I think you’ll agree that having time for yourself is the reason you’re on holiday in the first place.
So why spend hours and hours planning the thing? That’s why I’m here. In 10 minutes I’m going to show you the places to visit in Barcelona in 3 days from the main attractions to local secrets.
And just how exactly do I know?
Well, for starters I’ve been in the city six years. So if you need extra advice please leave me a comment below and I’ll get back to you with custom local advice within 24 hours.
Before You Arrive in Barcelona
When spending 3 days in Barcelona there is some essential information to know first.
You’re going to be inundated with options and there’s also a very good chance you’ll be standing in long lines and paying premium prices: with my links below you’ll make sure you get the best prices and skip lines.
Make sure you read:
- How to get from Barcelona airport to city center quickly.
- How to select the right discount travel card.
- Where to buy discounted attraction tickets and skip lines.
- How to find the best area to stay in Barcelona.
- The list of the best hostels and holiday apartments in Barcelona.
3 Days in Barcelona – Day 1
Sagrada Familia
What itinerary doesn’t have it? If you had just one day in Barcelona the world-famous Basilica of the Sagrada Familia would be the first stop.
This art nouveau behemoth is called ‘the most extraordinary interpretation of Gothic architecture since the Middle Ages’. I can’t disagree. Get there for 9:00 am since the average tour lasts an hour and a half.
Long lines? Most tourists on a 3 day itinerary get tickets as part of the Barcelona City Pass discount card. It includes skip-the-line access to Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, airport transport, the Bus Turistic, and 20% discount codes to almost every other city attraction.
Snack
Since time is of the essence and we don’t have a lot of time it’s great to hit up a place just a few steps from the Sagrada Familia at Enrique Tomas in Carrer Marina 261.
Here we try my favourite Spanish tapas dish: jamon iberico (Serrano ham/prosciutto).
The service is quick and you won’t end up wasting much time. I recommend going for the Jamon Bellota Premium which is top of the line stuff. They’ll cut it right off the leg at the moment.
For those living in the EU you can also get a great vacuum sealed portion of ham to take home as a delicious souvenir.
The best part? Spend 10 euros or more and mention Barcelonahacks.com for a free coffee!
Casa Batllò
Continuing our homage to master architect Antoni Gaudi we take the purple line (L2) and a few short minutes later get off at Passeig de Gracia.
Here we find the beautifully eccentric mansion called Casa Batllo and revel in its visceral, skeletal qualities. The tour takes an hour. This is my dream house and by the time you’re done with it it’ll be yours too.
Lunch
We’re in tourist trap hell and will need to dodge a few bullets here.
For this reason I suggest lunch at El Nacional (24 Passeig de Gràcia). This multi-zone culinary space serves traditional recipes from nearly every region in Spain.
Fish lovers can’t go wrong at La Paradeta (318 Consell de Cent). Here chefs cook fresh fish that you’ve selected yourself from a market counter. Wash it down with a Blanc Pescador white wine.
La Pedrera (also called Casa Milà)
We’ve barely scratched the surface of things to see when we head to another gem in Barcelona’s architectural crown.
La Pedrera is another Gaudi work and is arguably his best.
You’ll see this wobbling limestone apartment block on all the postcards but don’t miss the view from the incredible rooftop. Get a photo of yourself and the haunting chimneys standing on guard.
Park Guell
Any list of what to do and see in Barcelona has to include the city’s most beautiful park.
We take bus 24 from Passeig de Gracia and 30-40 minutes later we’re left at the gates. We could also take the green metro line to Lesseps but then we’ll have a steep walk waiting for us.
Visiting the park in its entirety should take a couple of hours but fear not: the reward at the end (if lucky) is a fantastic panoramic view of the city sunset!
Dinner
We deserve a good bite so let’s do this properly – leave a comment with where you’re staying and I’ll recommend you some of the best restaurants in Barcelona.
For those with a little more energy I suggest we walk downhill to the picturesque, bohemian neighbourhood of Gracia and sit in the lively square called Plaça del Sol for some tasty tapas at Sol Soler (21 Plaça del Sol).
We night cap it with some drinks at any of the cafe-bars in a nearby square called Plaça de la Virreina.
