Four days in Barcelona

FOUR DAYS IN BARCELONA.

Barcelona is a magical city and there is something for everyone – beaches, great shopping, museums, parks, historical landmarks, tapas and generally lots of sunshine! Although the city seems very big and spread out, it is perfectly feasible to discover on foot, particularly if you group your activities by neighbourhood, so have a look at this guide for how to spend four days in Barcelona.

I have put together an itinerary for visiting Barcelona in four days: on day one visit the Montjuic area, spend day two on the Ramblas and in the old town. On day three, visit Barceloneta and the Parc de la Ciutadella, before a trip exploring Gaudi up to Sagrada Familia, Parc Geull and the neighbourhood of Gràcia on day four.

Obviously, feel free to change the order to suit you and if you have more or less time available, then you can group some activities or spend longer on others.

Day one

We started our four days in Barcelona by visiting the Montjuïc area.

The Teatre Grec, which was the starting point for our visit, was built for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition and has been the location for Barcelona’s summertime outdoor cultural event since 1976.

Just across from the Teatre Grec you can find the Fundació Joan Miró, which is one of the largest museums in the world. We decided not to visit the museum as the weather was beautiful and we had quite a busy day planned, but there are over 225 paintings, 150 sculptures and graphic pieces by Joan Miró, and some of his contemporaries.

Montjuïc mountain is a beautiful place for a walk and the views from the top are incredible, but it is quite a climb, so if you are feeling a bit tired or wish to conserve your energy for later, then I would recommend taking the cable car.

We decided to take the cable car up to the Castell de Montjuïc, where you can wander around the battlements and wonder over the stunning views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea.

The castle was once home to a military museum, but this closed down in 2009 and its contents were moved to Figueres. The space is now used by the International Peace Resource Centre and and the castle boasts an impressive moat, beautiful gardens and impressive battlements.

When you have finished at the castle, walk down past the Mirador gardens. The Mirador de l’Alcade is a series of terraces on different levels, designed by Joan Josep Tharrats. You can stop for a rest in one of the beautiful gardens or next to one of the ornamental fountains overlooking the Mediterranean sea and admire the spectacular views over the city and the harbour.

From the Mirador gardens, you can either continue down to the sea and then walk along to the Columbus column and the bottom of Las Ramblas, or walk back down Avenue Miramar past the Olympic Museum, the Museu d’Arqueologia, the Museu Etnològic and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya-MNAC, to the Montjuïc Magic Fountain, located at the end of the Avenida Reina Maria Cristina just below the Palau Nacional.

This fountain, which was also built in 1929 for the International Exhibition, offers a spectacular display of music, water and lights, but check the timetable on this site before you go, as it doesn’t operate all the time.

Day two

Start day two of your four days in Barcelona with a wander around Las Ramblas, the most well-known area in Barcelona, which is busy at all hours of the day and night.

On a leisurely stroll down La Rambla (the street after which the neigbourhood is named) you will see craft stores, flower stalls, street performers and artists.

Stop off at the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria (Saint Joseph of Boqueria Market, or simply the Boqueria), Europe’s biggest food market, in the middle of La Rambla, which is famous, not only for its food stalls but also its architecture.

This covered marketplace is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m and entrance is free. However, I would definitely recommend having some cash on you as you are sure to be tempted by the array of fresh food on offer, from fruit juices and fresh fruit and vegetables to spices, fresh fish, meats and pastries.

When you arrive at the bottom of La Rambla, you will see the Christopher Columbus column, one of the famous landmarks of Barcelona.

While you are in the area of Las Ramblas, wander off to visit the Gothic quarter and the old town. The  “Barri Gòtic” is one of the oldest parts of Barcelona and as you wander through the cobbled streets you will find many charming little squares as well as shops ranging from artisanal stores to contemporary shops, such as Mango, so it’s an ideal time to combine a little shopping with sightseeing.

The most renowned building in the gothic quarter is La Seu Cathedral, dedicated to the city’s patron saint, Saint Eulalia. La Seu is open to visitors daily and entry to the cathedral and cloisters is free in the mornings and evenings, but you will have to pay to visit the choir (3€) or the  roof (3€). Between 13h00 and 17h30, a donation of 7€ is required to visit the cathedral, the cloisters, the choir, the roof and museum.

The pedestrian square in front of the cathedral, Plaça de la Seu, is always lively and there are numerous restaurants and tapas bars in the area.

