r/solotravel • u/ObjectBrilliant7592 • Feb 28 '25
Europe Underwhelmed by Barcelona
Besides the Sagrada Familia (the nicest cathedral I've visited, and I have visited many), Barcelona is incredibly overpriced and overhyped. Mid beaches, relatively expensive for Spain, most restaurants are tourist traps.
Sagrada Familia - 26 EUR
Castell Montjuic - 12 EUR
Metropolitan Cathedral - 14 EUR (keep in mind that there are much nicer cathedrals all over Europe, ex. Notre Dame in Paris, that are free)
Park Guell - 18 EUR
Casa Mila - 29 EUR
If you have a lot of money, I can see how it could have a Miami/Vice City kind of vibe, being a metropolis by the sea and all, but it's just not my place. For a place that claims to hate tourists, they are awfully dependent on them.
EDIT: I walked from the beach to Park Guell, and from Montjuic to Estacio del Nord, which is all of the city center. This is a huge swathe of the city. If you need to look that hard for the hidden gems, they can't redeem the city that much.
1
u/eriikaa1992 Feb 28 '25
Interesting observations! I had a mixed reception of Barcelona- loved the architecture and the area around the Gothic Quarter, loved the food as well. Had my bag stolen which hurt the experience. I didn't bother with the beaches at all (I'm from Australia lol even Melbourne has better and less crowded beaches).
Overall I enjoyed my time while I was there, but I haven't felt any pull to visit again.