3 Days in Barcelona – Day 2
Breakfast
In winter we’re starting the day with a delicious breakfast in the city center eating delicious churros con chocolate on historic Petrixol Street.
If it’s summer we’re heading to the even more historic La Boqueria Market for fruit smoothies and tostadas. If you’re looking for something a bit more savory head to the market’s Bar Pinotxo – the classic breakfast here is blood sausage and garbanzo beans.
Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter
No Barcelona itinerary is complete without a stroll on the world-famous pedestrian boulevard La Rambla. There we find enough shopping, street performers, bars, and museums to last a lifetime!
For more info check out my essential Rambla guide.
After we head into the heart of the old city and wander around the quirky Gothic Quarter.
If we feel like a beer (we feel like a beer) we’ll go to my favorite bar: Bar Jardi, a terrace oasis in the middle of the city chaos. It’s on 17 Carrer Portaferrissa. We look for the camel outside the bar and find it at the back of a store called El Mercadillo.
Lunch
Before leaving the Gothic Quarter we go grab another Spanish culinary classic: pintxos!
These bite-sized toothpicked tapas are famous in the Basque region but El Pintxo del Petrixol (9 Carrer de Petritxol) holds the traditions dear. It’s also according to a Catalan friend ‘the only restaurant near the Rambla that doesn’t serve garbage’.
Another option nearby is La Fonda (10 Carrer dels Escudellers) which is a great place to get some of the best paella in the city at a great price.
La Barceloneta
Over Barcelona in 3 days you don’t think we’d leave out the beach did you? Let’s take a walk down the Port Vell (Old Port) and check out the Columbus Statue, the giant crab, and hundreds of anchored boats.
Feeling lazy? No problem, we hop on bus 59 from La Rambla and get beach-side in no time.
Barceloneta is a great neighborhood to explore inner alleyways where elderly residents sit outside playing cards while young people gather to socialize in kitschy bars.
It’s not one of the best beaches in Barcelona but we’ve only got a couple days so let’s be time-effective. A few hours suntanning here and now, finally, the holiday begins!
After we can’t stop by without saying hello to Mrs. Leo, a little spark-plug of a woman in her 70’s who owns a bar where on weekend afternoons Andalusian flamenco and live Spanish guitar is the name of the game! Bar Leo is at 34 Carrer Sant Carles.
Dinner
There are quite a few options to eat in Barceloneta.
I’d recommend going for quality tapas at Bitacora (at the back of the restaurant there’s a cool little terrace) at 1 Carrer Balboa.
There’s also the ridiculously cheap wine bar La Champagneria at 7 Reina Cristina. We also can’t miss the minuscule fried fish restaurant Can Maño.
All places are fifteen minutes or less walking from the beach.
Optional After Dinner Night Out
I won’t pretend to know what kind of music you like but if you’re looking for a big night out I suggest checking out my list of the best clubs in Barcelona.
My first choice is Razzmatazz, a massive five room club. If this is the case we’ll be pre-gaming at Ovella Negra at 78 Carrer Zamora. It’s the ideal pub for all sorts of revelry and it’s easy to get to know locals playing a game of Spanish billiards.
The second choice is Sala Apolo, a former theater that’s been transformed into one of Barcelona’s most famous clubs! We take the green metro line to Parallel.
Pre-drinks in the area go down at Bar Marsella, a dusty ol’ bar that served Hemingway and Salvador Dali in the not so distant past. It’s located at 65 Carrer de Sant Pau. People go here for the absinthe, but if you’re not in the mood for the green fairy they have enough beer to get you through the night.
When we finish we head to bed: the metro opens at 5 am (though it runs all night on Saturday).
3 days in Barcelona – Day 3
Breakfa… Brun… Lunch.
If you’re feeling a bit rough after the night out pass on that hotel breakfast.
We need grease and one of Barcelona’s best burgers is just what the doctor ordered. Kiosko Burger (Avinguda del Marquès de l’Argentera, 1 bis) is a great place to start but it’s no tourist sin! Get the one with traditional manchego cheese.
See? We’re doing Spanish things.
Shopping or Camp Nou?
