Are you on holiday in Barcelona and have no idea how to organize your time to visit this wonderful city in 3 days? Stay Barcelona Apartments wants to help you with this visit guide.
The most important thing is to be aware that Barcelona is a big and small city at the same time, so be prepared to walk a few kilometers.
We recommend the use of comfortable clothes and shoes.
1st day
- The day starts at Sagrada Familia; you can get there by metro or bus (lines L2 and L5 of metro). It opens at 9AM, so you can start the day soon. Tickets for Sagrada Familia can be purchased online here. Get the ticket that suits the best with your needs; also we recommend to buy the tickets in advance. When you have finished, take the metro to Passeig de Gràcia or walk for 20 minutes.
- Than, in Passeig de Gràcia you can find emblematic places such as La Pedrera, Casa Batlló o El Nacional.
- Do a quick shopping or have a brunch in one of the dozens cafeteries that you can find there; we recommend taking a cup of hot chocolate at Casa Ametller, which is located next to Casa Batlló.
- After descending Passeig de Gracia you arrive to Plaça Catalunya, one of the most famous places in Barcelona. Around the square you can find the Hard Rock Cafe or the Triangle shopping center.
PLAN IDEA: enter to El Corte Inglés shopping center and enjoy its
gourmet experience
- Try a selection of the most delicious products from domestic or international markets, prepared traditionally, using old recipes and the finest raw materials!
- Then you can walk through Portal de l’Àngel, one of the most commercial points of Barcelona’s center.
The technology lovers can visit the Movistar Center, where you can try the latest models of mobile phones or computers.
- After lunch, you can wander to Las Ramblas, another of Barcelona’s most famous places. You can walk through it while enjoy an ice cream, observing the famous living figures or Gaudí’s mosaic.
- At the end of Las Ramblas you find the emblematic Columbus’s statue, and you’re already in the Paseo Marítimo (promenade).
- In the same area, the access to the Maremagnum shopping center is an excellent area to enjoy the sun and the Mediterranean Sea. To get to the next point of our route you can cross the Maremagnum shopping center inside, or walk through the Paseo Colón, which runs along the sea line.
Also we have another post in which we recommend all the best shopping malls you might find in Barcelona.
- Then you arrive to the Barceloneta, the final stop of today’s journey; it’s one of the most famous beaches of Barcelona, which can be enjoyed both in summer and winter: from small bars next to the sea to the magnificent Hotel Wella, famous for its design and exclusivity.
You can travel along the entire coastline of Barcelona following the Paseo Marítimo, until you reach the leisure area of Vila Olímpica.
Here ends our first day in Barcelona.
2nd day
Barcelona is famous for the beauty of its center, but Stay Barcelona Apartments invites you to discover the most remote parts.
- Start the day reaching the Bunkers del Carmel; it constitutes ruins of the Civil War that provides a panoramic view of the city.
You can get there by taking different metro lines, such as L4 to Alfons X (and then walk), or L3 to Vallcarca and then take bus 22 (to El Carmel), which leaves us at the base of the hill. You can also take bus 24 (to El Carmel) from Plaza Catalunya, or 114 (to Can Baró) from the metro stop of L4 Joanic.
We recommend using a combination that includes bus
- When you’re done with the bunkers, take advantage of the fact that you’re far away from the Barcelona’s center, take bus 24 and after 10 minutes you arrive at the famous Park Güell. There is an area of free access, and then, if you want to visit the other part of the park, you’ll only have to pay a ticket of 7.50€.
Buy your tickets for Park Güell here. There are special prices for children and groups. We recommend buying the ticket in advance. The schedule of the park is from 8.30AM to 5.30PM.
There’s a lot of beautiful spaces to do a picnic here, although we recommend the restaurant Terra Mía, which is located only 5 minutes away from the park (Ramiro de Maeztu St., 31).
The restaurant offers a daily menu for 12,50€ (monday to friday) or a menu of italian and spanish dishes.
After lunch, we suggest two afternoon plans:
- For museum lovers: visit the CosmoCaixa museum, located half an hour away from Park Güell. It’s one of the most interactive scientific-themed museums in the world, recommended for both families and adults. Children under 16 have free access, and adult tickets costs only 5€. Get your tickets for CosmoCaixa museum Children under 16 have free access, and adult tickets costs only 5€. Get your tickets here. You can get there by taking the bus lines H4, V13, V15, 22, 73, 75, 60 and 196 (from Park Güell the best option is to take the number V13), the tramvia blau (take it on Avenida Tibidabo) and getting to the stop of CosmoCaixa – Av. Tibidabo by taking the Ferrocarrils Catalans de la Generalita (opens in a new tab)”>here. You can get there by bus V19 (to Plaça Alfonso Comín) or taking the Ferrocarrils Catalans de la Generalitat, Avinguda Tibidabo – Cosmocaixa stop.
