Few things are more beautiful than the incredible view of the city of Barcelona. You can see this view from your airplane window, but once in Barcelona, I definitely recommend seeking out one of the many viewpoints in Barcelona to observe the city from above.
10x Beautiful Views Over Barcelona
From the hills, a building or museum, a rooftop terrace, and even from an amusement park: Barcelona has many privileged viewpoints that will surprise you time and again. Some are free, while others require an entrance fee. But which viewpoints are really worth the effort?
Below, I give you a list of the absolute must-sees if you want to view Barcelona from above. Get your camera ready and enjoy!
1. Bunkers del Carmel
Located on an old anti-aircraft gun site, this popular viewpoint offers a stunning 360-degree view of the city and is a favorite spot among the youth for relaxation. The journey to get here might not be the easiest, but it’s definitely worth it. At the top, you’ll find a fantastic view of the entire city, from the coast to the mountains, where you can take the most beautiful photos.
Metro: Guinardó | Hospital de Sant Pau (L4) of El Carmel (L5)
👉 Read more about Bunkers del Carmel here.
2. Montjuïc
This city hill in Barcelona is worth a visit in itself for its beautiful parks, museums, attractions, and sports complexes. The most famous viewpoint is located at the Palau Nacional, where the MNAC art museum is situated. But there are many more places on Montjuïc Hill where you can enjoy the most beautiful views of Barcelona and its surroundings, such as the Castle of Montjuïc (with views over the harbor and the northern side of the city) and the Anella Olímpica (with views over the western area of Barcelona towards l’Hospitalet del Llobregat).
Also recommended is buying tickets for the Telefèric de Montjuïc, the cable car that takes you to the top of the hill.
Metro: Espanya (L1, L3 en L8)
👉 Read more about Montjuïc here.
3. Tibidabo
The Tibidabo mountain is the highest in the Serra de Collserola range and offers the very best view of Barcelona and the surrounding area. Atop Tibidabo, you will find two interesting attractions: a church with the highest lookout platform, Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor, and the Tibidabo amusement park with an amazing view of the city. And the best part is that you don’t need entrance tickets to enjoy the view: the section of the park called Camí del Cel (Tibidabo’s Sky Walk) is completely free and offers numerous beautiful vantage points. The journey there with the funicular railway is also worth it for the view.
Metro: Avinguda Tibidabo (L7) en Funicular del Tibidabo
👉 Read more about Tibidabo here.
4. Park Güell
Gaudí’s whimsical city park is located in a privileged spot and houses one of the most photographed and well-known views of Barcelona, that of the city skyline with Gaudí’s serpentine bench. The park also has numerous other attractions such as beautiful gardens, sculptures, and houses. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage list and attracts thousands of tourists daily.
Metro: Lesseps (L3) of Vallcarca (L3)
👉 Read more about Park Güell here.
5. Collserola
The Serra de Collserola is a mountain range and nature reserve of more than 8,000 hectares of forest area to the east of Barcelona. It is aptly called Barcelona’s green lung. In the Collserola mountains, you’ll find several winding car routes and hiking trails that offer the most beautiful views of Barcelona. One of the locals’ favorite trails is the Carretera de les Aigües. Viewpoints like those of Sarrià and l’Arrabassada are particularly popular among couples. Also recommended is buying tickets to climb the Collserola communications tower.
Metro: Peu del Funicular (S1 en S2) or Baixador de Vallvidrera (S1 en S2) or Les Planes (S1 en S2)
👉 Read more about Collserola here.
6. Torre de Collserola
The 288-meter-high Collserola communications tower was opened during the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The American architect Norman Foster designed the building. At the top of the tower, there is a viewing platform from which you can enjoy panoramic views of the city and its surroundings.
Metro: Funicular Vallvidriera Superior
7. Las Arenas
This former bullfighting arena next to Plaça Espanya has recently been converted into a modern shopping center and houses a fantastic 360-degree viewing platform on the top floor with an excellent view of Plaça Espanya, Montjuïc, Parc de Joan Miró, and the surrounding houses.
Metro: Espanya (L1, L3)
8. Torre Glòries (formerly Torre Agbar)
In Jean Nouvel’s skyscraper in the hip and upcoming district of el Poblenou, a viewpoint has also been opened. This offers a wonderful view of the city from a completely different angle and in one of Barcelona’s most distinctive buildings. Due to its location, it is one of the best spots to view all of Barcelona and take photos of its most famous icon, the Sagrada Família.
