3 Days in Barcelona – A first-timer’s guide (with detailed itinerary)
Three days in Barcelona is the bare minimum amount of time you need to even check out the best of the city. Like New York, it is a city that never sleeps, but unlike the former, it is a city that is haunted by history.
Three days in Barcelona is a story of how I realized the truth behind these lines, how I discovered what the party capital of Europe truly is. We did get some idea when we were meticulously planning the Barcelona 3 day itinerary, but we were awestruck at what we saw.
Barcelona to me was a sun-kissed city of beautiful beaches, great food, and an amazing nightlife. I thought after the exhausting monument-hopping in our 3 days in Paris, Barcelona would be a relaxing beach holiday. But once in Barcelona, the beauty of its old quarters, the Gothic buildings and most importantly the universal reverence for architects blew my mind.
My biggest takeaway from the 2-day hop-on, hop-off tour of Barcelona was that a city is built by architects and artisans, not by Kings and Queens.
After I returned home, I went ahead and searched – “architect of Taj Mahal”, a question that we never cared about before. Do you get an idea of the impression I am talking about?
The earliest traces of human settlements was found in Barcelona in the Neolithic age! The city came into being during the great Roman period in the 1st century B.C. Yes, the history of Barcelona haunted us, even after we left. Well, that was also because we really couldn’t explore Barcelona as much as we had wanted to, although our Barcelona 3-day itinerary was quite perfectly planned according to us.
If you are planning your trip to Europe for the first time, you must read the post on how to plan a trip to Europe on budget. Don’t worry, the link opens in a new window.
3 Day Barcelona Itinerary
How much you can see of Barcelona in 3 days depends a lot on what time you visit, the h0lidays, and of course what kind of holiday you want to spend. That is why you should check the travel tips for Barcelona, especially if you are going on a short trip like this. The suggestive Barcelona 3 day itinerary is suited for someone who is visiting Barcelona for the first time with a lot of inquisitiveness and not too sure about a second trip soon.
- Day 1: Block of Discord, Gothic Quarter, Sagrada Familia, Montjuic, Diagonal Avenue, Placa de Catalunya, La Rambla, La Boqueria
- Day2: Camp Nou, Publeneau, Bogotell Beach, Arc De Triomf, CCCB, Park Guell, evening at Bunkers
- Day3: Tour of Casa Batllo (or any other modernist building in the block of discord), Tibidabo trip, Columbus, Barceloneta beach
While this might seem too ambitious, a lot of these places can be covered if you stick to the route. That is, if you do not want to enter every monument. The ones that you definitely shouldn’t miss entering would be Sagrada Familia. We had to readjust our schedule completely and skip Park Guell and Bunkers because of the weather.
Travel tips for Barcelona in 3 days – lessons from our trip
Here are a few things which you need to know about Barcelona before you plan your travel-
- Most museums have free entry with Barcelona city card
- Most museums are closed on Mondays, public holidays and close early on Sundays
- Tickets to Sagrada Familia need to be pre-booked online, at least 2 days in advance in peak season
- It is advisable to book tickets to Casa Batllo and Casa Amatller online as well, as there is often a separate queue for people with and without tickets
- Hop-on Hop-off bus tour is a fantastic way to explore the city in a hassle-free way. While it’s costlier than public transport for sure, the history of Barcelona demands to be explored
- The cheaper alternative to hop-on-hop-off bus tours are the theme walking tours in Barcelona. The Old Barcelona walking tour and Gaudi’s walking tours would be my picks if I take one on my next trip. Explore options for walking tours in Barcelona.
We reached Barcelona on a Sunday evening, the next two days being Monday and Mayday, so we couldn’t enter any museum till our last day in Barcelona. To add to our woes it poured half the day on Monday, so we could not chill in the beach either. The fact that we stayed in Castelldefels, which is located 25 km away from Barcelona had its pros and cons which we will come to later.
Search hotels in Barcelona , Casteldefellsand Girona!
Three days in Barcelona – Day 1
We spent our evening walking around and exploring our peaceful neighborhood in Castelldefels. The 96-hour Barcelona card made our transport free and entry fees discounted. It also came with a map and details of all the places of interest. So the next morning, we took a train to Passeig de Gracia. As soon as you come out of the station you will find yourself staring at two of the most iconic modernist buildings in Barcelona. This was our introduction to the greatest architect of Catalunya, Antonio Gaudi.
