Barcelona Apartments - Desigbarcelona

What to visit ?

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Barcelona is an open-air museum. You can visit it by bus, bicycle or on foot, and enjoy its bustling streets. There are many ways to discover the city and a whole host of things to do, for those interested in culture, for those in search of entertainment or for those thinking about where to do some shopping.

Picasso Museum
Address : C. Montcada, 15-23
Opening hours : Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10h to 20 and Sundays from 10h to 15h.
Phone : 93 319 63 10
Metro/Bus : Jaume
The Museu Picasso in has one of the most extensive collections of artworks by the 20th century Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. This is one of the most popular and most visited museums in Barcelona. The museum is housed in five adjoining medieval palaces in Barcelona's Barri Gotic.

Joan Miro Foundation
Address : Parc de Montjuïc
Opening hours : Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday: 10am -7pm; Thursday: 10am - 9:30pm; Sunday: 10am -2:30pm.
Phone : 93 443 9470
Metro/Bus : On Montjuïc "mountain". Take bus 50 from Pl. Universitat or Plaça de Espanya.
The Fundació Joan Miró, Centre d'Estudis d'Art Contemporani is a museum of modern art honoring Joan Miró and located on Montjuïc in Barcelona.

Tapies foundation
Address : C. de Aragó, 255
Opening hours : Tuesdays to Sundays from 10h to 20h
Phone : 93 487 03 15
Metro/Bus : Passeig de Gràcia
The Fundació Antoni Tàpies is a cultural center and museum, located in Barcelona, dedicated mainly to the life and works of the painter Antoni Tàpies.

Mies Van der Rohe Pavilion
Address : Avinguda del Marquès de Comillas
Opening hours : Wednesdays & Fridays from 17:00 h to 19:00 h guided visits in english, catalan and spanish.
Metro/Bus : L1, L3 Espanya - Bus : Plaça Espanya
The Mies Van der Rohe Pavillon in Barcelona

Catalan National Art Museum - MNAC
Address : Parc de Montjuïc
Opening hours : Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday: 10am - 7pm; Thursday: 10am - 9pm; Sunday & holidays:10am - 2:30pm.
Phone : 93 622 0360
Metro/Bus : Espanya
The National Art Museum of Catalonia (Catalan: Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya), abbreviated as MNAC, is a museum of Catalan visual art located in Barcelona. It is housed on the Palau Nacional, built for the 1929 World's Fair. Situated on the Montjuïc hill, it was rehabilitated by the 1992 Summer Olympics.

CCCB Barcelona Contemporary Culture Centre
Address : Montalegre, 5
Opening hours : Tuesday to Saturday: 11am - 8pm; Sundays & holidays: 11am - 7pm;
Phone : 93 306 4100
Metro/Bus : Liceu
Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, or CCCB, situated in El Raval, in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona, is a museum adjacent to the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA). The building is a mixture of old and new styles, dating from the early 18th century up to recent renovation of a facade in the Plaça de les Dones.

MACBA Barcelona contemporary Art Museum Address : Pl. dels Angels, 1.
Opening hours : From 25 June - 25 September, Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 11am - 8pm; Thursday: 11am - 9pm; Saturday: 10am - 8pm; Sundays & holidays: 10am - 5pm; Tuesday: closed.
Phone : 93 412 08 10
Metro/Bus : Catalunya Pl. Universitat
The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, or MACBA) is situated in the Plaça dels Àngels, in El Raval, Ciutat Vella, Barcelona.

La Pedrera
Address : Passeig de Gràcia, 92 (La Pedrera)
Opening hours : Tuesday to Saturday: 10am - 2pm & 4pm - 8pm; Sunday: 10am - 2pm.
Phone : 93 484 5979
Metro/Bus : Diagonal
Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera (Catalan for 'The Quarry'), is a building designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built in the years 1906–1910 (officially completed 1912). It is located at 92, Passeig de Gràcia ('passeig' is Catalan for promenade or avenue) in the Eixample district of Barcelona. It was built for the married couple Rosario Segimon and Pere Milà. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí".

Museum of the History of Catalonia Address : Pl. de Pau Vila, 3
Opening hours : Tuesday to Saturday: 10am - 2pm & 4pm - 8pm. Sunday & holidays: 10am - 2pm.
Phone : 93 225 47 00
Metro/Bus : Bus numbers 14, 17, 19, 36, 39, 40, 45, 51, 57, 59, 64 i 157 Metro L4 (yellow) Barceloneta
Museum of the History of Catalonia

Frederic Mares Museum Address : Plaça de Sant Iu, 5-6
Opening hours : From Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10h to 19h. Sundays from 10h to 15h
Phone : 93 310 58 00.
Metro/Bus : Line 4 (Jaume I) Bus: 17, 19, 40 and 45

Maritime Museum
Address : Av. de les Drassanes
Opening hours : Open every day from 10am to 7pm
Phone : 93 342 9920
Metro/Bus : Drassanes
Maritime Museum of Barcelona

Getting around

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Where is the north ?

