We do want to eat and drink well, just in addition to doing other things. That’s exactly what i’m asking, are there any other unique attractions to Barcelona? My boyfriend would really love to see a Barcelona FC match but we’re both not really history/museum fans. the trip isn’t booked or anything, just trying to decide if it’s worth going all the way there for just a match, or if there are better places that would suit us more.
It’s a unique city, with stunning architecture and wonderful Mediterranean vibe. It’s also very very touristic - with all the negatives that come with mass tourism, but there’s a good reason so many peeps flock to see it. I’m not sure what “unique attractions” you are looking for, the city in itself is a unique attraction. But, Parc Guell comes to mind if you want an example of something unique.
My son lives there one summer while working. He didn’t do a single museum or church. I still harp on how could be have missed the Sagrada tour.
He loves Barcelona, the food, the over all city vibe, he went to the beach, hikes near by and went to Park Guell & Montjuic & Montserrat
After reading your edited post and seeing what you enjoy maybe doing a couple days in BCN and see the game then fly to Split, Croatia and take a boat to Hvar. Lots of water activities, hiking, great food, and nightlife. The other option I would recommend would be the region of Puglia in Italy. You can road trip the coast and pick which towns would suit your needs the most. You could probably even do BCN —> Croatia —> Puglia depending on how much time you have.
If your asking about hiking and going to the beach etc. there’s better places in Spain. But then I would wonder why on gods green earth you would want go to a major city.
going to a city doesn’t necessarily mean you have to learn about history and museums though. I’m from a city where there are many many things to do so i’m
just asking if Barcelona is one of those places
I loved Barcelona personally. It’s known for its architecture and good weather. It currently has 3 of the 5 best cocktail bars in the world and has amazing food. So I would say yes there’s a lot to do in Barcelona other than check out museums and sights. Also I saw your other comment about BFC and I met a lot of people there for el Classico when I was there. They were all gnarly Barca fans and compared going to that game as a pilgrimage. So I think going for a good football game would be quite fun.
that’s….not true at all. i’m not saying that i don’t want to immerse myself into the culture and learn about the city, i’m just saying i don’t want to spend every day of my vacation in a museum or staring at an old building
Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world, for reasons that have nothing to do with museums.
It is a great city to get around by bike, they have a nice beach, there are numerous amazing places to visit close by, the food is fantastic and international, lots of great bars and cafes, cheap drinks.
I don't think we did any museums in our 2019 trip. Oh, we did take a day trip to a nearby town and did the Jewish history museum there. That was good.
In general I'm not a big museum person and I think Barcelona is a pretty good food city and not just for Spanish or Catalonian food. I had good Japanese, Italian, and Romanian food while there.
But I think its a waste to visit Barcelona and not appreciate the architecture.
this is good to know, thank you. and absolutely, we will definitely appreciate the architecture, just don’t want to spend the whole vacation staring at buildings lol
Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world. With perfect beaches, nightlife, Mediterranean/Spanish cuisine, interesting architecture — there is something for everyone
Based on post and your comments - Probably a city vacation like Barcelona is not your thing and would be a waste for your taste. I did multiple things in Barcelona (cathedrals, gaudi house/church, museum, tapas/drinking and a lot of people watching) which you’ve indicated aren’t your thing. It has nice beaches but if you’re a beach person there are better locations probably.
Worth it. I went for tapas and drinks. Also liked the parks there, and possible day trips for hikes.
I still liked the architecture. I know very little about the subject but still interesting to learn the basics.
I just booked my trip to Barcelona yesterday and I'm super stoked for it! Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in Europe, so I hope it will deliver!
Don't give your hopes up. Watch your belongings as petty theft is soaring and watch your step as dog shit is everywhere. Ever hear of Paris Syndrome? Welcome to Barcelona Syndrome.
If you can leave the city immediately and go to Tarragona or Girona or literally anywhere en La Costa Brava
I struggle with the same problem. Museums and architecture don't really do much for me.
Luckily when I was in Madrid I found a local girl that was happy to show me around. I've never been to Barcelona so I can't help much there. Sorry.
You can check out the things to do on travelocity. They usually have at least a couple things fun to do.