Illa de la Discordia – Block of Discord
Block of Discord, Barcelona
I couldn’t even pronounce the word, but after I learned the English meaning, I couldn’t think of a name that could better describe this block. The block of discord is named after the three most significant monuments of Barcelona which breaks away from traditional art. Casa Batllo, Casa Amatller, Casa Lleo-Morera, and Casa Mulleras are the four modernist buildings that gave this block its name. Casa Batllo, the most iconic of all, is the result of a renovation project of an austere building built in 1877 by Emilio Cortes (Gaudi’s teacher). Antonio Gaudi transformed the classic old building into an architectural marvel. Gaudi combined the traditional Gothic art with his style and created the Modernismo, a new form of architecture that adorns the landscape of Barcelona all around. There was a long queue in front of both Casa Battlo and Casa Amatller, longer than what we had seen in the Eiffel Tower of Paris. It was partly because it was an extended weekend and the museums were all closed.
Miss travel? Explore Spain-themed books, videos and souvenirs online.
Sagrada Familia
Our next stop was the biggest attraction of Barcelona, the vision of Antonio Gaudi which became the dream of Catalunya, the Sagrada Familia. The first stone of Sagrada Familia was laid at the heart of Barcelona in 1883. It is said that Gaudi knew that the construction of this marvel would not be complete in his lifetime, but he said: “God is in no hurry”. We stared in awe at the great building whose pictures we have seen so many times. As awe-inspiring as the temple was, I must say the construction machinery did ruin the experience a bit. There was a long queue outside the temple, but you could enter only if you had an online ticket booked.
Pre-book ticket to Sagrada Familia online when you are planning your visit.
Hop-on-hop-off Bus Touristic
Outside the Sagrada Familia, we bought our 2-day hop-on-hop-off bus tour and a ticket to Camp Nou, the Barcelona FC stadium. The hop-on-hop-off bus tour is not required, because the transport network is pretty good. But the audio guide which narrated the history of the places as and when we stopped there made it worth every penny. Where else do you think I picked up these bits of history without getting a chance to enter most of the buildings or museums?
If you have a really short time in the city, you don’t want to waste a lot of time trying to get accustomed to the metro-lines on your own. The touristic buses can be a great convenience apart from being fun and educational. It gives you an orientation of the roads and a real feel of the city.
Views from Barcelona Bus Touristic
There were three routes – red, blue and green. Sagrada Familia is on the blue route that takes you through Gracia, Park Guell, and Camp Nou, among the major points of interest and ends at Casa Mila. From here you can switch to the buses on red-route. We had been walking all along till now, so we completed the full tour of the blue route without disembarking the bus. The red route is largely a museum route, it takes you along all the major museums of Barcelona – MACBA, MNNAC, History Museum among all others which were unfortunately closed on both the days. Our first stop was at the Mont Juic.
Mont Juic
Top: National Art Museum, Bottom: Panoramic view with Tibidabo at the backdrop
Mont Juic is the most famous hill in the Catalan coastal range. It offers the most spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of the city and has large open spaces for people to spend the whole day. A trip to Montjuic only can take the entire day if you want to explore the following-
- Cable car rides. There are two different cable cars that you can take. One starts at the funicular station and takes you directly to the Montjuic castle while offering breathtaking views of the city. The other is the port cable car which takes you directly to the most famous beach in Barcelona, the Barceloneta. Book a cable car ride at Montjuic.
- Montjuic Castle, a must-visit place for history lovers.
- Funicular ride. The funicular ride transfers people from the nearest metro station to Montjuic in just two minutes. In 1928 when it was opened, it was the fastest cable-car in the world.
- Anella Olympica, an Olympic Park located at the Mont Juic hill, at the main site for 1992 summer Olympics.
Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
The Gothic quarter of Barcelona is 2000-year-old, it is the heart of this great historical city. Many places in the Gothic quarter were rebuilt or refurbished in Gothic style in the 19th century. The marvelous Gothic church is one such example. While the church is medieval its Gothic facade was built in the 19th century. Walking in the alleys of the Gothic quarter would take you back in time. We were awestruck at the beauty of the Gothic church and the cobbled streets.
However, there are many remains of the original Roman and Gothic architecture as well. Ramon square is one of them. It is the reminiscence of the walled city of Barcino, during the Roman rule. A 2 km walk away from the modernist block, this is a classic blend of three periods of Catalunya’s history – the Roman walls, the Gothic chapel and the medieval statue of the count of Barcelona, Ramon Berenguer.
