Do you wonder what are the best things to do in Barcelona?
Barcelona, one of the world’s greatest cities, is Catalonia’s vibrant capital. If you can only visit one city in Spain, it should probably be Barcelona. The best period to visit is from mid-April to mid-June, and from mid-September to mid-October when the crowds haven’t arrived yet and the temperature is comfortable.
This 3-day easy itinerary will carry you to Barcelona’s most famous sights and landmarks!
Click here to download this amazing 3-day itinerary of Barcelona to your smartphone!
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The Best Things to Do in Barcelona: Day 1
This is a map of the best things to do in Barcelona on your first day. You can easily walk from one site to the other. The longest distance between two sights is 3.3km, from Casa Batlló to Park Güell, so maybe for this part, you can take a taxi. Otherwise, it will only be a nice stroll around town.
Columbus Monument (Mirador de Colom)
A tribute to Christopher Columbus, who returned to Spain after he discovered America, this statue was built in 1888 and is more than 7 meters high.
Güell Palace (Palau Güell)
A part of UNESCO World Heritage Site, this mansion is a magnificent example of domestic architecture in the context of Art Nouveau. It was the home of the Güell i López family until they moved to Park Güell. Gaudà designed a functional palace adapted to the family’s needs in both their private life and the intense cultural and social life they led.
Plaça Reial
The elegant ambiance of the Plaça Reial is highlighted by the Fountain of the Three Graces, street lamps, and palm trees, and it is one of Barcelona’s busiest, most vibrant spots, particularly at night.
La Rambla
Barcelona wouldn’t be Barcelona without its famous Rambla. A wander up and down this famous street is a ritual well worth observing. Just soak up the atmosphere, admire the buildings and come back at night! This is a stroll through the life and history of the city.
La Boqueria Market (La Boqueria)
La Rambla’s traditional market is where you will find almost everything you could ever need. The evolution from a past of peddlers to a modern and charming present, full of color and life.
Plaça de Catalunya
This lively square is the heart of Barcelona and it’s beating strongly. One of the best things to do in Barcelona, and an ideal place for people watching, it’s also the geographical space that separates the districts of Ciutat Vella and the Eixample. Steeped in history, the Plaça de Catalunya is Barcelona’s nerve center.
Casa Amatller
This amazing building, the Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch, a contemporary of GaudÃ, is part of the block known as the “mansana de la discòrdia” of Barcelona.
Casa Batlló
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best things to do in Barcelona, the Casa Batlló is one of Antoni GaudÃ’s architectural masterpieces and an iconic landmark. Situated on Passeig de Grà cia, this building stands out from the rest due to its eye-catching design and color.
Park Güell
This park was completely designed by GaudÃ. Witness the complete and perfect harmony of nature and architecture.
The Best Things to Do in Barcelona: Day 2
Again, most of your day will be walking around the best things to do in Barcelona, which include incredible landmarks and sights, but maybe you could consider taking a taxi to get to the Sagrada Familia Church, from the Palace of Catalan Music.
Church of Santa Maria del Mar (Església de Santa Maria del Mar)
The basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, also known as the “Cathedral of La Ribera”, is one of the most perfect examples of Gothic style architecture due to its harmonious proportions and the serenity of the ensemble. Visit its rooftop for a spectacular viewpoint.
Picasso Museum Barcelona (Museu Picasso Barcelona)
If you are a fan of Pablo Picasso, this is an essential museum to find out about the artist’s formative years.
Grand Royal Palace (Palau Reial Major)
Many important persons resided in this complex of three buildings, including the Counts of Barcelona and, later, the Kings of Aragon.
Cathedral of Santa Eulalia (Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulà lia)
The Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulà lia reflects the passing generations who have left their imprint and the blend of architectural styles in this predominantly Gothic building. You have to visit inside in order to fully understand its splendor.
Palace of Catalan Music (Palau de la Música Catalana)
This gorgeous concert hall and one of the best things to do in Barcelona, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an artistic landmark of outstanding beauty and a highly prestigious music venue.
Sagrada FamÃlia Church (Sagrada FamÃlia)
Located in the center of the city, the BasÃlica de la Sagrada FamÃlia is one of the most iconic landmarks of Barcelona, despite remaining unfinished at the time of GaudÃ’s death, and it is still under construction.
The Best Things to Do in Barcelona: Day 3
Only a total of 4km, today’s itinerary is a walk in the park! You’ll accomplish the rest of the best things to do in Barcelona!
Plaça d’Espanya
This square was designed to host the 1929 International Exhibition. It is one of Barcelona’s most important squares and it is at the junction of several major thoroughfares.
Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (Font Mà gica de Montjuïc)
The large magic fountain is a spectacular display of color, light, motion, music and water acrobatics. It is illuminated at night.
National Art Museum of Catalonia (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya)
This museum is housed in the Palau Nacional, a landmark building dating from the 1929 International Exhibition of Barcelona. It is located on Montjuïc Hill, a privileged setting which boasts unique, magnificent views of Barcelona. It presents original Catalan art but is also known for its extensive collection of Romanesque paintings.
Montjuïc Park (Montjuïc)
The Montjuïc Park occupies a vast portion of the imposing hill overlooking the port, offering plenty of green areas and gardens, museums and cultural attractions, sports facilities and Olympic sites. This is the perfect spot for a picnic or an afternoon nap.
Montjuïc Castle (Castell de Montjuïc)
Standing on a vantage point, Montjuïc Castle offers stunning views of the city. Now a peaceable place, the memory of this fortress endures in Barcelona as a symbol of repression, as executions took place here.
Don’t want to end your trip in Barcelona and looking for exciting destinations to continue your journey? Well, Barcelona is one of the major cruise ports when it comes to Mediterranean cruising vacations, which means there are endless of destination choices. Also, if you’re just planning to visit Barcelona, you can find some bargain cruise deals from other major ports.
For more information, see our Spain Travel Guide.
And click here to download this amazing 3-day itinerary of Barcelona to your smartphone!
Which landmark or moment did you enjoy the most during your trip?
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I visited Barcelona at the beginning of January and I fell in love with the city!
Great itinerary, wish I have found it earlier, maybe it spared me a few kilometres 🙂
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for your comment! And I’m happy you enjoyed Barcelona! I fell in love with it too 😉
Thank you so much for posting this article. I will be in Spain next week for Tricities tour . It is going to be my first time visiting Spain I will try my best to see all the palcese you mentioned. It is very informative. Thank you again!
Thank you so much, Haime for taking the time to write! You’ll love Spain! I wish you a stunning trip! And when you’ll come back, tell me more about how it went for you 🙂
Dominique xx
Dear Dominique, your article is satisfactory and its sufficient for me. I will go Barcelona on december this year and i’ll obey your advises :))
Great, thanks! You’ll love it!