We’ve got two choices now and I’ll leave it up to you, my distinguished guests.
There’s tons of world-class shopping in Barcelona city center. The largest shopping areas are Passeig de Gracia, Plaça Catalunya, Las Ramblas and Portal del Angel.
If we’re allergic to shopping (I really am!) we really have to ask ourselves what Barcelona itinerary wouldn’t include a tour of historic Camp Nou stadium – home of Messi and that little squad called FC Barcelona.
From Plaça Catalunya we get there in 15 minutes with the green metro line getting off at Les Corts.
Montjuic
We get to Montjuic Hill with the 150 bus from Plaça Espanya or by cable car from the Parallel metro station. I’d recommend taking the bus, that way you’re left right at the top of the hill.
At the top we find the castle with its majestic view of the harbour, the Miro Foundation, the ’92 Olympic Stadiums and the botanical garden.
The Magic Fountain
Always high on the list of things to do in Barcelona, this beautiful fountain of towering water sprays to the rhythm of contemporary music – the view of Plaça Espanya is really something!
We find the fountain a short fifteen minute walk away at the foot of Montjuic. Make sure to check the Barcelona Magic Fountain show schedule first.
Dinner
We’re looking to keep it local for the third night so we hit up Can Margarit (21 Carrer de la Concordia) for some authentic Catalan fare. Here it’s all about rustic charm, cask wines, rabbit, squid, and cod.
For something a little more upscale that’s a modern take on Spanish classics we go to Plata Bistro (23 Carrer de Sepúlveda), which is just a short walk from the fountains. You can book your table with a simple message on their Facebook page.
Looking for something a little cheaper?
Head for Calle Blai and its endless supply of one euro tapas and beer bars. I recommend La Tasqueta de Blai (Carrer de Blai 17).
After Dinner
In the Gotico area we’ll head to Manu Chao’s bar. This incredibly eclectic French singer who sings in 7(!) languages sometimes shows up to play guitar.
The bar is called Mariachi and is located at 14 Carrer Codols. Of course, I’ve been a little pushy with my ideas haven’t I? We’d actually be good going to any of Barcelona’s best bars.
That’s 3 perfect days in Barcelona down!
3 Days in Barcelona – Extras
Tibidabo
Tibidabo (I will give you in Latin) is a 3 in 1: a basilica with a gigantic statue of Christ, the highest panoramic view of the city, and a retro theme park counting 25 rides. The latter is truly unique for the antique rides like the airplane one from 1928.
This is a must for Barcelona travelers with kids.
We get there in 45 minutes from Plaça Catalunya with bus T2A.
If we don’t feel like the long bus ride we can just as easily spend a few hours in centrally-located Ciutadella Park. The city’s largest green space has a zoo, a lake for row-boating, and holds a ton of events throughout the year.
The Born
Despite its history of jousting this area full of unique bars and boutique shops is one of Barcelona’s best neighborhoods. We get there by metro getting off at Jaume 1 (yellow line).
We can’t walk through without seeing Barcelona’s second Gothic behemoth: La Santa Maria del Mar. We could also check out the more than 4000 pieces at the Picasso Museum (15-24 Carrer Montcada).
When we get hungry we’ll fill up at one of my favourite tapas spots Bormuth (31 Carrer Rec).
I haven’t mentioned it before but you should be drinking vermouth on your itinerary. This a red or white aromatised wine is a massive part of Barcelona’s drinking culture. We get a couple here with the tapas and boom! This is so good, how can we ever go back home?
For those a little more rough and ready I suggest we go for a walk in the ‘gentrified gem’ El Raval.
It’s not as pretty as the Born but it has never claimed to be. There are tons of good value bars and ethnically diverse eateries here.
Fine Tune Your Itinerary in the Comments
We’ve done 3 days in Barcelona and it’s time to go home but wait! If you’re missing that special something that would really tie all of this together please get a hold of me in the comments below for custom advice.
As I said earlier if you need any extra advice fire away! And please let me know how your Barcelona holiday went by leaving a comment below.
Also don’t be afraid to join the 3 day itinerary discussion in my new Facebook group called I’m Off to Barcelona – here you can ask any questions, air out grievances, chat with fellow travelers, and more – anything goes!
