Art Galleries Barcelona – 5 Of The Best

Barcelona is brimming over with what are arguably some of the finest art galleries in Europe. Combine this with the city's stunning Modernist architecture and you'll see why Barcelona is an art lover's dream.

With around 33 art galleries, Barcelona offers a tantalising choice of which to visit. Here are five galleries which deserve to be on any art lovers must visit list:

Even if you're not a great art lover you're bound to be familiar with some of the work of the renowned artist Pablo Picasso who was born in Malaga in 1881. The Museu Picasso is home to the world's largest collection of Picasso's artwork and is the most visited gallery in Barcelona, receiving over a million visitors per year. Interestingly, the collection is arranged in chronological order from his early work to his final pieces, which gives a fascinating insight to Picasso's thinking and the direction his work took. Easily accessible, the gallery is 15 minutes walk from Jaume 1 on the metro yellow line, L4, and is open Tuesday to Sundays.

This museum makes it into the top 5 art galleries, Barcelona, not just for its wonderful collection of modern art, but also for its stunning view of Barcelona. The museum houses the biggest collection of Catalán art in Spain as well as a vast assortment of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Romanesque artwork and artefacts including paintings, sculptures, carvings, enamels and metalworks. The nearest metro stop is Espanya (red line L1 and Green line L3) from where it is about a 10 minute walk. Some of it is uphill but escalators help for part of the way. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

The Museu d'Art Contemporani houses an exciting collection of artwork from many great painters of the latter part of the 20th century. It is also the eleventh most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona. The exhibition changes ever 3-4 months so it's always worth checking out their website to see what exhibitions are being staged. The museum is within easy walking distance of Catalunya or Universitat stops on the metro and opening hours depend on the season.

This museum is dedicated to the art work of Joan Miró who was born in Barcelona in 1893 and lived to the age of 90. The museum houses a wonderful collection of his paintings, as well as early sketches, sculptures and tapestries. The nearest metro stop is Espanya, from where the gallery is a 20 minute walk, which is largely uphill. Opening times vary according to the time of year.

Galeria Joan Gaspar is one of Barcelona's most prestigious galleries and it was Joan Gaspart and his father who brought Miró and Picasso back to Catalunya during the 50's and 60's along with an assortment of other artists who at the time were considered politically taboo. Today it houses the work of many contemporary artists including Rafols Casamada, Susana Solano and Joan Pere Viladecans. The nearest metro stop is Passeig de Gràcia and is open Monday through to Saturday.

This is just a brief guide to the most popular art galleries. Barcelona is rich with choice so get out there and embrace them.

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