Barcelona didn’t instantly win me over, it was a slow burn. I can’t really put my finger on why because it undoubtedly has some of the most incredible architecture in the whole of Europe, and probably the world, but for some reason it just didn’t capture my heart straight away. It probably didn’t help that my trip was for work so when I flew out the weekend before, I was solo and in work mode. However, by the end of my week in the city my heart had fallen, and I’d absolutely return again.
If you are visiting the city, then it’s really worth at least a 2 day stay to make the most of it and see the main highlights – here’s my guide for fitting them in, plus some ideas for if you have longer!
Contents
- Contents
- Itinerary Day 1: Gaudi & Architecture
- Itinerary Day 2: Gothic Quarter & Surrounds
- Have a little longer?
- How to get around Barcelona
Itinerary Day 1: Gaudi & Architecture
For Day 1 of the Itinerary, walking isn’t really possible as the sites are quite far apart so you will need to use the metro and/or bus to get around.
Park Güell
Park Güell is one of the most well known attractions in Barcelona, having been built in 1900 as a perfect vision of the Modernisme architecture for which Gaudi is famous. As such, it sells out quick, with tickets for the same day rarely available at the site. Buy online in advance, and beat the crowds by going for the first entry of the day.
Please note, Park Güell is quite far out of town. The nearest metro stop is Lesseps, which is then 30 minutes (up a steep hill) from the park. Buses fare a little better with local lines H6 and D40 stopping only a 10 minute walk away, and the tourist bus (blue line) stops directly at the park.
Hospital de Sant Pau
From Park Güell, you could either walk (30 minutes) or get the metro (14 minutes walk, 10 minutes metro) to the absolutely INCREDIBLE Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau. Built between 1901 and 1930, it’s a perfect example of more Modernisme architecture and is composed of 12 buildings connected via long underground tunnels and a central garden courtyard. It was still a fully functioning hospital until 2009, and today is preserved and full of exhibits telling the story of the hospital. This was my favourite stop across both days of the itinerary as it was so interesting, beautiful, and it was relatively quiet. I easily spent 2.5 hours at the site.
La Sagrada Familia
Stroll along Gaudi Avenue full of cafes and restaurants from Sant Pau direct to the Sagrada Familia in just 10 minutes to see undoubtedly the most famous site in the city. La Sagrada Familia has to be seen to be believed, it’s truly the most incredible cathedral (and possibly building) I’ve ever seen.
Designed by Gaudi in the 1870s and 1880s, construction started in 1882 and was less than 25% complete when Gaudi died in 1926. 98 years later and the cathedral is still under construction and is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. It is planned that it will be finished in 2026, to mark 100 years from Gaudi’s death – a fitting tribute.
You will need to book tickets in advance, and even then be prepared to queue, and pass through security scanners etc. It took me 1hr from arrival to entering the Cathedral so be warned.
Placa Catalunya & Passeig de Gracia
Save yourself an hour’s walk and hop on Metro L2 to head to Passeig de Gracia in just 10 minutes. Whilst there, take in the surrounding streets which are all lovely and if you look up you’ll see quite a few unique buildings.
Casa Batllo
Full Post: HERE (coming soon)
Sticking on a Gaudi and architecture focused day, head just down the road to a building considered to be one of his masterpieces – Casa Batllo, which was designed in the Modernisme style in 1901. Again if you want a tour of the house, book your tickets in advance as they sell out and it’s hard to get them on the day. I thoroughly recommend the end of day (6pm onwards) prosecco tour to finish off your day.
Optional: Montjuic Cable Car
Full Post: HERE (coming soon)
If you have the energy to head out of town again, catch the L3 metro directly from Passeig de Gracia out to Paral-lel. From here you can take the funicular and cable car up Montjuic mountain to enjoy the Castle and viewpoints from the Mirador back down on the city (open until 8pm). Come back down and have dinner in Poble Sec, the area near Paral-lel station, offering lots of great eateries (see my guide above). I did this as a separate day and spent the whole day in the Montjuic area, but this was the highlight.
Itinerary Day 2: Gothic Quarter & Surrounds
This day is actually walkable(ish). If you do it in the order listed below, it will probably be around 10-15km, though a big chunk is used to get to the final stop (Port Vell & Barceloneta), which you could drop if you feel it’s too much. I did the whole walk, and by the end of the day my legs were exhausted but I’d earned a few glasses of Sangria.
La Seu (Barcelona Cathedral)
Start your day in one of Barcelona’s must see attractions, its glorious Gothic cathedral. The cathedral itself is absolutely beautiful, but the special part is its well preserved 14th century cloisters, complete with geese and palm trees! The wonderful chapter house is also a must see for its magnificent ceiling. Your entrance ticket also provides entry to the tower climb and museum; in total you’ll need around 1 – 1.5hrs to see everything!
Gothic Quarter incl. Barcelona History Museum
The Cathedral lies in the famous Gothic Quarter, or Barri Gothic, which is well worth at least the rest of your morning. Start your stroll in Placa del Rei, home to the Barcelona History Museum which includes an underground archaeological section showcasing the remains of Roman Barcino! Also swing by the Palau de la Generalitat, the home of the Catalan government, and Casa de l’Arcada, a beautiful courtyard which was once home to the archdeacon of La Seu. If you like pretty shops, then also check our Cereria Subira candle shop!
