Europe Chevron. Spain Chevron. Catalonia Chevron. Barcelona Chevron. The soul-caressing Spanish climate might set Barcelona up as an outdoor city, but its indoor activities have kudos, too. Find world-renowned museums that showcase artistic legends and rising stars, markets rich in local produce, and panoramic viewing platforms to take in the iconic architecture. Consider this your capsule edit of attractions: the definitive list of what to do in Barcelona for the time-smart traveler, from art, iconic parks, and performing arts spaces to so much more.
Spanning big-hitters and under-the-radar gems, these are the best things to do in Barcelonaβthe Catalan-speaking city's most unmissable spots. Read our complete Barcelona travel guide here , which includes:.
This romantically-named mural near the Catedral de Barcelona was only meant to be a temporary exhibition. It was unveiled in for the th anniversary of September 11, , a day known as Catalonia Day, or La Diada, which commemorates Catalan surrender in the War of Spanish Succession.
Celebration might sound wrongβafter all, they lostβbut having undergone 14 months of siege beforehand, the day is a tribute to the Catalan lives lost, to regional identity, and to freedom. Back to the mural though. Fontcuberta and ceramicist Toni Cumella then printed 4, of these personal shots onto mosaics, arranging them by color and density so that, from afar, the foot-tall mural shows two people kissing.
This kissβa symbol of affection, empathy, and libertyβfelt so poignant that the local government never took it down. Then, in July , it was set on fire and burned for 11 days straight. The church prides itself on an everyone-welcome mindset, likely stemming back to its origins, when local merchants rather than the monarchy funded its expansion.
