Why not Barcelona?

Who cares what other people say? Why would you not go to Barcelona?

Who cares what other people say?

Well... I guess that is the point of a travel forum right, to inquire about others' opinions... no? 😂

On a more serious note, having been born and raised in Barcelona and often return (most recently in 2022), I have see the slow death of my city first hand, in short... astronomical over tourism pushing locals out of the city center, incompetent local government with their heads in the sand, significantly increased crime including violent theft, the city is louder, dirtier, more crowded than ever before. Now with all the ticket lines and need for pre booking everything to see the sites it feels like a Disneyland. Difficult to consistently eat well, even for locals, many restaurants just cater to tourists nowadays so they are not too worried about return customers. Etc.

That said, I love Barcelona and underneath it is a truly beautiful and enchanting city, just going through some tough times at the moment, to know the city that it once was is heartbreaking. My personal opinion is, for the time being, to look at other cities in Spain first, if you are not super invested in Barcelona.

Being a city lover, I cannot understand the mentality of a person who does not love Barcelona. It’s my favorite city in ES.
First, you have the Picasso Museum in the old town and you’ll see that Picasso could paint a person exactly the way he or she looked. Like Madrid, it’s a city where you’ll gain an appreciation for art. Furthermore, a direct train ride away is Dali’s Theatre-Museum and is probably the best Dali-museum in the world.
The Sagrada Familia is another top draw (buy tickets before leaving home so you won’t spend the day in line). You have never seen the sun stream through stain glass like this before. Speaking of the Sagrada Familia wait until you explore the Eixample neighborhood where you can see more of Gadi’s architecture.
When someone says they didn’t like Barcelona I wonder if they left their hotel room and if they did how far did they venture from their hotel.

I can’t understand a “don’t bother with Barcelona” suggestion. Maybe there are other locations someone might choose instead for a trip, based on available finances, available time, or geographical convenience with where else they’re visiting, but to not even bother? That would be a mistake.

My answer is simple....go to Barcelona AND Madrid!! We went to both and loved them both for different reasons. It will add variety and perspective to your trip.

Simply put, Barcelona is a “don’t miss.” So don’t miss it!

Simply put, Barcelona is a “don’t miss.” So don’t miss it!

I wonder who is the one deciding that it is a don't miss :-)

We just spent a week in Barcelona and very much enjoyed it. It was fairly busy, particularly in the old city during the day, but much nicer if you were out and about a bit earlier in the day. And yes, there are many paid sites, but easy enough to book online if you want to see them, and at least it regulates the numbers. Restaurants and taxis are plentiful and not expensive.

We didn’t feel the need to see all of the ‘must sees’ and just enjoyed wandering through some of the less busy areas. We attended a choral recital at the Palau de la Musica Catalana and the Barcelona Open Tennis, both of which didn’t seem touristed, and had a wonderful day tour birdwatching in the Pyrenees where we saw few people at all. We toured Casa Amatller one day and there were only 4 of us in the group. I’d have to say that La Rambla looked like an awful tourist trap - one quick visit was enough.

I cannot understand the mentality of a person who does not love Barcelona.

I struggle to understand why some people can't accept that people's tastes are different.

I'm one of those who doesn't particularly like Barcelona. Why? It just didn't appeal to my interests. There are so many more cities throughout Europe that I prefer, historically, architecturally and culinary.

My wife and I enjoyed Barcelona when we were there during Carrefoc / La Mercè in 2006. That was before the mass crowds and needing a timed entry for everything. Then again, I could say the same thing about Madrid, Sevilla, and Granada. Granted it’s been decades, but the cathedral in Sevilla was free and you just walked in. For the Prado and Alhambra there were no lines; walk up, buy your ticket, and enter. Both got busy, but not like it is now. If you want to visit Barcelona, go.