Other important places you see on the bus tour
The Bus tour lets you see all the important places in the city in a very short time. We didn’t hop off at many spots. Instead, we remained on the bus to just see all the places and plan for the rest of the trip. I won’t list them all, but these are some of the places which stood out.
Mossèn Costa i Llobera. A unique botanical garden located at the foot of Montjuic. You can enter the park at a discounted value with your Barcelona card.
Arc De Triomf. One of the many Triumphal arches in Europe, the distinct feature of the Arc De Triomf is its brick red color. Built in 1888, this is an iconic structure in Barcelona
Parc de Ciutadella. An idyllic green oasis in the heart of the city, Parc de Ciutadella is the largest public park of Barcelona.
Parc Guell. Unfortunately, we could not see this gem of Gaudi. It’s a must-visit attraction in Barcelona, a park with bizarre modernist architecture. If you are reading my guide to planning your visit to Barcelona, I don’t want you to miss out on this as we did.
Placa de Catalunya
Our last stop for the day was Placa de Catalunya, one of the largest squares in Spain and an iconic place in Barcelona. It is surrounded by shopping centers, banks, and hotels. Some of the most famous streets of Barcelona like La Rambla and Passeig de Gracia among others meet at this square. However, we just spent some time there and ate at a subway with our food coupons, before we returned to Cateldefellas.
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3 days in Barcelona – Day 2
The next morning, we woke up to a pouring sky, just as promised by the weather forecast. This gave us an excuse of waking up late for breakfast and starting late for our trip, just like vacations are supposed to be. Our top destination for the day was going to be the mecca of Football – The Barcelona Football Club
Camp Nou Museum and Stadium
The Camp Nou Stadium is the largest football stadium in Europe and is the home to one of the most revered clubs in the history of football. I am not a football fan but a tour of the museum did give me goosebumps. The museum has an audio-visual area taking you through the 120-year old history of the emblematic football club, a trophy gallery, original photographs, and a Messi space of course. By shelling out some extra bucks you can get a photo with Messi, i.e.,Messi’s image on the green screen 😉 . Sounds silly? You must see how many fans line up for that picture.
Now, I need to be honest. As much as I liked the tour, the fabulous stadium, the manicured field, and the panoramic views, if you are not a football fan, the price of 25 Euros might not feel worth it. One of us is a great football fanatic, the sole reason why a TV even exists in our house, so it balanced out for us. FYI, a photo with the photo of Messi is worth some 20 Euros in the stadium – we didn’t take that.
Ticket price – €25, Discounted price –
Open Timing – 10:00 – 18:30 from Monday to Saturday, closes at 14:30 on Sunday
Duration – A tour of the stadium will take at least 2-3 hours.
Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona – CCCB
When we came out of Camp Nou the sun was shining bright and we thought of taking a detour to the bus stop. We walked aimlessly in the neighborhood, the places that we have seen on our hop-on-hop-off tour the previous day, saw the training camps for tomorrow’s football stars, the same place was Messi trained in his childhood. Finally, we took a bus to MACBA, but it was closed. So, we walked to the CCCB.
CCCB is an amazing place to visit in Barcelona. It is a multidisciplinary institution which features exhibitions, programs, workshops, documentary, etc. It reminds me of Nandan in Kolkata, just bigger, and dare I say, better. We got free admission into the World Journalistic photography exhibition and a documentary-cum exhibition on climate change. I have never been to an exhibition of this nature before and perceived them as a bit too intellectual for me. However, since all the museums were closed and the entry to CCCB was free, we thought of giving it a try. I must say it was amazing. All my preconceived notion about this intellectual stuff was smashed and we ended up scrutinizing every photograph and the story behind them. The climate change documentary was followed by an audio-visual exhibition which was just one of a kind.
Outside the building, there is a perfect college ambiance with chirping young students and skaters going crazy. We enjoyed the lively atmosphere, but the sky was overcast again, and it was time for us to return to Castelldefels. Well, not before hopping into the bus touristic for catch up on the hop-on-hop-off tour where we left off.
The Olympic coastline of Barcelona – Pobleneau district
“Until the Olympic Games, Barcelona was living with its back turned to the beautiful Mediterranean. The Olympic Games allowed Barcelona to turn around and truly embrace the sea. It also brought many other improvements that the citizens of Barcelona still enjoy today”.
These are the words of IOC President on the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Olympics hosted by Barcelona. This was reiterated many times by our audio guide as we passed along the coastline of Barcelona.
