Barcelona is a beautiful city in the Catalonia Region on the Eastern coast of Spain with beautiful streets, a mix of Gothic, Romanesque, and Modernist architecture, lively city vibes and gorgeous beaches.  Much of the alluring architecture is that of acclaimed architect Antoni Gaudi.  You will see his influence all around the city–  much more on his work below. 

Barcelona is a city packed with memorable attractions, a captivating ambience, and delicious food making it a fun place to wander the streets and take in the Spanish and the Catalan culture.

You can easily create a trip to keep you busy for a week or two or one to highlight the main attractions in just a few days.  This guide will outline a 4-day itinerary with additional things to do if you are able to make it a longer stay. 

You should know that it will not be possible to go inside everything you will see in this itinerary in four days, but it is possible to see it all from the outside and choose the ones you’d like to go inside.  On Day 1 I recommend going inside the Barcelona Cathedral (30 minutes), and definitely allow time to go inside the Sagrada Familia (1.5-2 hours).  Fit in the others as you can.  On Day 2 allow 1-2 hours in Park Guell, and you could probably fit in two of the others.  On Day 3 you should have enough time to go in everything.  On Day 4 you’ll have to choose two or three things, but definitely see the Magic Fountain show if it is not still suspended.

NOTE-  When looking at tickets for each place be sure to look at each one to see if the ticket is just for entry or if it includes a guided tour.  The guided tours will obviously be more expensive.  If that’s what you prefer you can purchase that, but if you only want entry look for that.

DAY 1

The first day is the best time for a Gothic Quarter walking tour.  It will give you a great overview of a really cool neighborhood where many of the best attractions are.  We like Rick Steves’ walking tours.  They are very informative, very easy to follow, and free.  It walks you through the area giving easy-to-follow directions along the way showing you all the best sights.  You can find the audio guide on iTunes by searching for “Rick Steves Audio Guides Spain”.  Download it onto your phone before you leave home.  Here are some of the things you will see on the tour:

#1 Barcelona Cathedral

The Barcelona Cathedral is a beautiful Gothic cathedral located in the heart of the Gothic neighborhood.  It certainly is worthy of a stop along the tour.  There is no charge to walk through.  Be sure to take the elevator to the roof where you can see the spire up close and some pretty good city views.  And don’t miss the cloister with its tropical garden and swans.

#2 Barcelona History Museum

The Barcelona History Museum gives a good overview of the city since Roman times.  It displays the modern history of Barcelona as well as the underground Roman ruins.

#3 Grand Royal Palace

The Grand Royal Palace, almost hidden among the buildings and narrow streets, is a medieval palace of Catalan Gothic architecture where the Count of Barcelona and Kings of the Crown of Aragon once lived and ruled.

#4 Chapel of Santa Agata

This Catalan Gothic-style chapel built on an old Roman wall of the city is also known as the Royal Chapel.  It houses the Catalan painting, the Reredos of the High Constable, and has a sixteenth-century tower that can be accessed by a staircase.

#5 Sagrada Familia

If you could only choose one thing to see in this city it would have to be the Sagrada Familia.  We’ve seen many cathedrals across Europe, and this one is without question unlike any other.  It is an unfinished basilica with Gothic elements by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi.  The modern, light-filled symbol of Barcelona has three monumental facades, each representing a distinct time in the life of Christ.  It is a one-of-a-kind cathedral that cannot be missed.

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DAY 2

You cannot visit Barcelona and not know who Antoni Gaudi is and the influence he has had on this city.  Day 1 introduces you to his most well-known project, the Sagrada Familia, and Day 2 will showcase much more of his work.  He is known for designs using bright colors and textures, elements found in nature, and biblical imagery.

#6 Park Guell

Park Guell is an enormous garden designed by Gaudi filled with colorful architectural elements of broken ceramics, Roman temples, and exquisite structures inspired by nature.  It also offers a beautiful view of the city.

After leaving Park Guell head to the metro stop called Diagonal to begin a walking tour of the Eixample neighborhood.  The Eixample is a known as one of Barcelona’s trendiest neighborhoods with its high-class residential shopping area, restaurants, bars, and its many building masterpieces by Gaudi.  Again, I recommend following Rick Steves’ walking tour for this area.  It can also be downloaded to your phone from iTunes.

