3 Days in Barcelona, Spain
Welcome to Barcelona
We had heard good things about Barcelona for years, and when we were putting together a trip to Spain in 2017 we knew we’d want to spend a few days seeing what all the hype was about. After three days and four nights in Barcelona we were ready to move there. The city is clean, beautiful, and there plenty of places to run and walk. In early May the weather was perfect, and it was a treat to be close to the ocean.
Where to Stay
We opted to stay in the Eixample district of Barcelona near the Plaça de Catalunya. It’s a residential area that’s close to the beach and walkable to all of the major destinations. We stayed here and loved it: Patio in the heart of Barcelona*Bcn*. The patio was amazing. Each day we spent several hours having coffee, reading on the recliners, having hors d'oeuvres and eating dinner out there.
Day 1. See Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, and the Beach
Your flight will likely arrive late morning whether you fly from the East Coast or from another destination in Spain (we flew to Barcelona from Bilbao where we had stopped to see the Guggenheim Museum.) During the first day, you’ll start to explore the Gaudi architecture that makes the city unique.
11:00 - Arrive at the Barcelona Airport. Look for the buses that indicate they are going to Plaça de Catalunya (A) (~45 min bus ride, 4,50 €).
12:00 - Walk from Plaça de Catalunya to your Airbnb/hotel to drop bags off. Ideally you have already asked your Airbnb host if you can stop by early to leave your bags while they clean the apartment (see Pre-Travel Checklist below). If you are staying at a hotel, they should be able to keep the bags for you.
12:30 - Head back out and walk towards Casa Batllo (B) (open daily 9am-9pm, from 25 €). This is the first of two private residences created by Gaudi that you will see. We opted not to go inside because of the price (although generally reviewers said it was worth doing). From there, head to Casa Mila (aka La Pedrera) (C) (open daily 9am-8:30pm, 25 € or 22 € if you buy online). Again, we skipped going inside. If we were to do this visit again, I would go inside one of the buildings—and would probably opt for Casa Batllo (you can purchase upgraded tickets online to skip the lines to get in.) Even if you don’t go inside, the outsides of the buildings are fascinating, and the neighborhood is lovely for walking around and having a cappuccino.
1:30 - Lunch at Teresa Carles (D). This is a healthy food restaurant with lots of vegetarian options that was absolutely packed. We were craving a good salad and they totally delivered. They also had delicious juicery where you can take a drink to go (which we did…three times.)
3:00 - Walk down Las Ramblas (E), a pedestrian walkway with dozens of stalls, statues (some of which are human), and cafes. I wouldn’t eat or drink here, but enjoy the lively atmosphere as you walk. Once you get to the end, turn around and walk back up. You may decide to stop at the Palace Guell (F) (another private residence designed by Gaudi, open daily 10am-8pm except closed Monday, 12 €) but we skipped it. Walk up until you get to La Boqueria Market (G) (open daily 8am-8:30pm except closed Sun and Wed) where you can pick up groceries and beverages for the next couple of days.
4:00 - Check in to your hotel or Airbnb. Drop your groceries off and get settled. Important: tomorrow you are going to La Sagrada Familia and you must buy tickets online in advance. If you haven’t already bought tickets, do so now. Be sure to get tickets that allow you to go up the tower. Tickets are good for a certain entry time.
5:00 - Go for a run along the beach. Starting near Plaça de Catalunya (A), first run to Platja de la Nova Icària (B) and then continue the length of the beach up to Platja de Llevant (C). Run back through Parc de la Ciutadella (D) and check out Arc de Triomf (E). (~10k round trip, including 5k on the beach).
7:00 - Spend a couple of hours at the Airbnb enjoying a glass of wine on the patio.
9:30 - Have dinner at Cerveseria Catalana (F) (open Mon-Fri 8am-1:30am, Sat-Sun 9am-1:30am). If you like paella, Barcelona is the place to have it, and this place has a good one.
Day 2. Parc Guell and La Sagrada Familia
No need for a morning run today as you’ll be putting in some serious walking miles. In the afternoon, you’ll tour La Sagrada Familia, which for us was the highlight of Barcelona.
10:30 - Lace up your walking shoes and head out into the fresh air. Start by walking up Passeig de Sant Joan (A). Enjoy a ~45 min walk north to Parc Guell (B) (open daily 8am-8:30pm).
11:30 - Wander around Parc Guell. Designed by Gaudi, it features green areas, winding pathways, sculptures, and mosaics created by the artist. Venture up the path for the Mirador de Joan Sales (C) for a view of the city of Barcelona.
12:30 - Head east (~30 min walk) to Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau (D) (open daily 9:30am-4:30pm, 15 €), a former hospital that is now an art nouveau complex with with mosaics, stained glass, and gardens. You can enter for a self-guided tour or with an audio guide (we did not go in, but I wish we had).
