Catedral ★★

TK, Barcelona
The main apse of the Barcelona Cathedral. (Photo by Tony Hisgett)

The gothic cathedral of Barcelona

The facade of the Barcelona Cathedral
The facade of the Barcelona Cathedral. (Photo by Bengt Nyman)Behind an elaborate neo-Gothic facade and spire from the 19th century lies Madrid's massive and genuinely Gothic cathedral, a dark, echoey space built largely between 1298 and 1450.

There's not much to see inside besides the marvelously carved 15th-century choir stalls (which, sadly, now require an admission ticket) and ranks of glowing votive candles, but it'll take a good 45 minutes to move through and visit the shady cloisters.

This tranquil oasis in the midst of the old city is surrounded by magnolias and palm trees and ponds swimming with geese.

The little museum adjacent to the cathedral is stuffed with medieval Catalonian art (adm).

The Plaça de San Jaume, in front of the cathedral, is a pleasant place to spend time people-watching; at noon on Sundays a troupe performs the complicated folk dance sardana here.

Tips & Links

Cathedral details
★★

ADDRESS

Plaça de la Seu

Tel. +34-933-428-260
www.catedralbcn.org

OPEN

Church: Daily 8am–7:30pm

Museum: Daily 10am–noon, 5:15–6:30pm

ADMISSION

Church: Free mornings and evenings; €6 "donation" 1pm–5pm (includes admision to museum, choir, and roof)

Choir: €2.80

Rooftop: €3

Museum: €6 (included during afternoon "donation" period)

TRANSPORT

Metro: Jaume I (L4), Liceu (L3)
Bus: 14, 17, 19, 40, 45, 59, 91, 120
Hop-on/Hop-off route: East, West, South (red)

TOURS

How long does the Cathedral take?

Planning your day: Though there is no one item of outstanding interest to see, all of the lovely bits (chapels, altars, choir, museum) take about 45 minutes to wander through; add another 20 minutes if you plan to climb up onto the roof. » Barcelona itineraries

Cathedral tours

Here are tours from our partners that visit the Cathedral of Barcelona:

Useful links & resources

SIGHTS

Barcelona tourist info: Barcelonaturisme.com (info office), Guiadelocio.com (events mag); Catalunya.com (regional info), Spain.info

Sightseeing passes: Barcelona Card (20+ sights; transport; discounts), Museum Pass (6 sights)

Tours & activities: Viator.com, ContextTravel.com, UrbanAdventures.com, City-Discovery.com, Intrepidtravel.com, Gadventures.com

LODGING

Hotels: Booking.com, Venere.com, Priceline.comPartner, Hotels.com

B&Bs: Booking.com, Bedandbreakfast.com, Airbnb.com, Venere.com

Apartments: Rentalo.com, Vrbo.com, Booking.com, Airbnb.com, Interhomeusa.com, Homeaway.comhomeaway

Hostels & campgrounds: Hostelbookers.com, Hostelworld.com, Hostelz.com, Booking.com

TRANSPORT

Airfares:



Airports: Aena.es

Trains: Raileurope.com (throughout Europe), Renfe.com (within Spain), Bahn.de (throughout Europe), Seat61.com

Public transport: Barcelona Card (free transport; sightseeing); Search all public transit: mou-te.gencat.cat; Metro/Bus: Tmb.cat; Tram: Trambcn.com; Light rail: Fgc.cat; Taxi: Taxibarcelona.cat

Car rentals: Autoeurope.com, RentalCars.com, Momondo.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Kayak.com

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The cloisters in the Barcelona Cathedral
The cloisters in the Barcelona Cathedral. (Photo by José Luis Filpo Cabana)

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This article was by Reid Bramblett and last updated in September 2013.
All information was accurate at the time.

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Copyright © 1998–2013 by Reid Bramblett. Author: Reid Bramblett.