Mercat de la Boqueria
After all that exploring, it will be time for lunch and there’s no better place than the most famous market in town, packed full with delicious food options for every taste and budget. You could find one of the bars to sit down at and have fresh seafood and/or tapas served along with sangria and wine, or you could eat on the go – there’s everything from empanadas to patas bravas, olives, soups and everything in between.
Palace of Catalan Music
Full Post: HERE (coming soon)
The absolutely incredible Palace of Catalan Music is a bit of a gem, which hasn’t been *completely* over ridden by tourists…. yet! Book your tickets online in advance to guarantee seeing one of Barcelona’s most beautiful buildings, or even better, book an evening concert to experience it in its full glory!
Sant Pere
The Music Palace lies in a quieter area of town known as Sant Pere, which is lovely for strolling. In around 30 minutes, you can check out the Placa de Sant Pere, Mercat Santa Catarina, Placa de Sant Agusti Vell and the Chocolate Museum should you wish to see Gaudi sculpted in the good stuff!
Parc de la Ciutadella
Begin at the striking Arc de Triomf, before heading in to the city centre’s green space, Parc de la Ciutadella. The park is home to a number of worthwhile things to see and do – including a beautiful fountain, a number of greenhouses, the Natural History Museum and Barcelona Zoo. On a nice sunny day you can also go rowing around the little lake at the centre of the park.
Optional: Barceloneta
After all that exploring, if you have it left in you, you could head down to La Barceloneta for dinner. It’s one of the cutest areas of town and famous for its seafood and paella. If you want to spend more time in this area, you could also add on Port Vell, The Catalan History Museum or Barcelona beach.
Have a little longer?
Montjuïc
Full Post: HERE (coming soon)
Whilst the itinerary above includes the castle at the top of Montjuic, Barcelona’s resident mountain offers much more. A full day here and you can take in the National Museum of Catalan Art (MNAC), the Olympic Stadium, the Botanical Gardens, multiple museums and art galleries galore – not to mention the cable car and castle.
Port Olimpic & Beaches
If the weather is nice, Barcelona offers a couple of nice beaches to relax on. You could choose the main beach, Sant Sebastia, if you want to stay close to the action. If you want some quieter options, head out past Port Olimpic and down to Nova Icaria, Bogatell or Mar Bella beach to try and escape the crowds.
Poblenou Cemetery
If you head to Port Olimpic or the beaches above, you could combine it with seeing one of Barcelona’s most quirky attractions – Poblenou Cemetery. Opened in the 1800s, it’s a Gothic masterpiece and interesting to stroll around, plus it’s home to the famous sculpture ‘A Kiss of Death’. I’m not sure why but I find graveyards quite peaceful, and they are always fascinating to stroll around.
Camp Nou
If you’re in to football this is a must see – you can visit Barcelona’s home stadium, The Nou Camp, to tour the stadium itself and visit the museum which is brilliant.
Day Trip: Montserrat or Tibidabo
If I had more time in Barcelona or if I visit again, Montserrat will be top of my list. It’s a world famous monastery built in to the cliff side and one of the most beautiful sites in Europe. At only 90 minutes by train from Barcelona, it’s doable as a day trip. If you want to stay closer, you could choose Tibidabo – a mountain with a theme park at the top, but also home to lots of beautiful hiking trails, just 1hr from Barcelona.
How to get around Barcelona
I think the main reason I didn’t love Barcelona immediately is that it’s not a very walkable city. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know almost all other major cities have the same issue. But for some reason in Barcelona, I found that the metro never quite went where I wanted it to and add to that, the Regional trains were a nightmare to decipher.
Metro & Regional Train
Barcelona has 11 metro lines, the main ones of which you’ll need are Lines 1, 2 and 3 (Red, Purple and Green). Buying Metro tickets is easy; you will need to go to a machine and select the type of fare you wish to purchase:
- Single ticket – allows one in and out at any station. EUR2.55
- T Casual ticket – allows 10 journeys to be made within 1 month. EUR12.15
- Hola Barcelona 2, 3, 4 or 5 day ticket – allows unlimited travel for the number of days stated. EUR17.50, 25.50, 33.30 or 40.80 respectively.
You will then pay by card (tap or insert only at some machines) and your ticket will print. Note the arrows on the ticket – you must put it this way through the ticket barriers!
The Regional Train (symbolised by an R) is a nightmare as the trains don’t list the stops they stop at, only the destination – when purchasing tickets, on platforms and on the trains themselves. Stick to the Metro.
Bus
Barcelona is serviced by a whole host of local buses and if your hotel is near a bus stop I highly recommend them. You can just swipe your debit card on board to pay as you go so no need to purchase tickets, and they travel to a wider network than the Metro – for example up to the mid level of Montjuic mountain.
There are also the tourist buses, which run two routes (Red and Blue). These buses stop at most of the major sites and cost EUR33 for one day or EUR44 for 2 days, so they are much more pricy than the metro.
So there you have it – a wonderful city, no doubt – but a city that didn’t immediately capture my heart. As I typed, I realised why. The first reason is that it’s so overrun with tourists you have to book in to everything in advance, and when everything is on a timeslot it’s hard to go with the flow. Add to that that it’s all so spread out and easy to misjudge timings, with a metro that doesn’t help that much, and I think it means it’s just not that relaxing a place. It took me time to get used to it, and once I’d left the main tourist trail a bit, I definitely enjoyed it more. By the end of the week I was well and truly sold.
I hope you enjoyed the itinerary and are excited for a visit if you’re planning to go, it is an incredible city – stay safe and happy travelling!
Saasdia Travel Gid
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