Lovely lovely lovely museum downtown Barcelona. Not overly…read morepriced. Wonderful art. Great museum store. Pre order tickets, it's easy. Really a place to go!

Picasso was born in Spain, and started his works of art here. Eventually he moved to the country…read morenext door, but first he spent some time right here in Barcelona. This museum has many rooms filled with countless art pieces from his beginning sketches, to giant wall sized paintings. There's even a video showcasing his costume designs for some ballets. The gift shop also has lots of great items.

If you are an architecture buff like my husband and I, consider a visit to Antoni Gaudi's Casa…read moreMila, aka La Pedrera. We did the nighttime tour on the first night of our honeymoon and it was spectacular. A great start to our trip and a truly architecturally magical evening we will never forget. From the light show on the truly unique rooftop facades to ending in the courtyard with a glass of cava.

I felt like stepping into another world by walking into Casa Milà. It's designed by Antoni Gaudi…read moreand every room has its own character, from the flowing shapes and colorful details to the clever use of natural light. We took our time exploring the apartments, courtyards, and attic, and it was fascinating to see how far ahead of its time the design was. Even if you're not an architecture enthusiast, it's easy to appreciate the creativity behind every corner. My favourite part was the rooftop; the famous chimney sculptures and panoramic views over Barcelona were beautiful and there were plenty of photo opportunities. The audio guide was helpful and explained the history and design very carefully and clearly. If you're planning to visit, booking your tickets in advance is a good idea since it gets quite busy, especially during the summer.

I've seen better in other cities, but it made for fun photos so there's that. Price does appear to…read morebe a bit steep, but it's a tourist attraction in a tourist area, and we were tourists. It did the job, but left much to be desired (see the Sex Museum in NYC!)

Out of curiosity and on a friend's recommendation, we entered this museum. We were surprised at…read morewhat we learned and also laughed at a lot. We were met with a flute of champagne too. And the gift shop is not to be missed!!

Hard to miss and it's huge Beautiful museum…read more It's Catalonian which Barcelona has this divided populations and language and even politics and laws But nonetheless it's a great place to wander around

Looking up from Plaça d'Espanya toward the Montjuïc area, the classical Italian facade of the Museu…read moreNacional d'Art de Catalunya sits atop a hill like an elaborate crown perched on a pedestal. You can't miss it. Walking by, if you weren't sure what building this was, you'd google it for sure. Taking the direct route from the traffic roundabout (and nearest metro station, as well as many bus stops) to the front entrance entails many stairs. Plan a good 10 minutes to walk up, that is if you don't stop for photos along the way. From the side streets, where I came from, there is the option of outdoor escalators (how novel! I haven't seen many outdoor ones before) for part of the trek upwards. Upon entering the ticket counter is to the left/center right inside the door, there is the option to purchase online though I bought them in person and it took only a few minutes with no line on a Friday in September. The ground floor lobby is right beyond the counters and provides direct access to the 6 main areas of the museum - Medieval Gothic art, Medieval Romanesque art, Renaissance and Baroque art, Modern art, Numismatics (coins and medals), and the main auditorium/atrium which also contains the cafe and a massive pipe organ. The exhibits were very thorough and for the most part chronological. I was impressed by their extensive Romanesque fresco collection and maintenance, and also enjoyed the modern art and Art Nouveau/Art Deco furniture collection. Walking around the total museum can easily take 2-3 hours, more if you want to read all the descriptions. The museum attendants are quite detailed in checking your tickets at the entry of each exhibition hall. Larger bags and backpacks must be carried in front of you not on your back. Bathrooms are available. Parking for cars and buses is also available though aside from tour groups it looked like majority of patrons walked there.

Amazing museum, a must see! The layout is essentially 2 sets of the museum. One upstairs on…read moreseveral floors and one downstairs with the ruins. Staff super friendly and accommodating...with wheelchair accessible exhibits and loan. The layout and design flowed wonderfully, through Roman and current events. Great discussion of the various periods and history of Barcelona. Included contemporary demographics with nice visuals. The ruins were fascinating as well. Spent 2 blissful hours exploring and would come back!

Wow, just what an unexpected treat. I was in town for a conference and tried to get in some sight…read moreseeing. I had walked to the Gothic quarter, seen markets, and visited the beach. I stopped in here based on a recommendation from a colleague. My whole family is made up of history teachers so I love getting to visit sites like this. The upper floors of the museum have some artifacts and do a nice job providing a high level overview of the history of Barcelona. It starts with Barcelona as a Roman Colony and goes through the modern era. The main attraction though is ruins underground. You can see artifacts from the Roman Era and Medieval Era. It was really neat. Mostly it is just foundations, but there are some tiled areas that take you back in time. The cost is modest, and your ticket is good for several days. It was a great way to spend ~1.5 hours learning about Barcelona.

