Barcelona Viewpoints to Get the Best View of Barcelona

Walking through the streets of Barcelona is the best way to explore this extraordinary city. The best way to get a scope of the city is from one of the many Barcelona viewpoints. You will get the best view of Barcelona from one of the hills. 

Before going to Barcelona I didn’t even know how many hills there are in the city and just outside. You can get a great view from each of them and each has its pros and cons. 

Park Güell

Park Güell is probably on your to-do list in Barcelona for its architecture and nature. It was designed by Antoni Gaudi and is a very popular tourist attraction. From Park Güell you also have a nice view of the city. At the main attraction in the park, you get your typical picture from the long colourful bench in front of the Barcelona skyline and oceanfront. What you don’t see in the pictures are the hundreds of people queuing up to get the perfect picture with nobody else on it except them and the view. So, even though the view is really something, it is not my favourite view of Barcelona because it’s just too busy. But the park is amazing, so you should go visit anyway. 

You can also get a view of Barcelona from the three crosses inside Park Güell, there it’s a bit quieter. The view is a little bit clouded by the trees and bushes in the way but it’s a nice walk there away from the busy part of the Park.

MUHBA Turó de la Rovira

MUHBA Turó de la Rovira is also known as Bunker del Carmel, as it denotes the Spanish Civil War bunkers on top of the Turó de la Rovira hill. It seems to be the most popular of Barcelona’s viewpoints. It’s located on the hill next to Park Güell and it’s easily walkable on foot.

You have a great view of the city with the ocean in the background. From there you really do have one of the best views in Barcelona, but many people know it, that’s why it can get busy. Especially if you want to see the sunset from MUHBA Turó de la Rovira I recommend getting there early in order to get a good position. You can bring your own snacks and drinks or buy some from a vendor’s tray. You might also want to bring a towel if you don’t want to sit on the ground.

Mirador de Montjuic

Mirador de Montjuic is the closest to the city centre, it’s just behind the Magic Fountains of Montjuic which might be on your to-do list anyway. You can either walk up or take a cable car. I would recommend walking through the nice park to the top. The walk isn’t as exhausting as it looks and you can always take a break on a bench in the shade.

At the top, you can not only admire the view of the city but also check out Montjuice Castle. You can explore the fortification or check the event calendar for any upcoming events at the castle.

This is the only viewpoint where you not only have a view of the city but also of the harbour. I didn’t realise how big the harbour of Barcelona is until I saw it from this viewpoint.

Tibidabo

Tibidabo is the highest viewpoint in Barcelona and also the one furthest away from the city centre. You can get to the bottom of the hill by metro and then you can get a cable car or a taxi to the top. Well, I suppose you can also hike to the top but that would take quite some time.

We walked from the metro stop through a park to the cable car stop, followed all the signs and stood in front of closed gates at the end of the park. So, it might be best to follow the road and not take a shortcut through the park. 

At the top of Tibidabo are an amusement park and a church. Very interesting combination, but they make the viewing point a unique place. The amusement park seems to be more for smaller children but the Ferris wheel looks very picturesque in front of the city below. 

You can explore the church or walk through the amusement park while waiting for the sunset. Because every pretty view is even better in the golden glow of sunset. 

My favourite view of Barcelona

I think you get the best view of Barcelona from the top of Tibidabo since it’s the highest of all Barcelona viewpoints. It is also the furthest away from the city, the only one where you can’t just easily walk to the top and the most expensive to get to. So, if those cons outweigh the amazing view you get from there, MUHBA Turó de la Rovira is a really great viewpoint as well. There’s a reason after all why so many people walk up there every day for sunset.

FAQ

Where is the best view of Barcelona?

From Tibidabo you can get the best and widest view of Barcelona, in case Tibidabo is too far out Bunker del Carmel comes in a close second.

Where can you see Barcelona from above?

You can get the highest view of Barcelona from the top of Tibidabo.