Finding your way about in Barcelona is not very difficult, but you should bear in mind some important references: The centre of the city is of course Pl. de Catalunya, to the south of which you can find the old town and most of the museums and other historical places of interest of the city.

The famous Rambla meanders from the Plaça de Catalunya down to the Columbus statue, just before the port. To the east of the Rambla you can find the beautiful and romantic Barri Gòtic and to the west, the Barri del Raval. From the Columbus statue you can follow Passeig Marítim (Seafront walk) to the east, past the Moll de la Fusta, and Port Vell, the colourful Barceloneta area and up to the Port Olímpic (Olympic Port). To the west, following Paral.lel you get to Plaça d'Espanya from where Montjuïc, one of the mountains of Barcelona, rises up.

The other mountain, Tibidabo, marks the northern limit of the city. The popular Av. Diagonal is another important landmark, since it runs diagonally across the whole city.

Between Diagonal and Pl. Catalunya is most of the "Eixample" area ("expansion" in English), which arose from the famous "Pla Cerdà" (Cerdà's city plan), aimed at joining the old town with the nearby villages, which are now part of Barcelona. These villages, such as Gràcia, Les Corts, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, etc. have remained untouched over the years and have kept most of their own historic and cultural identity. L' Eixample, with its square blocks of houses forming a grid pattern, has as its main boulevard the Passeig de Gràcia, where you will find the famous "Pedrera" of Gaudi.

Other important landmarks are: Sagrada Família, Parc de la Ciutadella, Barri de la Ribera and L'Illa Diagonal.

Tourist offices

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Where can I ask information ?

Pl. de Catalunya, 17
basement. Tourist information, hotel information and bookings, bureau de change, BCN Original gift shop and the sale of theatre and concert tickets.
Open: daily 9 am 9 pm

Pl. Sant Jaume
c/ Ciutat, 2 (City Hall)
Open: Mon to Fri 9 am 8 pm, Sat 10 am 8 pm, Sun and holidays 10 am 2 pm

La Rambla
La Rambla, 115
Open: Mon to Sun 9 am 9 pm

Sants Railway Station
Pl. Països Catalans (station lobby)Tourist information.
Open: Mon to Fri 8 am 8 pm; Sat, Sun and holi days 8 am 2 pm. Summer: daily 8 am 8 pm

Barcelona Airport
Terminals A and B.Tourist information and hotel bookings.
Open: daily 9 am 9 pm

Catalunya Information Centre
Palau Robert. P. Gràcia, 107 Tel. 012

Infopista Montseny
Montseny-Sud service area, km117 E15 (A 7) motorway. Tourist information and hotel book ings.
Open: Apr-Jun: 10 am 7 pm, Jul-Aug: 10 am 8 pm, Sept-Mar: 10 am 6 pm

Tourist information
932 853 834 calls from within Spain +34 932 853 834 international calls

For further information
www.barcelonaturisme.com

Famous Barcelona Tourist Attractions

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Top 10 most famous Barcelona Tourist attractions by popularity

No. 1 - Sagrada Familia by Antonio Gaudi
Address: Calle Mallorca, 08034, Barcelona
Opening hours : 09:00-18:00 (Oct-Mar) and 09:00-20:00 (Apr-Sep)
Admission : 8 Euros.
Metro: Sagrada Familia (Blue Line, L5) and (Purple Line, L2)

A Giant Temple designed by the master architect Antonio Gaudi. This building has been under construction since 1882 and they've still got another 30 to 80 years (depending on funding and resources) to go before it will be finished.

No. 2 - L'Aquarium de Barcelona
Metro Drassanes (Green Line, L3) Moll d' Espanya, Port Vell
Tel: (0034) 93 221 7474
Official website for Barcelona Aquarium

Barcelona Aquarium is a popular Barcelona attraction to take the kids and young ones. I have to admit I loved the aquarium... so does that make me a kid? The aquarium is at Port Vell (Barcelona Port Area).