Earlier it was the people of limited means who lived near the sea while the rich preferred to live in the interiors. Olympics changed everything. Most of the beaches of Barcelona underwent a complete makeover, or should I say “surgery” to become what they are today. Platja del Bogatell (Bogatel beach), Parc Diagonal Mar and Parc del Forum are some of the most important landmarks which owe their current state to the massive restructuring during the Olympics.
The development endeavors continued even after the Olympic games which transformed the modest district of Publeneau to one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Barcelona. The area is dotted with corporate offices, hotels, luxury apartments, and urban spaces. You can still find some of the blue-collar housing blocks from the 1960s which have now been integrated with the new neighborhood.
Walk to the Castelldefels Beach
By now you must be thinking that staying in Castelldefels, 25 km away from Barcelona was not a good decision. Well, partly yes. Had we stayed in the city, we could have explored Barcelona all day. But we did get to explore the beautiful city of Castelldefels instead. We got a great room in a beautiful neighborhood with a multiplex and a Carrefour around. Our hotel was about 2 km from the coastline, so we decided to take an evening walk to the beach. It’s not a famous walking track, but it was a walk to remember.
Olympic Canal in Castelldefels
As you approach closer to the sea you can see the upscale buildings, resorts and may wonder if you could stumble upon one of the football stars of the Barcelona FC. Despite the rising popularity of Castelldefels among tourists, the beach remains a peaceful retreat from the crowded beaches of Barcelona. In the north, you can see shops and eateries and locals partying while as you walk along towards the south it gets calm and more silent. Platja de Castelldefels is a shallow clean beach to spend an entire evening and watch the sunset. It was May, and overcast and chilly, and sunset wouldn’t happen till 9 pm, so we didn’t get to see the real sunset.
3 days in Barcelona- Day3
Our last day in Barcelona was luckily bright, sunny and a non-holiday. So, we decided to make the most out of it (and our Barcelona pass). We started after an early breakfast and hit the block of discord. We had a 50% off on the entry ticket to Casa Punexes.
Casa Punexes
Casa Punexes is one of the most beautiful buildings off the block of discord. It is often overlooked by tourists over the more famous modernist buildings near the train station. In 1905, Bartomeu Terradas Brutau commissioned modernist architect Joseph Puig i Cadafalch to design a house for each of his three sisters. The building resembles medieval castles with various technical innovations which are explained in the audio-visual tour inside the building. The six-pointed towers crowned with conical spikes inspired its name- Punexes.
The audio-guided takes you through the history and architecture of the modernist monument. But the highlight of this tour is walking into the mythical world of Saint George – the legend that inspired the building. Mythology is an essential part of a country’s culture, and this entertaining audio-visual tour was a window to the culture of Barcelona. I am so excited to narrate the legend of Saint George, I do not want to dilute your experience by doing so. The tour ended with a visit to the rooftop which offers you panoramic views of the city.
You can top up the experience with a brunch, cocktail or a cup of Cava. Here is some more information which can help.
- Adult (18+) Ticket prices – € 13.50 for audio-guided and € 20 for a guided tour. 50% off with Barcelona pass
- Timing – 10 am to 6 pm every day with last entry at 6 pm
A trip to Tibidabo
Tibidabo is the tallest mountain of Collserola mountain range that dominates the skyline of Barcelona. What makes the hilltop stand out is the unique combination of the iconic Sacred Heart church and the Ferris Wheel in the Tibidabo Amusement Park. Our Hop-on hop-off audio guide mentioned Tibidabo being one of the most upscale, posh areas of the city inhabited by the wealthiest. So we weren’t really surprised to see that the residential bungalows looked more like castles than houses. The views from this elevation are also unsurprisingly breathtaking. It’s difficult to say what we enjoyed the most – sunny weather, the stunning street, the funicular ride or the park.
We got a €4 discount on the funicular ride to the amusement park and purchased the ticket to the panoramic area of the park. You can walk around the park, the cafes, souvenir stores and seek the panoramic views of the city. What I loved about the pricing is its flexibility. the entry to the panoramic area of the park is free! A €10 worth ticket gives you access to the rides as many times you like. A package ticket with the Funicular railway will give you access to two of the rides along with the panoramic area. Check out the video about Tibidabo Amusement Park.
