Barcelona, bustling metropolis and the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union, with hints of its ancient Roman history displayed in the important Roman vestiges situated around the city. A large city with a population of 1.6 million and countless tourist attractions to see, it’s easy to find yourself in the middle of the hustle and bustle. But what if you only have a few days in the city? We’ve compiled a list of the top things not to miss in Barcelona.
Day One
The easiest way around Barcelona is by metro and bus. If you’ll be exploring the city for three days, the T10 multi-trip ticket is recommended - you save more than getting individual tickets.
1. Passeig de Gracia - Barcelona's Avenue of Luxury
On Day One take a morning leisurely walk around Passeig de Gracia, a major avenue with important shopping and business areas and at the same time, venue of the city’s most celebrated pieces of Art Nouveau architecture. Located in the central part of Eixample, stretching gracefully from Placa Catalunya to the more village-like district of Carrer Gran de Gracia, it is regarded the most expensive street in Barcelona and Spain. What better way to take in the cosmopolitan zest of Barcelona than to throw yourself in the heart of what is locally known as the ‘Queen of Paseos’ with its elegant buildings, fancy eating spots and luxury shops.
Passeige de Gracia
Address: Passeig de Gràcia 37, 2n 1a 08007 Barcelona
Access: Take the Metro to Diagonal, Passeig de Gràcia or Catalunya
Contact: [+34] 93 302 76 16
Website: Passage de Gracia
2. Manzana de la Discordia - The Block of Discord
A short way into your walk at Passeig de Gracia, you will come across the remarkable block of Manzana de la Discordia, with its trio of glorious architectural monuments designed by the maestroes of the moderniste movement. First, the curvaceous Casa Batllo created by Gaudi, the genius who gave Barcelona its unique soul. With its soft and rounded shape, its light, colours and mosaics, Casa Batllo is a strange building that seems to have a soul of its own, like a weird character in a crowd (you half expect it to start shifting shapes). Together with Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller and i Muntaner’s Casa Lleo Morera, the curves, edges and distinct styles of these three architectural icons are bound to take your breath away. Manzana means both ‘block’ and 'apple’ in Spanish, so the double meaning could refer to the mythical golden Apple of Discord, which is traditionally given to the winner of a beauty contest.
Casa Batllo
Address: Passeig de Gràcia, 43 08007 Barcelona
Price: from 29 USD
Opening Hours: 9 am to 9 pm daily
Duration: Around 1 hour required.
Access: Take the Metro to Passeig de Gràcia: L2, L3 and L4.
Contact: +34 93 216 03 06
Website: Casa Batllo
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3. Gracia
From the cosmopolitan main avenue of Passeig de Gracia, wander into the nook of Gracia, an intimate district at its northern end just past the Avinguda Diagonal. Gracia started life as a small village built around an 18th century convent, but through the years of the late 1880’s Industrial Revolution, it has become a working class zone which today still features much of the veins of tradition like vintage herbolarios (health-cure shopes) and fortune-telling palm readers.
Barri de Gracia
Address: Barri de Gracia | Gracia, Barcelona
Access: Walking distance from Metro station Fontana (Green line, L3)
Website: Barri de Gracia
4. Lunch at Cerveseria Catalana
A restaurant that serves all the classic catalan dishes, with a fabulous selection of tapas - a great place to sample good authentic Catalan food, ‘tapeo’ and good wine. A vibrant atmosphere with a mix of tourists and Catalan people.
Cerveseria Catalana
Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 236, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Price: from 5 USD
Opening Hours: 8am-1.30am Mon-Fri, 9am-1.30am Sat & Sun
Duration: Around 1-2 hours required.
Access: Metro to L3 Passeig de Gràcia
Contact: +34 932 16 03 68
Near by Food: any good food.
5. El Born
Cobbled streets, cool bars and cafes, great atmosphere as a lively and cosy neighbourhood. A labyrinth that’s easy to enjoy getting lost in, it seamlessly combines the old and the new parts of the city. You’ll see fancy restaurants to trendy fusion ones; historical and cultural attractions and hip bars on your walk.
El Born
Address: Carrer de Santa Maria, 4, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Access: Metro to Barceloneta or Jaume 1
Day Two
1. Sagrada Familia
After an introduction to the Gaudi’s architecture in Gracia, day two is a good day to see one of the city’s most magnificent architectural structures, the Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia is a must visit and the glorious basilica is a sight to behold. It’s been described by art critic Paul Goldberger as the ‘most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages’.
