What to see, what to do Barcelona?

Municipal museums are generally open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm, and closed on Mondays. Opening times vary according to location and season, so be sure to check museum websites for practical information. Modernist monuments, most of which are privately managed, have much longer opening hours. They are generally open every day of the year, some even in the evening.

For the city's most visited monuments, it's highly recommended - indeed, essential - to buy your tickets in advance, choosing a time slot for your visit. This applies mainly to the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guëll, and to a lesser extent La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. For some museums and monuments, it is essential to download invitations online on free admission days. This is the case for the Museu Picasso and the Palau Güell.

Admission to museums and other municipal attractions costs around €6 to €12 for adults, and is free for children under 16. In private institutions, prices are higher: from €26 for the Sagrada Familia, up to €29 for the Casa Batlló.

Many museums and cultural centers offer free admission on certain days or at certain times. The Museu Picasso is open from 6 p.m. on Thursdays. On Saturday afternoons, admission is free at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the MACBA. Finally, on Sundays from 3pm, you can visit the Museu Frederic Marès, the Monestir de Pedralbes, the Museu d'Història de la Ciutat de Barcelona, the Jardí Botànic de Barcelona, El Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria, the Museu Blau, the Museu del Disseny, the Castell de Montjuïc and the CCCB.

Outside these free periods, there are a number of passes you can use to visit these sites for less. The Barcelona Card (barcelonacard.com) gives you free access to public transport and many of the city's museums (MNAC, Fundació Joan Miró, etc.). It costs from €27 for 48 hours. The Art Ticket (articketbcn.org) allows you to discover six museums and cultural foundations with a single ticket costing €38. It includes access to the Picasso Museum and the Macba. Finally, the Arqueoticket (€14.50 on bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com) gives access to 4 of the city's museums: the Museu d'Arqueologia de Catalunya (MAC), the Museu Egipci, the Museu d'Història de Barcelona (MUHBA) and the Born Centre de Cultura i Memòria.

When the sunny days arrive, the city's museums and institutions compete in inventiveness to attract an audience that is often more inclined to sunbathe on the beach than to perfect its general culture! As a result, the night becomes the best time to attract the crowd. In July and August, don't miss the Pedrera Jazz, jazz concerts organised every weekend on the spectacular terrace designed by Gaudí. Or the Nits Màgiques de la Casa Batlló and the Nits del Palau Güell, with a concert and a glass of cava. Perched on the heights of Tibidabo, the Fabra observatory has found a good idea to attract visitors: organise dinners on its large terrace, accompanied by a night visit to its museum and the possibility of observing the moon from a century-old telescope! Reservations on sternalia.com/ca/sopars-amb-estrelles

On its website (bcnshop.barcelonaturisme.com), the tourist office offers classic guided tours on the themes of Gaudí and modernism, medieval Barcelona and maritime Barcelona. More original are gastronomic tours of the city's markets, tapas bar tours with a guide or Catalan wine tastings. Many agencies also offer cycling tours along the coast. If you want to get off the beaten track, opt for a tour of the trendiest new districts (Sant Antoni, Gràcia, Poblenou). The Barcelona Street Style Tour collective (barcelonastreetstyletour.com) offers free tours of the city's finest graffiti. And don't forget the various guided tours available in the city, particularly those offered by Jean-Pierre (visitesguideesbarcelone.com) in French.