Rambla Del Mar and the Mediterranean Cruise
Finally, on the last of the 3 days in Barcelona, it was time for us to enjoy the sea in the sunshine. What appears on the map like an offshoot of the famous La Rambla street, is a wooden walkway at the port. Also called, Rambla of the sea, the walkway has a distinct shape of the wave. A walk on the promenade offers you the beautiful views of the city including the Montjuic. At the end of the walkway stands the iconic statue of Columbus which steals the limelight. Other notable buildings here are the Maremagnum shopping center and Hotel W.
At this point, you can book a pleasure cruise ride in the Mediterranean. Las Golondrinas is the popular choice for a pleasure boat ride in the sea. Barcelona Card comes with attractive discounts on the boat rides. We availed the 40-minute cruise, and I would rate it among the top things to do in Barcelona. Sailing in those vanilla blue waters and feasting your eyes on the spectacular views apart, if lucky, you can also catch some interesting activities. We saw flyboarding live at the sea for the first time in our lives on the cruise tour.
Sun-kissed at Barceloneta
After the mesmerizing cruise ride, we headed to the Barceloneta beach. The color of the sea here is a pure Prussian blue. Barceloneta is indeed one of the loveliest beaches you would ever come across. People dancing, posing for photos, sunbathing, chirping along is a usual sight. You would also see sand artists making a miniature replica of Sagrada Familia and other landmarks of Barcelona.
One thing that touched me in Barceloneta was a board with a counter. “2017: 3118” flashed the counter. This is the number of people who lost their lives while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to seek refuge in Barcelona. The number was a way to pay tribute to the people with no names, and a way to say, “we are and will be a refuge city”. How many wealthy cities of the first world can say so?
Popular street art and La Rambla Street
La Rambla is the most famous street in the city. It is a 13 km long road that connects the Placa de Catalunya to the coastline of Barcelona. This is a throbbing destination filled with locals and tourists alike. We had hit this street once on day 1 but didn’t walk up to the coastline. This time, we started walking from Barceloneta towards Placa de Catalunya.
You cannot miss two of the Pop-art landmarks in this walk from the beach – the El cap de Barcelona (aka Barcelona’s head) and the Gambrinus (aka dancing prawn or dancing lobster). A fusion of modernist and American pop-art, these are cartoonish abstract artwork which adds to the vibrancy of the coast.
There are street hawkers all around selling scarfs and magnets at just € 1 each. Apart from that, you will see fake branded shoes, handbags, and other stuff. I am not a brand-conscious person and really wouldn’t mind getting one of them at dirt-cheap rates. Of course, you have to haggle. The price of items increases drastically as you move towards the main part of La Rambla, towards Placa de Catalunya. FYI, the articles are still fakes, but just costlier.
National Art Museum at Montjuic
Our last stop for the day was Montjuic, this time to enter the at the National Art Museum. It was closed in the last two days, like most others. The entry to the museum was free thanks to our Barcelona card. The museum houses 1000 years of art developed in Barcelona. It includes medieval Roman art, Gothic art, renaissance, and baroque art, and modern art. It’s not just paintings, but also sketches, photographs, carved furniture that find a place in the museum. Ideally, you would need over 1 hour to even glance at everything that is there.
Check out next in Spain – Madrid in 2 days, a day trip to Toledo and Spain holiday.
So here is my account of the three days in Barcelona – the city of history, art, and culture. It is also the party hub of Europe, but we didn’t experience the nightlife much. Hope this account inspires you to visit the beautiful city with a great heart. Before signing off, adding the most frequently asked questions I received from friends, family and my readers below.
- Search Flights on ClearTrip(India) and Momondo
- Check accommodations on Booking.com and Agoda
- Buy Travel insurance from Columbus Direct
- Get easy Visa assistance on iVisa
- Book guided tours through GetYourGuide or Viator
The Best alternative to Barcelona card
Now that you got all the tips and a detailed itinerary with you, you can choose the specific places that you want to enter and those you want to just see from outside. We found some awesome offers on GetYourGuide which saves both money and time if you want to enter one of the important monuments we discussed. Online skip-the-line tickets to Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, cable cars, Park Guell, etc. at a discounted price can be booked online.
Where to stay in Barcelona?
There is no dearth of hotels, hostels, and Airbnbs in and around Barcelona.
Check out hostel world for the cheapest and best hostels in Barcelona.
If you want to splurge you can choose the iconic Hotel W, right across the ocean near Barceloneta. It’s a sleek luxury at the best location in Barcelona.
However, if you want spacious rooms at cheaper prices, you should consider staying in places like Castelldefels which are away from Barcelona. However, tempting the price of hotels may be outside the city, make sure that the Barcelona card covers the transport cost to and from Barcelona.