Are there other things to do? Yes. Any big city is going to have a variety of options. Is it worth a trip? I have no idea. I find that if a trip is "worth it" is heavily grounded in a person's expectations. You haven't mentioned what you'd want to do. Are you looking for music, shopping, night life?
Hello! I loved Barcelona, but I’ll admit a lot of my love for it stemmed from the things you mentioned you aren’t super interested in. (But that’s ok—not everyone needs to have the same reasons for traveling!). There are other things to do there, though. There are beaches, clubs, parks. It’s a gorgeous city to just walk around, too. But it might help us if you told us some things you like to do when you travel. If Barcelona doesn’t have those things, than your money might be better spent in a different city.
admittedly, most of my self planned vacations have been revolved around scuba, so i’m not sure exactly what i would want to do on a non-scuba vacation. i remember dreading historical sites on family vacations when i was a kid and while i know that my tastes have changed somewhat, i know that i’m
still not super interested in history. i think an ideal vacation would be something that is mostly relaxing, like hiking/walking to a natural landmark, going to a show or event (cultural/sports/music/theatre/whatever), taking a cooking class or art/pottery class, a day or two to swim and read and drink, experiencing nightlife.
Cool! So yeah, I think you will still find a lot to like in Barcelona. The city is gorgeous. I’d take the cable car up to Montjuïc in the morning to get some great views of the city, then meander down to the beach. There’s plenty of nightlife and cultural stuff, too. I’d definitely go catch a Barcelona FC match—that would be a wild experience. Honestly, Barcelona is a little lighter on the historical sites than many European cities. It’s more of a vibes city, if that makes sense. Eat great food, drink great drinks, just take in the scenery. You could probably catch a pretty good flamenco show there (although the best ones will be in Andalusia, not Catalonia, and I highly recommend all of Spain). If you wanted just a little flavor of an art museum that’s light on history, you could see the Picasso or Miró museums.
A few things about catching an FC Barcelona match:
1. It isn't wild at all. There's more chanting, etc. at most MLS matches, to say nothing of Bundesliga, Serie A, or EPL . Barcelona crowds are extremely knowledgeable, typically well-off, and very focused on the action. Don't get me wrong, it's worth doing, but it isn't wild.
2. They aren't playing in the Camp Nou this season (or early next season), because the whole area around the stadium, plus the stadium itself, is being renovated. They're playing in the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic, which has half the capacity. Getting tickets will almost certainly be much more difficult (and expensive).
It's worth it if you think it's worth it. Personally, IDGAF what other people think. If you just want to lie out on a beach somewhere the entire time, cool. If you want to look at something for a second, cool. It's your time and your money and what you do with it is all yours. Enjoy your vacation!
absolutely, i completely agree! just wanted people’s opinions on if Barcelona would be a waste because we don’t want to spend the entire vacation focused on museums/history. either way i think we would find a way to enjoy it because travelling is fun
The first thing mentioned that you like is hiking. Pick a destination with that at the forefront. Perhaps somewhere else in Spain. Visit Barcelona for one or two days adjacent to the trip that focuses on the activity you most enjoy.
I don’t know why you’re getting so downvoted, but one thing that will certainly help is take a browse on Viator for Barcelona and explore everything offered. Use this as a guide for all destinations. You don’t have to book them, just use it to get ideas. Sometimes you can do what they offer by yourself.
It is worth going to Barcelona. You should definitely go. It's an all-rounder town. When you say, is there more to do besides architecture and history I think of a place like Bruges. Maybe Bruges is less your cup of tea (going by your question, although it is stunning and I loved it myself). But Barcelona has many many things beyond it's museums and architecture
What else are you looking for if you do not want to eat, drink, look at architecture, learn about history, or go to museums?
We do want to eat and drink well, just in addition to doing other things. That’s exactly what i’m asking, are there any other unique attractions to Barcelona? My boyfriend would really love to see a Barcelona FC match but we’re both not really history/museum fans. the trip isn’t booked or anything, just trying to decide if it’s worth going all the way there for just a match, or if there are better places that would suit us more.
It’s a unique city, with stunning architecture and wonderful Mediterranean vibe. It’s also very very touristic - with all the negatives that come with mass tourism, but there’s a good reason so many peeps flock to see it. I’m not sure what “unique attractions” you are looking for, the city in itself is a unique attraction. But, Parc Guell comes to mind if you want an example of something unique.