An entire exhibition was closed so out of the 3 floors our experience was reduced to about 75% lol…read more The art was very nicely exhibited though, but I only provide a lower review because of the entire floor that was missing, the ridiculous heat, and the protest that was occurring outside. Honestly had I gotten a chance to really read the signs being written outside I wouldn't have gone in, for those that don't know, MACBA is currently still expanding and currently destroying a part of the plaza that has been used by residents and skaters alike. It's always a shame to see community and areas for gathering being destroyed for the sake of expansion of an exhibit meant to promote artists just like them.

Probably a mixed experience depending on what's showing. Ok if you have an hour or two to spare…read more A couple of shows spread over several floors. Not large per se but enough space to wander and discover. I found some great exhibits and some big misses. That's contemporary art I guess. Still a nice, well maintained museum. Apparently an expansion is in the works for MACBA.

Casa Batllo is one of Gaudi's beautiful architecture designs. I purchased the tickets online and…read morewas instructed to download the app. Within the app there is access to the tickets and the audio tour once you arrive that describes the different sections. The exterior is so beautiful and resembles a sea creature. He was known to get his inspiration from nature and it shows throughout Casa Batllo. The tour took about an hour. We went early in the day to avoid a long wait time. There are some gift shops in different sections throughout the tour and they also had an option to take a photo on the balcony which was available for purchase. Overall it was a nice experience!

You get a discount for purchasing tickets online, which I did, but then I had an issue accessing…read morethem, so they helped me at the box office without an additional charge. It was a bit crowded when I was there midday so it could be hard to get pictures without people, but it wasn't too bad. It is a beautiful building and I think well worth a visit. I did the audio tour which I thought was good.

The Gothic Quarter is exactly my kind of architecture. This is where the Catedral de Barcelona…read moresits, and it was so beautiful in person. I wish I had more time to actually learn about the cathedral and its history. Great place to take pictures obviously. Even though there were a lot of people around, we were still able to get shots without anyone in the background. Probably because we went there around evening, but it was still rather bright at night. Highly recommend!

The Cathedral of Barcelona, which is also called the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia,…read morewas built in the Gothic style from 1298 to the 15th century. It is an active church that provides masses, confessions, and other sacraments. It also provides tours for 16 euros and up (as of the time of this review). I understand that some people think that a church should be free to enter, but I also understand that many tourists are not practicing Catholics and that the church needs to bring in revenue to pay its bills. My tour guide took my husband and me to the exterior of this church and explained its architecture and history. We did not pay for an interior tour. It is a lovely church to see.

We came here unplanned on our last day in Spain. Ticket price was a bargain compare to other places…read morein this touristy city. The museum is housed in a former ship yard. They even had a section on Spain's role in the slave trade in the Americas, very informative and a somber reminder of the cruelty endured by millions of people. The day we came here was the day before El Día de los Reyes Magos, so we also saw the boat parade by the dock and a festive parade from inside the museum later in the night.

The Maritime Museum of Barcelona is located in Drassanes Reials de Barcelona, the Royal Arsenal of…read moreBarcelona. It is dedicated to shipbuilding between the thirteenth to eighteenth centuries. Construction of the Royal Arsenal started in 1285 with Peter III of Aragon. Additions continued over the next four centuries in the Catalan Gothic style. From the inception, the purpose of the shipyard was to build the galleys for the Aragonese Armada to help control the Mediterranean Sea. So amazing to be able to visit the beautiful reproduction of the 1571 Royal Galley of John of Austria from the Battle of Lepanto. It is a full-scale replica. You can view it from platforms looking over the beautiful, ornate carvings and from below the hull. The museum is free to all on Sundays from 3-6 PM. It is located at the Port Vell stop on the Hop on Hop Off Bus tour which is also the stop for the cruise shuttle. Great for a quick stop to see the Royal Galley or for a longer stop to explore the Spanish maritime history.

One of the highlights on our 2-week trip to Spain and Portugal. Gaudi's grand masterpiece in the…read moreresidential Eixample neighborhood is an icon of the city. It boasts bold, wildly creative, unmistakable organic architecture and décor inside and out - from its melting Glory Façade to its skull-like Passion Façade to its rainforest-esque interior. Really spectacular! We came at the end of the day, and the light was flooding through the stained glass window. We also did the Bell tower which has gorgeous panoramic views of the city. You take the elevator up and then down about 300 stairs down a narrow, winding staircase. Note: Buy timed entry reservations in advance, and make sure you book on the official website: www.sagradafamilia.org. I initially got scammed by Feel the City and paid €340, instead of €140. I hate that; the scammer sites are very official looking.

No matter how many photos you've seen, nothing really prepares you for seeing Basílica de la…read moreSagrada Família in person. Gaudí's masterpiece is breathtaking from every angle, and the level of detail on both the exterior and interior is incredible. As sunlight shines through the colorful stained-glass windows, the entire basilica fills with vibrant colors, creating a peaceful and unforgettable atmosphere. We took our time to appreciate all the little details rather than rushing through. The audio guide helped us understand the symbolism behind the design. Booking tickets in advance is highly recommended, especially during the busy season, as entry times often sell out.