Barcelona enjoys a well-earned reputation as one of the best places to play poker in Europe – and it was arguably the launch of the European Poker Tour back in 2004 that first drew the city to the attention of a global poker audience.
When John Duthie started the EPT, he knew that the Catalan capital really has it all: sun, sea and sand in abundance, a feast of cultural gems, amazing cuisine and a lively nightlife scene. With 55 museums, a Royal Gold Medal for architecture and the largest football stadium in Europe, Barcelona is one of the world’s most exciting cities and a fabulous tourist destination in its own right.
It's time for EPT Barcelona yet again. Things have changed a great deal since the first EPT here when the Main Event then had just 229 entries. This year EPT Barcelona will feature dozens of different tournaments and attract thousands and thousands of players. The huge scale of the EPT Barcelona schedule – which now combines the EPT with PokerStars’ national Estrellas Poker Tour – makes it ideal for both top-level poker pros competing against the best in the world to recreational players who want to combine playing poker with a great holiday.
EPT Barcelona is taking place from August 26 to September 8 at Casino de Barcelona in the buzzy resort area of Port Olimpic. Rooms are already in high demand for EPT Barcelona so let MainEventTravel.com help you sort out your accommodation.
MainEventTravel writer Mad Harper lived just outside Barcelona for more than a decade and has some great tourism recommendations for visitors:
Hop-On Hop-Off bus tours: you may think Hop-On Hop-Off tours are a bit cheesy but if you’re pressed for time, they really are a great way to see as much of the city as possible. Several companies operate and all of them offer similar itineraries and a choice of routes. With Bus Turistic, we recommend the Red route for Barcelona newbies as this will give you a great overview of the city. Stops include Plaça de Catalunya, the shop-lined Passeig de Gràcia, Plaza Espanya, the National Art Museum of Catalunya, Poble Espanyol, Montjuic, the Old Port, the Gothic quarter and Port Olimpic. Their Blue route takes you to the northern part of the city and includes Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Camp Nou. Click here for details. Other companies all offer similar itineraries and prices and run from the same stops. Most operators also offer options such as a cruise or entry ticket into attractions such as Sagrada Familia as part of the ticket price.
Sagrada Familia – Gaudi’s unfinished architectural masterpiece is one place that you simply mustn’t miss when you visit the Catalan capital. This stunning church is the most prominent example of Catalan Modernism and exemplifies Gaudí’s philosophy that ‘nature is the work of God’. The soaring columns and extraordinary light are absolutely breathtaking. We strongly recommend you BOOK in advance, online to visit the cathedral as this will give you a timed visiting slot and help you avoid very long queues. Despite being unfinished – and under construction for nearly 140 years – the cathedral is one of the most visited monuments in Spain with millions heading there every year. In March 2024, the Sagrada Familia Foundation announced that the church will finally be finished in 2026, exactly 100 years after Gaudi’s death. When complete, the Sagrada Familia’s 170m-high central spire will make it the tallest church in the world.
The Born area – the Born is our favourite area of Barcelona to hang out in. Popular with locals, the Born is far enough off the beaten track to make every visitor feel they have discovered something new and wonderful. The Born is truly charming and also far less crowded than its more famous Gothic quarter neighbour. Take your time wandering down the narrow streets to discover charming little plazas before grabbing an open-air table at one of the numerous cafes, bars or restaurants. There are also lots of quirky little independent shops in the Born so you can head home with something a bit more unusual than the usual tourist souvenirs on offer elsewhere in the city.
Parks – It may be boiling hot in August but Barcelona is a leafy city and there are numerous tree-lined boulevards and avenues where you can get yourself a “cortado” and just sit and people-watch. However, if you fancy surrounding yourself with nature, then we recommend visiting Parc de Ciutadella or Park Guell.
Parc de Ciutadella lies right next to the Born area and several of our hotel recommendations lie nearby. There’s a lot to see across Ciutadella’s 17 hectares including the lake and bandstand, beautiful monuments, a historic waterfall, romantic English garden, the Hivernacle greenhouse and the Parliament of Catalunya. Dating back to 1888 when it hosted the World Fair, Ciutadella is the city’s largest park and very popular with locals. Ciutadella is free to enter and a really lovely place so don’t miss it!
Park Guell is a magnificent Gaudí creation and full of his exuberant sculptures, quirky architecture and 'trencadís’ designs. You’ll need to buy tickets to enter so don’t head up there without booking online first. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Park Guell is a truly magical place and one of the largest green spaces in Barcelona. Numerous Gaudi-designed structures decorate the park including the famous mosaic Dragon at the entrance, the Sala Hipòstila, the Gardens of Austria, and the Pòrtic de la Bugadera. Don’t miss the esplanade – a spectacular circular concourse surrounded by undulating benches in the form of a sea-serpent decorated with ‘trencadis’ broken tiles. You can buy a general admission ticket for €10 or join a guided tour for just €22.
La Boqueria – Located just off Barcelona’s world-famous tree-lined La Rambla boulevard, La Boqueria is the city’s main food market and now a major tourist destination in its own right. First opened in 1836, there are more than 300 stalls selling everything from freshly fried fish to whole jamons, with local artisanal produce in abundance. This includes “butifarra” (a hefty cooked Catalan sausage rich in spices) or turrón, a delicious, sweet nougat. The numerous bars and restaurants on-site also give you the chance to sample products direct from the market – enjoy!
Barceloneta - Barceloneta is another charming Barcelona neighbourhood located right on the water’s edge and close to Port Olimpic. Barceloneta was originally the maritime and workers’ neighbourhood and is now a major destination for foodies, drawn by the area’s excellent and varied cuisine. Naturally, the best thing to get here is seafood – whether that’s tiny tapas or “pinchos” or giant to-share paellas. Don’t miss the chance to try fideuá – a traditional paella-style dish first created near Valencia that uses short spaghetti-like pasta instead of rice.
Camp Nou – Camp Nou is the largest football stadium in Europe and home to FC Barcelona. When filled to capacity, it affords nearly 100,000 spectators the chance to watch FC Barcelona play live. But even if Barca aren’t playing while you’re in town, you could still get tickets for RCD Espanyol, another first-division team based at Camp Nou. It’s also worth visiting the stadium for the “experience tour.”. The trophy room alone is a staggering sight, and there’s also a two-floor museum, a multimedia zone and an extensive collection of Camp Nou memorabilia. You’ll get to see the visiting team’s dressing room and walk through the famous tunnel for a panoramic view from the pitch. Tour tickets are available here.
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