Luxury
Hotel Arts Barcelona
Barcelona · Port Olímpic
Ritz-Carlton 44-floor seafront tower. Enoteca (2★) by Paco Pérez, 43rd-floor duplex suites and the best pool deck in the city.
From 520€Check prices→
01
Excursions
The most-booked experiences on the island · book with free cancellation
Tours & excursions · Best-sellers on Viator
The eight best-reviewed excursions across Catalonia
Hand-picked from Viator's top-rated experiences on Catalonia, sorted by review volume and average rating. Free cancellation up to 24 h before, reserve now and pay later.
- ◆ Free cancellation 24 h
- ◆ Reserve now, pay later
- ◆ Instant confirmation
- ◆ Best-price guarantee
Sagrada FamíliaGaudí trailMontserratCosta BravaGirona old townRoman TarragonaPortAventuraWine & cavaDalí TriangleAigüestortes Pyrenees
Culture1h30Sagrada Família skip-the-line guided tour
4.9(8,400 reviews)
Skip-the-line entry to Antoni Gaudí's Sagrada Família with a licensed English-speaking art historian. Optional lift to the Nativity façade towers for the panoramic view over Barcelona.
From
£42per person
- Skip-the-line entry
- Tower access included
- Small groups (max 20)
Culture4 hPark Güell + Casa Batlló combo skip-the-line
4.8(5,200 reviews)
Combined skip-the-line ticket to Park Güell (Monumental Zone) and Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gràcia. Both self-guided with augmented-reality audio, or upgrade to a licensed guide.
From
£58per person
- Skip-the-line at both venues
- 10D augmented-reality Casa Batlló
- Valid one full day
Nature5 hMontserrat monastery half-day trip from Barcelona
4.8(6,100 reviews)
Half-day round trip from Barcelona to Montserrat, Catalonia's holiest mountain. Cable-car ascent, guided visit of the Benedictine monastery, Black Madonna and 13:00 Escolania boys' choir performance.
From
£48per person
- Round-trip coach
- Cable-car included
- Escolania choir performance (weekdays)
Culture10 hGirona + Costa Brava (Tossa de Mar) day trip
4.7(4,200 reviews)
Full-day trip from Barcelona to Girona (medieval Jewish quarter, cathedral steps used for Game of Thrones's Braavos) and the walled Costa Brava town of Tossa de Mar with free time on the beach.
From
£68per person
- Round-trip coach
- Guided walk in Girona
- Free time in Tossa de Mar
Food & wine6 hPenedès wine + cava tour with three cellars
4.9(2,800 reviews)
Half-day tour of the Penedès DO wine region — Spain's cava heartland. Three cellar visits including one modernista landmark (Codorníu or Freixenet) and a small biodynamic producer, with tastings at each stop.
From
£72per person
- 3 cellar visits + tastings
- Round-trip transport from Barcelona
- Small groups (max 12)
Boat & beach2 hBoat trip to the Costa Brava's seven coves, Begur
4.9(1,900 reviews)
Two-hour boat trip from Aiguablava harbour along the seven hidden coves of the Begur coast — Sa Tuna, Aiguafreda, Sa Riera and Pals bay. Snorkel stop and swim break in a cliff-locked cove.
From
£38per person
- Snorkel gear included
- Swim break in a wild cove
- Small boat (max 12)
Food & wine3h30Barcelona tapas & Boqueria market walking tour
4.9(3,600 reviews)
Small-group evening walk through El Born and El Raval. Visit La Boqueria market, then six tapas stops in the neighbourhood tabernas — jamón ibérico de bellota, pan con tomate, bombas de la Barceloneta, cava.
From
£62per person
- 6 tapas + 4 wines included
- Small groups (max 10)
- Licensed English-speaking guide
Culture10 hDalí Triangle day trip: Figueres + Cadaqués + Portlligat
4.8(1,600 reviews)
Full-day trip from Barcelona around the Dalí Triangle: Teatro-Museo Dalí in Figueres, Casa-Museu Salvador Dalí in Portlligat (Cadaqués) and free time in Cadaqués village. Small-group escorted tour.