Kathleen says
Hello,
Your site is amazing and I have a question about timing since I will book the times to see Casa Batllo and Casa Mila in advance. We’d like to see them both on the afternoon of our arrival from Granada.
My partner and I arrive at the Barcelona airport 10:50 AM on Wed. 19 Dec. I imagine we’ll arrive at the Hotel Denit (off Placa Catalunya) between 12 and 12:30. We’ll have lunch and then we’d like to see both these places that afternoon. Would Casa Batllo at 14:30 and Casa Mila 17:00 allow enough time to see both and walk from one to the other? We are fast walkers. Sunset will be about 17:30 and I was thinking we could see the sunset from the rooftop of Casa Mila, then tour the inside.
Also, I understand the pay-area of Parc Guell is currently under construction and only about half the Guadi attractions are available to see. Can you shed any light on this? We we going to go to La Sagrada Familia Thursday morning 9:00 AM, then head over to Parc Guell, but again wasn’t sure what time to book (maybe 1:00?) and how long we would spend there due to the construction. I was there 25 years ago when everything was free…
Thanks in advance!!
Ash says
Hi Kathleen,
Thanks so much for the compliments on the website 🙂
First off know that the walk between Casa Batllo and Casa Mila is 10 minutes at most. Since I would allocate about 90 minutes maximum each this would be more than enough time to see both… and maybe even have a meal in between! I wouldn’t worry about this, you’ve got plenty of time doing it this way.
Park Guell is indeed under construction and the latest word is that alot of the upper part of the Monumental Area isn’t accessible… this would be the area around the square. Only about half of the mosaic benches can be visited and I’ve heard complaints about the sound of power tools etc… that said, the view is still the view! It’s worth it alone for this as you know 😉
Your timing is again fine and leaves you with plenty of time in between attractions. You could probably even do it for 12 but maybe you’d like you have lunch or something first.
I would allocate about 60 minutes to see the park or 90 if you want to go wander around the Free Zone if it’s a sunny day.
Ash
Michael Kay says
Hi Ash..
I’ll visit Barcelona on February 2019..i would like to know if there will be long lines of queue at la sagrada, park guell and other attraction sites like in summer ?
And do u have any recommendation of any place for day trip tour other than the ones u mentioned here..any other interesting city to visit in day trip tour ?
Ash says
Hi Michael,
Usually February starts to pick off after the post-Christmas slow down. Considering we had a couple of “sell outs” of Sagrada even in early November I would assume there are bound to have a few in February as well – usually during weekends. Sagrada and Park Guell are thus strongly, strongly recommended to book in advance so you don’t risk being told to come back for a time slot hours later.
For extra day trips I would consider Sitges which is a charming beachside town minus the hustle and bustle of the city.
You’d also do well to head up to Figueres and check out the Dali Museum as it’s one of the region’s most visited, not to mention most interesting!
Hope this helps 🙂
Ash
Phillip says
Hi Ash,
Just wanted to say your website is AWESOME! I wish there was something like this for every tourist city!
I am travelling with my girlfriend from Jan 17 – Jan 21- we are a couple in our mid 20s.
We’ve done the below itinerary based on your suggestions – do you have suggestions to fill in the blanks?
And what are the opening hours of the main shopping districts?
Thursday, 17 January 2019
Arrive in Barcelona by plane in morning – Check in Hotel at La Ramblas [lunch – La Fonda Paella] – Gothic Quarter – Mirador de Colom (Columbus Monument) – Las Golondrinas (Marina – 90 min sunset boat tour?)
[Dinner in La Ramblas] Shopping Part 1 at La Ramblas
Friday, 18 January 2019
[Breakfast – Calle Petrixo (churros!) – Sagrada Familia (9am) – [Snack Enrique Tomas in Carrer Marina 261] Casa Batlló [Lunch – El Nacional (24 Passeig de Gràcia)] – Casa Milá (La Pedrera) Park Güell (sunset)
[Dinner in Sol Soler] [after dinner drinks Plaça de la Virreina.]
