There are so many great posts about Barcelona out there, but most of them describe the same attractions over and over again. That’s why I’ve created this list on unusual things to do in Barcelona.

What if you have already seen the main sights and want to visit something new? Or maybe you just want to escape the crowds and see some great lesser-known places in Barcelona? (By the way, if you want to avoid crazy lines on popular attractions such as Sagrada Familia and Casa Batllo, I have an article with some secret tricks just for you!).

But let’s come back to some places in Barcelona that are off-the-beaten-path. Staying in the city for 2 months allowed me to discover some unique and spectacular places that most of the tourists do not know about.

In case it is not your first time visiting the city or you are looking for something interesting and special, here is the list of 11 coolest fun things to do in Barcelona. Enjoy!

1. Climb the Columbus Monument

Located right in the city center in front of Barceloneta Beach, the Columbus Column is something that you will probably see many times.

But would you ever imagine that there is an elevator inside the column that takes you to a wonderful view of the city from the top?

I had no idea about it until recently when I was reading some information about it on the friendly Barcelona Tourism site. I think the main reason it is relatively unknown is because the entrance is quite hidden.

There are stairs that lead you down to the base of the column, but it looks just like an information center. While you can certainly ask for information there, there is also a cash register, where you can buy your tickets and proceed to the elevator.

The best part? It is cheap and there are almost no people there!

Here are the views from the column:

How to get there: Metro: L3, Drassanes stop. The Column is located at the end of La Rambla Boulevard close to the sea.

PRICE: from €8,8 to take the elevator

2. Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site

Are you a fan of Gaudi architecture but have already been to Casa Batllo and Sagrada Familia? Or maybe you don’t want to go there because it’s too crowded? I might have a great solution for you – pay a visit to a … hospital!

Wait, why is she sending me to the hospital during my vacation?

The Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site is well-known to tourists as the Sant Pau Hospital. No worries, this hospital is real eye candy and you can only visit it by paying for a self-guided or guided tour! 🙂

The reason I suggest visiting the hospital is that it is one of Europe’s foremost art-nouveau sites! Just look at its domes, facades, beautiful sculptures and stained-glass windows everywhere. Isn’t it a masterpiece? It reminds me of the hospital from Harry Potter where he was recuperating after his fights with Voldemort.

You can enter one of the pavilions and see its interior exactly as it was designed at the beginning of the 20^th century and get down into the tunnels and learn about some well-known medical practices in Barcelona at that time.

P.S. There are also some live music events organized in the summer; you can see the schedule here.

Update: Also, you can get a 20% discount with your Barcelona City Pass (that will also give you free skip-the-line admission to Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and many other perks).

How to get there: Metro: L5 Sant Pau/Dos de Maig

PRICE: from €17 

3. Bunkers del Carmel lookout

If you are looking for the perfect sunset in Barcelona look no further than the Bunkers!

Even though this viewpoint is becoming more well known to tourists, it is still a local gem and it is far from the crazy crowds of Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell.

The Bunkers provide a spectacular 360 degree view of Barcelona; I especially recommend it at sunset!

Local tip: The Bunkers close at 7pm during summer, so you won’t be able to watch the sunset from there but there are spots around the Bunkers where you can still enjoy the sunset. It’s not uncommon to see people jumping the fence to get into the Bunkers after hours. But if you want to try this yourself, be warned that there are sometimes police around to prevent this (you likely won’t get into too much trouble, they just tell you to leave).

The bunkers were originally built as anti-aircraft fortifications during the Spanish Civil War because the location was perfect for its strategic view of the entire city!

There is pretty much nothing left from the bunker itself – just some concrete remains, but the panoramic views are totally worth the climb! Grab a picnic and your camera, and stay for the sunset! Don’t forget to bring water and sunscreen (and bug spray in summer). 

There are bathrooms at the Bunkers so you don’t need to worry about that. 

How to get there: You can walk up to the Bunkers from Parc Guell in about 15-20 minutes (just follow your Google Maps). It is not a hard climb, but it includes quite a few stairs and there are no elevators or public transport options this time. The closest metro is Alfons X (map), from there is a 20 min walk uphill (it’s quite the climb so make sure you bring good walking shoes!).

PRICE: free

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4. The helicopter flight over Barcelona

If you only have a short time available to visit Barcelona and you want to see some of its highlights in style – let me tell you about one amazing tour I recently took.