From
£88per person
- 3 Dalí sites in one day
- Skip-the-line at Figueres museum
- Round-trip coach + guide
Culture2 hGirona old town & Jewish Quarter guided walking tour
4.9(1,400 reviews)
Small-group walk through Girona's UNESCO-worthy old town: the Call (one of Europe's best-preserved Jewish Quarters), the Romanesque Sant Pere de Galligants, the cathedral's baroque staircase and the colour-washed Onyar riverfront houses.
From
£24per person
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Small group (max 15)
- Meets at Plaça de la Independència
Culture2 hGirona Game of Thrones filming-locations walking tour
4.9(900 reviews)
Follow the exact streets and staircases used for Braavos and King's Landing in Game of Thrones season 6. Includes the cathedral steps, Passeig Arqueològic, Sant Domènec convent and the Arab Baths, with photos from the show at each stop.
From
£28per person
- GoT scene photos at each stop
- Small group (max 15)
- English-speaking guide
Boat & beach3 hCadaqués & Cap de Creus boat trip from Roses
4.8(1,200 reviews)
Boat trip along the northern Costa Brava from Roses to Cadaqués, skirting the Cap de Creus natural park — Spain's easternmost point and Dalí's inspiration. Swim stop in a sheltered cove and free time in Cadaqués village.
From
£34per person
- Swim stop in a wild cove
- Free time in Cadaqués
- Cap de Creus coastline
Culture2h30Roman Tarragona UNESCO walking tour
4.9(780 reviews)
Guided walk through Tarraco, Rome's provincial capital in Hispania and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the seafront amphitheatre, the Provincial Forum, the Roman Circus and the pre-Roman megalithic walls, ending at the Gothic cathedral.
From
£26per person
- Entry to 3 Roman monuments
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- UNESCO World Heritage site
Culture9 hTarragona & Sitges day trip from Barcelona
4.7(950 reviews)
Full-day escorted trip from Barcelona pairing Roman Tarragona (amphitheatre, forum, cathedral) with the bohemian coastal town of Sitges. Free time on the seafront promenade and tapas break in the old town.
From
£78per person
- Round-trip coach from Barcelona
- Two UNESCO-linked towns
- Free time in Sitges
Adventure11 hPortAventura theme park day trip from Barcelona
4.7(1,400 reviews)
Round-trip coach transfer from central Barcelona to PortAventura World in Salou (Costa Daurada) with full-day admission — six themed lands including Ferrari Land (supplement) and the Shambhala hyper-coaster.
From
£82per person
- Full-day PortAventura admission
- Round-trip coach
- Skip-the-ticket-window entry
Culture2 hCamp Nou immersive tour experience (FC Barcelona)
4.7(5,800 reviews)
Self-paced tour of FC Barcelona's Camp Nou (renovation-permitting Spotify Camp Nou access): press room, home dressing room, players' tunnel, pitchside view and the interactive Barça Museum with Messi's Ballons d'Or.
From
£30per person
- Skip-the-line entry
- Audio guide included
- Interactive museum access
Nightlife1h15Flamenco show at Palau de la Música Catalana
4.7(2,200 reviews)
Evening flamenco performance inside the UNESCO-listed Palau de la Música Catalana — Domènech i Montaner's modernista jewel. Live singer, guitarist and two dancers on the mosaic-clad stage; optional pre-show glass of cava.
From
£38per person
- UNESCO Palau de la Música venue
- Live flamenco cuadro
- Assigned seat
Nature8 hAigüestortes National Park guided hike from Lleida
4.9(420 reviews)
Small-group hike into Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, Catalonia's only national park. 4×4 shuttle from Espot to the Sant Maurici lake, then a guided loop past waterfalls and glacial lakes under the Encantats twin peaks.
From
£72per person
- 4×4 shuttle to trailhead
- Mountain guide
- Picnic lunch included
Nature10 hVal d'Aran & Pyrenees day trip from Lleida
4.8(310 reviews)
Full-day escorted trip from Lleida up the N-230 to the Val d'Aran — the only Catalan valley draining to the Atlantic. Stops in Vielha, the Romanesque church of Santa María de Arties and free time in Bagergue, Spain's highest village.