No. 3 - Poble Espanyol de Montjuic - "Spanish Village"
Avda Marques de Camillas
Entrance: 8 euros
Metro: Espanya (Green Line, L3) and (Red line, L1) about 15 mins walk from the metro stop.
Official website of Poble Espanyol

This Barcelona attraction is a small Spanish village with different quarters that replicate the style of houses and architecture from different parts of Spain.
Poble Espanyol is also home to a whole host of specialist craft shops and workshops where you can see some traditionally made Spanish goods.Poble Espanyol is also the venue for the Famous Flamenco show at tablao de Carmen.

No.4 - La Pedrera - Casa Mila by Antonio Gaudi
Opening hours: 09:00 - 18:30 (nov-feb) and 09:00 - 20:00 (mar-oct)
Address: La Pedrera, Provenca, 261-265, 08008 Barcelona
Admission : 8 Euros
Metro: Diagonal (Green Line, L3) and (Blue Line, L5)

Another one of Antonio Gaudi's creations once again hits the top 10 most visited attractions in Barcelona. This building used to be called Casa Mila but nowadays it's more commonly known as La Pedrera which means “quarry”. Gaudi was instrumental in completing this building and his characteristic wavy brick work and colorful tiles are also evident on this masterpiece.

No. 5 - Barcelona FC Museum
Address: Aristides Maillol, entrance no 7 08028, Barcelona
Opening hours: 10:00 - 19:00 (Tue-Sat); 10:00 - 14:30 (Sun); Closed Mon
Admission: 8.50 Euros for entry to museum and 13 Euros - for a guided tour.
Metro: Collblanc (Blue Line, L5)

If you are a footie fan then this museum is a must see. It has wall to wall trophies, pictures and statues of the greats. When you buy your ticket you have 2 options. You can buy a ticket for the museum and to see the stadium or you can buy a dual ticket where you get to see the museum and behind the scenes at the club e.g. changing rooms, VIP lounge, press conference areas etc.

No. 6 - Barcelona Zoo
Metro Ciutadella (Yellow Line, L4) about 10 mins walk.
Tel: (0034) 93 225 6780
Official Web Site www.zoobarcelona.com

Barcelona Zoo is based in the Parc de la Ciutadella the best way to find it is to go to Ciutadella Park and to follow the signs to the Zoo. The zoo has a wide variety of animals on show, but also a restaurant, picnic area, a shop, electric cars, ponies and a mini-train.

No. 7 - Picasso Museum
Address: Montcada, 15-23, 08003 Barcelona
Opening hours: 10:00-20:00 (Tue-Sun), Mon-Closed ;
Official Web Site: Picasso Museum
Admission: 9 Euros for main exhibition - extra for special showings.
Metro: Jaume l (Yellow Line, L4)

The museum has arranged Picasso's paintings in chronological order from his early days to his final works. Arranging the paintings in this way gives you a fascinating insight into the development of Picasso thinking over time and shows how he developed the distinctive designs that he is famous for today. Very popular art gallery.

No. 8 - Imax Cinema
Metro Drassanes (Green Line, L3) 15 mins walk,
Port Vell Barcelona, Moll d' Espanya
Tel: (0034) 93 225 1111
Official Web site: www.imaxintegral.com

The IMAX cinema is right next door to the Barcelona Aquarium.

No. 9 - Miró Museum
Official web site: Joan Miró
Address: Parc de Montjuïc, 08038 Barcelona
Admission: 7.50 Euros
Transport: Montjuïc Funicular - you can catch the Montjuïc Funicular train from Paral-lel metro station.
Metro Stop - Espanya (Green Line, L3) and (Red Line, L1) Walk about 20 mins - Uphill most of the way.

This art gallery has a wide range of Miró's work dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection not only includes his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures, tapestries and early sketches. A wonderful collection of Miró's work.

No.10- National Museum of Art of Catalunya MNAC
Address: Palau Nacional - Parc de Montjuïc, 08038 Barcelona
Opening hours: 10:00 - 19:00 (Tue to Sat); Sun (10:00 - 14:30); Closed Mon
Official web site: Art Galleries Barcelona - MNAC
Admission: 8.5 Euros
Metro: Placa Espanya (Green Line, L3) and (Red Line, L1)

Las Ramblas - Barcelona's most famous Street
One other "attraction" is of course Barcelona's most famous street La Rambla.
I've put together three pages on La Rambla which summarize the main attractions and hotels on this famous street.
Find an apartment in La Rambla, and Book on-line!

Here I a little summary of the things to see if you don't have much time to visit the city, but don't forget places like Park Guell, Casa Mila and Barcelona Cathedral that are also very interesting attractions to visit.

The essential in Barcelona

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All the answers to most important questions : transport, activities, attractions, and accommodation including Barcelona holiday apartments which are becoming a popular alternative to expensive hotels.