Top 20 Expats and International Students Meetups in Barcelona
Barcelona is full of surprises and in addition to the essential visits and the other lesser-known corners there is also free Barcelona, that is, the Barcelona that will not cost us a penny.
Here is a list of 20 things that we can do for free in Barcelona and enjoy the beauty.
- Visit to the Cathedral of Barcelona
- Stroll along the Rambla and Plaza Real
- The views from the Carmel bunkers
- Free tour through the center of Barcelona
- Visit the Temple of Augustus in the Gothic Quarter
- The Sant Antoni market and the vermouths of the most hipster neighborhood
- Contemplate the Basilica of Santa María del Mar
- Tour the colorful Boquería market
- Tour Modernism up the Paseo de Gràcia
- Stroll through the Ciutadella Park
- Stroll through the Montjuic Castle and gardens
- Enjoy the free show of the Magic Fountain of Montjuic
- Walk through the extensive area of Parc Güell without having to pay the entrance fee
- Visit the museums for free on the first Sunday of every month
- Walk along the Paseo Marítimo to the Forum by bike or on foot
- Discover the Horta Labyrinth Park
- Walk along the Carretera de les Aigües and enjoy the bird’s-eye views of Barcelona
- Take a walk through the center of the less touristy and beautiful neighborhoods of Barcelona
- Enjoy the best playgrounds in Barcelona
- Take a dip at the beach
- Visit to the Cathedral of Barcelona
Views of the Cathedral of Barcelona from the bell tower of Sant Just
Facing one of the largest squares in the city, the Barcelona Cathedral shows on its façade one of the best examples of Gothic in Catalonia.
After climbing the stairs you can access and walk through the three naves and the interior cloister for free. There are two special times of the year to see the Cathedral of Barcelona. During Christmas in Barcelona you will find a giant tió in front of its doors and in the cloister a manger is set up through which the 13 geese that live in it walk. During Corpus Christi day, you will be able to see the curiosity of the Ou com Balla (the dancing egg), an egg that jumps over the waters of the fountain without falling.
- Stroll along the Rambla and Plaza Real
Strolling down the Rambla is always a party. This street has seen them in all colors during the last centuries. The walls closed the old Barcelona in this same street and later on the bourgeois and anarchists became protagonists and enemies during long years of disputes and brawls.
Today, strolling along the Rambla according to the time of day offers a different setting. Do not miss a walk through the Plaza Real and the adjacent streets. In this post we detail a route through the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona so that you don’t miss the highlights.
Discover our tips about Barcelona to make your visit a guaranteed success:
Initial tips for visiting Barcelona
The most essential places to visit in Barcelona
What to see in Barcelona in a 1-day visit
What to see in Barcelona in a 3-day visit
Tips on where to stay in Barcelona
The best excursions around Barcelona
Tips for visiting the Sagrada Familia
- The views from the Carmel bunkers
Views from the bunkers of Turó de la Rovira in the Carmel neighborhood
About 10 years ago, he wrote that the best views of Barcelona were obtained from the Turó de la Rovira and that hardly any tourists came up. How it has changed the story. Today, the views from the Carmel bunkers have become one of the best free experiences we can do in Barcelona.
Currently, due to the pandemic situation caused by the Coronavirus, the vast majority of foreigners have been replaced by Barcelona residents wanting to enjoy one of the most exciting free pleasures of the city: watching the sunset from the old bunkers of the Carmel.
Also, in the following post you will find our favorite places to enjoy the best views of Barcelona and some of them are very little known.
- Free tour through the center of Barcelona
Las Ramblas covered by a blanket of trees from the Colón viewpoint
The number of free tours (or free guided tours) in Barcelona is tremendously high. The modality of this type of visit is already known by practically everyone: it is not that it is a 100% free visit, at the end of the tour a tip is always expected from the attendees that is at the level of the expectations that have been achieved the visit.
Among the great tangle of free tours in Barcelona, it is best to let yourself be carried away by the comments of your attendees and in this case, the tour offered by Civitatis stands out with a score above 9.5. You will find all the details about the free tour of Barcelona and
n this link.
Here are the most outstanding free tours that can be done in Barcelona:
Free tour of the Raval neighborhood
Free tour of medieval Barcelona
Free tour of modernist Barcelona
Free tour of Roman Barcelona
- Visit the Temple of Augustus in the Gothic Quarter
The colossal columns of the ancient temple of Augustus
Did you know that in the heart of Barcelona the great columns of a Roman temple still stand? Many locals pass by. Very few know the secret.