My opinion is that if you have time / interest to see Barcelona, it is a good idea to make some time for some other highlights of Catalunya, like for example Girona, Montserrat, Poblet, Tarragona, the coast around Cadaqués, Pyrenean foothill villages, etc. Seeing them all in one trip is impossible of course, but picking one or two is worth it.
Another option is to group Barcelona with other destinations in adjacent regions, like Zaragoza and Valencia.
But crossing half of Spain from, say, Madrid, Seville or Bilbao "just" to visit Barcelona does not always make sense!

Another vote for Barca. I think Barcelona is great!

As others have said, it has great architecture, art, food, things to do, places to explore. Another underrated benefit for our family was the close by options to spend a day at the beach (I know it’s man made), or a day in the mountains (Monserrat) without having to move to another entirely different stop. Just a wide variety of things to do and different ways to balance your vacation.

Well well well the big news in Barcelona, apparently Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Steven Spielberg, and Bruce Springsteen all found themselves in Barcelona yesterday and today for a Springsteen concert. The power group visited the Sagrada Familia, El Born, Moco Museum, and the Picasso Museum. They stayed in Hotel Gran Florida on the outskirts of the city and dined at Restaurante Amar Barcelona.

Here are some fun pics of thier travels https://elpais.com/espana/catalunya/2023-04-28/fotogaleria-obama-un-turista-mas-durante-su-viaje-a-barcelona.html

I guess if I was a famous person with bodyguards then Barcelona would not be too bad, the city really rolls out the red carpet when it wants to... no need to worry about crowds, pickpockets, waiting in lines, mediocre food etc. when you're a big shot 😁

Thank you all for your opinions and suggestions. We are still in the planning phase but our thoughts are to fly into Barcelona spend a few days there, go to another town for a few days and then head back to Barcelona to fly home.

Thank you all for your opinions and suggestions. We are still in the planning phase but our thoughts are to fly into Barcelona spend a few days there, go to another town for a few days and then head back to Barcelona to fly home.

If you're dead set on visiting Barcelona end of this September, I'd make sure to not miss our annual city festival called La Mercè, which is on Sept 21-25. It's a city wide festival with 100s of cultural events spread throughout Barcelona's squares, streets, museums, and parks. This is something that we put on for ourselves, not just for tourists so it's great opportunity to experience our culture like a local for a few days. The best part it's free!

I also like the idea of splitting up your time with another smaller city or town, that will potentially give you a more authentic less commercialised experience of Spain. There are many nearby options so it really depends on your interests. Northwards you can consider Girona or Vic. Westwards take a look at Lleida or Zaragoza. Southwards my picks would be Tarragona or Peñíscola.

Happy planning! 😉

Why not venture out of Barcelona on arrival day unless you’re renting a car then you should split time in Barcelona. If you’re getting around by public transportation save Barcelona for the end of your stay.

We loved Barcelona and have been there three times.

I suggest doing your own research and find out WHAT there is to see in each city.

Great sources are TripAdvisor, things to do

If you want to go, go. My first trip to Spain was 2 weeks. The only time I spent in Barcelona was to change planes. That was o.k. with me. In 2018 I had a cruise end there and we spent 3 extra days. It was excellent. Whatever YOU decide will be fine.

We spent five nights in Barcelona in 2019 and loved it, mostly because we loved the Sagrada Familia and other Modernista architectural sites. We spent 3 days in Barcelona doing the RS walks, Gaudi and other Modernista sites, and a museum. While we walked by Las Ramblas, we spent no time there. We also did a day trip to Tarragona, where I have work colleagues/friends. We would have loved another day or two. If the specific attractions interest you, you are likely to like Barcelona. If not, then you might want to spend your time elsewhere.

Well... I guess that is the point of a travel forum right, to inquire about others' opinions... no? 😂

If that’s actually your purpose in this group to have people convince you not to visit a great city, I don’t understand such thinking whatsoever especially since you grew up in the very city about which you are asking. One of my closest friends lives in Barcelona and while he doesn’t like how the cruise ship industry is bringing in hordes of tourists, he certainly understands why people all over the world want to visit.