Barcelona is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and is full to the brim of stunning photo locations. Bursting with energy and colour, the city is a must-see for all photographers. Having spent weeks exploring everything this beautiful Catalan city has to offer we’ve put together a list of the best photo locations in Barcelona: it’s our guide on where to take the best pictures of Barcelona. Enjoy!
The Best Photo Locations in Barcelona
Barcelona is an incredible city packed with unique architecture and incredible photo locations. We had a lot of fun exploring the city and hope this guide helps other photographers when photographing the city.
Map of Barcelona Photo Locations
We’ve put together this map to help you find all the listed photo locations in Barcelona.
How to Use This Google Map: Click on the grey star at the top of the map and this map will be added to your Google Maps account. You can then view it on your phone or computer in Google Maps by clicking on the menu button, going to “Your Places” and selecting this map. We use these maps all the time as you can set out your itinerary ahead of time and quickly reference the saved maps.
1 | Park Guell
Park Guell is one our favourite places in Barcelona. This beautiful photo location is a park designed and built by Gaudi himself and is an incredible combination of vibrant colours and beautiful views across the city.
Some of the most iconic Barcelona images can be captured here from panoramic shots across the city to the multi-coloured salamander, aka the dragon stairway of Park Guell.
Park Guell Tickets
In order to access the inner part of Park Guell we recommend purchasing your tickets in advance. Park Guell gets extremely busy year-round so there is always demand for tickets.
We recommend booking skip-the-line tickets in advance and early in the day. This will give you the best opportunity to experience the park before it gets busy and to get some good shots without people in them – check prices now
Book your Park Guell tickets now
Where to Stay in Barcelona
Barcelona is one of the most popular cities in Europe, so hotels are always in high demand. To get the best price and location we recommend booking well in advance. We recommend staying close to the city centre which will allow easy access to the city in the early morning and late evening for photography. The hotels we recommend in Barcelona are:
Hotel Brummel: A 15 min walk from Las Ramblas, this beautiful boutique hotel is a perfect base for exploring the city. The Hotel Brummel features an outdoor pool – check latest prices now!
Marriott Cotton House: this stunning luxury boutique hotel has large, airy rooms, a beautiful terrace for breakfast and stunning views across Barcelona (including views of La Sagrada Familia) from the rooftop pool. Our hotel of choice for a weekend in Barcelona! – check latest prices now!
H10 Casa Mimosa: located next to Gaudi’s Casa Mila, Casa Mimosa is one of the highest rated hotels in Barcelona. It has 3 beautiful outdoor pools and a stunning rooftop bar with views across the city – check latest prices now!
2 | La Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia is a Barcelona icon and, although still under construction, Gaudi’s final masterpiece is one of the most stunning buildings we’ve ever seen. After taking some photos of the exterior from a distance in Gaudi Park in front of the cathedral make your way around to the entrance to explore the stunning interior.
The kaleidoscope of light and the intricate design of the inside of the cathedral and the roof of the Sagrada Familia are what makes it so unique. A wide angle lens is essential to best capture the scale of the roof. I use a Sigma 10-20 wide angle lens for most of our architectural photography and it worked great here. Try to get a seat in the central part of the cathedral for some of the best angles.
Best Photo Locations in Barcelona tip: Tripods are not allowed to be used inside the church itself but, due to the stained glass windows, the interior is very well lit so low light is not really an issue for photography inside.
Sagrada Familia Tickets
You must purchase tickets to enter the Sagrada Familia in advance of your visit and we recommend buying the priority entrance tickets, with access to Tower. These tickets give you fast entry into the cathedral and access to the tower. The tower has some of the best views in Barcelona These tickets are great as they are also cancellable up to 24 hours before your visit, giving you flexibility should your travel plans change – check prices now!
Buy your priority tickets for Sagrada Familia now
3 | Church of Colònia Güell: Gaudi’s Crypt
One of the lesser visited Gaudi sights in Barcelona is Gaudi’s Crypt. Situated on the outskirts of the city our trip to the crypt was one of the highlights of our time in Barcelona. The unfinished church is the culmination of all Gaudi’s signature styles crammed into one building. The intricate detail of the church and the unique altar makes this one of our favourite photography locations in Barcelona.
4 | Hospital de la Sant Pau
This architectural masterpiece was actually a functioning hospital until 2009 when it was refurbished and repurposed into the stunning museum which is open to visitors today. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the architecture of the buildings is simply beautiful.
5 | Mount Tibidabo
For some of the best panoramic views of Barcelona make your way to Mount Tibidabo. Located in the hills high above the city, Mount Tibidabo is a short train and funicular ride from the city centre and is also home to an amusement park if you fancy indulging in some fun!
6 | Casa Batllo
With its wobbly walls and vibrant blue colour scheme, Casa Batllo is something akin a scene out of a Doctor Suess book! It’s the perfect spot for some unique and fantastic photos especially from the roof with its unique chimney stacks.
It’s worth booking your tickets to Casa Batllo before you visit as it will save a lot of time queuing at the entrance. We recommend buying the premium access tickets that include access to the Batllo’s Gold room – check prices now!
Book your Casa Batllo tickets now
7 | Santa Caterina Market
If street photography peaks your interest the Santa Caterina Market is a great location to capture some great images a treasure trove of food and photo opportunities await under the coloured roof of the Santa Caterina Market.
Photo Locations Barcelona: try to visit in the morning when most of the locals are in the market doing their shopping for some of the best photo opportunities. Make sure to stop by the Cuines Santa Caterina restaurant located in the market for some well-deserved tapas after your photo walk.
