Fun things to do in Barcelona

The Gran Teatre del Liceu has been restored many times. The latest restoration of the lavishly decorated interior took five years, and the opera house opened again in 1999, complete with a modern extension, the Espai Liceu, which also houses a music and gift shop and a café. You’ll see and learn most on the more expensive, hour-long 10am guided tour (the other, shorter, cheaper tours are self-guided). Highlights include the Salon of Mirrors and the impressive gilded auditorium containing almost 2300 seats, making it one of the world’s largest opera houses. Some tours also include the option of visiting the glorious modernista-styled rooms of the Cercle del Liceu, the opera house’s private members’ club. For Liceu performances, check the website for details and make bookings well in advance. The traditional meeting place for audience and performers alike, meanwhile, is the famous Cafè de l’Opera, just across the Ramblas.

Approaching the Olympic port, slowly reveals itself to be a huge copper fish (courtesy of Frank Gehry, architect of the Bilbao Guggenheim). It’s the emblem of the seafront development constructed for the 1992 Olympics, incorporating the port itself - site of many of the Olympic water sports events - which is backed by the city’s two tallest buildings, the Torre Mapfre and the steel framed Hotel Arts Barcelona , both 154m high.

Two wharves contain the bulk of the action: the Moll de Mestral has a lower deck by the marina lined with bars, while the Moll de Gregal sports a double-decker tier of seafood restaurants. The beach, meanwhile, turns into a full-on summer resort, backed by class-conscious clubs along Passeig Marítim appealing to local rich kids and A-list celebs.

A series of sandy beaches stretches for four kilometres north of Port Olímpic. Split into different named sections (Nova Icària, Bogatell etc), which boast showers,playgrounds and open-air cafébars, it’s a pretty extraordinary facility to find so close to a city centre. A sunny day, even in winter, brings the locals out in force, and the sands are regularly swept and replenished. Enjoying the city beaches are one of the most fun things to do in Barcelona.

Bask in the sun along Barcelona's beautiful coastline! Dive into our guide to the best beaches in Barcelona and discover your perfect seaside escape. Plan your beach day today!