Sagrada Familia
Address: Carrer de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain
Price: from 30 USD
Opening Hours: November to February, 9 am to 6 pm March, 9 am to 7 pm April to September, 9 am to 8 pm October, 9 am to 7 pm December 25, 26, January 1 and 6, 9 am to 2 pm
Duration: Around 2-3 hours required.
Access: Metro Line 2 and Line 5 Sagrada Familia
Contact: (+34) 932 080 414
Website: Sagrada Familia
2. Camp Nou
Football fans wouldn’t want to miss visiting Camp Nou, translated as ‘new field’, the home of FC Barcelona. The largest stadium in Spain and the third largest association football stadium in the world, numerous international matches have happened on these grounds.
Camp Nou
Address: C. Aristides Maillol, 12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Price: from 31 USD
Opening Hours: 9.30am - 7.30pm.
Duration: Around 1 hour 30 minutes required.
Access: Line 3: Metro stop Palau Reial or Les Corts
Contact: +902 1899 00
Website: Camp Nou
3. Las Ramblas
La Rambla or Las Ramblas is a landmark street of Barcelona. It stretches 1.2 kilometres, connecting Placa de Catalunya with the Chirstopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell. A street with a lot of personality, displayed through the human statues performances and creative mosaic art.
Las Ramblas
Address: Las Ramblas, Barcelona
Access: Take the Metro to Drassanes stop (Green Line, L3) or Metro stop Liceu. (Green Line, L3)
Website: Las Ramblas
4. Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria
On Las Ramblas, you will find an entrance to the Mercat de la Boqueria, a large public market with a diverse selection of goods. A myriad of sights, scents and tastes, this popular public market is known as one of the best in Europe and perhaps the world.
Mercat de la Boqueria
Address: La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday from 8:00am - 8:30pm
Duration: Around 1-2 hours required.
Access: How to access [ex: 1 min walk from hougang mrt]
Contact: 93 318 25 84
Website: Mercat de la Boqueria
Day Three
1. Parc del Laberint d'Horta
After two days exploring the veiny heart of the cosmopolitan city, Day Three may be a good time to escape the city for a more quiet side of Barcelona. The Parc del Laberint d'Horta, translated the Labyrint Park of Horta, is a historical garden that comprises an 18th century neoclassical garden and a 19th century romantic garden. It is without a doubt the green jewel of the Horta and Guinardo district.
Parc del Laberint d'Horta
Address: Passeig dels Castanyers, 1, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Opening Hours: 10am–9pm
Access: Take the metro to the metro station Mundet on the green Line 3. When you exit Mundet metro station it is a 10 minute walk to Horta labyrinth park.
Contact: +34 666 67 77 22
2. Bogatell Beach
Along the stretch of popular Barcelona beaches, Bogatell Beach is one of the more preferred ones, less crowded than the pulsing Barcelonata beach. Popular for kite surfing and there is also a bike lane for cyclists.
Bogatell Beach
Address: 82, Carrer de Pujades, 80, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
Access: To get to Bogatell Beach, take the city bus Metro Yellow Line, L4 and stop at “Bogatell”.
3. Montjuic Castle
An old military fortress, built on top of Montjuic hill. You could spend a couple of hours here exploring the military and defense posts in this majestic structure. It is also worth the journey up these hills as the grounds offer a great view of the city. To get there, you could choose to walk up the hill through its serene parks, or pay EUR 13 - 15 for a return journey on the cable car.
Montjuic Castle
Address: Ctra. de Montjuïc, 66, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
Price: from 6 USD. Free on Sunday afternoons after 3 pm
Opening Hours: Daily 10 am - 6pm
Duration: Around 1-2 hours required.
Access: Take the Metro to Espanya. From there, you can choose to take a 40 minute walk uphill, or take the 13 USD Montjuic Cable Car.
Contact: +34 932 56 44 45
4. Magic Fountain (Font Magica)
Visit the Magic Fountain for a spectacular display of colour, light, motion, music and water acrobatics, inspired by the priceless value of water and the need to preserve it. The fountain begins from the Venetian towers at Plaza Espanya and goes up the Avinguda Maria Cristina to the National Palace. There are no tickets or assigned seating, so find your place among the crowd and sit or stand at your leisure. Fountain shows generally happen on weekends between 9.30 - 10.30 p.m., but vary according to seasons.
Font Magica
Address: Font Magica, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
Opening Hours: 9.30 p.m - 10.30 pm.
Access: Situated at the base of Montjuic.
Breathtaking Barcelona
Amidst its metropolis luxury, a glimpse into Barcelona’s magnificent architectural structures and quiet weave of cobbled street neighbourhoods reveal its incomparable soul. It’s time to greet Barcelona with a friendly ‘bon dia’.
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