The Ultimate Guide of What to See in Barcelona

June 2, 2020

The perfect city for any occasion, Barcelona boasts some of the most enchanting architecture in Spain beside the jaw-dropping coastline of the Mediterranean. Whether you’re after a romantic rendezvous, a girls “out on the town” weekend or a solo adventure, there’s something for everyone. So, read on and find out about all the unmissable spots here in Barcelona!

Planning your trip to Barcelona:

Currency: Euros

Transport: Barcelona–El Prat Airport is the closest to the city centre, so plan to fly here if you can. You can get around Barcelona pretty easily using public transport – just look for signs for the tram, metro or local buses!

Accommodation: Hotels can be quite expensive in Barcelona if you want to be in the centre, so it’s worth looking on airbnb too if you’re travelling on a budget!

What to See in Barcelona – Day 1:

Our first day in Barcelona, we dropped our bags off at the airbnb and decided to go on a walk around the area, walking through the cultural spot of La Rambla to the twisting medieval lanes of Barcelona’s old Gothic quarter, stopping for lunch on the way. We then headed to Casa battlo (pictured below), the first of many of Gaudi’s masterpieces we were going to see on our trip. Interesting to note, this house is known as the house of bones or the house of the dragon to locals because of the way the balconies look like the jaws of a beast!

DAY 2 in Barcelona:

Parc de la Ciutadella:

We woke up early and headed straight to Parc de la Ciutadella, which is a beautiful scenic spot, and houses a zoo as well as the Catalan parliament. We took the L1 subway to Arc de Triomf and walked from there. After walking around the grounds we decided to hire one of the rowing boats to get the full experience and loved every minute of it. – perfect way to unwind

Arc de Triomf:

Next we headed to the Arc de Triomf (having passed by it to get there) and sat there with ice creams enjoying the view and watching the locals play football in the last remaining light.

DAY 3 in Barcelona:

La Sagrada Familia:

Our third day, we decided to visit the famous Cathedral of Barcelona – La Sagrada Familia. Which ended up being easier said than done! – Turning up without a ticket expecting to go straight through was perhaps rather naive of me. Nevertheless, after a long wait and scramble for the final tickets (you normally need to pre-book them) we managed to get in. This piece of magnificent architecture was Gaudi’s “all-consuming mission” and is still being built to this day (expected to be finished in 2026 – a whole century after Gaudi died!).

Font Magica:

After our day at the cathedral, we went to do some shopping before heading to the Font Magica. This is a fountain located in the Montjuic neighbourhood of Barcelona, near the Placa d’Espanya. It takes place between every 30 mins Wednesday-Sunday 7.30-10;30pm and involves a light display, music and water acrobatics. Right by it is the four iconic columns which is quite a sight and if you go up the steps you have a lovely viewing point of both the columns and the fountain.

DAY 4:

Tibidabo church:

The Tibado mountain is the tallest peak in Barcelona and boasts some of the best views of the city. It also homes the iconic Tibidabo Cathedral del Sagrat Cor (Cathedral of the Sacred Heart), and an amusement park. The cathedral is free and the elevator to the top is just 2 Euros. To get here either take the metro line L7 from Placa Catalunya to Avenida Tibidabo or the Barcelona Bus Turistic which drops you off at the same point, where you can take the Tibidabo funicular. Alternatively, if you’re on a tight budget or just want the scenic journey, take the S1 or S2 to Peu del Funicular, change to Vallvidrera Funicular and afterwards continue on Bus 111 – you can do all of that on one normal metro ticket.

Opening times:

Do be aware that although the Cathedral closes at 10pm, the funicular closes earlier so make sure to get there by 7pm.

DAY 5:

Park Guell

Our final day in Barcelona, we made sure to go to Park Guell – one of the top tourist attractions in Barcelona and for good reason. Park Guell was created in 1900 after a wealthy count bought a large chunk of hillside (!) and hired Gaudi to create a mini village underneath. Although the project was largely abandoned, the park still brings in millions of tourists every year. Do make sure you book your tickets in advance (I tried to go earlier in the week and got caught out and had to come back with pre-booked tickets!) To get to the park, take buses 24 or 92 which drop you off at the entrance of the park.