With 300 days of summer shining through an extensive coastline and walkable neighborhoods with a humble start from fishing villages, Barceloneta is undoubtedly one of the most talked-about neighborhoods to visit in this part of Spain.
Right here, Columbus set his foot fresh off the boat after a painstaking journey discovering “the New World”. Not far away from the Columbus Monument, Port Vell beckons hordes of visitors to explore the breezy “Old Port” with small restaurants looking out to the ocean and huge ships traversing the busy waters.
Today, the grid-style neighborhood of Barceloneta serves as a great starting point to fill up a day or two in your vacation. Walk the sandy beach in the morning and check out regional eats when the sun is blaring down, or pop into one of the gorgeous plazas and cap off your day out with a seat at a bar.
In this article, I’ll be sharing my favorite places to visit in Barceloneta, the best food spots, and stellar hotels for a night or two.
What Is There To Do In Barceloneta?
This article will introduce must-visit attractions, restaurants, cafes, and seaside hotels in Barcelona to everyone. The order of introduction is based on starting from the “Columbus Monument” and heading north along the coastline.
If you plan for a day trip, we also recommend visiting the nearby old town attractions – Picasso Museum.
Start The Morning At Columbus Monument
Address: Plaça Portal de la pau, s/n, 08001 Barcelona
Start your trip of the day by checking out one of the most photographed statues in all of Barceloneta, the Columbus Monument. The gigantic statue pierces 60 meters into the sky and is easily spotted from every corner of the street La Rambla. Today, the statue is located at the end of the street La Rambla, with his hand pointing to the sea showing his hand to the new world.
The statue has been around since 1888 to celebrate the Exposición Universal de Barcelona and to pay tribute to Christopher Columbus when he first reported to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand V after coming back home from the long voyage.
A 60-meter statue of Columbus, pointing his finger towards the sea and the distant new continent, can be seen in the middle of the monument with five flying statues of Liberty. Below are statues of the Spanish king and queen who sponsored Columbus’ voyage, as well as eight huge black male lions.
Regarding the direction of the Columbus statue, it is actually more like an extension of La Rambla towards Algeria in Africa.
You can even reach the top of the statue by taking a lift in the middle of the tower. The last call is at 14:00 so don’t miss out on a chance to soap up the sweeping vista!
Online Booking Discount Tickets: Columbus Monument Discount Ticket
Take A Long Stroll To Port Vell
Port Vell is not far away from the monument of Columbus. The stretching sun-kissed promenade begins at the statue and goes all the way to the sea-crossing plank road.
Most people spill into the white bridge opposite Columbus Avenue. The scrambled area is flocked with hordes of visitors so make sure you don’t leave your belongings unattended as Port Vell has a bad rap of being a sketchy spot for petty crimes over the past few years.
The scenic walkable area of Port Vell has been around since 1886. Today, it’s connected to a stretching wing where you can find a 14th-century medieval shipyard called Drassanes Reials perfectly refurbished into a museum. People come to Port Vell to play water sports, go shopping, keep up with a hearty brunch, or plan out a romantic dinner date.
The shopping center “Maremagnum” is definitely the place that fills the Bell Port with a joyful atmosphere. It is super modern and looks like a glass curtain building in Tokyo. If you live in Barcelona and want to buy clothes, bags, shoes, and eat affordable exotic cuisine on weekends, this place is perfect.
Visit The World’s Largest Aquarium
Smack dab in the heart of Port Vell, you’ll find the so-called largest aquarium in the world. Aquàrium Barcelona has been a household name for families with kids and travelers alike since 1995 and plays home to over 11,000 sea creatures from 450 species. 6 million liters of seawater is stocked up to feed the marine life here. Everything from sharks to crustaceans and invertebrates coexists in peace.
Today the aquarium is split into different “sea regions” where you can roam from the tropical world to the Mediterranean Sea.
Online Booking Discount Tickets: Barcelona Aquarium Tickets
Check Out The Quirky Statue Of El Cap de Barcelona
In 1992, American Pop artist Roy Lichtenstein brought to the shore of Barceloneta a quirky, surrealist sculpture to keep up with the upcoming Summer Olympics when it was hosted in Barcelona.
Today, El Cap de Barcelona serves as a dramatic backdrop for a photo-op, and if you manage to get the right angle to capture “the face” of the statue from afar, you’re guaranteed a great chance to wow your Instagram followers.