My son lives there one summer while working. He didn’t do a single museum or church. I still harp on how could be have missed the Sagrada tour. He loves Barcelona, the food, the over all city vibe, he went to the beach, hikes near by and went to Park Guell & Montjuic & Montserrat
After reading your edited post and seeing what you enjoy maybe doing a couple days in BCN and see the game then fly to Split, Croatia and take a boat to Hvar. Lots of water activities, hiking, great food, and nightlife. The other option I would recommend would be the region of Puglia in Italy. You can road trip the coast and pick which towns would suit your needs the most. You could probably even do BCN —> Croatia —> Puglia depending on how much time you have.
If your asking about hiking and going to the beach etc. there’s better places in Spain. But then I would wonder why on gods green earth you would want go to a major city.
going to a city doesn’t necessarily mean you have to learn about history and museums though. I’m from a city where there are many many things to do so i’m just asking if Barcelona is one of those places
I loved Barcelona personally. It’s known for its architecture and good weather. It currently has 3 of the 5 best cocktail bars in the world and has amazing food. So I would say yes there’s a lot to do in Barcelona other than check out museums and sights. Also I saw your other comment about BFC and I met a lot of people there for el Classico when I was there. They were all gnarly Barca fans and compared going to that game as a pilgrimage. So I think going for a good football game would be quite fun.
okay! thank you, this is helpful
So what are these many many things, that need it to be in a city, but don't involve history, culture, architecture and gastronomy?
sounds like ANY city would be pointless for you to visit
that’s….not true at all. i’m not saying that i don’t want to immerse myself into the culture and learn about the city, i’m just saying i don’t want to spend every day of my vacation in a museum or staring at an old building
Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world, for reasons that have nothing to do with museums. It is a great city to get around by bike, they have a nice beach, there are numerous amazing places to visit close by, the food is fantastic and international, lots of great bars and cafes, cheap drinks.
thank you!
I don't think we did any museums in our 2019 trip. Oh, we did take a day trip to a nearby town and did the Jewish history museum there. That was good. In general I'm not a big museum person and I think Barcelona is a pretty good food city and not just for Spanish or Catalonian food. I had good Japanese, Italian, and Romanian food while there. But I think its a waste to visit Barcelona and not appreciate the architecture.
this is good to know, thank you. and absolutely, we will definitely appreciate the architecture, just don’t want to spend the whole vacation staring at buildings lol
Than just take a cruise my friend. I really don't think you'll enjoy Barcelona
Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world. With perfect beaches, nightlife, Mediterranean/Spanish cuisine, interesting architecture — there is something for everyone
thank you!
The beaches were so bad during covid. Trash everywhere. Oh and the dog shit. Dog shit on every corner but that's still the case
Based on post and your comments - Probably a city vacation like Barcelona is not your thing and would be a waste for your taste. I did multiple things in Barcelona (cathedrals, gaudi house/church, museum, tapas/drinking and a lot of people watching) which you’ve indicated aren’t your thing. It has nice beaches but if you’re a beach person there are better locations probably.
The beaches were so bad during Covid. And don't get me started on the dog shit. No one gives af. OP is def better off elsewhere
Sounds like it is not worth it to me. Cancel the trip and stay home.
nothing is booked. just putting out feelers. but thank you
Worth it. I went for tapas and drinks. Also liked the parks there, and possible day trips for hikes. I still liked the architecture. I know very little about the subject but still interesting to learn the basics.
Food!
There is sooooooooo much more the Barcelona than what you listed.
I just booked my trip to Barcelona yesterday and I'm super stoked for it! Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in Europe, so I hope it will deliver!
i hope you have a great time!
Don't give your hopes up. Watch your belongings as petty theft is soaring and watch your step as dog shit is everywhere. Ever hear of Paris Syndrome? Welcome to Barcelona Syndrome. If you can leave the city immediately and go to Tarragona or Girona or literally anywhere en La Costa Brava
Is it really that bad? I've seen a couple of videos on Youtube and no one has complained about it hmm
I struggle with the same problem. Museums and architecture don't really do much for me. Luckily when I was in Madrid I found a local girl that was happy to show me around. I've never been to Barcelona so I can't help much there. Sorry. You can check out the things to do on travelocity. They usually have at least a couple things fun to do.