The tour is called 360 SkyWalk: Land, Sea & Air and this is what it is about:

The tour takes 4 hours and it covers the main sights of Barcelona from three different points of view – Land, Air and Water. It is a one-of-a-kind tour that offers the widest range of activities I have found on the market at the moment!

You will visit the most important sights with an English-speaking guide, fly around Barcelona by helicopter and sail on an old pirate boat close to Barceloneta beach. All this in half a day and for only 100€ per person? Definitely a great deal and some amazing photo opportunities – do not forget to bring your camera!

I took this tour and it was such a unique experience, I just had to add it to our alternative list of things to do in Barcelona!

How to get there: the meeting point is at Passeig de Gràcia

PRICE: €130-160 depending on the dates

I took the tour myself and here is my description of it with a video:

5. The Balloon Museum

I adored the Balloon Museum. It was weird and wonderful, perfect for art lovers. I originally got this one confused with Bubble Planet but if you have the time I’d highly recommend doing both! The Balloon Museum is more art-based and tailored for adults though (but the kiddies will still love it!).

There’s a ball pit, a bubble room and an exhibition where balloons fly around you. It’s an experience I will never forget!

It’s right by the magic fountain (which unfortunately isn’t operating at the moment due to water restrictions) and Montjuic National Palace. So you can always visit the museum and then head up to the Palace. 

How to get there: The closest metro station is Espana – L1/L3/L8 (map). From there you’ll need to walk 8 mins up to the museum.

PRICE: €20

Note: If you love art, I’d also recommend checking out the Moco Museum.

6. Parc del Laberint d’Horta

This park is hardly known by tourists at the moment which makes it a perfect spot for lunch or just some relaxation. Did you know a famous scene from the movie “Perfume – The Story of a Murderer” was filmed there?

Besides the labyrinth, the park has a beautiful 14^th century house, a waterfall and many alleys to stroll around.

Note: Barcelona currently has quite strict water restrictions and there hasn’t been that much rain so unfortunately the park isn’t quite as beautiful as it once was. It’s still worth a visit but don’t be surprised if it’s not as green as the pictures.

How to get there: L3-Mundet metro stop

PRICE: €2,5, but free on Sunday and Wednesday

7. Bubble Planet

If you’re looking for something unusual to do in Barcelona, Bubble Planet should be at the top of your list. This immersive experience is so much fun, offers great opportunities for photos and makes you feel like a little kid again. 

From chilling in a massive ball pit to dancing in a room full of balloons, you can truly lose yourself in the space. I absolutely loved all the sensory experiences (and I got some great pics). It’s also the perfect thing to do with kids in Barcelona (especially during summer when the temperatures get high)!

Local tip: Make sure you book at an off-peak time (early morning or late afternoon) so you can really enjoy yourself! The fewer people in the venue, the better photos you can take and the more fun you can have. 

If you’re looking for more activity ideas, check out my article on things to do with kids in Barcelona. 

How to get there: The nearest metro station Llacuna – L4 (map). From there, Bubble Planet is a 3-minute walk.

PRICE: from €12

8. Torre Agbar

This 38-story office tower is not so spectacular during the day, but it becomes a real eye-catcher at night!

The building has a peculiar shape and it is very similar to The Gherkin in London. Agbar Torre was only built in 2003, but it has already become an important part of the city’s skyline. At night the tower is beautifully lit up in different colors! You’ll be able to spot it instantly when you enjoy the sunset from the Bunkers.

How to get there: L1-Glòries metro stop

PRICE: free

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9. Casa Vicens

Casa Vicens, the first important project by Antoni Gaudi, often remains forgotten by tourists. It is a beautiful modernist building now transformed into a museum. It has very bright, recognizable colors and it was of great importance to the evolution of this genius architect.

The best part? No need to drive too far away as it is located to the north of the city center.

How to get there: L3-Fontana, L6-Sant Gervasi, L7-Plaça Molina

PRICE: from €22

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10. Placa Sant Felip Neri

It is quite a surprise to find such a charming square in the heart of the bustling city!

This is a very charming, offbeat and lesser-known square that made an appearance in movies like “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”, “The Parfume” and even in the video clip of Evanescence’s “My Immortal”.

But the square has a rather dark history. Franco’s execution squads executed school children there and you can still notice bomb traces dating from the Civil War. Despite its sad past, the place has a laid-back atmosphere now.

There is also a tiny café (where Vicky was flirting with Juan Antonio in the movie) where you can relax and enjoy the gothic architecture of the place.