Saturday, 19 January 2019
[Breakfast] Day tour to Montserrat [Lunch there]
[not sure what to do during this part of the day yet]
[Dinner] Shopping Part 2 Passeig de Gracia/ Plaça Catalunya/Portal del Angel [Drinks somewhere after dinner]
Sunday, 20 January 2019
[Breakfast] [not sure what to do during the day yet]
Magic Fountain for sunset (check times)
[Dinner] [8pm Camp Nou Barcelona Game]
Monday, 21 January 2019
Departing for Madrid by train in morning
Ash says
Hi Philip,
Thanks so much for your kind words 🙂
Let’s see, I’ll try and get some of these blanks filled for you… you’ve got a helluva itinerary here and I’m honestly a bit jealous, haha.
On Saturday the 19th I’m not sure what time you’ll be back but it seems you’ve got a decent gap in the day. I’ve noticed you haven’t included the seaside/fisherman’s neighbourhood of Barceloneta yet. If it was too tight you could also do this on Sunday the 20th, a nice stroll along the beach and some drinks or tapas. If you’re there on Saturday a stop in at Bar Leo is order.
You also don’t seem to be covering much if any of the Born neighbourhood. For Saturday evening drinks you could head over there… there’s a hidden cocktail bar at the back of a pastrami sandwich place called Paradiso that is great for couples. If wine is more your thing then El Diset is a great option.
I also notice that you haven’t included any museums that could round things out… my favourite is the CCCB for it’s showcase of everything contemporary and fascinating. There’s also the Picasso Museum which is a real hit and the biggest such museum in the world.
Anyway, if you could add those in during some of those gaps you’d have a well-rounded trip, perhaps even the best itinerary I’ve ever seen 😉
Let me know if I can be of any more help!
Ash
michelle says
Hi Ash! will be in Barcelona from 24-29 dec. will all shops and restaurants be closed on 25-26? what will you recommend for activities on these two days? if the city is closed, is it good if we do some hiking ?
Thanks!
Ash says
Hi Michelle,
Shops and most restaurants are closed on the 25-26 of December. I have listed the holiday hour changes as well as some exceptions in my article on visiting Barcelona over Christmas.
Doing some hiking up to a place like the Bunkers sounds like a great idea 🙂
Ash
Jessa says
Hi Ash!
My goodness your blog is amazing and so helpful! I am planning on visiting in mid-November with my boyfriend and we are staying at Hotel Condal – when I ask him what he is looking forward to the most he says the food haha… so do you have any recommendations close to us, I believe our hotel is near La Rambla. Looking for good lunch and dinner places at an affordable price. We are still in college, so a fun lively atmosphere would be awesome too!
Thank you!!
Ash says
Hi Jessa,
If you’re looking for value then please stay away from anything on La Rambla which is the main tourist street and just full of traps. I would walk up into lower Eixample and grab food at Cerveceria Catalana or Bodega Joan. You could also walk about 20 minutes over to Calle Blai which has a ton of affordable pintxo places with beers that’ll run you about €1.20. My favourite is Tasqueta del Blai.
Also, in Raval for a fiver you can grab a decent quality curry lunch at Bishmillah Kebabish. There is of course the option to walk through Boqueria Market and grab some take away type things for a decent price… I really like the fruit smoothies and there’s also a great falafel place. I like grabbing the food here and going to the square at the back to soak up the sunshine.
There are also some great pizza by the slice places below you in El Gotico… Puglia in Tavola comes to mind.
ALSO! Especially on Saturday afternoons going down to Can Paixano is a great and lively experience with great, quick Spanish fast food and cheap as chips wine.
This should get you going! Let me know if you were looking for something a little more specific.
Thanks so much for the kind words 🙂
Ash
Gary Barden says
Hello Ash , my wife and I are arriving Fri Nov 2 @5pm , need transport from BCN to Olivia Balmes hotel , we have Sat , Sun & Monday and are thinking trying to see , Sagrada Familia , La Pedera ,Casa Battlo , Park Guel , Boqueria Mkt ,Gothic Quarter , La Rambla and maybe a walk on a beach Sunday . We were thinking of buying the Bus Touristic 2 day pass ? Not sure though . We leave on a cruise on Tuesday Nov 6 .