From
£78per person
- Round-trip transport from Lleida
- Romanesque UNESCO churches
- Free time in Vielha
Affiliate links with Viator: you pay the same price as on the official site, and Suites & Sunsets earns a small commission that helps keep our guides free to read.
02
Towns
The essential villages and what to do in each
01 · SeptBarcelona
Gaudí's UNESCO capital, Barceloneta beach and a Michelin-star density that rivals Paris. Base four nights in Eixample or the Barri Gòtic.
Read the guide →- 04 · Sept
Girona
Medieval walls, the Onyar-river houses and El Celler de Can Roca. 38 min from Barcelona on the AVE.
Read the guide → 
05 · SeptCadaqués
Whitewashed fishing village at the tip of Cap de Creus — Dalí's home for 40 years.
Read the guide →- 06 · Sept
Begur & Palafrugell
The Costa Brava's most elegant coves: Aiguablava, Tamariu, Sa Tuna, Llafranc.
Read the guide → - 08 · Sept
Sitges
Belle-Époque promenade 35 min from Barcelona — Barcelona's beach getaway.
Read the guide → - 09 · Sept
Tarragona
UNESCO Roman capital of Hispania with an amphitheatre by the sea.
Read the guide →
03
Town map
Filter by category and see what to do in each town
Loading map…
VerComerPlayaExcursiones● Beach
04
Beaches
Beach-by-beach guide with parking, best time and facilities
7 handpicked beaches
Beaches on this island
Each beach has its own guide: where to park, the best time to arrive, what's actually on site, the beach bars worth recommending and what to avoid.
Wild cove80 m
Cala Sa Tuna
Begur
Fishermen's cove under the Cap Sa Sal cliffs — the postcard Costa Brava
- ◆
- Parking: Free lot 300 m up the hill; fills by 10:00 in August.
- ◆
- Best time: Sunrise for empty water and the postcard fisherman-cottage light.
Sandy beach450 m
Platja de Castell
Palamós
The last undeveloped bay of the Costa Brava, saved by a 1994 referendum
- ◆
- Parking: Paid lot 400 m inland (5€/day, high season).
- ◆
- Best time: September for warm water and empty sand.
Sandy beach170 m
Cala Tamariu
Palafrugell
Palafrugell's most elegant cove — pines, fishermen's houses and Michelin lunches
- ◆
- Parking: Free street parking or paid lot; arrive before 10:30 in August.
- ◆
- Best time: Late September for empty sand and warm water.
Wild cove60 m
Cala Tavallera
Port de la Selva · Cap de Creus
Hike-only cove inside the Cap de Creus natural park — the Costa Brava's wildest
- ◆
- Parking: Free lot at Port de la Selva (Cala Tamariua trailhead).
- ◆
- Best time: Morning for calm water and shade on the descent.
Town beach1.1 km
Platja de la Barceloneta
Barcelona
Barcelona's flagship urban beach — Frank Gehry's fish and paellas at sunset
- ◆
- Parking: Underground car parks Passeig Joan de Borbó & Passeig Marítim.
- ◆
- Best time: Sunset for the Gehry-fish backlit shot.
Sandy beach350 m
Platja de Llafranc
Palafrugell
Whitewashed Costa Brava village with a sandy crescent and a Michelin lunch
- ◆
- Parking: Blue-zone in the village; free lot at Sant Sebastià lighthouse.
- ◆
- Best time: Sunset from the Sant Sebastià clifftop bar for the full-arc bay view.
Town beach1.3 km
Platja de Sitges (La Ribera)
Sitges
Belle-Époque promenade under the Sant Bartomeu church — Barcelona's beach
- ◆
- Parking: Blue-zone or paid car parks in the old town.
- ◆
- Best time: Late afternoon for the golden light on the church-on-the-cliff backdrop.