Recommended Books
Are you interested to know more about Barcelona and its culture? Here are some recommended books for you.
- Lonely Planet Travel Guide to Barcelona
- Rick Steves Spain 2020
- Fodor’s Essential Spain
- A Guide to Barcelona’s Nightlife
- 50 Barcelona Restaurants
What to eat and drink in Barcelona?
I am not an expert in this department but when in Barcelona you should try Paella and Tapas. The most famous drink in Barcelona is Sangria. I loved the Spanish cuisine because it is slightly spicier than the rest of the Western European cuisines we had. Of all the big, expensive West European cities that we visited, the food was cheapest in Barcelona. We did use our Barcelona card to get discount coupons at Subway that reduced our food expenses to half! So while I recommend enjoying the local food, if you are constrained by budget just use these coupons which come with the Barcelona Card.
Check out the 50 Barcelona Restaurant Guide for more food tips.
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Gorgeous. I do love Barcelona, so this post is such a nice reminder of all that gorgeous architecture. 🙂
I am planning to go to Spain this year. Going to use this beautiful guide for the trip 🙂
Wow! have a great trip!
This is great! My son is a huge soccer fan. I was wondering what we could do in Barcelona that he would enjoy. The stadium tour sounds perfect.
We loved Barcelona. I’ve been twice and still find it awesome. Your advice about the pre-booking is good, as we couldn’t get into Gaudi’s Park on the day we were there. So many people!
Great info! Spain is on our family’s bucket list and we’re hoping to do a big Europe trip in two years. Our boys LOVE architecture so it sounds like they will really love Barcelona!!
Thanks Elizabeth. I am sure your boys would love the variety of art and architecture in Barcelona.
I am hearing a lot about Barcelona these days, but never really had a look at the place.this post is very informative and certainly covers a lot of great places. I will keep this in mind and maybe we will be visiting sooner then later.
We were just in Madrid and were thinking about making at least a day trip to Barcelona, but we changed our mind last minute to explore Madrid further. There’s always next time though! You got a pretty nice detailed list of things to do, so thanks for doing our research (:
I have been to Barcelona so many times and it is my favourite place in Spain. I never went to Tibitabo, I don’t know why! But besides that I loved the itinerary as this is as comprehensive as it can get.
Great tips! Barcelona might be one of my stops in Europe this summer so I’ll make sure to save this post!
Thank you!.. I hope you find this useful.
Can’t believe that I have never made it to Barcelona. I’ll have to change that. Good list of things to do to entice me there soon. Definitely like to go to La Rambla.
Haha.. I want to visit again!
What a fabulous post! You really packed so much into your trip. Loved all the pictures, gave me great memories of my time in Barcelona!
Spain is in my 2019’s list of countries that I would love to visit. I don’t usually get the hop on hop off bus tour but after reading this, I might just do as I feel like you covered so many places and learned so much from it! Also, great tip on booking the ticket to Sagrada Familia two days in advance because I always do it only when I am there and I wouldn’t want to miss this place.
Great article! I can’t believe I haven’t been to Barcelona yet but it’s on my list this year. Thanks for the tips!
What a comprehensive guide to Barcelona. Would definitely use it on my trip there. Your tips and recommendations are helpful too, I will bookmark it and share with friends and family. Somehow everyone I know is going to Spain.
Wow! Thank you so much. Spain is quite a traveler’s paradise.
Barcelona is one of our favourite cities. The best tip is prebook Sagrada Familia. We too used the Hop on Hop off Bus and did the 3 routes, we certainly saw a lot of Barcelona. I love the Gothic area, just to wander and get lost. Great memories reading this article.
Anything that starts with a Zafon quote is a winner…just kidding, I love that you focused on your impressions and how the destination seemed to you, it sounds like you really enjoyed it! Great article, amazing insights!
True. A 3-day of running around doesn’t make me a travel guide and I didn’t want to be one. But I sure can share our learnings and tips from the mistakes we made and things that worked out perfectly, thanks to our meticulous planning ahead 🙂
I went to Barcelona a few years back, but was too sick to enjoy it. I’ve been wanting to go back and your post definitely inspired me to do to it soon!
I have been following your Europe blogs lately, Sinjana. I must say I like the way you summarize your stay in a city mentioning places not to miss when you are there. Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in Europe. I love Las Ramblas street, Placa de Catalunya, and getting lost in Gaudi’s world. This is a great list of things to do in Barcelona and also additional places to visit on the third day.
