Sipping Sangria with the Family: Guide to Barcelona’s Best Sights and Bites
Since I started making a concerted effort to travel more, I’ve been so excited by the thought of taking our whole family (Todd and I, the kids, and their significant others/my bonus kids) on a fabulous trip to Europe. With the points and miles I’ve been collecting to facillitate our travel as much as possible, we decided this was the year to make it happen! I knew I wanted to keep things manageable and not move accomodations more than once, so I set up a more relaxed itinerary than I would typically do. We ended up deciding on 5 days in Barcelona (including a day trip to Montserrat) and then finished out our trip in Tossa de Mar in Costa Brava (future post alert!).
During our time in Barcelona, we had some truly amazing food and drinks, and got a great feel for the city. We intended to do a day trip to Girona as well, but some unusually rainy weather changed our plans on the fly. It was a good reminder that flexibilty is of the utmost importance when you travel!
Arrival in Barcelona
You will likely arrive in Barcelona one of two ways – by plane or by train. If by plane (like us), your best options to get to your accomodations are the metro, a bus, or a taxi. As much as I like jumping into public transportation in a new place, with 6 people in the throes of travel exhaustion, we went with a taxi. The airport is not far at all from the city center, meaning our super sized taxi was not overly expensive. There is a taxi marshall just outside the exit that will assist with finding you a ride quickly.
The metro is a great choice as well – we learned to love Barcelona’s metro system while we were there! Check out their website and crunch the numbers to figure out what type of card is best for your situation. It’s much easier to figure that out before your trip! Beware blindly buying the Hola Barcelona card like I initially planned to (unlimited rides per day) – after I estimated how many trips for our 6, the T-Grupo card combined with the T-Familiar card saved us about $80 total.
Where to Stay
You may have heard there is some anti-tourist sentiment at the moment in Barcelona. A lot of this centers on the major problem short term rentals have been for the residents. They drive up prices and force locals to the outskirts of the city. Some legislation is on the way for Barcelona, but if possible, I would go with a hotel while staying there. That’s not always as practical with a large group or longer stay, and in our case, we chose to stay in an Airbnb this time. Any return to Barcelona will likely be just with Todd, so in the future we will definitely be in a hotel!
Besides the actual accomodations, the part of the city you stay in is a huge consideration. It’s always important to me to stay very near a public transportation stop – reducing walking to get to a metro station is an easy way to minimize transportation times. You also don’t want to unwittingly stay in an area you don’t feel comfortable in. I narrowed it down to 3 potential neighborhoods: Gothic Quarter, Eixample, and Gracia neighborhoods.
Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter is the oldest part of the city. It’s a maze of ancient streets with plenty of shops, restaurants, and picturesque squares (Placa Reial for one). The Gothic Quarter is a don’t-miss attraction in and of itself, which makes it a great place to stay. It’s also home to the Barcelona Cathedral and is well connected to the rest of the city. The downsides: it’s expensive and crowded.
Gracia Neighborhood
This residential neighborhood near Park Guell is charming and feels more “real” than the more touristy areas (yet still safe). It’s also home to plenty of shops and great food. The downside is that it’s a bit further out from the city center. However, Barcelona is not a huge city, and getting to Gracia is not that much different from getting to downtown from midtown Manhattan. This would be a great option for a stay, especially if your favorite part of travel is relaxing and getting amore authentic experience.
Eixample
Eixample (eye-sham-plah) is between Gracia and the Gothic Quarter, and was constructed after residents of Barcelona began spilling out of the Ciutat Vella (old city, mainly comprised of the Gothic Quarter, El Raval, and El Born). Looking at a map of the district, you can see how meticulously planned the construction was. It’s comprised of wide streets and octagonal blocks that keep pedestrians in mind. It’s the home of several Modernista buildings (the unique architectural style pioneered by hometown son Antoni Gaudi, among others). The treelined wide streets are lined by some of the best (and priciest) shopping in the city. This is the region we stayed in, on a block that also included the striking Casa Battlo.
4 Day Barcelona Itinerary
Although we were in Barcelona for 5 nights, since 1 of these was for a day trip, we worked off of a 4 day itinerary for the city itself. We will discuss potential day trips in another post! This starts with your first full day in Barcelona – I try to keep arrival days relaxed and focused on exploring our new surroundings. After a flight delay to Rome that left me scrambling to rework the Colloseum to later in our trip, I’m too paranoid to pre-purchase any tickets or tours.
Day 1: Gothic Quarter/Barcelona Cathedral/El Born/Tapas Tour
La Rambla
This first day will take you directly to the heart of Barcelona. You will start off at the main drag, the ever-touristy pedestrian street La Rambla. A good place to start is Placa de Catalunya – the very center of the city that marks the line between Eixample and the Gothic Quarter. You will follow La Rambla all the way to the harborside to enjoy a view of the impossibly blue Mediterranean.
La Boqueria
Stop in La Boqueria (located to your right), the most famous market in Barcelona. As the day progresses, it gets incredibly busy. You can avoid the worst of the crowds by stopping there mid morning (this plan allows you to catch up on your sleep so you can fully enjoy your day). Start your day with a fresh juice, pastry or try a paper cone of Iberian ham and Manchego cheese. It’s open at 8am Mon-Sat (note that it is closed on Sundays).
