Inland Suburbs

The Inland Suburbs are the districts that ring the main part of Barcelona. To the southwest, it includes Les Corts and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, and to the northwest it includes Horta-Guinardo, Nou Barris and Sant Andreau. These areas are mostly residential but there are some good attractions for those who want to explore the districts outside of Barcelona's centre.

Get in

Sarrià-Les Corts

Les Corts is serviced by  L3  on the metro system, connecting the district with Sants-Montjuïc and Ciutat Vella. It runs along Diagonal, providing access to the shopping district and the Palau Reial. Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona, is a short walk away.

 L6  and  L7  connect Sarrià to Plaça Catalunya in Eixample.

Northern suburbs

The three northern suburbs -- Horta-Guinardo, Nou Barris and Sant Andreau -- are well integrated with the metro system.

•  L1  connects Sant Andreu with Sant Martí and Eixample.
•  L3  connects Horta-Guinardo with Gràcia and the Ciutat Vella (through Plaça Catalunya).
•  L4  connects Nou Barris and Horta-Guinardo with Eixample and the Ciutat Vella.
•  L5  connects Nou Barris and Horta-Guinardo with Eixample and Sants-Montjuïc.

See

• 1 Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Hospital de Sant Pau), Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167 (Metro L5 Sant Pau / Dos de Maig), ☏ +34 93 553 78 01, visites.recinte@santpau.cat. Nov-Mar: M-Sa 10:00–16:30, Su 10:00–14:30; Apr-Oct: M-Sa 10:00–18:30, Su 10:00–14:30. This former hospital is an architectural masterpiece that is now open for visitors. Inpatient wards (and most outpatient facilities) have been moved to a new building of Nou Hospital, but in terms of touring the area, that makes it all the easier. One of "small hidden features" is a network of underground passages where small carriages can be seen, you can get there near WCs on a central square, between Banc de Sang and Quiròfans. Adult €8, guided visit €14 (see web site for schedules). (updated Oct 2015)

Sarrià-Les Corts

• 2 Monestir de Pedralbes (Monastery of Pedralbes), Baixada del Monestir, 9 (FGC: Reina Elisenda  L6 , : Maria Cristina  L3 Palau Reial  L3 ,Pius XII  T1  T2  T3  Bus: 63, 78, V5), ☏ +34 932 56 34 34, monestirpedralbes@bcn.cat. Oct-Mar: Tu-F 10;00-14:00, Sa Su 10:00-17:00; Apr-Sep: Tu-F 10:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-19:00, Su 10:00-20:00. A beautiful Gothic monastery near the university, there are a museum which depicts the monastery life, a church, and a marvelous chapel covered with medieval frescoes. €5; reduced €3.50. 1st Su of the month and Su after 15:00 free. (updated Mar 2024)
• 3 Pavellons de la Finca Güell (Güell Pavilions), Avinguda de Pedralbes, 7 (Palau Reial  L3 ,Pius XII  T1  T2  T3 ), ☏ +34 933 177 652, cultura-impuqv@bcn.cat. 10:00-16:00. A complex of two pavilions by Antonio Gaudi. 2024 closed for renovation. (updated Mar 2024)
• 4 MMACA - Museu de Matemàtiques de Catalunya, Can Mercader Palace, Hospitalet Road, s/n 08940 Cornellà de Llobregat (Almeda  L8  then walk 600 metres north or Gavarra  L5  then walk 700 metres east), contacte@mmaca.cat. W 17:00-20:00; Su 10:00-14:00. Sometimes open on additional days but closed during school holidays.. The museum has limited opening hours but the park it is situated in is also interesting. Check website before going to the museum as it will eventually relocate to the The Can Bagaria building. free with voluntary donation. (updated Aug 2024)