If you walk through the Gothic quarter, go to Paradís street number 10 and inside the headquarters of the Excursionist Center of Catalonia you will find the Roman temple of Augustus, four huge 9-meter columns that are one of the most valued relics of the ancient Ginger.
- The Sant Antoni market and the vermouths of the most hipster neighborhood
A few years ago the eternal remodeling works of the Sant Antoni market ended and since this time the neighborhood has undergone a great transformation. A few meters walk from the Rambla and the Parallel, Sant Antoni brims with energy, modernity and the latest trends in hipsterism that is still a return to the origins but cooler and more expensive.
In this post we are not going to sentence in fashions, that each one dedicates himself to enjoying his pleasures freely. What we have no doubts about is that if you want to discover the latest vermouth trends, the best thing you can do is discover the bars on Parlament, Manso, Viladomat, Borrell and surrounding streets.
And if COVID-19 allows it, take a walk on Sunday through the Sant Antoni book and collecting market, a place where generations have been exchanging their “tenguis” and “repes” for decades.
- Contemplate the Basilica of Santa María del Mar
Interior of the church of Santa María del Mar in El Born
Strolling through Born we find one of the most beautiful churches in the city. Personally, the Basilica of Santa María del Mar is my favorite, for its rose windows, for the play of lights inside, for the delicate Gothic and for being a church of the town, which was raised by the effort and pride of its neighbors transporting the stones from the distant mountain of Montjuic.
If you add some euro to the visit, which is obviously free, you can access the roof of Santa María del Mar from where you will get beautiful views of the Born district.
- Tour the colorful Boquería market
I have a special predilection for markets and I always like to incorporate a visit to the favorite market in each city. For me they mean open doors to the new environment that surrounds us. That is where we generally find the pulse of the day to day and we can blend in and understand the culture of the place more easily.
The Boquería market may be far from the current pulse of a Barcelona that has suffered from overwhelming tourist success. Even so, although the neighbors who buy in its stores have been displaced by the hordes of tourists who land by plane or make a stopover on a cruise, the Boqueria will surprise you with its color, with the spectacular variety of genre that comes from all continents. with the stops where to eat and the atmosphere that you breathe. A must in Barcelona and that, of course, will be free if you go without the shopping cart.
Insurance
Tips for staying in Barcelona
If you are looking for a good place to sleep in Barcelona, I recommend my favorite establishment: Hotel 54 Barceloneta. It is located in the lively Barceloneta neighborhood, very close to the beach, with modern facilities, friendly staff and at a good price considering the tourist offer in the city. If you are not convinced, here are many other good accommodation options in Barcelona:
Reservation
- Tour Modernism up the Paseo de Gràcia
The roof of La Pedrera at sunset
Paseo de Gràcia is the bourgeois street par excellence. When the city center walls collapsed, Barcelona began to grow in what is now Eixample. During the first quarter of the 20th century, with the rise of Modernism in Catalonia, an architectural and class competition began to show the best and most surprising buildings along the approximate kilometer and a half that distance from Plaza Cataluña to Plaza del Cinc d’Oros.
As you go up the street of Paseo de Gràcia you will see the most famous shops and the wonderful examples of Catalan Modernism. Enjoy observing works such as Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí or La Pedrera, on the other corner, also the work of the brilliant modernist architect.
Join a free tour of Gaudí and modernist Barcelona
- Stroll through the Ciutadella Park
Despite its military origin, from which it only maintains its name, the Ciutadella is a lung in the center of Barcelona. A few steps from the Born district and Barceloneta, in the Ciutadella the best views
celebrations of the city with a festive atmosphere with families celebrating birthdays, young people juggling, sports and relaxing walks.
Do not miss the monumental area with the lake and fountain created by the architect Josep Fontseré at the end of the 19th century with the help of a very young assistant at that time who bore the name of Antoni Gaudí.
- Stroll through the Montjuic Castle and gardens
Sea views from Montjuic Castle
Montjuic Mountain is another great lung of the city with a lot of gardens, some of them hidden and of great beauty, and a castle with magnificent views of the city.
Do not miss a visit to the Botanical Garden, a bike ride through the mountains and, of course, a walk around the castle from where you will enjoy beautiful views of the port and the Barcelona coastline.
If you decorate it with a simple barbecue in the Caseta del Migdia you will have put the final climax to a perfect day.
- Enjoy the free show of the Magic Fountain of Montjuic
The Magic Fountain of Montjuic has illuminated the faces of several generations with its show of music, water and lights. At the foot of the Montjuic mountain, some 2 million tourists and locals gather to enjoy this show whose technology has a century-long history but continues to surprise young and old alike.
