buildings and remains dating back to the medieval era. This gothic quarter is also lined with tapas, bars and cafés. For pre-modern and modern architecture, you can view Gaudi’s art-nouveau works by visiting the Sagrada Familia, Casa Milà, Casa Vicens, Palau Güell, and the Parc Güell. Other architectural masterpieces include the Arc de Triompf i Parc de la Ciutadella, the Casa de les Punxes, and the Palau de la Musica Catalana.

Las Ramblas is also a popular place in Barcelona, where outdoor cafes, flower stands, market stalls, book kiosks, jugglers, singers, puppeteers, sidewalk artists, living statues, and dancers line the streets.

For great bars and restaurants, the place to visit is Plaça Real. El Born and La Ribera is another trendy area with numerous bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. For a nice stroll along the beach, Barceloneta offers miles of beachfront boardwalk for runners and sun-tanners.