Barcelona itinerary – what to do – where to go – how to get around

Wonderful Barcelona, I’ve been there three times, and I’m not tired yet. The art, the carefree, the magic fountain, the ramblas, the paella , whether you go there for a week or just for a weekend is always a pleasure, you fall in love and discover something new. But what exactly to see in Barcelona and where to stay? In this post you will find the practical itinerary to be able to see the most evocative places in Barcelona.

but first of all …

Where to sleep

If your trip includes more than two days, I recommend that you rent a mini apartment, or a room that also includes a kitchenette, it is much more practical and allows you to save some pennies by avoiding eating in restaurants.

My stays took place near the Ramblas, although many advise against avoiding those areas at night, up to now I have found myself well, of course, you have to be careful and walking alone at night is definitely not a good idea, but from the point of view from a logistics point of view it is very convenient. As a starting point to start your daily itinerary it is perfect, there is a lot of movement and in the evening lots of restaurants and pubs.

From El-Prat Airport (BCN) to the Center of Barcelona

Taxi: A simpler but more expensive alternative, the cost is around 40-45 Euros, a surcharge may be applied for each baggage loaded and remember before leaving to ask if it is possible to pay via POS (card payment).
Aerobus: From El – Prat (BCN): the Aerobus is the fast shuttle that leaves from Barcelona El-Prat airport and takes you to the city center exactly Plaza Catalunya . There are 2 Aerobuses the A1 and A2 . The A1 aerobus leaves with its run from Terminal 1 while, the A2 Aerobus leaves with its run from Terminal 2. Departure is scheduled every 10 minutes. The travel time is about 35 minutes , as far as the cost is concerned, it is 5.90 Euros for one way, if the return is also included it is 10.20 Euros. It is possible to buy the ticket on the spot at the ATMs located in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 respectively. I recommend buying it online, alternatively if you can’t, you can buy it directly in the car, but remember that the driver will not be able to give more than 20.00 euros in change.

What see

Sagrada Familia

To get there you can take the purple, L2 or blue L5 metro , Sagrada Família stop. I recommend you to get there on foot, the route is pleasant and you will enjoy the Spanish atmosphere. The best time of day is around 9/10 in the morning, so you will find little queue, keep in mind that the visit lasts from 1 hour and a half to 2 hours.
Timetables:

• From November to February 9.00 – 18.00
• March and October from 9.00 to 19.00
• From April to September from 9.00 to 20.00.

The ticket offices and the entrance to the Sagrada Familia close half an hour before the indicated time.

Price:

• Standard Visit – 30.00 Euros
• Visit + Audio guide – 41.00 Euros
• Visit + Tower + Audio guide – 47.00 Euro.

I recommend taking the Visit + Audio guide, it is undoubtedly a more complete visit and it is really worth it. Tickets can be purchased online at a discounted price.

Casa Batllò

Shoot the metro purple L2 to get off after about twenty minutes at the stop Passeig de Gràcia, at the exit we will find ourselves in front of it Casa Batllò. A small architectural pearl of Gaudì that is worth a visit, even the facade alone is worth the walk up to Passeig de Gracia , and it is something wonderful.
Timetables:

• Open every day of the year
• Open from 9.00 to 21.00
• Last admission one hour before closing (20.00).

Price:

It is possible to buy tickets for Gaudi’s opera directly online, to avoid the long queue that repeats every day at the building’s ticket office.

The standard ticket costs 23.50 euros. There is a 3.00 Euro discount for those under the age of 18, university students and for those over 65 years of age. While, children under the age of 7 enter for free.

Online there are many Tickets at a reduced price.

Parc Guell

Parc Güell is one of Barcelona ‘s main attractions. Located just north of the Gràcia district, in fact, to reach it just take bus 24 from Passeig de Gracia which in about 30 minutes leaves you right at the park entrance. Or take the green metro L3 to Vallcarca and walk for about 10 minutes until you reach the park.
Hours:

• From 8.30 to 18.15

After hours the ticket price is free, basically because it starts to get dark and you don’t see much. I suggest you go to Parc Guell in the morning.
Price:

As always you can find offers on the cost of the ticket online, alternatively:

• Adults: 10.00 Euros
• Children from 7 to 12 years: 7.00 Euros
• Over 65 years: 7.00 Euros
• Children from 0 to 6 years and disabled: Free .

