3-Day Itinerary: Barcelona, Spain

Jul 27

Barcelona | Travel Aimz | www.travelaimz.com

Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations worldwide as it has all the trappings of an epic city break and a relaxing beach, with access to the warm Mediterranean Sea. But where should you visit? Below we outline the perfect Barcelona 3-Day itinerary to ensure you can tick off all the best things to do in Barcelona on a short city break.

Day 1: Things to Do Barcelona, Spain

Spend your first day of your Barcelona itinerary seeing the amazing sites you´ve been waiting for.

The most famous unfinished cathedral, La Sagrada Familia awaits you. Work began in 1882, and today you can admire both Gothic and Byzantine styles. Take an audio tour for €22.
Pre-book tickets for a self-guided tour around the colourful Parc Guëll, €10. Arrive at the given assigned time slot. This mosaic park designed by Antoni Gaudí, includes the famed salamander structure, La Casa Batlló and La Pedrera.
Head towards Barceloneta, and stop off to venture into the green oasis, Parc de la Ciutadella. It offers lots of beautiful topiary, and an epic centre piece with a lake and gold statues. It´s next door to the Barcelona Zoo and Museum of Natural Science, which are great when indoor activities are needed.
Visit Barceloneta, the city´s best beach area, if the weather permits. With lots of sand, bars and restaurants along the 2.8 miles coastline you´ll have everything you need for total relaxation in the afternoon.

Evening Activity: If you love football (or soccer) visit Camp Nou to see FC Barcelona play a match, with 99,000 of their fans watching with great excitement.

Day 2: Things To Do Barcelona, Spain

Start your second day with:

A morning bus tour to Montserrat, the home of the Black Madonna aka La Moreneta, in the Basilica of Montserrat. Take a stroll around the sanctuary, with an audio-visual tour, and imagine how the monks lived hundreds of years ago. A 5.5-hour tour costs around €55.

Spend your afternoon:

Exploring and eating around Barrio Gòtico aka the Gothic Quarter, which neighbours the Jewish Quarter. Both areas beautifully combine the old with the new. The unmissable sites include:
- The Barcelona Cathedral, opening hours and service info available online.
- Visit the Museu d'Historia de Barcelona, €7, (City Museum of Barcelona) and step in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus and view roman artifacts.
- People watch in Plaza del George Orwell, named after the author who had a strong affection for the city.

Evening Activity: Go on a taste bud adventure, with a 3.5 hour tavern, bar and history tour (€99), to discover the stories behind the nation´s and city´s favourite foods.

Day 3: Things To Do Barcelona, Spain

The final day of your Barcelona itinerary, will include a lot of walking, so wear sensible shoes and stay hydrated.

Be the first to tour another mind-boggling Gaudi masterpiece, Casa Batllo, nicknamed “house of bones.” €39/per person.
Head to the Arc de Triomf, and count the 49 shields that depict Spain’s 49 provinces and don´t miss the impressive Barcelonan coat of arms at the top.
For art lovers visit Museu Picasso, €12, a museum dedicated to Spanish painter Pablo Picasso. It houses the largest collection of his work. The building itself is a medieval palace in La Ribera.
Walk down La Rambla, from Plaza Catalunya all the way to the port and beach. Along the way have a tapa and enjoy the street performers. Also, pop into the Boquería Market, built in 1297, just off of La Rambla.
Visit Plaza de Espana, for a variety of attractions and monuments:

Admire the facade of the Arenas de Barcelona, which is a bullring arena turned shopping centre and visit the rooftop for stunning views of the plaza.
Climb the steps to the MNAC (National Art of Cataluña Museum), built in 1929 it houses Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque and Renaissance art for your enjoyment for €12.
Pick up a handcrafted gift or souvenir at Poble Espanyol, a large open-air museum celebrating Spanish architecture.

Evening Activity: Las Vegas has the Bellagio fountains and Barcelona has the Magic Fountain, in Plaza de España. Click the link for showtimes and remember to arrive early.

Follow this 3-day Barcelona itinerary and return home with a greater understanding and appreciation for the Spanish culture.

** If you are short on time go on a local city sightseeing bus. I’m a huge fan of this on short city breaks, they are fairly priced and a great way to see a lot in a short space of time*

Barcelona Sightseeing Bus

5 Things to know before travelling to Barcelona

When is the best time to visit Barcelona?

If you want a good mix of things to do in Barcelona and good weather the best months to visit would be from April – August. The weather is warmer and dryer, and there is a continuous stream of events going on in and around the city, including some great festivals.

Below is a chart that shows you the average weather in Barcelona by month:

Do I need to tip waiters & waitresses?

Tipping in restaurants and cafes isn’t a very common custom in Spain. Definitely not to the standard it is the UK and US. It’s not very common to see people leave tips and it's not expected either, however it is a nice thing to do if you have particularly enjoyed your service or meal. It is more common in expensive restaurants, or in cafes you may see people leave a bit of small change. If you would prefer to tip in Spain then 5-10% is more than sufficient.

What’s the best way to get around Barcelona?

As I mentioned in the 3-Day itinerary. Barcelona has a great public transport system that is really easy to use and not too pricey. If you purchase a Metro ticket in Barcelona you can also use it on the trams and other trains, so it’s really handy to get a multi-use pass if you are planning on moving around a lot. Normally the most cost effective way is to get a T10 metro ticket, this allows you to have 10 rides for 10 Euros, so you can use it across the length of your stay.

Are there things to do in Barcelona on a Sunday?

If you are looking for a Sunday shopping spree you won’t get it in Barcelona. On Sunday most shops are closed and it’s primarily small corner shops for essentials that will stay open. However, most tourist attractions will stay open on a Sunday with just reduced hours, and most restaurants are open until mid afternoon. Eating out on Sunday evenings can be a little more tricky as many restaurants will close early, so just be sure to check before heading out for dinner. This means even on a Sunday you should be able to do what we have outlined in this Barcelona 3-Day itinerary.

Is Barcelona safe, especially if I’m travelling alone?

Yes, as far as cities go Barcelona is safe, for solo travellers as well as couples and groups. The main things to watch out for in Barcelona are pickpockets and demonstrations. Barcelona is renowned for being one of the worst pickpocket cities in the world, so just ensure you don’t flash about your valuables and keep your hands on your bags at all times.