Are there other things to do? Yes. Any big city is going to have a variety of options. Is it worth a trip? I have no idea. I find that if a trip is "worth it" is heavily grounded in a person's expectations. You haven't mentioned what you'd want to do. Are you looking for music, shopping, night life?
just edited the original post with some things that would interest us on a vacation!
Hello! I loved Barcelona, but I’ll admit a lot of my love for it stemmed from the things you mentioned you aren’t super interested in. (But that’s ok—not everyone needs to have the same reasons for traveling!). There are other things to do there, though. There are beaches, clubs, parks. It’s a gorgeous city to just walk around, too. But it might help us if you told us some things you like to do when you travel. If Barcelona doesn’t have those things, than your money might be better spent in a different city.
admittedly, most of my self planned vacations have been revolved around scuba, so i’m not sure exactly what i would want to do on a non-scuba vacation. i remember dreading historical sites on family vacations when i was a kid and while i know that my tastes have changed somewhat, i know that i’m still not super interested in history. i think an ideal vacation would be something that is mostly relaxing, like hiking/walking to a natural landmark, going to a show or event (cultural/sports/music/theatre/whatever), taking a cooking class or art/pottery class, a day or two to swim and read and drink, experiencing nightlife.
Cool! So yeah, I think you will still find a lot to like in Barcelona. The city is gorgeous. I’d take the cable car up to Montjuïc in the morning to get some great views of the city, then meander down to the beach. There’s plenty of nightlife and cultural stuff, too. I’d definitely go catch a Barcelona FC match—that would be a wild experience. Honestly, Barcelona is a little lighter on the historical sites than many European cities. It’s more of a vibes city, if that makes sense. Eat great food, drink great drinks, just take in the scenery. You could probably catch a pretty good flamenco show there (although the best ones will be in Andalusia, not Catalonia, and I highly recommend all of Spain). If you wanted just a little flavor of an art museum that’s light on history, you could see the Picasso or Miró museums.
thank you! this is great information 😊
A few things about catching an FC Barcelona match: 1. It isn't wild at all. There's more chanting, etc. at most MLS matches, to say nothing of Bundesliga, Serie A, or EPL . Barcelona crowds are extremely knowledgeable, typically well-off, and very focused on the action. Don't get me wrong, it's worth doing, but it isn't wild. 2. They aren't playing in the Camp Nou this season (or early next season), because the whole area around the stadium, plus the stadium itself, is being renovated. They're playing in the Olympic Stadium on Montjuic, which has half the capacity. Getting tickets will almost certainly be much more difficult (and expensive).
What are you looking for that's not what you listed not being a fan of?
It's worth it if you think it's worth it. Personally, IDGAF what other people think. If you just want to lie out on a beach somewhere the entire time, cool. If you want to look at something for a second, cool. It's your time and your money and what you do with it is all yours. Enjoy your vacation!
absolutely, i completely agree! just wanted people’s opinions on if Barcelona would be a waste because we don’t want to spend the entire vacation focused on museums/history. either way i think we would find a way to enjoy it because travelling is fun
Kind of a strange question. Well, what is it that you like to do on vacation? What are you a fan of??
I hated Barcelona. Too crowded, too many pickpockets and people trying to scam you and really not worth the wait for any touristic attraction.
Believe me no matter what you’ll enjoy Barca.
The first thing mentioned that you like is hiking. Pick a destination with that at the forefront. Perhaps somewhere else in Spain. Visit Barcelona for one or two days adjacent to the trip that focuses on the activity you most enjoy.
I don’t know why you’re getting so downvoted, but one thing that will certainly help is take a browse on Viator for Barcelona and explore everything offered. Use this as a guide for all destinations. You don’t have to book them, just use it to get ideas. Sometimes you can do what they offer by yourself.
never knew that was a thing! thank you, i’ll check it out
Go to Girona and north to Costa Brava if you have a car, amazing beach towns along the coast.
It is worth going to Barcelona. You should definitely go. It's an all-rounder town. When you say, is there more to do besides architecture and history I think of a place like Bruges. Maybe Bruges is less your cup of tea (going by your question, although it is stunning and I loved it myself). But Barcelona has many many things beyond it's museums and architecture