05
Sleep
Beds worth the trip
Style
Luxury
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
Barcelona · Passeig de Gràcia
1950s bank building on the modernista mile — steps from Casa Batlló. Rooftop pool and Moments (2★) by Carme Ruscalleda.
From 620€Check prices→
Luxury
El Palace Barcelona
Barcelona · Eixample
1919 grand hotel refurbished by Antonio Obrador — 111 rooms, Amar (1★) by Rafa Zafra and the iconic rooftop garden.
From 480€Check prices→
Eco-luxury
Hostal Empúries
L'Escala · Costa Brava
Barefoot five-star on Empúries Greek-Roman ruins and a private beach. LEED-platinum, one of Europe's most awarded sustainable hotels.
From 280€Check prices→
Boutique
Mas de Torrent
Torrent · Baix Empordà
1751 Catalan farmhouse turned into a 39-room Relais & Châteaux — Michelin star and heated infinity pool.
From 320€Check prices→
Boutique
Cap Rocat
Cadaqués · Costa Brava
Cliff-top boutique on the bay of Cadaqués. Private cove and only 12 rooms.
From 380€Check prices→
Popular areas in Catalonia
Book your stay
Compare real prices across 70+ booking sites for Catalonia, or add travel insurance for peace of mind.
Affiliate links · price shown on the partner's site · best-price guarantee
06
Eat
Tables jotted on a napkin
- Book →
Disfrutar (3★)
World's Best 2024 · elBulli heirs · Barcelona
- Book →
ABaC (3★)
Jordi Cruz · avant-garde · Barcelona
- Book →
El Celler de Can Roca (3★)
Roca brothers · Girona classic · Girona
- Book →
Enoteca Paco Pérez (2★)
Mediterranean at Hotel Arts · Barcelona
- Book →
Bar Cañete
Barcelona's best classic bar-restaurant · Barcelona · El Raval
- Book →
Compartir
Cadaqués · elBulli disciples on the coast · Cadaqués
07
Diario
A journal entry
Entry 09 · Saturday
Sagrada Família at opening hour
Doors at 09:00 sharp — head straight to the Nativity façade before the light shifts west. Two hours inside is right: the tree-column nave, the stained glass gradient from cool east to warm west, and the tower lift for the panoramic. Out at midday. Vermut on Passeig del Born at Bar del Pla — anchovies from L'Escala on toast. Long lunch at Disfrutar if booked six months ahead, then Barceloneta beach nap and sunset from the Bunkers del Carmel.
- ✓Book Sagrada Família 3 weeks ahead — tower access sells out first
- ✓Disfrutar drops reservations at 09:00 CET, 90 days out
- ✗Bunkers del Carmel: 25-min walk from Vallcarca metro, bring a beer
08
Itineraries
Ready-to-copy routes
4 days · Barcelona essentials
Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, Barceloneta, tapas on Passeig del Born and a Montserrat half-day.
Leer itinerario →7 days · Barcelona + Costa Brava
Add three nights in Begur or Cadaqués, El Celler de Can Roca in Girona and the Dalí Triangle.
Leer itinerario →10 days · the full Catalan arc
Add Sitges, Tarragona, Priorat wine country and the Ebro delta.
Leer itinerario →09
Practical
What we've noted for next time
Getting there
Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) — hub for Vueling, Iberia and Level. Girona (GRO) for Ryanair on the Costa Brava, and Reus (REU) for Tarragona. AVE from Madrid: 2h30 to Barcelona-Sants.
Getting around
Metro + Rodalies (commuter rail) inside greater Barcelona. Rodalies R1 to the coast, R2 to Sitges and Penedès. Rent a car for the Costa Brava, Priorat and the Pyrenees. AVE north to Girona and Figueres in 38 / 55 min.
Best time to go
April–June for jacaranda in bloom and mild weather. September–October for empty Costa Brava beaches and warm sea (24 °C). Avoid August in Barcelona — 32 °C, humid and crowded. February for the Sant Medir chocolate parade.
Emergencies
112 · CatSalut public hospitals (Hospital Clínic, Vall d'Hebron, Sant Pau). Farmacias marked with a green cross, 24 h rotation on every district.