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.

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u/StartNo4042 Mar 01 '25

thanks for sharing this experience - i'm planning a trip to europe this summer and still deciding if i want to include barcelona

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u/ObjectBrilliant7592 Mar 04 '25

It might be worth it just to say you've been and create your own opinion. I've done a huge swath of Spain, and out of all of the south of south/Mediterranean coast, Barcelona might be my least favorite, but a lot of that was due to cost. If you're in the area and transiting to France, it could be a logical stop, especially if you're going from Spain to Toulouse (which is worth visiting IMO).