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How to skip the lines at the main Barcelona attractions

Skip the lines in Barcelona

Gorka Regidor 6 Comments

One of the things I take for granted about living in Barcelona is that the most amazing architecture and monuments are right on my doorstep. I can go and visit them whenever I want, tactically choosing the quietest times of the year and avoiding all the long lines. When you are on your holidays, this isn’t really an option. One way to save yourself the time and frustration of waiting in a queue is to buy your tickets online.

Where to buy skip the line tickets in Barcelona

Travel agencies will be happy to reserve ticket entrances and tours on your behalf but there is usually an administration fee involved. However, you can save that extra cost by easily booking directly at an official site. The good news is that most of the websites of the main attractions are available in English. These are the links to buy skip the line tickets without paying extra fees at the most popular sites that easily attract large crowds:

  • Skip the line tickets to Sagrada Familia
  • Skip the line tickets to Park Güell
  • Skip the line tickets to Casa Milà/La Pedrera
  • Skip the line tickets to Casa Batlló
  • Skip the line tickets to Palau de la Musica Catalana
  • Skip the line tickets to Picasso Museum
Palau de la Musica in Barcelona - skip the lines
Interior of the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. Photo by Paulo Valdivieso

A nice plus is that by pre-booking the tickets you can save money too. Nowadays, some of the attractions charge an extra fee if you pay at their ticket office. It is €4 extra at Casa Batlló or €3 extra at La Pedrera so it is definitely worth it to plan ahead.

Don’t worry about having to print off the tickets because you can use your smartphone or, in the case of La Pedrera, identify yourself with your name and booking number at the ticket office. If you prefer to print them, however, look out for the closest locutorio (a call shop for long-distance calls) which should provide this service.

Special cards to skip the queues in Barcelona

There are other cards and offers that will give you the opportunity to skip past other waiting visitors. For example, the ArtTicket is highly recommended and it allows you fast entry to six museums in Barcelona for €35: MACBA, MNAC, Picasso, Miró, Antoni Tapies and CCCB. The Barcelona Card also offers you discounts and skip-the-queues for many highlights in the city as well as free travel on public transport.

  • Pre-book The ArtTicket
  • Pre-book The Barcelona Card

With a little bit of planning, you can make your trip last longer. It is the small things that make a difference and the more time you cut on standing in line means more time you could be enjoying some delicious tapas or exploring Barcelona.

  • Runner Bean Tours Barcelona - BOOK NOW

Planning to visit some of the Gaudí buildings, like Casa Batlló, Casa Milà or Sagrada Familia? We do offer skip-the-line private tours to all these attractions. If you prefer to visit the sites on your own, our Gaudí Free Tour provides a great introduction to the architect’s world before visiting his masterpieces. And, if you travelling with children, don’t miss our special post on Things to do with Kids in Barcelona, the best way of enjoying the city as a family while having fun all the way. Finally, don’t forget to check our very complete article on things to do in Barcelona. 

(This post might include affiliated links. If you make a purchase by following an affiliated link, we might make a small commission to help to maintain this site. At no point, this will incur any extra costs to you. Thank you)

