Barcelona – one of my favorite and most vibrant cities I’ve ever been to. From the incredible art, history, beaches, museums, and countless restaurants- you will never run out of things to do while visiting. This lively city located in northeastern Spain truly has something for everyone. It is the perfect vacation destination for families, solo travelers, couples, or even friends looking for a fun nightlife scene. Whatever your reason for visiting is, you won’t be disappointed. Let’s dive into this complete Barcelona travel guide, where I share everything you need to know before visiting. I will tell you the best time for visiting, fun activities, must-see landmarks, pros and cons of Barcelona, and everything else in between. Enjoy!
This will all depend on what you plan to do while visiting Barcelona. If you plan to make this trip a “beach vacation”, the summer months through October are great for visiting the beaches. But you should also know that Barcelona is very humid, so walking around and sightseeing during the hottest part of the year can get a bit uncomfortable. Late fall or early spring still provide comfortable weather, warm enough to enjoy rooftop bars, sightseeing, and walking around for a few hours a day.
If you plan your visit around the holidays, Barcelona has a great Christmas market that starts the first week of December and lasts through the first week of January.
We flew into Barcelona’s main airport (BCN) and then took a taxi from the airport to our Airbnb. Depending on the distance and time of day, the taxi will cost you around 35-45 euros.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a cheaper route, you can hop on the train outside of terminal 2 and it will take you into the city center. The R2 Nord Train connects BCN Airport to the city of Barcelona, leaving every 30 minutes. This journey takes approximately 25 minutes, depending on the final station in Barcelona downtown and costs 5.15 euros.
The city also offers a “Hola Barcelona” metro pass if you plan to use the train often. Prices for a 48-hour pass start at 18 euros and increase to 42 euros for a 120-hour / 5-day pass.
I recommend a minimum of 2 days, but I highly suggest staying longer if you have the time for it. Two days in Barcelona will give you an overall feel for the city and to see the major landmarks. Three to four days will allow time for beach days, more ticketed attractions, getting lost in the city on foot, and trying out just some of the amazing restaurants the city has to offer!
Here are just a few great hotel and Airbnb recommendations based on location, budget, and reviews!
Vasanta powered by Sonder, Barcelona
Beach day: At least one beach day in Barcelona is a must! Before visiting, I heard very mixed reviews about the beaches in Barcelona. During our trip, I found the beaches to be clean, crowded, but not too crowded, and beautiful views. Barceloneta Beach is definitely the most popular, as it is the closest to the city. We visited Mar Bella Beach, which is along the same strip, just further down.
Boqueria Market: Boqueria Market is a food market with several vendors selling all different types of food- sandwiches, churros, tacos, candy, fruit, etc. They also have butchers where you can purchase fresh meat and seafood.
La Sagrada Familia: One of the most iconic landmarks to see while visiting Barcelona. The temple started being built in 1882 and now over 140 years later, there is still construction going on. The history of the temple is fascinating. You can read more about the history here. Tickets cost 26 euros to enter the church, and they have more options available if you choose to do a guided tour or go to the top of one of the towers. The tickets can be purchased here. Be sure to buy your tickets in advance, as they sell out quickly and are rarely available for the day of purchase.
Stroll around the Gothic Quarter: The Gothic Quarter is one of the most beautiful areas in Barcelona. Filled with amazing architecture, good restaurants and shops. I highly suggest making your way to this neighborhood and just getting lost in the streets.
Explore the El Born neighborhood: El Born is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Barcelona. It is an old historic quarter located in downtown Barcelona which is filled with amazing restaurants, shops, museums, and so much history. This neighborhood is also a great area to stay in during your trip!
Billy Brunch: The perfect breakfast spot! They have everything from pancakes, avocado toast, English style breakfasts and so much more. I suggest making a reservation, as this is a popular place and is always packed.
Kilele: Another great option for breakfast that will not be as busy as Billy Brunch. They are a Colombian restaurant and offer options like arepas, acai bowls, eggs benedict and more.
Feroz: This restaurant offers amazing, shareable appetizers, steaks, burgers, seafood and more. The ambience of Feroz was one of my favorites! If you have a late dinner, the restaurant turns into a lounge / nightlife scene later on.
Honest Greens: A great option for lunch if you’re looking for something quick and healthy!
Monster Sushi: If you’re in the mood for sushi while in Barcelona, this is the place to go!
Paco Meralgo: A delicious Michelin Star restaurant located in L’Antiga.
Bar Cañete: A popular restaurant in Barcelona offering very traditional dishes.
Chök (for pastries / dessert): This is a popular pastry shop in Spain and I highly suggest grabbing at least 1 dessert while visiting. You won’t be disappointed.
Barcelona EDITION: Located on the rooftop of the Mariott Bonvoy, the EDITION offers breathtaking views of the city.
Terrassa Panoramica at Hotel Colon: In the heart of the Gothic Quarter, this rooftop bar looks out at the Barcelona Cathedral.
Noxe: This very trendy bar is not technically a “rooftop”, but with its all-glass windows, it still has amazing views to offer. We came here for drinks just after sunset, but I highly suggest staying for when it turns into a nightclub!
Carpe Diem (club / drinks): Carpe Diem is just about everything you want it to be. Enjoy sushi on the beach during the day, their restaurant during dinner hours, or come late at night to experience the nightlife scene.
Hotel la Florida: The perfect spot to enjoy a pool, lounge, and cocktails with a beautiful view.
El Balconet Del Mirablau: A beautiful outfit bar that sits overtop the city.
Terraza del Sercotel Rosellón: Looking out to the Sagrada Familia, this rooftop bar offers one of the best views in Barcelona.
As I mentioned earlier, the Hola Barcelona pass offers the most cost-effective way to get around the city.
Although there are plenty of taxis, sometimes it can still be hard to flag one down because of the city’s busyness. Uber was previously banned to protect the taxi fleet and public transport, but you can now use the app while in the city. Getting them can also be difficult at times due to demand.
Additionally, we also walked to many places! We always prefer walking as much as we can in any city. In my opinion, it is the best way to see the city and get familiar with your surroundings. We would walk from our Airbnb to places 45 minutes away and were able to come across things we wouldn’t have otherwise.
Pros:
-There are so many things to do in the city- museums, famous cathedrals and landmarks, beaches, rooftop bars, food markets, shopping, and much more.
-A very young and vibrant city.
-You can mix and match your days with sightseeing and beach days.
-Countless delicious restaurants and rooftop bars with breathtaking scenery.
-Great transportation / easy to get around.
Cons:
-If you’re visiting in the summer months- it gets very hot and very humid.
-Beware of pick pocketers. Barcelona is known to be one of the worst cities for pickpocketing.
-Major tourist attractions are likely to sell out tickets days in advance.
Barcelona is one of the most iconic cities in Europe and is a must while visiting. I’m sure after deep diving into all the amazing places to go, beaches to visit, and restaurants to dine at, you’re ready to get your trip started! I hope I covered any questions you had regarding Barcelona, but if you notice anything I missed, please feel free to reach out. Send me a message on IG @_juliatravels if you have any additional questions and I am happy to help!
Before our time in Barcelona started, we spent 4 days on the beautiful island of Mallorca! We loved exploring both, as it was a quick 25–30 minute flight! If you’re heading there next, make sure to check out my Mallorca travel guide here!
If you’re like me and need help keeping all of your travel plans and itinerary organized, be sure to check out my travel journal that I designed for just this reason! It’s how I plan every single trip and keep organized. It has everything you need from a packing list, a page for your accommodation info, travel itinerary, budgeting on your trip, journaling each day and more!
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