In this post we also resumed all the free museums you can find in Barcelona.
- For outdoor plans lovers: we suggest a visit to the Laberint d’Horta. On Wednesday and Sunday, the entrance is free, the rest of days costs 2.23 € (for minors of 14, 1.42€). It’s a quite large park, with neoclassical buildings and a very romantic atmosphere.You can get there by taking metro L3, getting off at the Mundet stop, and with bus 27 (to Roquetes, from Park Güell). Click here to check all the info avaiable of Laberint d’Horta.
We also wrote another about the gardens and parks you can’t miss if you’re really passionate about nature.
- End the day exploring the Gothic Quarter. We suggest you to visit Barcelona’s Cathedral, the Roman Temple of Augustus, Plaza Sant Jaume… the places to visit are endless, but we recommend get carried away by the soul of this area of Barcelona. The buildings have been reconstructed hundreds of times, there are dozens of statues lost in the streets…and that seductive sensation of walking through the streets from other centuries.
3rd day
After an exhausting second day, we propose a more relaxed, but very complete, third day.
- Start the day at Arc de Triomf, a very easy place to access, via train, metro L1, or bus. Have breakfast at the Bendito Pecado bakery, located on Comerç street. It is a Venezuelan food place, and you’ll find options for all tastes. Or just check the other places in which you can have a brunch in this post.
- After visiting the Arc de Triomf monument, you can visit the Picasso Museum. The ticket price goes from 4,50€ to 12€, depending on your age and which parts of the museum you want to visit. For those who are under 18 admission is free, which is why is a good option as a family museum.
Buy your tickets for Picasso Museum here.
- After the visit, you can walk around the El Born neighborhood, famous for its restaurants, alleys and craft shops.
- At lunchtime, it’s going to be very easy to find a place to eat in El Born, but we recommend the restaurant Murivecchi (Princesa St. 59), with a very complete daily menu for only 13.70€ (valid during the week). For those who’re lovers of Japanese food, we recommend the restaurant Doble Zer00, located on Giralt street number 53.
- In the afternoon, taking advantage of the fact that you’re in El Born, walk to El Centre Cultural del Born, where you’ll find ruins of the 18th century, or the Ciutadella Park, one of the most famous places in Barcelona, also called “the lung” of the city. This park houses the Zoo of Barcelona, the Parlament de Catalunya, the Church of the Ciutadella… and many other things, such as statues or monuments.
It’s just a perfect place to walk and enjoy the Barcelona’s outdoors.
- Later, take the L1 metro line or the H16 bus (to Zona Franca) to get to Plaça Espanya, another center of interest in Barcelona. You can find the Arenas Shopping Center, and take advantage to do last minute shoppings, and the Fira de Barcelona venues. Walk along the Avenida de Maria Cristina, you’ll see the famous Fuentes de Montjuic and, further on, the MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya). Check the schedules and prices of MNAC here.
- Than, just five minutes away from the MNAC you’ll find the CaixaForum, a cultural center that hosts exhibitions of all kinds and offers a lot of different activities. The schedule is from 10AM to 8PM. More info of CaixaForum here.
- Finally, you could enjoy one of the touristic attractions of Plaça Espanya is the light show of the Fonts de Montjuic. The start time changes depending on the time of year, check the schedules of Fonts de Montjuic here.
Another option to spend the afternoon: take the L2 or L3 to Parallel, where you find the most emblematic theaters of Barcelona, along with dozens of places to eat something.
From there, you can walk 15 minutes to reach the green areas of Montjuic: the Jardines de Joan Brosso and the Jardines de Mosén Jacinto Verdaguer.
It’s a very pleasant walk, with the view of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.
These gardens are only 15 minutes away by bus from Plaça Espanya with the bus lines 150 (to Castell de Montjuic) or 55 (to Parc de Montjuic), in case you want to make both plans.
We hope you enjoy Barcelona. And if you have any suggestions, we will be glad to receive it!
Stay Barcelona Apartments wishes you an incredible stay.
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