2:00 - Walk ~25 min to Mercat de la Concepció (E) for lunch (open daily 8am-3pm except closed Sun). You’ll pass La Sagrada Familia on the way, but don’t worry, you’re coming right back after lunch. Pick up some bread, fruit, and cheese or prepared bites.
3:00 - Now is the big moment: tour La Sagrada Familia (F) (open daily 9am-9pm, 32 € pp). No, it doesn’t look like it from the outside, but the inside is simply spectacular. There’s a reason why this is considered Gaudi’s masterpiece. Do not skip this no matter what you do! Note: you must buy tickets in advance, so be sure to buy your tickets online the day before (at the latest).
5:00 - Head home for an evening of reading, eating, and relaxing on the patio.
Day 3. Visit
Parc de Montjuic and the Gothic Quarter
After a morning run to a great lookout over the ocean and city, enjoy some downtime in the sun. In the afternoon, you’ll explore the medieval neighborhoods of the Gothic Quarter and Barri de la Ribera, passing by ancient cathedrals as you wander along narrow, cobble-stone streets. We flew home the following day, heading to the airport early in the morning.
10:00 - Start the day with a run around Parc de Montjuic. Starting near Plaça de Catalunya (A), run first to Montjuic Castle (B). Fair warning: this is a run up a hill, but the view from the top is worth it. Don’t bother going into the castle, just wander around it. Run down the other side to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (C) which has a large open plaza. Finally, run past the Font Màgica de Montjuïc (D) and then head home. (9k total)
12:00 - After getting cleaned up, eat brunch at the Airbnb and enjoy the sunny hours of the day on the patio.
3:00 - Head out and walk southeast (~15 min) to the Gothic Quarter (A). Make a stop at the Catedral de Barcelona (B) (open daily 8am-7:30pm, free from 8am-12:45pm and 5:45-7:30pm, 7 € between 1-5:30pm). When we were there we happened upon an open service with choral music.
4:00 - Head next to the Museo Picasso (C) (open Mon 10am-5pm, Tue-Sun 9am-8:30pm, 12 €). The museum has an extensive collection of over 4,000 works of Picasso. A manageable-sized museum, we went in for an hour.
5:00 - Keep heading east into the Barri de la Ribera neighborhood (D). Enjoy the medieval-era architecture. Stop at the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar (E) (open daily 9am-1pm and 5pm-8:30pm, Sun 10am-2pm and 5pm-8pm, mass is daily at 7:30pm). It’s free to enter but you must buy a ticket if you want to see the crypts, towers and terraces. We opted to just poke our head in for free and then keep walking.
5:30 - If you’re up to keep walking a little further, you can pop out to the La Barceloneta beach (F) (~15 min walk from the Basilica). Otherwise, slowly make your way back to the Airbnb.
6:30 - Cook dinner at the Airbnb.
9:00 - See a show at Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala (G). The concert hall is beautiful and we figured it would be more fun to enjoy it with music than a tour. We really enjoyed the Spanish guitar concert with flamenco dancing that we saw ($45).
Before You Go
Have More or Less than 3 Days?
Three days was a good amount to spend in Barcelona, especially since it was our last stop on our four-city trip in Spain. If you have less than three days, the most important thing to do is see La Sagrada Familia. After that I would prioritize walking around the Gothic Quarter, and then visit the iconic buildings, Casa Batllo and Casa Mila.
Our complete Spain itinerary included four days in Madrid, three days in San Sebastian, one day in Bilbao, and then finally three days in Barcelona. Check out those itineraries for other Spain recommendations.
Costs for Two People
Flights - $120 (We flew one way from Bilbo, it’s ~$1,000 round-trip from NYC to Barcelona)
Lodging - $520 ($130/night for 4 nights)
Ground Transportation - $10
Food/Drink - $240 ($80/day)
Activities - $240 ($80/day)
International Phone - $20 ($5/day)
Total Costs = $1,150 (updated 2019)
Pre-Travel Checklist
Make sure your passport won’t expire within 6 months of your departure date.
Double check open hours as they can change (e.g., in the off season and during national holidays.)
Book tickets for La Sagrada Familia. Be sure to get a ticket with a tower tour.
Consider buying tickets for Casa Batllo (and/or Casa Mila) and a show at Palau de la Musica Orfeo Catala.
Explore options for dropping bags early on your arrival date. Some Airbnb hosts will let you drop the bags while they clean, and hotels will usually let you store luggage.
Download offline google maps for Barcelona.
Tips
Spaniards eat late compared to American standards. Lunch is around 2pm and dinner around 9:30-10pm. Stopping around 11am for a cappuccino and pastry helped tide us over.
In most restaurants, there wasn’t even an option for meal tipping on the credit card machine. Leaving a couple of euros in cash is nice.
Nearly everyone we interacted with spoke English. When in doubt, try to find someone who looks young to ask questions.