How to get there: it is a little hard to find it in the Gothic Quarter but it is worth searching. It is not far from Barcelona Cathedral, but it is always better to use Google Maps to navigate along the narrow streets.

PRICE: free

11. White Rabbit Off-Museum

One of the most amazing experiences I stumbled upon during my time in Barcelona was White Rabbit. This immersive museum really surprised me because it’s focussed on Barcelona’s history and Catalan culture. I not only had the best time but I also learned so much about the city that I didn’t know. 

It’s such a treat for both adults and kids. There’s a silent disco room with a sound curated by Razzmatazz (one of the most popular music venues in Barcelona), a virtual reality experience, and an impressive audiovisual room showcasing the best of Barcelona’s art and architecture.

PRO TIP: Use the bathroom and PUSH THE BUTTON. 

How to get there: Closest metro is Passeig de Gracia -L4/ L3/L1 (map), from there, it’s about a 4-minute walk (depending on what exit you use).

PRICE: From €15

Bonus 1: Rent a Vespa (just Like in The Movies)

If you want to see Barcelona in the most stylish way – rent a Vespa! Barcelona is a perfect city to discover by scooter because the traffic is organized, (not crazy like in Asia) the boulevards are wide and it’s easy to find your way.

You can easily cover all the main attractions in one day and take some great pictures! You will ride past some local neighborhoods and see how people live there, too. I think this is the best way to see the city!

If you have a driver’s license, book your Vespa here. You will get a Vespa scooter for 24 hours, helmets, basic insurance, locks and GPS.

Bonus 2: Enjoy a Street Festival

There are non-stop parties in Barcelona during summer, but some of the best ones are the “festa major” district festivals. Every district in Barcelona has their own fiesta, which lasts about a week, and during that time the streets are full of people drinking and partying to live music by local bands and DJs. There are also workshops, artistic performances, crazy Catalan traditions – like building human castles – and much more.

The most famous of the street festivals is La Festa Major de Gracia and every year during this party, the neighbors compete with each other to see who can decorate their streets in the best fashion, with each adopting a theme: superheroes, a Greek symposium, a pirate ship, or arcade games to name a few themes seen in recent years.

Best of all? These parties are free to attend!

Some practical tips on traveling in Barcelona

Now let’s dive into some practical tips to help you make the most of your trip to Barcelona. 

Where to stay in Barcelona

Here are the suggestions I have carefully selected for you. All of the hotels I suggest are located in the city center and each one of them has fabulous reviews. They are sorted into price categories for your convenience. Click the link to check the rates for your dates.

Luxury (€300 and up)

• If you are a football fan, Grand Hyatt Barcelona, which is a five star hotel is the perfect choice for you as it is located 5 minutes away from the famous Camp Nou stadium. It offers wonderful rooms designed with a keen eye for details in a modern way which will make you feel right at home. 
• Another five star hotel is Alma Barcelona GL, which features elegant decorations, a spa with an indoor swimming pool, a hamam, a sauna and a gym. A nice feature of this hotel is the indoor terrace, perfect for resting and relaxation after a hard day of sightseeing.

Mid-ramge (€100 – 300)

• Vasanta Hostal Boutique is a wonderful establishment which features nicely designed rooms in neutral tones and has a shared lounge. Coffee shops, restaurants and a lot of pubs can be found within walking distance of this accommodation option. 
• Another middle priced choice is Hostalin Barcelona Passeig de Gracia which has been reviewed by its past guests as clean and an overall perfect choice. If you fancy wines, you will be delighted to hear that it is located right above Vinoteca Torres!

Budget (up to €100)

• Rodamon Barcelona Hostel is situated right next to the Palau Robert Gardens, so if you fancy nature and visit the surroundings, this is the perfect budget choice. 
• Another great budget choice is Ten To Go Hostel, which offers a shared daytime area and even a pool. La Pedrera is located 2.8 km from the property and if you are traveling by train, Ten To Go Hostel is perfect, as it is located very close to the main train station.

If you are looking for a hotel in Barcelona, I have this post where all accommodation suggestions are sorted by price and area.

How not to get robbed In Barcelona

It does not mean it will happen to you, but you should really watch your belongings when in Barcelona.

Pickpockets are all over the city and they are professionals. I have never heard so many stories of robberies in one city!