Metro: Glòries (L1)
👉 Read more about Torre Glòries (Torre Agbar) here.
9. Sagrada Família
Barcelona’s most visited monument also offers a fantastic view of the city, especially the Eixample district, from its towers. For a privileged view of the Sagrada Família, head around the corner to the Sercotel Rosellón hotel, where a rooftop bar offers the very best view of the Sagrada Família.
Metro: Sagrada Família (L2, L5)
👉 Read more about La Sagrada Família here.
10. Mirador de Colom
Atop the Columbus Monument, at the end of Las Ramblas, there’s a 360-degree viewing platform. From this viewpoint, you have an excellent view of the city, the famous Las Ramblas, and the port of Barcelona.
Metro: Drassanes (L3)
👉 Read more about the Columbus monument here.
Other Beautiful Viewpoints in Barcelona
Can’t get enough of the beautiful views over Barcelona? Below are my suggestions for more fun and lesser-known viewpoints in Barcelona.
Mountains and Hills
Unexpectedly, Barcelona (beyond its center) is quite a hilly city. The most beautiful (and free) views over Barcelona can be found in its green hills, at one of the many miradors or lookout points.
In addition to the well-known miradors of Sarrià and l’Arrabassada, you can also climb the Mirador d’Horta and search for the swing with the most beautiful view over Barcelona, or observe the remnants of an old castle at the Mirador de Torre Baró.
Other city hills with beautiful viewpoints over the city include Turó del Putxet and Turó de la Peira.
If you enjoy hiking, try the route of the Tres Turons, which runs over the three city hills of Turó de la Rovira, Turó del Carmel, and Turó de la Creueta del Coll.
The Carretera de les Aigües in the Collserola hills should not be missed for a stunning view over the city. The 10-kilometer-long road of the Carretera de les Aigües is a popular path for runners, but it is also suitable for walkers and as a family outing. You walk through nature and along the way, you can admire the most beautiful views over Barcelona.
Tall Buildings
In a city like Barcelona, there is, of course, a lot of high-rise buildings. Churches and skyscrapers, but also hotels and museums, often have a nice terrace where you can relax and enjoy the view.
Take, for example, the rooftop terraces at museums like Fundació Miró and the CCCB, church buildings like the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, and skyscrapers like the W Hotel, Torre Glòries, and Torre Urquinaona.
Another must-see are the rooftops of Gaudí’s buildings, such as Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, and Palau Güell. Each one offers unique spots with the most beautiful views over the city!
The still relatively undiscovered Besòs water tower, the Torre d’Aigües del Besòs, is also worth a visit. The old water tower has recently been opened to the public and offers, in addition to a small exhibition about the water towers in Barcelona, guided tours where you can go all the way up to enjoy the view.
And if you’re looking for a hotel in Barcelona with a wow factor, check out the rooms at Gran Hotel La Florida, offering the most beautiful views over Barcelona. Interestingly, you don’t have to be a hotel guest to enjoy this view. By sitting in their restaurant and terrace, you can likewise enjoy the view.
Rooftops
Many hotels in Barcelona also have a rooftop terrace that serves as a bar and restaurant, which can be visited by people who are not hotel guests. The atmosphere is often more refined, and prices are higher than elsewhere, but the view makes it all worthwhile.
Some rooftops that I recommend for a beautiful view are those of Sercotel Rosellón (for the best view of the Sagrada Família), Hotel Colón (for the view of the Cathedral), Hotel Condes de Barcelona (for the view of Casa Milà), Room Mate Anna (for the view over Casa Batlló), and The Edition Hotel (for the view above the wavy roof of the Mercat de Santa Caterina).
Restaurants
Some restaurants in Barcelona are located in privileged places and consequently have a great view, which naturally makes dining there even more enjoyable!
For example, consider the restaurants located at Plaça Doctor Andreu. This is one of the favorite spots for many Barcelonans who want to enjoy the view while eating or drinking. Next to the funicular station towards Tibidabo, there are a lot of bars and restaurants to have an aperitif or dine extensively with a beautiful view of Barcelona. Most of them turn into a swinging nightclub at night.
The restaurants on Montjuïc hill are also recommended if you’re looking for a restaurant with a view.
A special address for a special occasion is the Torre de Alta Mar restaurant, which is located above one of the harbor towers and offers chef-worthy dishes in a unique setting with a matching view.
