Barcelona is a city built between seven hills and the sea. This orography makes it possible to enjoy a surprising variety of sunsets from the beach to the mountains, without forgetting the most urban ones. Here, we’ll tell you about the best lookouts to enjoy these last sunrays.
Sunset at the beach and the port
Barcelona offers more than four kilometres of beaches scattered along its coastline. You can reach any of them by public transport. Check how to get around by bus and metro. From end to end, at each beach you can watch the dawn. But if you’re not into getting up early or staying up late, we suggest arriving at sunset. The sun does not set in the sea in Barcelona, since its coast faces southwest, but the last rays of the day get drunk in the sea and the sky and cause a play of light and colours worth seeing. If you visit the Mar Bella beach, from the jetty you’ll be surprised at how the sun hides behind the city, while the city’s skyline goes dark and the first lights come on.
The last rays from the rooftops of the city
Another very good and very romantic option is to watch the sunset from one of the tallest and most emblematic buildings in Barcelona. We suggest you start with the terrace of the Museum of the History of Barcelona. You can get there by metro or bus. Check the public transport network. To get there, you must go into the museum and take its elevator to the top floor. There you’ll find a restaurant that offers magnificent views of the port of Barcelona and Montjuïc.
While in the centre of Barcelona, you can also visit La Pedrera in the late evening. You’ll experience a romantic moment between the sinuous forms and Gaudí’s chimneys while the sun sets over the west of the city. If you come in the summer, on some nights there are jazz concerts. Close by there’s also the Casa Batlló, which can also be visited late in the day. Calculate well the hour at which the sun sets to get to the terrace right at this magical moment
The sunset from Tibidabo
Barcelona is not a very big city. You can move easily from the sea to the mountain by public transport. Thanks to the Hola Barcelona Travel Card you’ll enjoy unlimited trips at a flat rate in the entire transport network for 48, 72, 96 or 120 hours; it can be purchased online.
Climbing to the highest point of the city is always a guarantee of good panoramic views. In Barcelona, the highest point of the city is Tibidabo. Located in the Collserola mountain range and 512 metres above sea level, it’s one of the green lungs of the city. For the bravest and for those who aren’t afraid of heights, there is still a higher point. Dare to go on the Atalaya ride in the Tibidabo Amusement Park. You’ll enjoy impressive views of the entire Barcelona coastline and the Collserola mountains. Make it coincide with the last hours of the day to experience the guaranteed spectacle of the sunset.
If you like heights, go up to the lookout of the Torre de Collserola. Located 560 metres above sea level, it’s one of the best observatories in Barcelona and its surroundings. If the weather allows it, you can see up to 70 km away in 360°. This lookout offers panoramic views of the city, the mountains of the Collserola Park, Montserrat, and you can even see the Cadí-Moixeró mountain range, located in the Pre-Pyrenees.
During the summer months, dining under the stars and with the city in the background is the romantic option offered by the Fabra Observatory. We recommend arriving early and before dark in order to view the sunset. Later, you can pay a visit to the observatory that houses one of the largest and oldest telescopes in Europe, in operation since 1904.
The last hour of the day from a bird’s eye view
The impressive sunset that can be enjoyed from the cabins of the Montjuïc Cable Car is definitely worthwhile. You’ll have the city at your feet and a bird’s eye view. Calculate the time the sun sets accurately to see how the last rays of the sun go out and how the city lights up to face the night.
You can also get to Montjuïc with the Red Route of the Barcelona Bus Turístic, which brings you closer to the Plaça d’Espanya, and then take a walk along the labyrinthine paths that cross the park. Enter the castle through the parade grounds. In the late afternoon it becomes a 360° lookout over the city, the port, the Barcelona coastline and the Baix Llobregat.
Read about the places that Barcelona locals love the most!
“I visited Barcelona and had little time to move from one place to another. One afternoon I was surprised by a magnificent sunset at the El Corte Inglés restaurant in Plaça de Catalunya. It’s a place that’s worth knowing, because it’s right at the centre and for little money you can enjoy an incredible show with the iridescent lights.” Rosa González