What do you suggest for transportation ( my wife is thinking some of these are walkable from the hotel ) from this hotel does your 3 day plan work ? What order should we do things in . We also like to stop for coffee .
Thanks Gary
Jeanne says
Hi Ash,
I have another question. Should we visit Park Guell early for sunrise or later for sunset?
Still working on our itinerary for our visit in early December.
TIA,
Jeanne
Ash says
Hi Jeanne,
If you’re really morning people I usually suggest morning since it’s free before 8 am… if you’re not morning people I can say I used to live 8 minutes’ walk from the park and a stroll through during sunset is unreal… also in early December it probably won’t be that crowded so won’t have to worry about crowds.
They’re both beautiful! I’d say it depends on if you’re morning people or not 🙂
Ash
Jeanne says
Thanks…again 🙂
Jeanne
Maria says
Hi! You really have the best site ever. Thank you so much for all the informations. Me and my boyfriend are visiting Barcelona 16-19 November. We are staying at Hostel Colkida. I read your articles and I think the best way to get to our hitel from El Prat is metro. Am I right? Since we will arrive late to our hotel (7 p.m) what should we do? Then we only have 2 days and we want to see Camp Nou. How can we schedule our trip? Thank you 🙂
Ash says
Hi Maria,
Unfortunately the metro won’t get you anywhere close… your best bet is to take the Aerobus to Plaça Catalunya and then from there brave the 10 minute walk, or you can get a quick taxi.
I would simply do days 1 and two of the itinerary here but perhaps shift the Magic Fountain show for the evening of your arrival… you could also walk over and visit Casa Batllo because it looks incredible during the evening. This would lighten the load on the next couple days.
You could also check out some of the amazing restaurants in the area like El Nacional or Bodega Joan.
Anyway, if you wanted something more custom let me know what you’re interested in and I can try and help! But this is what I would do with limited time on the first day 🙂
Ash
Jackie says
Hi Ash
Hubby and I are introducing two of our Canadian cousins to wonderful Barcelona. It’s their first time in Spain. We are staying between Plaza de Cataluna and Sagrada Familia. Can you recommend a restaurant where we can get chicken paella…..we don’t eat seafood or rabbit.
Many thanks.
Ash says
Hi Jackie,
It’s definitely not a common request but I’ve just spoken to my contact at Bodega Joan (one of the best restaurants in my list of best paella in Barcelona) and they said this is totally doable.
I’ve got a tasting menu set up with them that you can take a look at here. It also includes drinks and some other typical tapas… a good introduction to Spanish cuisine and a good vibe in groups.
The manager told me that once you’re there you’ll have to specify the chicken choice to the waiter. They speak English so no worries.
Other than this I have seen some decent reviews for Colom and their chicken paella… but haven’t personally been to confirm if it’s good myself.
Ash
Sneha says
Hey! I m so glad that I came across your blog. We are a group of students visiting Barcelona for a study tour. We are essentially looking for places that are good for retail sector study. Could you suggest us some places that the retail tour of Barcelona covers or the must-visit places to understand the retail industry in Barcelona? We are tight on budget so we are not taking the Barcelona retail guided tour and explore and do it ourselves. It will be a great help if you could suggest us with this.
Ash says
Hi Sneha,
Thanks so much for the kind words 🙂
I’ve never heard of the retail tour and now that I’ve looked at it I’m not sure exactly what places it visits? They don’t appear to list them… can you send me a link to the tour you’re referring to? It may be that I’m looking at the wrong one.
Thanks,
Ash
Sneha says
https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/1993/barcelona-shopping-city.html
Ash says
Hi Sneha,
I would definitely get off at Diagonal station and make sure I walk down Passeig de Gracia and then further on to Portal del Angel which is the main shopping street in the Gothic Quarter.
Passeig de Gracia is the main luxury spot with some amazing architecture and can’t be missed.
Other than this the shopping centres are pretty similar… though I think the newest and best shopping centre is the Les Glories shopping centre. You might also want to check out my list of the best shopping in Barcelona for some other ideas.
Hope this gets you off on the right foot!
Ash