FC Barcelona

• 5 Camp Nou, Carrer d'Aristides Maillol, 12. If you're a football fanatic, then you can't miss a visit to this football temple, the home ground for Barcelona's biggest and most popular team and one of Europe's greatest footballing 'cathedrals'. During the Franco era, FCB was the only way that oppressed Catalans could vent their anger against his dictatorship. Because of that, it became and still is a symbol of Catalan identity. Camp Nou is the biggest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 98,600 people, with shops and a museum of the club's history. Match tickets start at about €42 and games hardly ever completely sell out, unless it is a match against the hated rivals Real Madrid (a match commonly dubbed El Clásico), one of the other top teams (Atlético Madrid, Valencia or Sevilla) or in the Champions League. With the quality in the current team, there are always a few goals, and it is nearly always a resounding win for Barça. For stadium tours check the entry below.  
• 6 Futbol Club Barcelona Museum (Camp Nou Experience), Carrer d'Aristides Maillol, 12 (Metro L3 to Palau Reai, then a 10-min walk along Carrer de Martí i Franquès.), ☏ +34 902 18 99 00. 09:00-19:00; Dec 25, Jan 1 closed (deviating on match days). Museum dedicated to the FC Barcelona. It occupies 3,500 m² and attracts 1.2 million visitors a year, ranking it second to the Museu Picasso, which attracts 1.3 million visitors, as the most visited museum in the city of Barcelona. All of Barcas trophies and jerseys of many famous players of the team are exhibited. The museum can be visited by booking the Camp Nou Experience package, which includes also a stadium tour. The stadium tour is not fantastic and the audio guide is not really worth it either, but for a quick recent history of matches played there, consult the backs of the doors in the cubicles. Most have a lot of graffiti championing the team that played there. It is also unfortunate that the home team changing rooms are not open to the public, only the somewhat dated guest's team dressing rooms, which are not that impressive. €25 (€20 for people from 6-13 and >70 years old). (updated Jan 2018)
• FC Barcelona Tickets, Barcelona Football Club . Official Ticket agent for FC Barcelona Tickets. It is a little pricier than in the stadium but you skip long queues and are assured with the seats you want, and the tickets will be sent to the hotel. Tickets can also be purchased online from a number of websites, such as fc barcelona tickets - , Spain Ticket Bureau or Spainticketsonline .
• FC Barcelona Bàsquet: FC Barcelona has professional teams in many other sports, with the most notable being their basketball team (). Barça's basketball section has boasted countless Spanish and international stars, and it regularly contends for top honors in both the domestic ACB and continent-wide Euroleague. FCB basketball plays at Palau Blaugrana, next to Camp Nou; tickets range from €12 to over €60, depending on the quality of seats and desirability of the match. FCB members receive discounted prices. Barça provides basketball ticket information in English here.