Follow these simple tips and you will be fine:

• Watch your bag at all times – in the metro, in restaurants, don’t put it in the free seat, keep it in your hands, I am serious!
• Don’t carry your passport with you.
• If you have a backpack, don’t carry anything of value there – keep your cell phone and your wallet close and visible to you at all times.
• Don’t go around the streets of Barcelona drunk at night

NOTE: There are so many cases of robberies in Barcelona that the government of Catalunya implemented a new law that states that the investigation will not even start if the value of the stolen goods is less than 500€. The police just can’t deal with the volume of robberies!

How to get from Barcelona El Prat airport to the city center

Barcelona El Prat airport is located 13 km away from the city and there are different ways to get from there to the city center  of Barcelona.

AeroBus
There is a bus that leaves every 5 minutes from the Airport, it costs 8,50€ one way or 12.50€ round trip. You can pay with your credit card. You can also buy it in advance on the website. The bus stops at Plaça Espana and Plaça Catalunya, both of which are very central.

From there, you can take a metro to get to your accommodation.

NOTE: Spanish people like to strike, so this transport might not always be available.

Bus 46
The public bus number 46 is slower than the AeroBus because it has more stops, but its great advantage is that you can pay the normal bus fare (you can buy the Tcasual/ Tusual package). If you land at night time, you can use Nitbus N17, the fare is the same.

Train
There is a RENFE train that runs approximately every 30 minutes and it will take you to the city center in 25 minutes. You can get off at either Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or Clot stations. There is a shuttle bus from the airport that will take you to the train station for free. A single train ticket from the airport to the city center costs €4.90 but it can’t be used on the metro or buses.

Metro
There is a new metro stop that was opened in 2016 and it goes directly to the airport! The line is called L9 Sud. This ticket will cost 5,5€ and the Tcasual ticket cannot be used from the airport.

Taxi
You can easily flag down a taxi at Barcelona airport (and it’s cheaper than using an app). You’ll see signs directing you to the buses and taxis from the arrivals exit. Just follow the signs and wait in the line to grab your taxi. Most of the taxi drivers don’t speak English so it’s best to either show them the location or use Google Translate.

It will cost you about 25-30€ to get to the city center.

Rent a car
There are several car companies available right in the airport. Rates can be really attractive if you book in advance. Check this link for an exclusive 10% discount for my readers here!

Get around Barcelona

A single ticket for a metro ride in Barcelona is currently 2,5€.

The Tcasual card (10 rides in the city) is 12,5€, which is pretty cool because it brings down the cost of your ride from 2,5 to 1.25€ per ride! 

What is also cool is that you can use it for 2 or more people.

The bus ride will cost you 2,55€ if you don’t have the Tcasual card. You can’t buy the card from the driver.

PRO TIP: If you’re staying for longer, I highly recommend getting the T-usual card. It’s around 21€ for a 30-day pass with UNLIMITED trips. You can get everywhere you need to go in Barcelona with the Zone 1 option. This means you can use the bus, metro and trains as much as you’d like. It also doesn’t matter if you accidentally get off at the wrong stop.

You can rent public bicycles in Barcelona and it’s one of the quickest ways to get around! They have Bolt, Lime and Cooltra bicycles around the city. But you’ll also find Bicing bikes but those are more for locals.

One of the best ways to discover Barcelona like a local, in my opinion, is by renting a scooter (more information about it above).

You will also probably walk a lot since Barcelona is a very walkable city so make sure to bring comfy shoes!

Final thoughts

Thank you for reading this article!

Barcelona is a very special city that has changed a lot since 1992 (when it hosted the Olympics and many things were renovated or built from scratch).

I have visited Barcelona 3 times, but it was not enough – I came back for more to live there for a while!

Barcelona is the city of Gaudi, modernism, Miro and Picasso. But it also has some “new” alternative attractions that you might not have heard about.

Here I described my list of 8 lesser known unique places to visit in Barcelona.

I hope you discovered some new, cool places to add to your Barcelona bucket list and I hope you will visit some of them!

What will you try from this list of quirky things to do in Barcelona?

Let me know in the comments and Share this article with your friends, if you found it useful!

Yulia

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Finastra director of global travel management and workplaces Mauro Ruggiero knew that the financial software company had a well-developed travel risk management program, but an independent assessment revealed some gaps.

With employees traveling in high-risk locations including Iraq, Pakistan, Israel and Lebanon and given the general responsibility as a corporation to protect employees, Finastra already had numerous risk management best practices in place. It was working with International SOS and monitoring its employee travel, ready to follow up and chase down employees if something happened in the area in which they were traveling.

“I was confident to say we had a very mature approach in how we protect our travelers when they are out and about,” Ruggiero said.

