A rainy day in Barca – where to go?

Barcelona Aquarium

The perfect place to take the kids or to take cover on a rainy day in the Catalan capital, Barcelona’s aquarium has a reputation as one of the best in the world. Located in the Port Vell area of the city, the impressive facility is the largest of its kind in Europe with twenty vast tanks containing a mind-boggling 5million liters of water. The highlight for most is the immense 80 foot walkway through the Aquarium’s largest tank which is home to several species of shark and gives visitors the chance to come face to face with these apex predators. For those keen to get a little bit more involved then there’s the excellent "Explora" section with a see and feel tank that lets you get up-close to some of the underwater animals – there’s even a chance to stand in one of the tanks whilst rays swim around your ankles. With many themed areas covering many of the worlds oceans visitors will have the chance to see a diverse array of fish and marine invertebrates including the world’s leading collection of sea creatures from the neighboring Mediterranean.

FC Barcelona Museum and stadium tour

An extremely popular visitor’s site and well worth a look even if you’re not a football fan. The museum itself is a testament to the club’s illustrious history and is adorned with trophies, pictures and even statues of the clubs greatest players. After expansions in 1987, 1994 and 1998 the museum must be regarded as one of the city’s finest; the art section even features works by Dali and Miro. The museum ticket also includes the chance to see the magnificent Nou Camp stadium – the 90,000 seater stadium is a sight to behold and visitors can only imagine the noise when the stadium is full of screaming Barca fans. For a little extra money it’s worth purchasing a dual ticket which will give you further access to the players dressing rooms, press box and VIP lounge and conference areas. With over 1 million visitors every year it’s a must-see site and gives a real insight into one of the passions of this football mad city.

CosmoCaixa , Barcelona Science Museum

Only opened in September of 2005 Barcelona’s new and improved Science Museum is set to take Barcelona by storm and has already proved itself to be extremely popular with the younger generation. Eclipsing Barcelona’s ever-popular old Science Museum, the new museum covers 30,000 square meters and is five times the size of its predecessor. With superb interactive activities such as the usual touch and smell room and the superb flooded Amazon forest, the museum is already proving to be a real shot in the arm for the city.

Museum of the History of Catalonia

Housed in the only remaining original building from Barcelona’s old port, The Museum of the History of Catalonia is one of the city’s treasures. Lovingly restored, the original building dates back to 1881 when it was built as a trading depot. This excellent museum walks its visitors through Catalan history from prehistoric time’s right up to the 18th century. Popular with school kids, university students and tourists alike, the museum is a must for history buffs or those with a general interest in the city and its surrounding areas. With a strong educational ethic, the museum is an excellent resource for anybody who wishes to use it.