#7 Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, is a colorful building with a skeletal design.  Like most of his works it has an unusual design with irregular elements such as the windows and colorful mosaics.

#8 Casa Mila

Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera, was the last residence of Gaudi.  It is a Modernista building  with a unique stone facade and twisted iron balconies that was quite controversial at the time it was completed in 1912.

#9 Casa Amatller

Casa Amatller, designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, stands next to Gaudi’s Casa Batllo and is a Modernisme style building that was purchased by chocolatier Antoni Amatller Costa.  The apartments inside features beautiful tiled floors, stained glass, plaster, and woodwork.

#10 Palau Guell

The Guell Palace, designed by Gaudi, stands out as one of his most innovative designs with its conception of space and light and its use of high-quality traditional materials like wood, stone, ceramics, glass and wrought iron.  Built for industrialist Eusebi Güell, it is centered around the large main room for entertaining high society guests.

#11 Paseo de Gracia

Passeig de Gracia connects Placa de Catalunya to Carrer Gran de Gracia and is known as one of Spain’s most expensive streets with its high-end shopping, fine restaurants, markets, galleries, and residences, including Casa Batllo, Casa Amatller, and others.

#12 Placa de Catalunya

Placa de Catalunya is a lively square that connects the Eixample neighborhood with the old town.  It is a popular meeting point for both locals and tourists and is filled with shopping centers, fountains, sculptures, and live performances.

DAY 3

Day 3 will take you into the trendy El Born area, a neighborhood with narrow medieval streets, designer boutiques, cafes, and a vibrant night life.

#13 Palace of Catalan Music

The Palace of Catalan Music is a beautiful masterpiece of Catalan Art Nouveau where choral, orchestral, and instrumental concerts take place.  It’s striking architectural features include mosaic pillars, stained glass windows, and a massive stained glass skylight.  Be sure to sit for a bit and wait for the organ to play.  It’s very much worth your while to sit and listen.

#14 Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum houses one of the largest collections by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, especially his works from his youth.  The museum has a large collection of prints, oil paintings, drawings, and ceramics as well as a photo exhibition of the life of Picasso.

#15 Santa Maria del Mar

The Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar is one of the best examples of Gothic-style architecture.  Built in the 14th century it is the only church in the pure Catalan Gothic style (no combination of styles) to survive.  It is known for its simplistic design and absolute serenity.

#16 Stroll the Las Ramblas

Las Ramblas is a large boulevard that runs through the heart of the city.  It is action-packed with pedestrians, live performances, artists, and human statue art as well as many shops, restaurants, hotels, and apartments.  It’s a great place to stay during your trip.

#17 Paella Cooking Class

Paella is dish you must try in Barcelona.  You’ll find it in many restaurants.  It’s a rice dish with saffron and many combinations of chicken, rabbit, seafood, pork, chorizo, and vegetables.  We always think it’s fun to try a cooking class, and a paella class is a popular one in Barcelona.  Even if you’ll never make it again, it’s fun to see how its made and even more fun to meet and eat and drink with other people from around the world.

DAY 4

Day 4 will take you to Montjuïc Hill.  You can get there via the cable car with a fabulous view from Barceloneta, the neighborhood along the beach, or by taking the metro from the Parallel station.  Tickets for the cable car are $15 round trip.  The metro tickets are the same as a regular metro ticket which is €2.40 each way.

#18 Castell de Montjuic

Castell de Montjiuc is an old military fort built on top of Montjuic Hill and offers outstanding views of the sea, the harbor, and the city of Barcelona.

#19 Joan Miro Foundation

The Joan Miro Foundation is a museum of modern art that sits on top of Montjuic Hill and displays the work of Joan Miro.  It houses over 10,000 paintings, drawings, sculpures, stage designs, and carpets from his collection.

#20 Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

Located in the Palau Nacional of Montjuic the Museum of National Art of Catalunya is collection of Catalan visual art.  There you will find one of the best collections of Romanesque mural paintings in the world, art representing Catalan Modernism by artists such as Gaudi and Casas, and great European Renaissance and Baroque painters such as Tiziano and Velazquez.

