Things to do in Sarria, Barcelona

Many visitors to Barcelona don’t get much beyond the gothic quarter, however, a visit to the picturesque and historic barrio of Sarria (once an independent village) can involve anything from art to nature, or even football. Here are our top things to do in Sarria:

Take the Funicular to Mount Tibidabo

Photo by Kevin Lawver via Visualhunt

At the top of Mount Tibidabo you will find the oldest amusement park in Europe, restaurants, and the Sagrada Cor – the white church that is one of Barcelona’s most recognisable landmarks. The church itself boasts some stunning murals. The best reasons to visit Tibado though, are the spectacular views of Barcelona and the Collserola National Park behind.

Nou Camp Soccer Stadium

Constructed in 1957, FC Barcelona’s emblematic football stadium is one of the most famous in the world. If you can’t catch a game you can at least take a tour around the stadium.

Collserola National Park

Full of verdant greenery, Collserola is considered the lungs of Barcelona and boasts kilometres of forest and walking trails. Home to many a wild boar and much fauna – if you like to walk, cycle or jog – Collserola is within easy reach and fully worth the visit.

Related article: Sarrià’s best terraces

Cosmo Caixa Science Museum

Another family-friendly activity in Sarria is to pay a visit to the Cosmo Caixa Science Museum, where you will find a recreation of the Amazon rainforest and an exhibition on the history of geology.

Pedralbes Palau Reial

The Royal Palace of Pedralbes contains a Ceramics Museum that has everything from early Moorish tiles to works by both Picasso and Miró. It is also home to the Decorative Arts Museum.

Nightclubbing on Avenida Tibidabo

For night owls, head for either Danzatoria, an almost painfully trendy four-storey mansion that moonlights as a nightclub and/or for a more romantic setting we highly recommend Bar Mirablau on Plaça Doctor Andreu. Bar Mirablau offers some of the most spectacular views of the city from its giant windows.

Plaça Sant Vicenç

Placa Sant Vicenc is bursting with character. Whether you want upmarket oysters and expensive wines or you’d prefer the atmospheric café where writers Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Mario Vargas Llosa enjoyed a vino whilst scribbling, this is a very pleasant placa with beautiful examples of town houses.

Related article: VIDEO: The district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi

Plaça Sarria

Another of Sarria’s most beautiful squares, this is the main square and is home to dances on Sunday mornings, and markets on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bar Tomás

Photo by Lobo via Wikimedia Commons

On the main Sarria high street you will find Bar Tomas – a restaurant rumoured to have some of the best patatas bravas in Spain. So good, apparently, that they are in fact, the King of Spain’s favourite.

Collserola Tower

Norman Foster’s most iconic 850-metre high communications tower was constructed in the 90s and finished just in time for the 1992 Olympic Games. Despite some people considering the needle a blot on the landscape, it has come to be regarded as a major attraction. Visitors to the tower can eat in the restaurant and take in fantastic views from the state-of-the-art observation deck and restaurant.

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