On the official page you can find the schedules of the sources. They are provisionally canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, pending an improvement in the situation. Of course, sitting on the steps and enjoying the spectacle of the Magic Fountain of Montjuic is free.
- Walk through the extensive area of Parc Güell without having to pay the entrance fee
Views of Barcelona from the free area of Parc Güell
To get to the monumental area of Parc Güell where the famous figures of Gaudí’s dragons are found, you have to pay entrance fees for several years. However, Parc Güell is very extensive and most of it is accessible for free.
You will find an authentic forest in the middle of Barcelona, with public park areas for children, modernist arches to walk through and also beautiful views of the city.
ACTIVITIES IN BARCELONA
Make the most of your time in Barcelona with one of the following excursions with a guide in Spanish:
Free tour of Barcelona
Complete Barcelona tour
The Sagrada Familia with towers and skip the line
Tour of the mysteries and legends of Barcelona
Gaudí’s wonders tour skip the line
Excursion to the Costa Brava
Excursion to Montserrat
Excursion to Girona, Figueres and Dalí Museum
Discover more excursions in Barcelona and surroundings
- Visit the museums for free on the first Sunday of every month
As in the vast majority of European cities, in Barcelona on the first Sunday of each month you can enter many museums in the city for free.
Among them, the MNAC (National Museum of Art of Catalonia), the Museum of History of Catalonia, The Museum of History of Barcelona, the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, the Picasso Museum and many more.
- Walk along the Paseo Marítimo to the Forum by bike or on foot
Sunset on the breakwater overlooking the Hotel Vela and Montjuic
The coast of Barcelona underwent a great change during the 1992 Olympics and behind were the paellas with the tables on the sand of the beach of the old Barceloneta. For better or for worse, the Barcelona coastline breathes modernity with large already emblematic buildings such as the Hotel W Vela, the Mafre towers or the granite space of the Forum.
From Barceloneta to the Forum there are about 6 kilometers of distance following the profile of the coast, with bike lanes and clean but busy beaches. Enjoy the sea breeze and mix with the sporty and also more touristy atmosphere of Barcelona. Without a doubt, another thing that you can do for free in Barcelona and that will give you great pleasure.
- Discover the Horta Labyrinth Park
The Labyrinth of Horta is one of the most beautiful and original gardens in Barcelona. Located in the north of the city, you will find several romantic gardens where you can walk and a fun hedge maze where you already have guaranteed fun to find the exit with the little ones. - Walk along the Carretera de les Aigües and enjoy the bird’s-eye views of Barcelona
Mountain views from Torre Baró, one of the eastern end points following the Carretera de les Aigües
From Pedralbes to the Penitents neighborhood, the Aigües road cuts the vertical of the Collserola mountain range in half on a low uneven path about 9 kilometers long. Runners, cyclists and people wanting to enjoy a good walk tend to frequent it.
The views of the city are continuous and the walk is delicious. A beautiful way to get to know the skyline of Barcelona, do sports and get the best views of the city and all in a great way.
Discover the ranking of the best restaurants in Barcelona according to users where you can also reserve a table and find interesting discounts.
- Take a walk through the center of the less touristy and beautiful neighborhoods of Barcelona
Barcelona is much more than the Gothic, the Raval, the Modernism, the Barceloneta and the Gràcia neighborhood. I suggest that you move to other lesser-known neighborhoods and stroll through its squares and alleys to savor its day-to-day life and you will surely find much more succulent and economical gastronomic offers than in the center.
Some examples that will be an excellent walk are the surroundings of Major de Sarrià street, Massades square in La Sagrera, Clot market square, Rambla de Fabra i Puig in Sant Andreu, Marià Agulló street and the market of Poblenou or the Plaza d’Osca in Sants.
Some of these neighborhoods were independent populations until the middle of the 20th century and still maintain their own character.
- Enjoy the best playgrounds in Barcelona
The octopus with 8 slide arms in the Pegaso park in the Sant Andreu neighborhood
If you go with children, you are in luck. Barcelona has a lot of fun playgrounds, some of them very modern. In order not to miss any detail, take a look at our list of favorite parks in Barcelona to go with children. Surely some of them become the best experience for the little ones of the whole trip, and this, of course, for free.
- Take a dip at the beach
From Barceloneta to the Forum there are about 6 kilometers of beach with a very decent level for swimming. I advise you the first hours of the day so you ensure cleanliness and a relaxed atmosphere. By noon and afternoon, tourism tends to fill the beach, and the constant coming and going of vendors selling massages, mojitos, and beers is often a bit infuriating.
Among the best beaches, I recommend Sant Miquel (between Barceloneta and Hotel Vela), Bogatell beach, Mar Bella and Llevant beach.