Assessing the Program

At the suggestion of Advito, the consultancy of BCD Travel, Finastra’s travel management company, Finastra’s travel and security teams worked with BCD and Advito to analyze their travel risk management program, seeing how well it aligned with ISO standards on risk management.

“They could come in, take a look at that as a third party, 10,000 feet above, and give us an unbiased view, tell us where we could improve and score us,” Ruggiero said.

As Ruggiero had assessed, the analysis showed Finastra’s risk management program was “well-managed” in “several areas.” However, there were others where “we needed to do a better job,” he said.

One major gap was that Finastra lacked a separate travel risk policy, which “was not something that was even on our radar,” according to Ruggiero. The company now is putting that together, with hopes that will be approved by its policy committee in a month or so, he said.

The assessment also showed a need for Finastra to improve its communication around its travel risk management program, Ruggiero said. That new communication effort will kick off once the new policy is approved.

“We already have the traveler intranet page that houses a lot of the traveler risk components that we offer, such as International SOS link and a list of cities that are high-risk,” he said. “We have it all, but we learned we need to tie it together better.”

Part of the communication strategy will be a form for travelers to acknowledge they understand the risk management resources that are available to them, Ruggiero said. Travelers going to high-risk areas will have a separate, more detailed acknowledgement document. Ruggiero said he is hopeful that will also drive higher use of ISOS by travelers, which currently has “very low utilization.”

Keeping it Fresh

Ruggiero said communication would be an ongoing process, which also was a recurring theme at the annual Global Travel Risk Summit in Houston earlier this summer, co-produced by HospitalityLawyer.com and The BTN Group. Several speakers highlighted how business travelers often remain unaware of resources available to them.

For example, Jason Selvon, co-founder of risk and crisis management firm RISRR Global, said 60 percent of travelers are not using the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to stay updated on destination-specific safety information. At the same time, Selvon said information—particularly on the legal and medical side—from embassies often can be out of date, as many work with small staffs with limited resources, so effective communication must be backed up by a company’s own efforts.

“You have to take that as face value and do your own research, build your own logistical pipeline and support network in those countries,” Selvon said. “If you’re traveling down to Colombia often because there’s a huge client out there, send someone out to ensure you know what car rental organization you want to use, what hotels you want to use and how far you should stay from the embassy.”

Ross Pratt, SVP and managing director of the Americas for TMC Wings Global Travel, recommended random testing of travelers who frequent high-risk destinations. That can help ensure they remain aware of related risks and that they are not falling into patterns that could put them in danger.

“Maybe the person goes on rotation and has been on the same rotation for 10 years and keeps going to the same place over and over again,” Pratt said. “Do you just forget about them and think they know what they’re doing?”

Avoiding Complacency

Duty of care remains the top priority of BCD clients, and risk management figures in the other top priorities per the TMC’s most recent annual client survey, BCD Travel Global Crisis Management senior program manager Christine Connolley said. As such, she’s “definitely seeing a demand” for travel security program assessments to align with the ISO 31030 standards published a few years ago.

“It’s so exciting to have this real framework and approach to risk management,” she said. “We can really go in and fine tune with clients their programs to make sure their employees are really traveling safely and they’re really fulfilling their duty-of-care obligations.”

One of the most frequently identified need for improvement is establishing internal stakeholders rather than having the majority of the responsibility fall on the travel manager, who is “rarely equipped to handle an emergency” such as a traveler needing medical assistance, Connolley said. The assessment can help build a “cooperative endeavor” between security, HR, finance, legal and executive management for risk management.

“If they don’t have that, all the dominoes fall, and it just goes back to the travel manager, who is almost powerless,” she said. “And they can’t be available 24 hours a day.”

Beyond the assessment, Connolley said it’s also critical for traveler feedback to gauge risk management, which can be accomplished by adding security questions to post-trip feedback surveys. For example, she recalled a recent trip where she arrived at a hotel to find the door to the connecting room had been left unlocked.

“If my employer asks me, ‘How was your trip; did you feel safe?’ and I can report that back to my employer, they can go back to the preferred hotel and address it,” Connolley said. “The traveler is on that front end and is going to be your best testament to that experience.”

Even when it seems like all the best practices are in place, however, maintaining a risk management program is a never-ending job.

“Any company that doesn’t do an assessment is sorely missing the boat on a great opportunity to improve,” Ruggiero said. “Even if it’s 99 percent there, there’s still that 1 percent you can improve, and that shouldn’t be looked at as a negative.”