I was in Barcelona 2 times and both times for 2-3 days. Started with Barcelona for the first time our euro tour of the mediterranean, in which we drove / flew from Barcelona to Istanbul. The second time we stopped by Barcelona for a couple of days before our trip to Tenerife.
On this page I will tell What Barcelona sights can you see on your own?if you, like us, came there for a couple of days.
If you want to order a comprehensive planning of your trip to Spain or, on the contrary, learn how to organize your trips on your own, then you are here 🙂
What to see on your own in Barcelona in 1 day
Let’s take the very center of Barcelona as a starting point, namely Plaza Catalunya.
From there we go to Passeig de Gracia, on which are located first Casa Batlló, and a little further House Mila.
We exit onto Diagonal Avenue and follow it to the right until Sagrada Familia. Be sure to go around the Sagrada Familia (the second name of the Sagrada) from all sides. This temple is one of the most famous long-term construction projects in the world, therefore, on the one hand, the temple looks like a brand new gingerbread house, and on the other, like a pretty tired Gothic cathedral.
Next is a forced march 2 km to Park Güell. Entrance to the park itself is free, if you want to look at Gaudí mosaics, then you will need to pay just for visiting this piece of the park. The first time I paid, but to be honest, I did not see anything special. I like the park itself much more, and if you climb to its highest point, then you can see Barcelona from above.
The second forced march, this time 4 km, will need to be done from Park Güell to Arc de Triomphe, crowning the entrance to ciutadella park. In fact, the sights of Barcelona are located quite compactly, with the exception of Park Güell. But you can’t come to Barcelona and not visit it, so you have to make this detour. So, Ciutadella Park. Very pleasant, green with a beautiful fountain.
We walk along it and get into the oldest district of Barcelona – Gothic Quarter. About what you need to see in the Gothic Quarter, I will write a little lower.
From the Gothic Quarter we go to Monument to Columbus and from there we walk along the main walking street of Barcelona – La Rambla. We also go to Boqueria market, where just an unmeasured amount of jamon, cheeses, fruits and other delights.
We pass La Rambla to the end, we run into the already familiar Plaza Catalunya. This time we turn left and walk along the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes until Plazas of Spain.
From Plaza de España we exit exactly to Montjuic – a mountain with a fortress, many gardens and parks, an unusual cemetery and the National Art Museum of Catalonia. If you come in the warm season, be sure to check the schedule of the fountain show on Montjuic. Usually there are no shows in January and February, for the rest of the months you need to check the schedule.
To truly complete this day in Spanish, I propose to look at street Carrer de Blailocated nearby. This street is focused lots of tapas bars, where you can order a decanter of sangria and a dozen varieties of different snacks. And you can basically move from bar to bar. If you still have the strength, of course 🙂
What to see in Barcelona in 2-3 days
If you have more than 1 day in Barcelona, then it is best to break up the itinerary suggested above so that it is not so tiring. For example, on the first day, visit the Gothic Quarter and Montjuic, and on the second day, explore everything else and lie down on Barceloneta beach.
I also recommend going to the mountains to Montserrat Monastery, which looks like this:
Attractions in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
As promised above, I bring list of interesting placeslocated in the Gothic Quarter:
- Church of Sant Just i Pastor 9th century building,
- St. James Square,
- Number 2 – Bridge of Sighs. Or kisses. Or a lace bridge. Or Bishop’s Bridge
- Number 1 – Arxiu Diocesa de Barcelona – a spiritual center with a very nice patio, which, in principle, many pass by because they don’t know that you can go inside,
- Cathedral or Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia,
- Collage “Kiss of Freedom” — an interesting composition, where a big picture of a kiss is made up of a mosaic of small photos,
- Cafe “4 cats”in which Gaudi and Picasso liked to spend time,
- Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi.