Thank you so much 🙂
For some people Barcelona is indeed the party capital of Europe. However, if you dig just a little under the surface, you’ll be surprised to discover that this city is indeed “haunted by history.” It seems you’ve spent 3 marvelous days in Barcelona and managed to see many of its wonders. We visited the city many times and still discover something new every time we go.
Wow! It is indeed an incredible experience of the city with so much history and architectural beauty all around. Definitely, it would be the place for me to explore as well.
I visited Barcelona on multiple occasions and it’s one of my most favorite cities in Europe and the world. I have to say, I’m impressed how much you covered in just three days. I hope you get the chance to visit again and stay a bit longer though Thank you for this lovely read and keep up the great work
You brought back some great memories of me of Barca, it’s a great city. The bus is a great idea to get your bearings of the city. And I love Mont Juic too, a great viewing point for sure.
We spent one day in Barcelona, and as you can imagine, that wasn’t nearly long enough! we would love to go back and see some of the sites you mentioned especially the Gothic quarter.
This looks like a super jam packed itinerary! Barcelona looks like a freat place to visit, it is on my bucketlist! I am from the UK but I have unfortunatly heard so much bad press about theft in Barcelona that it has always put me off. Looks like there is a lot of things to do though!
We have been planning to visit Barcelona for a long time already. I can imagine that is a city that requires many days. Just to see all the amazing buildings will take a lot of time. I heard about La Rambla but didn’t really know what it was, so thank you for clarifying that. Definitely something one must see on a visit Barcelona.
I’ve only been to Barcelona once and had such a wonderful time. I’ve definitely been caught out on those Monday closing days!
Visiting Spain over holidays is always difficult. It is such a pity that everything closes, but I guess that they also need the break. I was in Barcelona over Christmas and loved it, especially the visit to La Sagrada Familia. I was blown away by it.
Wow its seems like you guys did so much! We visited Madrid for 3 days a few months back and packed out itinerary very similarly. Although 3 days was not enough time to explore. We will definitely be visiting Barcelona next
This itinerary looks perfect for 3 days and how you’ve described it, is really impressive.
I have only known of Barcelona as a party city and hence it never attracted me. Thanks for showing that there is a lot more to see and do here than just clubbing.
That’s such a grave misconception, which I too had. This is a city filled with surprises.
I love Barcelona, such a beautiful and cool city and your blog post is a really thorough list of things to do – thanks for sharing 🙂
Perfect timing! I’ll visit Barcelona in May. Will try to catch a football game. Messi time!
That’s awesome!
I was just in Barcelona this summer and it was a wonderful experience! You covered some places I missed that I can’t wait to get back to now – especially Tibidabo!
Barcelona is truly one of Europe’s most beautiful cities – we love going back there. You’ve definitely covered the highlights, it’s an excellent 3 day itinerary!
My friends recently completed their trip to Barcelona and they couldn’t stop talking about how amazing the place is. There’s so much to see and do in Barca that 3 days seem less. I would love to take my husband to Camp Nou Stadium someday as he is a huge Barca fan.
O its heaven to a Barca fan !!:D
When in Barcelona there is so much to see, the jewels of Catalan art nouveau, modernisme, and contemporary architecture, you have covered it all so well. My Barca Fan kids would love to be here 🙂
Barcelona is one European city that I haven’t been too. My friends went last year and stayed near the beach and travelled into Barcelona for days out and to go to the stadium. This is a really good read and felt like I was there.
Thanks for this. I absolutely love Barcelona. Such a great city with so much to do!
This is such a thorough guide! Love how you packed it with details that otherwise, I wouldn’t have known. By the way how much is the Barcelona card for 3 days? Do they sell it for a week worth? We’re planning to visit in a couple of months. Thanks!
Hi Christine! The price of the Barcelona card is just 46 Euros for 3 days. On online booking, we got a 1 Euro discount, so 45 euros.
Oh, your itinerary looks intense. And how I love that! It’s always nice to return from a city break and feel like you’ve seen stuff for a whole week, it seems like the holiday was longer somehow. As for Barcelona, I haven’t been yet, but I hope to plan a city break there soon. 3 days there sounds perfect and your article’s really helpful in planning them 🙂
Thanks!Glad you found it useful
Great guide to all of the highlights of Barcelona. My family just got back from the capital of Catalunya few days ago and they were as much impressed with the city as you. They had 5 days, so they visited also Monastery of Montserrat, which is such a picturesque place, but it’s 40 minutes away from the city.