This post was updated on June 2020

Main photograph by Marcus Linder

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RUNNER BEAN TOURS - Barcelona Private Tours & Free Walking Tours
RUNNER BEAN TOURS - Barcelona Private Tours & Free Walking Tours
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Maria Fonseca
Maria Fonseca
21:04 31 Dec 20
Was a pleasant experience to have Lisa as tour guide. Full of details her explanation and very focus on what she was saying. A touch of british humour was very much appreciated ;) Thank you
Brigitte Gneissl
Brigitte Gneissl
12:47 09 Dec 20
I booked the group tour for the Gothic quarter but obviously due to the current circumstances I was the only one on the tour. Hence, my fantastic tour guide Lisa gave me a private tour and it was super interesting. I... really learned a lot and it's a great way of discovering Barcelona. Highly recommended for anyone who comes to BCN! It's so important to also learn about the history and culture. A fantastic tour. Greetings to Lisa.read more
Satyajeet Sarang
Satyajeet Sarang
15:56 17 Oct 20
We did the Gothic Quarter tour with Miguel. We were lucky that the other party on the tour had cancelled so we had a private tour!! Miguel was extremely knowledgable and gave us lot of detail and information on each... place and also bits and pieces of the in-between that tied the places together into a whole story! Miguel spent a good amount of time with us and also gave us good local tips for food, shops and such. We would highly recommend Runner Bean Tours!!read more
Lisa Gill
Lisa Gill
11:17 14 Oct 20
We had a fantastic tour led by Lisa and due to COVID it was just the three of us. We've been to Barcelona many times and so it was wonderful to learn more about the history of the city and the buildings we love so much.... Lisa was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended!read more
rhonda caplan
rhonda caplan
03:03 13 Oct 20
We were so impressed with our tour. It was fun, and extremely informative. They go by donation and they are worth every penny .My friend and I have been on tours in a lot of cities and this tour ranked amongst our... favorite. We were encouraged to ask questions, and if I ever have an opportunity I would take as many tours from them as they offer. Thank you 😊 💙read more
Aoife Leddy
Aoife Leddy
13:56 12 Oct 20
We had a very short time in Barcelona so to make the most of the time we had, we decided to do a walking tour. I'm so glad we chose Runner Bean Tours. We did the Antoni Gaudí tour with Lisa and thoroughly enjoyed it.... Even our children were engaged throughout thanks to Lisa's gift for storytelling and bringing you on a journey with her tour. Given the current climate in Spain with few foreign tourists visiting, we were in a unique position to enjoy an almost private tour in a very quiet city...an experience we will probably never have the opportunity to have ever again. We enjoyed the Gaudí tour so much that we booked the Gothic tour the very next day and were lucky enough to have Lisa as a guide once more. Again, a wonderful tour delivered in an engaging and really entertaining way. Lisa's knowledge of the history of Barcelona shines through and her passion for this wonderful city is absolutely contagious. Highly recommended for the whole family ♥️👌read more
Sophie Nadal
Sophie Nadal
13:46 08 Sep 20
I really appreciated the visit with Ali, who payed attention to us, asking if we add any questions regularly. She loved introducing the city to us and we can feel it, it was a real pleasure. I recommend it !
Elizabeth Skelton
Elizabeth Skelton
14:14 03 Sep 20
We had an awesome time on the Barcelona gothic quarter tour with Miguel! Miguel was an amazing guide. He was full of interesting information, and his passion and love for the city and his job made the tour extra... enjoyable. He also gave us lots of recommendations for places to eat and drink in the city, and even helped us mark them on google maps. He also took some great pictures for us. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend runner bean tours. Thank you Miguel for giving us such an insightful experience!read more
Katie Mckitting
Katie Mckitting
17:06 01 Sep 20
We have done a lot of walking tours all over the world and this was by far our favourite. Miguel was very knowledgeable and funny and made this an enjoyable experience. It is clear that Miguel loves what he does and... made sure that we had fun too. There were only 2 others on the tour with us and he made sure we were safe and distanced and everyone wore their masks to make sure we all felt safe and comfortable. I 100% recommend doing this tour - especially if with Miguel if possible! Gracias for a lovely few hours in Barca!! :)read more
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Comments

  1. Ed Maguire says

    October 11, 2016 at 7:40 am

    Went on the Runnerbean free Gaudi’s walking tour with Lorna yesterday in Barcelona. It was an absolutely wonderful experience, driven by her expertise and strong communication skills.

    Reply
    • Runner Bean Tours says

      October 11, 2016 at 8:19 am

      Thanks a lot for your comment, Ed. Glad you had such a nice experience with Lorna on the Gaudí Tour 🙂

      Reply
  2. Rohit says

    May 14, 2017 at 2:15 pm

    Hello Ellie,

    We are looking to buy tickets online for Sagrada Familia. The one that grants access to the tower also includes an audio-guide, and costs 30 euro. I was wondering whether there is any ticket which allows us access to the tower, but doesn’t include an audio-guide.

    Reply
    • Gorka Regidor says

      May 15, 2017 at 8:15 am

      Hi Rohit,

      I am afraid that the only way to access the towers is buying the ticket that includes the audio guide.

      I hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jane Poulton says

    August 18, 2018 at 3:49 am

    If I buy the Articketbnc can I arrive at the Picasso Museum (and the others covered by the listed ticket) on any day, at any time? Or do I have to go to their website and schedule an entry day and time?

    Reply
    • Gorka Regidor says

      August 18, 2018 at 11:14 am

      You don’t need to pre-book your tickets to skip the line at the Picasso Museum with the ArtTicket. Just go to the special ticket booth at Montcada, 23 (not the one with the queue) and they will stamp it for you straight away.

      Reply

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