This is the perfect 3 Day Itinerary for someone visiting Barcelona for the first time and looking to see and enjoy as much as possible while in this beautiful Spanish city.
I have to tell you that after visiting several cities across the globe, Barcelona has captured my heart like no other. This city offers something for everyone, from the food scene, the nightlife, the famous Guadi architecture, down to the gorgeous beaches. You can not go to Barcelona and not find something to love!
Barcelona Guide
Best Time To Visit Barcelona
The best time to visit Barcelona is between April and October for ideal weather. If laying on the beach and enjoying the summer heat is a must for your time in Barcelona, then I would recommend visiting in May-July. However if you are ok with just visiting the beach for a few drinks and your main goal is to explore the sites then I will always recommend the shoulder seasons (April and September-October) to save on hotels and avoid heaps of tourists!
Where To Stay In Barcelona
For first timers I would recommend El Born, Gothic Quarter, or La Barceloneta. I personally stayed in El Born when I visited and loved the location because it’s in-between La Barceloneta and the Gothic Quarter. I also felt like there were way less tourists around since it’s a tad removed from some of the sites you will see on this itinerary.
Gothic Quarter
When you picture the streets of Barcelona, you are most likely day dreaming about the Gothic Quarter. This is probably Barcelona’s most iconic neighborhood where you will find some of Guadi’s famous work like the Gothic Cathedral and the street lamps in Placa Rieal which was his first commissioned project. Stay here is your goal is to be centrally located in Barcelona and if you don’t mind being in the center of the tourist action.
El Born
El Born neighbors the Gothic Quarter and is one of Barcelona’s most trendiest and eclectic neighborhoods. Within the narrow alleyways of El Born, you will find trendy cafes, boutique shops, plenty of Catalonian restaurants, and of course nightlife.
La Barceloneta
If you are visiting Barcelona for the beach, you belong here! La Barceloneta is Barcelona’s infamous seaside neighborhood. Here you will find a beautiful stretch of beach that goes on for miles with chic bars on the sand serving cava, as well as restaurants lining the boardwalk.
How To Get Around
Barcelona is a very walk-able city and I would encourage you to also take advantage of their public transportation system. It was very easy to navigate for some of the sites that were a bit to far to go by foot, or if you are just trying to maximize your day.
Ride share apps like Uber are not available in Barcelona at the moment, but for some of the sites that fall outside of the main city center like Park Guell or Tibidabo finding a cab was easy if you walk to a main street in the city.
Barcelona 3 Day Itinerary
Day 1- Explore Barcelona’s Neighborhoods + Visit La Boqueria
Take a stroll through El Born + Gothic Quarter
I would recommend you start your day bright and early in El Born neighborhood and grab your coffee and breakfast at one of the trendiest cafes in El Born called Nomad Coffee Lab. Spend some time exploring the neighborhood before heading over to the Gothic Quarter.
Admire The Barcelona Gothic Cathedral
This is still my favorite cathedral I’ve ever seen in person. The inside is as stunning as the exteriors so I would definitely recommend you to enter to admire from within as well. You can enter for free weekdays: 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and 5:45 pm to 7:30, but visiting outside of these time slots will cost 7 Euros. Hotel Colon is directly in front of the Cathedral so if you are just wanting to sit and admire the architecture they offers outdoor seating on the ground level as well as a beautiful rooftop terrace. Stop here for a delicious pitcher of Cava!
Walk Along Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas is a one of the most famous streets in Barcelona’s city center. Fair warning, it can be very touristy but you should still take a walk along and visit some of the shops if you are needing to pick up a souvenir . If anything know that La Boqueria is situated on Las Ramblas and that is a must while you are in town!
Grab a bite to eat at La Boqueria
I have never seen or smelled anything like La Boqueria. This is Barcelona’s largest and most famous outdoor market. Within this market you can spend an hour or so walking around and sampling so many different types of food and treats. Think Catalonian favorites, fresh fruit cups and pressed juices for a dollar. I mentioned smell earlier because of all of the fresh fish that they are selling. You can have made to order calamari at a walk up bar! Do your self a favor and make sure to come hungry!
Day 2- Park Güell + Free Guadi Walking Tour
Park Güell
Visiting Park Güell was what I was most excited to experience as I was looking forward to my trip to Barcelona! I recommend buying your entrance ticket in advance and booking for the earliest time slot to avoid the crowds and to not be waiting in line to get a picture in the monumental area. Visiting closer to sunset would also be lovely and I’m sure not as crowded as stopping by mid-day.
Free Guadi Walking Tour
When I visited Barcelona I booked this exact free tour and it was one of the highlights of my trip! This tour starts every day at 3 pm in front of the Gothic Cathedral. You will stop at most major Guadi sites within the main city center and learn all about his life, what influenced his beautiful work, and the Catalan Renaissance! The highlights of this tour included Casa Milà, Casa Battló, and his most famous work of art – La Sagrada Familia.
Day 3 – Visiting La Sagrada Familia + La Barceloneta
La Sagrada Familia
Although the the tour I recommended above does include La Sagrada Familia as a stop, it only includes touring and admiring from the outside and learning about the influence and the construction and design timeline. This Basilica is a masterpiece from the inside out, so you can not leave Barcelona without visiting La Sagrada Familia for a tour. I also highly recommend going up the tower to view the city from above!
Barceloneta Beach
Spend your last day on vacation indulging in cava and fresh seafood on the beach! There are plenty of beach bars to choose from or you can simply bring a towel and relax since it is a public beach. Some of my favorite sandy beach bars included La Deliciosa, Maluké Beach Club, La Beach Life, and Bar del Mar.
I hope this helps! If you have any questions about Visiting Barcelona or any of the sites or tours mentioned in this post please leave a comment and I’ll be sure to get back to you!
