Three Days in Barcelona
The next stop in our trip to Spain was Barcelona. This was a city I was really looking forward to seeing. It has everything you could want: great food, amazing architecture, beautiful mountains, and the beach!
We used Trainline to purchase tickets for the high-speed train from Madrid. It took about two and a half hours. The change in the terrain along the route was pretty incredible. Check out our Madrid Guide.
Is Barcelona a safe and walkable city?
As always, we prefer walking and did so in Barcelona. A lot. But all that walking allows more eating, right? Each neighborhood has it’s own style and walking gave us the opportunity to take the time to look around. There are beautiful parks to explore along the way as well! We always felt safe as we walked around and when we took public transportation.
What is Barcelona’s public transportation like?
The transportation system in Barcelona is very safe. But as always, keep an eye on your stuff. There are many methods of transport including taxis and Uber.
The metro is a very affordable way to get around the city with convenient stops near pretty much everything you want to see. It’s clean and air conditioned. You can purchase tickets at the machines at each station or purchase the Hola Barcelona: Public Transport Card which includes unlimited trips on the metro, bus, train, funicular, tram and regional train for your chosen period of time (48, 72, 96, or 120 hours).
Where to stay in Barcelona.
There are many great neighborhoods to choose from and we would recommend researching them and find one that suits you best and is the closest to what you want to do and see. We stayed in the Eixample neighboorhood and loved our AirBnb.
You can see a tour of our apartment in our Barcelona video.
What is there to see and do in Barcelona?
There is so much to see and do in Barcelona! Some of the better-known or must-see sites are Sagrada Familia, Park Güell (Get tickets ahead of time!) and so many other amazing examples of architecture by Antoni Gaudí.
Take a stroll through the Gothic Quarter’s narrow medieval streets filled with trendy bars, clubs and Catalan restaurants. While you’re in the area walk along the famous Las Ramblas. It’s pretty tourist-heavy but worth a look.
Gaudí isn’t the only artist featured in this beautiful city. You can also check out the Picasso Museum.
Depending on the time of year, you can spend the day at one of several beaches. Keep in mind if you’ll be there in the summer, they will be packed! Barceloneta is probably the most popular beach and is the closest to the city center.
For sports fans, there is always FC Barcelona or Barça!
What can you do in three days in Barcelona?
During our stay we were able to check out Sagrada Familia, many of the Gaudí masterpieces such as Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. Unfortunately, we were not able to get tickets into Park Güell because we didn’t plan ahead. Definitely get tickets for this as soon as you can.
While checking out all the beautiful architecture in the Gothic Quarter, we came upon the Barcelona Cathedral. It is breathtaking! Expect many Instagrammers on the steps! Most folks were kind while they got the perfect shot.
It was a little too chilly for us to truly experience the beaches but we really enjoyed walking along the boardwalk and checking out the many restaurants. After grabbing some lunch, we headed toward the Columbus Monument, a 60 meter tall monument to Christopher Columbus at the lower end of La Rambla. It was constructed for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona in honor of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas.
We would highly recommend a day trip to Montserrat while you are in Barcelona. We booked a tour for this day trip through Viator and it was truly a highlight of our days in Barcelona. We had a guided tour of the basilica, took a hike to the Cross of San Miguel and visited the little farmers market that lined the road. The day wrapped up with a visit to a local winery that has been in the same family for more than 1000 years! They can’t guarantee this is the particular vineyard you will get to visit but Oller Del Mas is amazing.
