One can easily spend a week in Barcelona, visiting its museums, art galleries, and beaches and seeing its architecture. You will be spoilt for choice in Barcelona for tourist attractions.
A few things to remember if you're planning to visit Barcelona are
- One, Barcelona is an expensive city. So planning your activities to optimize your stay is a good idea.
- Two, there are all kinds of touristy attractions in Barcelona. Pick your type. If it's a family vacation and you have just 4 days, then my itinerary should cater to your taste. We covered 8 attractions in 3 days. On the last day, we went to Port Aventura for a day trip.
- Three, Barcelona is a haven for watersport enthusiasts owing to its warm and calm Mediterranean waters. In case you wish to spend more time indulging in water sports, then you will need an additional day or swap any item from the list below to make time for your water adventure. In case you wish to do so, then it would be a difficult choice to make but I'd say leave out CosmoCaixa.
3-Day itinerary with 8 Top Attractions in Barcelona
Day One
Park Güell
Most tourists to Barcelona start their trips with the famous church Sagrada Familia. But we were travelling with our two boys. So, the first stop was Park Güell followed by the Football Club Barcelona Stadium Camp Nou.
Park Güell is a garden complex with a multitude of elements fused to make the work of art that it is today. It is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List of Works of Anton Gaudi.
It is named after an entrepreneur Güell who designated the design of this park to Antoni Gaudi, an architect who is quite a household name in Spain since he also designed the iconic Sagrada Familia.
My Tip -
The park is an intriguing piece of architecture and worth visiting.
Entrance to the park is free but you need to pay to see the museum and other buildings.
Please check the park website https://parkguell.barcelona/en?q=en for more details. You need about 2 hours to see the entire park.
Football Club Barcelona Stadium Camp Nou
From Park Güell, you'll need about an hour to walk to Camp Nou.
If you're a football fan, then this stadium needs no introduction. Our boys were thrilled by this outing to the 'temple' of football as they call it.
My Tip -
I didn't opt for the tour of the stadium, I have no interest in football. But if you are a keen fan, then you must opt for the Barca Stadium Tour and Camp Nou Experience Tours. These tours take you through the stadium, the changing rooms, the stands and into the fields. There is a Megastore for buying souvenirs.
My boys went crazy going through the merchandise. You will need 1.5 to 2 hours to see the entire stadium.
Barceloneta Beach
It takes about an hour by train to reach Barceloneta Beach from Camp Nou. You can also walk through the city for 1.5 hours approx. to reach the beach if it's not too exhausting for you.
My Tip -
Your trip to Barcelona will be incomplete without a trip to the Barceloneta beach. This is the most happening beach in the city. There are a host of amenities with excellent seafood options and a vibrant nightlife around the beach.
Barcelona is a popular destination for a variety of water sports like kayaking, scuba, snorkelling, windsurfing, canoeing and many more on its beaches and a host of operators are available for organizing these tours.
As I've mentioned earlier, if you want to do some water sports, then you will need more time for that.
We reached the beach in the early evening and spent the rest of the day at the beach. You can opt for the segway tours which are a great way to see the entire area.
Day Two
Sagrada Familia
This church is considered to be a masterpiece of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi and is a sight to behold. The impressive spires all around the outer facade lend an otherworldly charm to this timeless structure.
The church is unfinished, it has been under construction for the last many years, despite that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are cafes on the street all around the church where you can grab a bite, drink coffee and watch the stunning architectural marvel in front of you.
My Tip -
Entry to the church is paid, but on some special days, visitors are granted free access. You can check their website for more details before visiting.
There are many types of conducted tours of the cathedral, with and without access to the towers.
The tours are worth your time, there are infinite intriguing details in the architecture of the church that are fun to know.
Try to reach early in the morning to beat the crowds. The entire outing should take about 3 hours.
CosmoCaixa Barcelona
CosmoCaixa is 5 km from Sagrada Familia. You can walk for an hour or take a train that takes about 30 minutes to reach.
The science museum is a fun place for kids and adults alike. The museum showcases the workings of the universe and the human brain through interactive exhibits. The museum displays some temporary exhibitions too. Please check their website if you're looking for something specific.
My Tip -
The museum is very informative and interactive. Many touch-and-learn displays are a hit with children.
It should be a must-see if you're travelling with kids, otherwise, you can give it a miss. Spend your time on the beach instead.
You'll need at least 3 hours to see the complete museum and fully comprehend what you're seeing!
National Museum of Art of Catalonia and the magic fountain of Montjuic
The magnificent structure of the National Museum of Art looks like a palace with its massive dome and sprawling fountains in the front. Noteworthy is the fact that this huge palatial building was constructed as a venue to hold Spanish art exhibitions.
You can reach the museum by train or bus and also by cable car.
The museum is 3 km away from Barcelona-Sants, the central train station and takes about 25 minutes to reach. For tourists, the best way is to go by the Montjuic cable car which will take you directly to the top of the mountain and offer scenic views of the city en route.
The famous Magic Fountain of Montjuic is located right in front of the complex.
Very close to the museum, on the hilltop is the Montjuic castle, an old military fortress.
You can spend about 1 to 2 hours in the castle, then head back to Mirador del l' Alcalde, a viewing platform that offers beautiful vistas of the city of Barcelona.
My Tip -
You should plan your outing in the evening since the fountains come alive only in the late evening at 8:00 p.m. Hundreds of people collect around the fountains to witness a spectacular show of music, light and water. The show lasts about 20 minutes and is held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The days and timings keep changing, kindly cross-check before leaving.
The entire area is so lively and buzzing with activity that one should keep the latter part of the day for this activity only.
Day Three
L' Aquarium Barcelona
Hailed as the Best Mediterranean-themed aquarium in the world, you shouldn't miss this one!
The most interesting part of the museum is the Flooded Forest which displays the ecosystem of the Amazon through a 1000 sq. meter wide glass house. The different ecosystems of the world are displayed region-wise, the exhibit is not just beautiful to look at but almost awe-inspiring and very informative.
And the sharks, of course! Huge sharks go all around you in the glass aquarium and I could hear people shrieking with delight.
My Tip -
I would visit this museum even if I were not travelling with kids.
To close the trip, there is a cafeteria and a souvenir shop with many cute things to buy.
One can easily spend about 3 hours in the aquarium and it'll be worth your time.
La Ramblas and Monument of Christopher Columbus
This was our last evening in the city since early next morning we had planned to go to La Aventura. And what better way to spend this evening than spend it at the famous La Ramblas, a pedestrian street in Barcelona connecting Placa de Catalunya with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell?
There is nothing spectacular about this street except that spending an evening at La Ramblas will give you an instant insight into the Spanish way of life. It's like the Champs Elysees of Paris. Just like your visit to Paris would be incomplete without visiting it, so it is with La Ramblas!
My Tip -
This street is a not-to-miss attraction of Barcelona!!
There are shops, tapas bars, eateries, and the typical Spanish human statues that left me baffled in Madrid too. One can see locals and tourists jostling with each other to get a piece of this street adventure.
It's 1.2 km long and one can walk down to Port Vell where the Monument of Christopher Columbus is located.
The monument is 60 meters tall and has a lift inside that takes you to the top to stunning views of the city all around.
We spent the entire evening around La Ramblas, buying souvenirs and sampling local delicacies.
Day Four
Port Aventura
Port Aventura is a theme park 92 km away from Barcelona. On the 4th and last day of our stay in Barcelona, we went to this adventure park.
Port Aventura is best known for its adrenaline-pumping rides like the Shambhala and Dragon Khan.
I have written about our experience at Port Aventura in the link below
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