If you are as leisurely as we are, you can take a walk along this seaside road. On the way, you can see not only pedestrians and joggers, but also many scooters and bicycles, creating a strong sense of leisure.
Walking here, you can feel the ocean atmosphere, and the palm trees on both sides of the road are like being in Los Angeles, USA.
Make Some Splish-Splash At Barceloneta Beach
A trip to Barceloneta is not complete without dipping your toes in the sandy and crystal-clear water of Barceloneta Beach. The beach is nowhere close to a getaway but at least you’ll find a clearance in your head away from the chaotic streets of the city center. Feel the warm water kissing on your heels and step on the velvety sand on the shore.
The beach here is a paradise of street vendors waiting to stuff your empty stomach with good treats and a thirst-quenching sip out of cervezas and mojitos.
If you’re here to take on some surf lessons, walk up to Carrer de L’Almirall Aixada and talk to the team at Surf House Barcelona. They even teach beach yoga and paddleboarding too, plus a breezy spot converted into a brunch spot serving Californian cuisine.
The parallel pedestrian walkway on Barcelona Beach is called the “Passeig Marítim”. You can stroll along the 5-kilometer beach at your leisure on the Passeig Marítim.
If you come in the summer, you can enjoy various water activities here!
The entire Olympic Port area is made up of countless beaches, which are actually composed of numerous individual beaches. From the direction of Bell Port heading north, there are Sant Sebastia, Sant Miquel, Barceloneta, Somorrostro, Nova Icaria, Bogatell, La Mar Bella, La Nova Mar Bella, and so on. It’s quite a long walk to cover them all, so I took the subway directly there. The beaches in the north are more suitable for sunbathers, as there is nothing much around them and it can be a bit boring.
One of the most interesting places for everyone should be the Barcelona officially recognized nudist beach “Nova Mar Bella”. This beach is actually quite small, and there are indeed people sunbathing naked here, but you can also wear clothes. However, taking photos here is very impolite, so I just took a picture of the sign to show you!
Walk The Port Olímpic
A walk around Port Olímpic in the afternoon takes you to W Barcelona, a sail-like five-star hotel with a luxury escape on the famous Barceloneta Boardwalk.
Port Olímpic encompasses the eastern edge of Port of Barcelona where the 1992 Summer Olympics took place. Ever since the remarkable sports event was hosted in this part of the country, plenty of bars, restaurants, leisure facilities, and modern sculptures have been popping up, attracting a multitude of visitors to soak up the lively vibe of one of the most attractive areas of Barceloneta.
Olympic Port is aptly named as it was the site of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, adjacent to the Olympic Village. The area extending from the Bell Port to the pier is within its scope. Today, it is a seaside residential area with many seafood restaurants, cafes, bars, office buildings, and modern installation art.
Heading north from here, it used to be a pretty poor gypsy village before the Olympics, but it has since been transformed into a beach resort.
There are beaches like Platja del Bogatell and Platja la Mar Bella, and the famous European nightclub “Razzmatazz” is also located here in Barcelona.
Keep Up With The Best Catalonian Cuisines
Barceloneta is no short of a stellar restaurant serving authentic Catalonian bites to inspire your palate. But the real matter here is: where’s the right place that’s worth it?
Here I suggested some of my favorite food spots in the neighborhood, from casual to avant-garde.
7 Portes
A short walk away from Barceloneta subway station, 7 Portes promises to take your palate on a rollercoaster of adventurous Spanish seafood recipes.
The dining house is set inside a whimsical baroque retro decoration made in the 19th century. And I can’t stress enough how delicious their stewed rice is when they top it up with plenty of freshly caught seafood marinated to perfection like exaggerated crayfish, squid, prawns, scallops, and mussels.
Food Review: [Barcelona Food Recommendation] Restaurant 7 Portes: Delicious Spanish Seafood Paella from a Century-Old Restaurant
Can Majó
Juicy lobster stew made with love and Chipirones a la Andaluza (battered squid served with fresh vegetable salad) satisfy even the most demanding diners. The warm and inviting dining atmosphere makes a statement inside a rustic and somewhat retro house built with wooden beams and terrace seating.
Food Review: 【Recommended Barcelona Port Cuisine】Can Majo: Delicious Seafood Porridge and Crispy Fried Squid
Can Solé
Can Solé, a stronghold in the Old Port dining scene for over a century, dishes up incredible fried fishes that hypnotize your taste buds with its fresh, tender, and juicy filet. Pair it with some anchovies to make a starter followed by some seafood paella for a filling meal.
