Non-touristy places to visit in Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and one the largest cities of Spain. This city is packed with amazing architecture with very rich history, paradisiacal beaches, and exquisite gastronomy.
Barcelona offers tons of places to explore and lots of cultural activities to do. It has a wide cultural agenda, and lots of natural parks to spend the days outdoors immerse in beautiful vegetation and amazing people.

People from all around the world travel to visit this city in order to walk through its ancient pedestrian streets full of restaurants and shops, visit its famous museums and colorful markets. In fact, many foreigners choose this destination to make a language trip in order to learn spanish in one of the many spanish schools in Barcelona. The reason why they choose Barcelona is because it guarantees an amazing and unforgettable experience.

This cosmopolitan city make anyone fall in love with it, however, it is saturated by its visitors who come from all over the world to visit the most famous landmarks that characterize it, such as La Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Montjuic mountain, and many others. However, there is much more to discover in this wonderful city. There are several places that are not known by tourists (since almost none of them appear in any of the tourist guides) that are very beautiful and worthy of being seen. In addition to being much quieter since there are no crowds of tourists walking around.

The Catalan capital is full of places with great historical significance which often go unnoticed due to the popularity of other monuments in the city. That is why in this article we will talk about some very beautiful but little known places in Barcelona, so you can visit them on your trip to this city. Let’s start!

Castellcir Castle

The Castellcir Castle is a Cultural Interest Asset since 1888, however it is in a rather precarious state as it has never been restored because it is not very well known. The castle is in ruins, it could even collapse at any moment. Which would be a real shame. To visit this castle, you have to walk 4 kilometers along a path that leaves from the village of Castellcir. The scenic route is beautiful and worth it!

Petritxol Street

It is an unusual street in Barcelona, it is not part of the usual tourist route, but it is not unknown either. Many tourists go in search of it, especially for its delicious aroma of chocolate. In fact, some spanish schools in barcelona visit this museum with their students. It is a narrow street like the furrow of a narrow stream, where you can practically touch the walls on one side and the other if you extend your arms. With characteristics of the gothic period and a lot of mysticism for its history. It is really very picturesque and cozy, as well as the locals who are along its route.

Sant Felip Neri Square

This square is located in the Gothic Quarter of the city, and is named after the church that presides over it: Sant Felip Neri Church. This square preserves some of the original walls of the old cemetery of Montjuic del Obispo, demolished during the Spanish Civil War. You can see the holes in the facade of the church, which were not restored to represent the wounds that generated the Civil War in 1938. The holes were the result of a bombing caused by Franco’s side during the war, when they took Barcelona. This sad event took place on January 30, 38, and caused the death of 42 people. Also in this square is located the Footwear Museum, since in the past there lived the shoemakers and cladders.

CaixaForum

Caiza Fourm is a cultural center, located in an old textile factory of modernist style, which houses several areas for temporary exhibitions and two permanent spaces. This space offers many interesting activities such as screenings, lectures, shows, etc., so it is worth doing some research on schedules and exhibitions to see what day to visit based on your interests.

Hospital de Sant Pau

It is true that it is not very nice to visit hospitals, but this one is something different, and it is very relevant for its artistic value. The building is a jewel of modernism made by Domènech i Montaner. This hospital is part of the World Heritage Site since 1997 and has more than nine hectares, making it the largest civil work of modernist style in Europe. Domènech i Montaner used durable materials, which at the same time generated a suitable environment for the tranquility of the patients. Red brick combined with stone was used for the facades, while ceramic tiles were used for the cladding and roofs of the domes.

Air-raid shelters and the Carmel Bunker

There are in Barcelona the remains of several air-raid shelters from the Civil War (1936-1939). Two of them are open to the public: Refugi 307, in Poble-sec and Refugi Antiaeri de la Plaça del Diamant, in the neighborhood of Gràcia.  Visits are paid and must be booked in advance. We also recommend to go up to the famous Búnker del Carmel, where anti-aircraft batteries were located during the war. This place was a big secret until a few years ago, its viewpoint was only known by locals, but now it has been renovated and has become one of the places to visit in Barcelona.

Museu de la Xocolata

This small museum is obviously dedicated to chocolate. When you visit the Museu de la Xocolata you immerse yourself in the history of cocoa over time, and as you walk around you can watch master chocolatiers making real works of art with chocolate. The entrance fee is a bit expensive without discounts, but the good thing is that when you visit you get a free chocolate. It is an ideal place to visit if you are traveling with children.