#21 Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village)

The Poble Espanyol, also known as the Spanish Village, was built to consolidate the soul of Spain into one place.  It is filled with Spanish buildings, artisans, events for the family, shops, workshops, bars, and restaurants. 

#22 Olympic Ring

The Olympic Ring located on Montjuic Hill was the main site for the 1992 Olympics.  You can see the Palau Sant Jordi- and indoor sports complex, the Picornell swimming pools, the Olympic Stadium Lluis Companys, the stadium, and the Sports Museum.  There’s also an esplanade with unique columns that resemble smokestacks and the Santiago Calatrava tower.

#23 Magic Fountain of Montjuïc

One of the most spectacular displays of water, music and light, the Montjiuc Fountain, located in the Montjiuc neighborhood, is a must-see when visiting Barcelona.  Check the times for the show here.  They vary by day.  They are currently suspended at the time of this writing in March 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets are not necessary.

Additional Days

Here is a list of a few more places to see if you have more time:

Camp Nou Soccer Stadium
Mercat de la Boqueria
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau
CosmoCaixa

Where To Stay

I always try to find a place to stay that is near all the action in any city.  Sometimes that’s possible, but sometimes the price is more than I’m willing to pay.  In that case we stay a little further out but always by an underground/subway station so we can quickly get to the places we want to go.  

In Barcelona we stayed at a place in a great location!  We were right on the Las Ramblas, one of the most action-packed boulevards in the city where there are tons of shops, restaurants, and bars.  One of our favorite places along the street was the Placa Reial which was less than five minutes from our apartment.  We ate at several of the restaurants and hung out for drinks there in the evenings.  The photo above was taken from the window of our apartment at Las Ramblas Pasaje Bacardi Apartments that overlooked Las Ramblas.  We were able to walk to just about any place we wanted to go in the city.

The best areas to stay, in my opinion, are:  The Gothic Quarter for sure!  Staying on the Las Ramblas would put you pretty much in this area.  El Born is also an area with lots to do within walking distance.  If you stay in the summer and want to be near the beach the Barceloneta neighborhood would be perfect.  All of these places have metro stations to get you where you want to go quickly if you need it.

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Transportation

If you stay in the areas I mentioned above we think walking is the best form of transportation.  You get to see so much more of the city, and I think it’s fun to just walk and take in everything around you.  It also burns a lot of calories so you won’t feel so bad about trying all the yummy tapas and sangrias! 🍷😋

Barcelona also has an underground metro system that is easy to use and can get you where you want to be quickly.  The cost is €2.40 for a single journey, or you can purchase an Hola BCN Travel Card for multi-day use that can be used for the metro, bus, tram, and regional train in zone 1, which is where all the tourist attractions are.

Food

There are several foods that you have to try during your trip to Barcelona.  You’ve probably heard of Spanish tapas, but you may not know realize that the Spanish don’t really think of tapas as food but more of an experience.  It’s the experience of getting together with others to enjoy small servings of different foods.  Even so, you can order small plates (tapas) of just about any kind of food in Barcelona.  Some restaurants are known more for them than others.  It’s fun to get to try many things without wasting anything.

As far as some the best and most popular foods we tried on our trip, we definitely had many tapas.  That’s all we got for many meals.  We got several small plates of different things.

We, of course, had paella several times.  Paella is a rice dish with meats or seafood and vegetables that comes in a large skillet.  Other favorites of ours were papatas bravas, (fried potatoes with a special “bravas” sauce and other toppings sometimes), fried chipirones (squid), croquetas (fried balls of cheese and a variety of other things like jamon/ham held together with a béchamel sauce), tortilla de patatas (similar to an omelet but with the addition of potatoes), pamtomaquet (Catalonion style bread with tomatoes), jamon iberico (Spanish cured Iberian ham which was everywhere).

Our favorite sweets were churros with a thick chocolate sauce to dip into (actually mostly a breakfast food for the Spanish), Crema Catalana (much like Creme Brûlée), and many pastries.

The favorite beverage for the trip—  Sangria, of course!  We also enjoyed some Spanish wines.

Currency

The national currency in Spain is the euro (€).  Click here to get the daily conversion.