We spent three days in Barcelona during our ten day trip to Spain. During this time we enjoyed exploring picturesque tree-lined streets, local bars, restaurants, and many local shops. Barcelona is known for its artistic architecture, lively streets, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and delicious tapas. The streets of Barcelona seamlessly blend Antoni Gaudí's colorful and vibrant architecture with the classic European buildings. With so much to experience, there is something for everyone in Barcelona!

How to Get There

The easiest way to arrive in Barcelona is to fly into Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN) located just south of the city. Whether you opt for a taxi, an Uber/Lyft ride, or public transportation, it's easy to get to the city center.

Getting Around

A taxi ride from the airport to the city center will take about 20-minutes. During our stay, we mainly relied on taxis or walked. We also noticed that Uber and Lyft came with higher prices and lengthier wait times compared to local taxi services. Although we didn't take advantage of the public transportation, it's worth noting that like many major Spanish cities, Barcelona has an expansive and convenient public transportation network.

Where to Stay

We stayed in the L'Eixample neighborhood during our time in Barcelona. An upscale, residential neighborhood, L'Eixample is full of tree-lined streets, boutique shopping, and located near major attractions. This safe neighborhood has many local cafes, tapas bars, restaurants, and nightlife.

Luxury Apartment through AirBnB

Our Barcelona trip started with 2-nights in this luxury 2-bedroom apartment unit on Valencia Street, booked through Airbnb. The unit was stunning and the location was perfect for a first time in Barcelona. Within a 20-minute walk, we were near many Barcelona attractions. With Casa Batlló just a 3-minute walk away and the iconic La Sagrada Familia an 18-minute walk away, this apartment was a great combination of comfort and convenience.

Photo Credit: Luxury Apartment on Valencia Street with Personal Assistant via Airbnb.com

H10 Casa Mimosa

We ended our trip with one night at H10 Casa Mimosa, a stylish four-star hotel just an 8-minute walk from our initial Barcelona apartment. This boutique hotel features private terraces with views of Casa Milà and the gardens. We loved starting the day with their breakfast and relaxing on our terrace with a cup of espresso.

Photo Credit: H10 Casa Mimosa via H10hotels.com

Majestic Hotel Barcelona

Located on the Paseo de Gracia and in the heart of the L'Eixample neighborhood, the Majestic Hotel is an elegant 5-start hotel. With its rooftop terrace, pool, and spa, the Majestic hotel is the perfect combination of luxury and convenience.

Photo Credit: Hotel Majestic via Majestichotelgroup.com

Things to Do

Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia is a world famous Barcelona icon known for being an unfinished basilica even after 140 years. If you've explored other basilicas around Europe, you've never seen anything quite like this Gaudí creation. The Sagrada Familia combines Gothic architecture with inspiration from the natural world. As Barcelona's number-one tourist attraction, its a good idea to purchase tickets ahead of time to avoid the line. We opted for the guided tour and spent about 2 hours exploring. We definitely recommend setting aside at least 2 hours for this must-see attraction.

Photo Credit: Sagrada Familia via brtiannica.com

Park Güell

Designed by Antoni Gaudí, Park Güell is a vast park with gorgeous scenery, amazing views of Barcelona, and colorful mosaic buildings. Park Güell is great place to explore the unique works of Gaudí with stunning views of Barcelona. The wavy mosaic balcony with the Barcelona skyline is a very popular photo-op and one of Barcelona's iconic images. Purchase tickets ahead of time to skip the line and give yourself a couple of hours to explore!

Casa Batlló

Located in the center of Barcelona, Casa Battló,is another work of Antoni Gaudí. This UNESCO World Heritage site and its unique facade is sure to catch your eye. We didn't have enough time to explore inside, but you can purchase tickets ahead of time to experience the whimsical interior of Casa Battló.

Dow Jones Bar

For a unique experience, visit the Dow Jones Bar where drink prices run like the stock market. Prices change in real time based on popularity which are shown on screens similar to the stock exchange. Play the market and opt for in-demand drinks at a premium or take a risk with wallet friendly shots. When the market crashes, all drinks hit the lowest price causing a rush to the bar.

Where to Eat

Casa Lolea - $$

Casa Lolea, a vibrant Spanish tapas bar, is popular for their sangria, which you can even find in the U.S. We ate here on our first night and loved the patatas bravas, beef carpaccio, and salmon blinis!

ELJ APO NÉS - $$

This sushi bar is located in L'Eixample near the luxury shopping. Everything we ordered was delicious but our favorite was the foie gras nigiri!

Vinitus - $$

This tapas and wine bar was a great spot for lunch with an array of options incuding a fresh seafood bar! We recommend the croquetas and the seafood pasta!

Epicerie - $

We started our day with a quick latte and croissant at Epicerie on our way to the Sagrada Familia. This was a great way to start our morning before a long day of exploring!

Takeaways

Barcelona was a great city to start our journey through Spain. Three days is a perfect introduction to Barcelona and you can definitely prioritize sites to fit during this timeframe.