I would recommend finishing your day in Plaça Reial (“Royal Plaza”), which is in the Gothic quarter just off La Rambla.

This well-known square is a social focal point, especially at night, and is full of bars and restaurants and is also home to some of the city’s most famous nightclubs.

There are many restaurants in the square but I particularly enjoyed “Les Quinze Nits” (be prepared to queue!) and “Rossini”.

Day three

After a leisurely breakfast stroll down La Rambla to the port and the beach at Barceloneta. If you didn’t manage to see the Christopher Columbus column yesterday then you can walk past it today!

Continue to the Barceloneta district, which combines the old fishing quarter and the beach and take some time to soak up the sun on one of Barcelona’s best known beaches.

Take a walk along the Passeig Marítime, a seaside promenade that continues to the Port Olímpic, which is easily recognized by the giant copper goldfish sculpture.

The Olympic Marina combines watersports, beaches, a casino as well as numerous restaurants, so you could easily stop for lunch here. (or in the old district of Barceloneta if you prefer).

From Barceloneta, walk back through the Parc de la Ciutadella where you can see the Catalan parliament buildings, the Natural History Museum and depending on how much time you have available, you can also visit the Zoo.

Tickets to the Zoo are 20% cheaper when you buy on-line and you can buy a combined ticket for the zoo and La Pedrera.

On leaving the Parc de la Ciutadella, head towards the Arc de Triomf (the Triumphal arch) at the top of the Passeig Lluís Companys.

Then walk down the Ronda de Sant Pere to the Plaça de Catalunya, where you can admire the fountains and shops before continuing to the Passeig de Gràcia and have dinner on your 3rd night of your four days in Barcelona on la Rambla de Catalunya at one of the many outdoor restaurants.

Day four : Four days in Barcelona

On day four, I have proposed a walking tour, which enables you to combine the Gràcia district with admiring some examples of Gaudi’s work. Antoni Gaudi is well renowned for his modernista architecture and one of his most famous works is the Sagrada Familia, which is the starting point of the day four itinerary. However, you should be aware that there is ongoing construction work which is expected to continue until at least 2026.

It is possible to buy a combined ticket to visit the Sagrada Família church and the museum in the basement, with displays on the history of the construction, original models for sculptural work and the chance to watch sculptors working at plaster-cast models through a large window.

After visiting Sagrada Familia, carry on walking up to Park Güell, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entrance to the Park is free but it costs 7€ to visit the “Monumental Zone”, which covers the main entrance, the Dragon Stairway, the Hypostyle Room, the esplanade (also known as the Greek Theatre or Nature Square) and the Austria Gardens.

The park itself, for which the design was based on an English garden city, is beautiful, and there are fantastic views of Barcelona and the sea beyond from the top of the park.

As you leave Park Guell, walk back down through the Gràcia district (voted best neighbourhood by the city’s residents). This neighbourhood is full of life at all hours of the day, and is largely self-contained with a wide choice of shops and bars/restaurants.

The Gràcia neighbourhood is also famous for the Festa Major festival, which is held in mid-August.

When you leave the Gràcia district, you will be at the top of Passeig de Gràcia and you can continue to experience Gaudi’s art by stopping at “La Pedrera” (meaning “The Quarry”), which is at the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Carrer de Provença.

At the end of the day, continue down Passeig de Gràcia and choose to eat in Plaça de Catalunya, La Rambla, la Rambla de Catalunya, Plaça Reial or discover somewhere new!

Obviously, it is not possible to cover everything in four days in Barcelona, and other things you may be interested in are given below:

• Visiting more of Barcelona’s museums. Some museums, including the Picasso Museum, have free entry every Sunday after 3pm. Also free on first Sundays is the  National Museum of Art of Catalonia for medieval and modernist art. Otherwise, you can buy “Skip the Line” entry to 6 Art museums

• Camp Nou, the largest stadium in Europe, is worth a visit, even if you’re not a football fan. I didn’t visit this time, but I have previously been to a game there and it was a great experience as the atmosphere is amazing. Otherwise, you can buy tickets for the “Camp Nou Experience,” which includes a visit to the stadium and entry to the museum and multimedia center or other tours.

Finally, some cards you may find useful during your visit

For accommodation, have a look below.

Booking.com

I hope you find this information useful and that you have a great stay in Barcelona and have a look here for more of our features about Spain.

I will be back soon with more style, lifestyle and travel inspiration and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog below to make sure you never miss a post,

 

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