Do

Hospital de Sant Pau

• 1 Pedralbes Royal Palace (Gardens of Pedralbes Royal Palace), avda. Diagonal, 686 (Les Corts, Metro: L3-Palau Reial). Apr-Oct 10:00-20:00; Nov-Mar 10:00-18:00. (updated Oct 2015)
• 2 CosmoCaixa (metro L7 to Av. Tibidabo), ☏ +34 932 126 050. Isaac Newton 26; Perhaps one of the best science museums in Europe. Order tickets online to avoid the queue. Depending on your level of interest, you can spend there up to half a day. Plenty of fun interactive elements. Weekends may be crowded. €8 for general admission. Some exhibitions & activities have an additional charge.. (updated May 2024)
• 3 Tibidabo, Plaça Tibidabo, 3-4 (metro L7 to Av. Tibidabo Station, then the "Tramvia Blau" or bus 196, and then the Funicular up to the mountain; journey ~1h). Located on the mountains of Barcelona (farther north from Gracia) and offers a spectacular view of the city (532 m high). This is a place where according some legends, the Devil tempted Jesus Christ offering him the whole world in exchange for his worship. At the top there is an awesome church, which offers panoramic views of the city. The church is almost completely surrounded by a big amusement park. You will also find an observatory and an ascendable communications tower nearby. The beautifully scenic walk down is lined with some un-missable Spanish architecture for your photo album. You can not take photos very well from the tram, but the walk is wonderful. The cafe con leche at the cafe near the church is terrible. Try at the bottom of the funicular. (updated Oct 2015)
  • Tramvia Blau (blue tramway). It is an old tram (beginning of the 20th century) connecting Av. Tibidabo metro station and Funicular station at the foot of Tibidabo. As of November 2017, closed for maintenance. Use bus 196 instead, which is also cheaper and covered by metro tickets. Bus station are located 50 meters up the hill from the Tramvia Blau station. (updated Mar 2024)
  • Funicular del Tibidabo (Tibidabo funicular). It connects the terminus of Tramvia Blau at the Plaça del Doctor Andreu with an amusement park at the summit of the Tibidabo mountain. It's an underwhelming ride. Trees block the view throughout the ride. €12; free if bought with the €35 amusement park admission. (updated Oct 2015)
  • Funicular de Vallvidrera (Vallvidrera Funicular) ( Peu del Funicular  S1  S2 ). A much cheaper (and still fast) way is to take  S1  S2  suburban train to Peu del Funicular, then ride up to Vallvidrera Superior by the Vallvidrera Funicular (a free connection in Peu del Funicular train station). From there, take bus No 111 (also a free connection) to the top of the mountain. As per Integrated Fare System tariff. (Zone 1). (updated Mar 2024)
  • Tibibus runs directly from Tibidabo and Placa de Catalunya. Costs €3 (bring exact change) and is not covered by metro tickets. Every 25 minutes. Station at Tibidabo is behind the cathedral.
  • Hiking up and/or down Tibidabo is also possible. (A great value is taking the Funicular de Vallvidrera route up — see above — and then walking down.) Tibidabo is also a frequent bicycling route for in-shape bikers who want a challenge.
• 4 Parc del Laberint d'Horta (Horta-Guinardó district, Mundet  L3 ). Apr–Oct 10:00-20:00; Nov-Mar 10:00-18:00. Try out the labyrinth in the centre of this park. The park also has a nice waterfall, a romantic canal and gardens. A quiet place to relax for several hours away from the busy city. Wheelchair accessible. Free of charge on Wednesdays and Sundays. €2.23. (updated Mar 2024)
• 5 Ronda Verde (Green Round) (One entry is near the funicular del Tibidabo.). Bike, run or walk along part of the Ronda Verde, which runs around the edge of the hills to the north of the city and offers great views. (updated Mar 2022)

Buy

• Custo Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 557, ☏ +34 933 222 662. Popular designer clothing brand. 
• 1 L'illa, Av. Diagonal 557 (T1, T2, T3, It can be a somewhat long walk if travelling by metro, but easily reachable by bus.). M-Sa 10:00-21:30. A nice modern shopping mall located on Avinguda Diagonal, Barcelona's main transport artery. Contains many mid-range to high end brands. 

Eat

Budget

• La Riera, C/ Regent Mendieta, 15 (Les Corts, next to football club Barcelona, Metro: L5 Collblanc), ☏ +34 629 57 42 68. M-Sa 13:00-16:00. Vegetarian restaurant with varied menu that uses seasonal ingredients from local markets. Price (Menu): €9. 

Mid-range

• 1 Can Punyetes, Carrer de Marià Cubí, 189, ☏ +34 932 00 91 59. Daily 12:00–15:30, 20:00-00:00. A very traditional Catalan restaurant favored by locals. Menu in Catalan, but it's worth the risk, the food is delicious. 
• 2 Flash-Flash, C/Granada del Penedès, 25, ☏ +34 932 370 990. Not really in Gràcia, but next to it, it's one of the restaurants of the Tuset street years, when the Gauche Divine was the cool group in the city. This restaurant was made as a cool bar during the late 1960s and it remains unchanged. The food's good (omelettes is the speciality and the cheapest option). About €15. 