Wow.. I’d love to spend 5 days in Barcelona next time.
This is one of the most comprehensive Barcelona itineraries. It covers almost everything one needs to see and do in Barcelona. We are planning to visit Spain by the end of this year and I’m sure this itinerary will come in handy.
Thanks Anjali. You’ll have an amazing time in Spain
Barcelona is one of my favorite place in Europe. You at least require 3 days for Barcelona as it has so many things to do. Walking on the most lively La Ramla street in the evening was my favorite activity here. Also, the beaches are lovely here.
woah. There something besides parties in party capital??? Haha. Kidding. I loved all the architecture in Barcelona, but figured out that I only want to party.
Isn’t it amazing to have the choice? We are not into partying but there was so much for us too.
Thanks for sharing this huge itinerary with us. La Sagrada Familia looks really impressing! I had experienced that you need to be very careful with pickpocketers in Barcelona, make sure to have your valuables near you and don’t talk with strange people!
I was happy to check this out because I made a 3-day trip to Barcelona but i did not cover as many places as you did. So it looks like time to go back to check the rest out! I missed the La Sagrada Familia due to the long queues and the lack of time so next time I will get the ticket before hand per your suggestion. Thanks for the great tips and I really love the food there..
Thanks Adele. I also missed Sagrada Famila because they were allowing only those with online tickets at that time and the tickets were booked till the next 2 days. It was a long weekend of 1st May.
This its a great 3-day itinerary for first time visitors to Barcelona. You covered the best places to see in the city. I absolutely love Barcelona and I could never get enough of it. I’ve been in Barcelona so many times and every time I go I discover something new.
Thanks Anda. You are so lucky. I can’t visit as much as i want to with my weak passport 🙁
I have never been on Barcelona, Looks like I missed a lot
When i saw the Barcelona-3-days-travel-blog title I was intrigued. I went to Barcelona in the days when I hardly did any research before travelling and was curious to see what I missed out on my own 3-day visit and the conclusion is a lot! It is clear that you did some preparation before and it pays off. So I do need to revisit this wonderful city again to catch up on what I missed.
I really liked your blog. You explained Barcelona in a comprehensive way which is so good because I got insight knowledge and facts about Barcelona. I appreciate your exploring. I hope you will continue your blog and you will share a blog like this with you. Thank you for sharing.
I appreciate you to shared your 3 day barcelona trip. Which really help me to roam around barcelona within 3 day. I hope you will share your next trip with us.
Wow! I am so glad to hear that. Thank you so much.
Hmm it looks like your site ate my first comment (it
was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum
it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying
your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but
I’m still new to everything. Do you have any helpful hints for novice blog writers?
I’d definitely appreciate it.
Thanks cigaret! That means a lot.
Blogging doesn’t work on hints 🙂 Just read , join communities of bloggers in the same domain and focus on creating amazing content.
We visited Barcelona for the first time this year and I fell in love with the city. Although we took the subway a few times, we actually spent most of our time walking the city. We did one With Locals Tour through the gothic quarter – which has to be the best area in the city to explore and eat tapas.
Thanks Jay for sharing your experiences with us. We completely agree with you on the Gothic Quarter.
Great list. Barcelona is such a treasure. 3 days are not enough to see all its beautiful landmarks. I would definitely chose a an off-season time to visit as the crowds can be unbearable in high summer.
Thanks Slavka. Yes, we visited in Spring and even then there were long queues in Gaudi’s buildings.
I am so impressed with how much you did in only 3 days in Barcelona! This city needs a lot more time, I just went back few months ago and I loved it!
Good job ! I would love to visit this city !
Barcelona is a magical city with its own charm. It’s one of my favourite cities in Spain and I can’t wait to come back! Great detailed post 🙂
Thank you so much for commenting! My Europe trip got cancelled this year for obvious reasons. Let’s see when my next time comes.
I wish I could travel to Barcelona as soon as possible. I have been dreaming about visiting Barcelona for too long. Thank you for posting this great post!
This brought back memories for me of my visit there. I agree it’s a city full of amazing architecture, built by the masters, not kings or queens.
Great article and tips about Barcelona. Would love to visit one day. Fascinating architecture.
I love Barcelona and can’t wait to return. Some great suggestions here and I definitely will check out the street art next time.
I absolutely love Barcelona but you have listed so many more things to do than I knew about! I love street art, so I am excited about that!