The Ramblas

The Ramblas is one of the most famous places in the city . It is a road that stretches for 1.3 kilometers and connects the Plaza Catalunya with the old port of the city, where the statue of Christopher Columbus reigns.

Always lively, full of tourists and street performers , you can find numerous bars and it is pleasant to sit and enjoy the climate that surrounds you .

From Plaza Cataluña, the following Ramblas start which in total are 5 .

• Rambla de Canaletes : Located in the upper part of the Ramblas, next to the Plaça de Catalunya, the Rambla de Canaletes. Lively and very busy area.
• Rambla de los Estudios : So called because it is close to the universities, it is also known as the rambla of the sparrows, as the ancient Sparrow Market was nearby.
• Rambla de las Flores : The most colorful part of the Ramblas, is filled with stalls of flowers and plants, a few steps away is the famous Boqueria Market.
• Rambla de los Capuchinos : Also known as the Rambla del Centro, it has numerous places of interest, such as the Gran Teatro Liceo, the Güell Palace, or the nearby Plaça Reial (in the latter there are some restaurants that deserve).
• Rambla de Santa Mònica : La Rambla de Santa Monica is a lively area full of bars and restaurants. At the end of the road, before reaching the sea, there is the Belvedere of Colombo.

Attention: As all places that are teeming with tourists it is now the rule and luckily to find pickpockets , that, without even realizing it, in a few seconds they clean up your purse or trouser pocket (it happened to me personally once) I advise not to let anyone near you, stay away from the confusion, keep the money on you, hidden and use small denominations (10 and 5 banknotes). Keep your camera tight, your bags in front of you and above all to avoid wasting time in the embassy, travel with a photocopy of your documents, leave your passport in the safe of the hotel or apartment where you are staying.

Magic Fountain

Absolutely my favorite place in Barcelona, I fell in love with the fountain that dances to the rhythm of the music, painting itself in all colors. It is located in Carles Buigas plaza. Take the metro , red line L1 or green line L3 and stop at the “ Espanya ” stop then you will have to walk for about 10 minutes in the direction of the main building.
Timetables:

Price:

The show is free for everyone. I recommend going an hour earlier to get the best seat on the steps as after a certain time it fills up in a second.

Parc de la Ciutadella

The Parc de la Ciutadella is a place for relaxation and recreation. However, it preserves an unexpected historical heritage to visit absolutely. To reach the destination of the Parc, take the underground red line L1 Arc De Triomf stop or yellow line L4 Barcelloneta / Villa Olimpica stop.

1. At the Parc de la Ciutadella, you can also find:
2. the Monumental Waterfall
3. the castle of the three dragons
4. Barcelona Zoo (ticket cost 21.00 Euros)
5. the Parliament of Catalonia
6. There is a small lake on which it is possible to navigate with the rowing boat (upon payment).

Timetable: from 10.00 to 22.30.

Tibidabo

Tibidabo, what is it? we usually hear more or less the same stops in Barcelona that are mainly centered in the city center itself, I have included in this itinerary a stop a little more distant but that is absolutely worth seeing. Tibidabo Park is the highest peak in the Collserola mountain range . At 512 meters high, also known as the Magic Mountain, it is one of the best viewpoints in the city . At Tibidabo you can find the amusement park, the oldest in Spain, beautiful for the little ones and pleasant for adults being surrounded by greenery, but mainly Tibidabo is characteristic because we also find the Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart, temple dedicated to Don Bosco. Entrance to the temple is free, it is divided into two parts: the crypt and the church at the top. You can visit the church, reach the terrace, you can also use the elevator with a cost of 3.50 euros or alternatively with the steps to reach Christ the Redeemer on the highest peak.
How to get there: From Plaza Catalunya take the T2 TIBIBUS leaves you right in front of the Tibidabo Park. This bus costs 2.95 Euros , the journey time is 40 minutes . You find one every 20 minutes.

Tip: Bring something to eat and drink in your backpack as there will be no places to eat at the top.

I wish you a good trip.