A weekend in Barcelona: The ultimate itinerary for the city's best
Genia · Aug 19, 2024
Like Madrid, Barcelona is a city stacked with things to see. Can you take it all in over a single weekend? Honestly, no, but with the right route you can make every hour count.
Here's how we'd do it: follow our two-day plan and soak up the very best the city has to offer.
First day in Barcelona
Start where the city started, in the old town.
Soak up the historic centre
Have breakfast in the Gothic Quarter, where you'll trip over chocolate shops and patisseries laying out every kind of traditional Catalan sweet.
Once you're full, get moving. Wander the narrow streets and they'll funnel you towards Plaça del Rei, the Church of Sant Felip Neri, the Church of Santa Maria del Pi and the Cathedral.
Push a little further and you'll reach the Bishop's Bridge, a stone gangway that looks lifted from a fairy tale, linking the Generalitat to the Casa dels Canonges. Nearby runs La Rambla, a spectacular 1,200-metre stretch of stalls, street performers and terraces made for a leisurely drink.
Keep going and you'll hit the Boqueria Market, where you can join a Spanish cooking workshop. Or, for something more romantic, drift towards the sea and drink in the views from the Mirador de Colom.
Lunch with a sea view
Follow La Rambla all the way down and you'll end up at Port Vell. Explore the Moll de la Fusta with its contemporary sculptures and moored boats, then carry on to lively Barceloneta beach just steps away.
Treat yourselves to a table on one of the seafront terraces (book ahead, it pays off) and enjoy classic Catalan dishes while the sea breeze does its thing.
Walk it off with a little culture
After lunch, work it off with a climb to Montjuïc. The funicular or cable car gets you up easily, and the views up top are worth the trip.
What's waiting for you? Beyond the panorama, you'll find the National Art Museum of Catalonia and the Joan Miró Foundation. Prefer to stay at street level? Head instead to the Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona's green lung.
Where to have dinner
Depending on your route, you could dine near the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc and catch its dazzling light show once night falls.
Our pick, though, is El Born, one of the city's most stylish neighbourhoods, home to the Picasso Museum and the Church of Santa Maria del Mar. For a young, switched-on crowd, it's the perfect spot for dinner and drinks.
The perfect route for your second day
After a good night's sleep, make the most of day two with this plan.
Start at Plaça de Catalunya
Your first stop should be Plaça de Catalunya, ringed with cafés serving one of the city's most classic breakfasts: pa amb tomàquet.
Once you've eaten, Casa Batlló on Passeig de Gràcia is barely ten minutes away. A little further along, on Carrer de Provença, you'll find Casa Milà, better known as La Pedrera.
Brunch at EatMyTrip
Since you're in the Gràcia area, why not pause for lunch? Or better still, brunch. You'll find one of our kitchens right here, where you can taste every kind of delicacy made with top-quality produce and real care for how the flavours come together. The perfect way to fill up and keep exploring.
Sagrada Família: a must-see
Anyone who comes to Barcelona and skips the Sagrada Família is missing out. It's one of Gaudí's most famous works, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A fun detail: construction began in 1882 and it's still unfinished. According to the architects, it could be completed by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's death. The architect himself is buried inside.
Lunch break
After all that marvelling, no surprise you've worked up an appetite. Where to satisfy it? The Gràcia neighbourhood, every time. If you haven't had brunch yet, swing by EatMyTrip, our plates are complete and nourishing enough to power the rest of your day.
Stroll through Park Güell
Time to walk off lunch with a wander through one of the city's most famous parks, another Gaudí masterpiece.
Don't miss the Dragon Stairway, the Hypostyle Room, or the climb to the top for a panoramic view of the city and that obligatory souvenir photo.
Dinner in the Eixample
To round off your weekend, head to the Eixample, where fine dining is the order of the day.
You'll find plenty of restaurants serving gourmet cooking alongside the most traditional Catalan dishes. Or, if you didn't make it the day before, dine down at Port Vell instead.
Ready to make us part of your Barcelona weekend? Book a table and we'll have brunch waiting.