Food Review: 【Barcelona Seafood Rice Restaurant】Can Sole: A Century-Old Restaurant Where You Can Taste Seafood Fideua
El Rey de La Gamba
Another heavyweight in the area of Old Port is El Rey de La Gamba. Its take on affordable seafood dishes with terrace seating has gained a huge community of repeated diners over the years. Their artisan Paella and fried baby squids are the best starting points for newcomers.
Xiringuito Escribà
Last but not least, check out Chiringuito Escribà if you’re looking for a fancy spin on your food journey. The long-established restaurant has been passed down for generations and is now taken care of by Joan Escribà whose mission is to nourish the legendary pastry tradition and the family’s affluence in Barcelona and Paris.
Here, seafood dishes with secret homemade recipes stun customers in an inviting and intimate setting.
Food Review: Recommended Restaurant in Barcelona Port – Xiringuito Escribà: A Famous Restaurant for Eating Spanish Seafood Paella by the Beach
2 Best Hotels To Stay In Barcelona
Barcelona is not only a holiday destination for Spaniards, but also a place where always wet and cold Londoners come to sunbathe on vacation. I came to Barcelona to experience the exclusive seaside life of Spain, so on the first day of arrival, I stayed at a beachfront hotel in Barcelona. Here are two recommended five-star beachfront accommodations in Barcelona for travelers who want to enjoy:
Hotel Arts Barcelona
With the iconic Peix fish sculpture making a statement on the way in, Hotel Arts Barcelona spruces up your stay with a touch of luxury in a glass-and-steel building that spans 44 stories with a sea view.
Here, a Michelin-starred restaurant teams up with a rooftop bar and two outdoor pools to pamper your tired cores after a long day on the streets.
- Location: Located in the Sant Martí district, next to the Olympic Port, facing the Barcelona beach, with many surrounding businesses and bars, the nearest Vila Olímpica subway is a 5-minute walk away, and the surrounding environment is very advanced.
- Features: The Ritz-Carlton’s five-star hotel, as always, adopts a modern and elegant design, with excellent room lighting. You can enjoy the view of Barcelona beach and city center from the room. The room is equipped with a sound system and a hydro massage shower for relaxation and enjoyment of life.
- Hotel facilities: Free WiFi, 2 outdoor swimming pools, a luxury spa center with panoramic city views, contemporary art collections, and a Michelin 2-star Enoteca restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine, hair salon and fashion boutique, business center.
- Check-in review: Hotel Arts Barcelona: The Window Overlooks Barcelona’s Inner Beach & Mediterranean Scenery
Price: Starting from TWD 8,800｜Agoda Room Rates｜Booking Special Offers｜Other Booking Website Discounts
W Barcelona
Set in the romantic area of Port Olímpic, the sail-like W Barcelona captures your attention with its take on the modern suite design.
The tasteful decor using dark blues, bronzes, and warm golds as the primary theme is carefully translated to reflect the dazzling sunlight of the coast.
Here you can choose from 473 gorgeous guest rooms and suites with views of either the ocean or the skyline.
- Location: Located next to the beautiful Barceloneta Beach, just south of Hotel Arts Barcelona. It is within the old city area, making it closer to tourist attractions. However, the nearest Barceloneta Metro Station is a 20-minute walk away, so it is more suitable for those who want to enjoy the hotel rather than those who want to visit attractions.
- Features: This five-star hotel has a super extravagant sailboat-shaped exterior that reminds people of the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai. The style is the classic W Hotel avant-garde design, suitable for young people who love fashion. The rooms offer views of the Mediterranean Sea and the city, and the best part is the infinity pool facing the sea. It is perfect for watching the sunrise in the morning and creating a Spanish beach resort feel.
- Hotel Facilities: Free WiFi, SPA center, infinity pool, rooftop bar, W Lounge, sun deck with lounge chairs, direct access to the beach, hot tub, sauna, and steam room.
Price: Starting from TWD 10,800｜Agoda Room Rates｜Booking Special Offers｜Other Booking Website Discounts
I hope you will enjoy La Barceloneta as much as I do. And with this travel guide, I believe you will have a whale of a time conquering one of the most visited parts of Spain – insightful, no fuss, and lots of fun!