• Hisop, Passatge de Marimon, 9, ☏ +34 93 241 32 33. Lunch M-F 13:30-15:30, dinner M-Sa 20:30-23:00. One of the most promising cuisines in Barcelona with excellent wine service. Mains around €20. 
• La Esquinica, Passeig de Fabra i Puig, 296, ☏ +34 933 582 519. M-Th 12:30-00:00, Sa 08:00-16:00 and 18:30-09:00, Su 08:00-16:00. One of the best known tapas restaurants in Barcelona, there's usually a long queue outside. About €20. 
• 3 La Porteria, Carrer de Laforja, 11. This quiet street holds a few bars and restaurants to choose from. La Porteria is nothing fancy, but seems to keep a steady local crowd. They have a menu del noche (like the menu del dia), which provides a good value and the proprietor served his own wine from the "Ribera" (del duero) region of Spain. The selection of 3 olive oils with bread before the meal was a pleasant bonus. Menu del noche ~€22. 
• 4 Mirablau, Carrer de Manuel Arnús, 2 (at the parking lot for the Tibidabo furnicular), ☏ +34 93 418 58 79. Food and service are average but the stunning views make up for it with floor-to-ceiling windows providing a sweeping view of Barcelona. Popular spot with locals for a drink and some romantic ambiance. Tapas and most mains €5-10, paella €16.5-19.5. 
• 5 Cachitos Diagonal, Avda. Diagonal 508, ☏ +34 932527381. Cachitos Diagonal is a tapas restaurant on a cool, avant-garde stile. Bright and spacious, with large blackboards and ivy climbing on the walls, creates a warm, chic and stylish atmosphere. (updated Apr 2015)

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Barcelona City North, C/ Saragossa, 95-97 (Metro Fontana or Lesseps), ☏ +34 934 87 97 62. Bathroom ensuite, TV, satellite, air-conditioned, Wi-Fi. 

Mid-range

• 2 Mercure Alberta Barcelona, Via Augusta 127 (MEtro Sant Gervasi), ☏ +34 932094511, H9267@accor.com. Halfway between an Ibis and a Mercure, this simple hotel offers very attractive rates, which compensate for it being slightly out of the way (yet still close enough to explore Gràcia and Eixample), and quite basic rooms. The cheapest rooms are quite worn, and the level of renovation increase with price. The hotel's restaurant is more of a cafe, offering very basic dishes (mostly pre-prepared) at reasonable prices. A selection of packaged snacks and drinks can be bought at the reception from what they call a "mini bar". €92. 
• 3 AC Hotel Irla, Carre de Calvet Calvet, 40-42, ☏ +34 932 41 62 10. A very small AC with very small 36 rooms and not much in terms of amenities - but comes handy if you have business in the area. €77. 
• 4 AC Hotel Victoria Suites, Carrer de Beltrán i Rózpide, 7 (Metro Maria Cristina - L3), ☏ +34 932 06 99 00. A suburban aparthotel brought up to AC standards, with large rooms, a pool and not much to do in the neighbourhood - but only 600 m from the Metro station. €120. 
• 5 HCC Covadonga, Avda Diagonal 596., ☏ +34 93 2095511. R2 km to Barcelona City Centre and only 1 km from Sants Rail Station. 
• 6 Hotel Condado, ☏ +34 932002311. C/ Aribau 201. A 3-star hotel at the business and shopping hub of Avinguda Diagonal. 
• 7 NH Constanza, ☏ +34 93 281-15-00. C/ Deu i Mata, 69-99. A hotel designed by the world-renowned architect Rafael Moneo at the Avenida Diagonal/Numancia axies, Barcelona's commercial and financial centre. 

Splurge

• 8 NH Belagua, Via Augusta 89-91, ☏ +34 932 373 940, nhbelagua@nh-hotels.com. Rooms with double windows to keep out street noise. Like many European hotels, neighbor rooms can still be heard. Moderate to expensive in price, probably geared more towards the business traveler. Great continental buffet breakfast included with room. €140. 
• 9 Hotel Sofia Barcelona (formerly known as Princesa Sofia Hotel), Plaça de Pius XII, 4, ☏ +34 935 081 000. A member of the Hyatt hotel chain 
• 10 Gran Hotel La Florida, Ctra Vallvidrera al Tibidabo 83-93 (on top of Collserola, next to Tibidabo), ☏ +34 93 259 30 00. This hotel has great views over the city. (updated Sep 2023)