6 Barcelona Movies You Need To See Before Your Trip
BEST FILMS SET IN BARCELONA - THERE'S NO BETTER MOVIE SET!
Did you ever think that before visiting Barcelona you can make a small incursion around it through cinema? The pleasant climate of the city, its architecture and its beaches have served as a set for several films. Wouldn’t it be a cool idea to watch some movies featuring Barcelona on the days previous to your trip?
In today’s post we have selected for you some of best to help you getting even more excited and intrigued about this beautiful city you are about to visit. There are films for all tastes: yes, even if you like horror movies or if you prefer a movie to watch with your children).
This is our list of favorite movies shot in Barcelona:
1
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Woody Allen, 2008)
Our list needs of course to start with the award-winning film by Woody Allen, which some critics have often referred to as a postcard of the city. And indeed some of the most emblematic sites do appear in it: the Boqueria market, the Park Guell, the Cafè dels 4 gats …
They all serve as the setting for a story of love triangles far away from Manhattan, where the director usually films. Allen let himself be carried away by the change of background and turned the film into a tribute to the city and its magic. Get on Amazon.
2
All about my mother (Pedro Almodóvar, 1999)
Again we find a director filming away from his usual city. Almodóvar changed Madrid for Barcelona and achieved one of his most awarded and heartbreaking films. With the characteristic passion of his cinema, he shows us the Sagrada Familia, the Palau de la Música, as well as other everyday scenarios such as the cemetery overlooking the sea of Montjuic managing to get the maximum beauty of each site without leaving aside the touching story about a mother who loses her teenager son. Get on Amazon.
3
Summer 1993 (Carla Simón, 2017)
This award-winning film is the opera prima of Carla Simón, who is currently considered the most promising Catalan director in recent years. Although Barcelona is only the starting point of history, we believe that it deserves to appear on this list because of its quality and because it perfectly portrays the life and customs of ordinary people in Catalonia.
The girl starring the movie moves to live with her uncles in a small town of Girona after losing her parents. There they show us the daily life of a normal family, the local celebrations, and how little by little the girl adapts to her new life. Get on Amazon.
4
The Perfume: the story of a murderer (Tom Tykwer, 2006)
Inspired in the novel by Patrick Suskind, while this story about a killer is supposed to happen in Paris… guess what city was used for the shooting? You are right: Barcelona!
You’ll be able to identify many scenarios of the Gothic Quarter, such as the Barcelona Cathedral, the squares of St. Felip Neri and La Merce, but also areas of the Spanish Village and a personal favorite: the cypress tree maze of the Laberint d’Horta. Get on Amazon.
5
Cheetah Girls 2 (Kenny Ortega, 2006)
A musical for the whole family, it is the sequel to a Disney movie about a group of young singers. On this occasion they travel to Barcelona to participate in a talent contest and several musical numbers are set in such emblematic places as El Born, the Magic Fountain of Montjuic or Park Guell by Gaudí.
A happy story, catchy songs and good humor make it the only movie to watch with children of all those we have recommended. Get on Amazon.
BONUS TO PREPARE YOU FOR THE WORST... For people who like suffering only!
6
Two disaster movies that revolve around confinements...
REC (Paco Plaza & Jaume Balagueró, 2007)
Do you like horror films? REC is an atypical zombie movie set in the famous Eixample district of Barcelona. The building in which the plot takes place isn’t far from the famous Passeig de Gràcia and the Gaudi buildings.
If we leave aside the terrifying part of history we can observe the daily life of a group of neighbors of Barcelona: families with children, the old woman who lives alone … And all framed within the architecture of the late nineteenth century so typical of this quarter of the city. Get on Amazon.
The last days (David & Àlex Pastor, 2013)
A mysterious agoraphobia epidemic is the starting point of the Last Days argument. Humanity seems to have gone mad and since human beings are no longer able to go outdoors they must always live indoors. With this premise we are shown an apocalyptic Barcelona, with empty streets and abandoned monuments.
The city as it had never been seen before, even in some moments of the film taken up by nature with the animals of the Zoo conquering the public space. If you like apocalyptic stories with a human background you have to see it. Get on Amazon.
I hope you'll stay entertained with these movies set in Barcelona!
Marta
Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.
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Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