You can then keep walking down La Rambla to reach Placa Reial (on the left), an airy square lined with palm trees. There is great gelato at Anita’s, just off from the square. Once you return to La Rambla, Palau Guell will be on your right, and is an example of early Gaudi architecture. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Continue down La Rambla to the Columbus Monument, erected to honor his journey to the new world. Inexplicably, his statue is pointing to the east toward the rest of Europe rather than the west, toward North America. At this point, you can see the water, and can walk down the La Rambla extension walkway, called La Rambla de Mar. This is the home of the Maremagnum, an enormous shopping center and not a bad place to get some lunch by the sea.
Gothic Quarter/Barcelona Cathedral
Take a left to walk along the harbor before cutting back to the left to enter the Gothic Quarter. You are heading toward the Barcelona Cathedral, with any stops you like on the way. Carrer de la Fusteria is a straight shot, but feel free to meander! NOTE: the dress code is strictly enforced at the Cathedral, so you will want your shoulders and upper legs covered. They have shawls to purchase there, but think ahead and bring a wrap if needed. Buy tickets for the Cathedral here before getting in line – no need to buy too far ahead, and waiting will give you maximum flexibility since the tickets are timed.
Once inside the Cathedral, don’t forget to check out the cloisters to the right after you enter to see the 13 famous white geese that are always there (read this to find out why). To the left of the entrance is an elevator to the top that is included in the ticket. Some in our group have a bit of claustrophobia and/or fear of heights, but no one was made uncomfortable in the quick elevator ride or by the height at the top.
After the Cathedral, walk across the street to the Hotel Colon (or save for nighttime views) – no reservations needed, and the rooftop bar view of the Cathedral is perfection. Other late lunch options include Conesa Entrepans (a sandwich spot for a quick lunch) or Arcano for an amazing sit down experience in a converted stable. That one will require a reservation!
At this point, you may be ready for a siesta before heading to your pre-booked tapas tour. A tapas tour is a great way to get a feel for the city, learn the customs surrounding eating, and meet fellow travelers. We did this one (Tipsy Tapas), and this is another good option! These usually start from 5-6pm (before traditional restaurant dinnertime, check out the “Eating” section for info). The tour will likely fill you up enough to serve as your dinner!
El Born/Tapas Tour
If you want to skip the siesta and the weather is pleasant, check out El Born, directly next to the Gothic Quarter, which also part of the “Ciutat Vella” (old city). Sites in that area not to miss are Parc de la Ciutadella/Arc de Triomf and Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar (entrance is free after 6pm). In the Basilica, look for the stained glass window with a small FC Barcelona logo. After it was nearly destroyed by fire, FC Barcelona contributed to the reconstruction with that as the stipulation! Your tour will likely start somewhere in this area.
If you still have some mojo post tour, there is a small wine bar on the square facing the basilica called La Vinya del Senor. if cocktails are more your style, you cannot miss Paradiso or Dr. Stravinsky. Both have standout themes with inventive and delicious cocktail concoctions and were highlights of our trip. We arrived at each on the early side, before 9pm, and didn’t have to stand in line. Now it’s time to head back and get rested for your next day!
Day 2: Gaudi Masterpieces – La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell
Today, you will see two Gaudi masterpieces, La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. Many guides would suggest starting the day with Park Guell since you can then walk downhill to La Sagrada Familia, but we want to end up in the Gracia neighborhood near Park Guell for dinner. Avoid the walk uphill by utilizing public transportation – the bus gets you the closest to the park!
La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is the crown jewel of Barcelona sights. Considered the pinnacle of Gaudi’s accomplishments, construction is still ongoing! The current ETA for completion is 2026. Download their app (you will need it for the audio guide) and get tickets at least 3 weeks in advance for the best selection. Be aware that their app is glitchy, and may not take your card – I ended up needing to use an Amex to get it to go through.
The incredible interior lighting will be slightly different depending on the time of day. Many recommend as early as possible or sunset. For a wonderful view of the structure, make a reservation at Bar-Terrassa Sercotel 1 week in advance. Reservations open a midnight Barcelona time, so set yourself an alarm to log in and reserve – pay attention to the time zones, that’s midnight *Barcelona* time! Grab some tapas and drinks for lunch and take in the view.
We chose the guided tour ticket, and our tickets got us entrance 1 hour in advance of our tour start time. After listening to the audio tour during this time,when our guided tour started, there was a lot of repetitive information. I would choose one or the other – the audio guide worked just fine for pointing out all the architectural and design elements and the reasoning behind them.
Park Guell
If you’ve done any research about Barcelona, you’ve seen photos of Park Guell. The park itself overlooks the city, and includes both lots of green area and Gaudi-designed architecture. Construction began in 1900, and Gaudi envisioned a housing community living in harmony with the green space. Unfortunately, the price tag and distance from the Barcelona city center meant that there were no buyers, and it was converted to a municipal park.
This is another attraction that sells out well in advance, so buy tickets here 2-3 weeks ahead. We knew we would only be visiting the “monument zone” (where the Gaudi buildings are), so we got our tickets for about 1.5 hours prior to the park closure. I was hoping that would minimize the crowds, but no luck there!
After our park tour,it’s all downhill through the Gracia neighborhoold for dinner. We loved Tapeo Gracia (book ahead) – definitely a top meal during our stay! There is also a location in El Born, so make sure you book the correct restaurant! For some time to sit out and relax with a drink, Placa Virriena and Placa del Sol are some lovely squares!
Day 3: Block of Discord/Explore Eixample
The Block of Discord is how residents refer to the mishmash of Modernista structures along the Passeig de Gracia in the Eixample district. It includes Casa Battlo and Casa Amatller, and just 3 blocks down is the famous Casa Mila. The buildings appear to be trying to “outdo” each other with unconventional architecture, and were not particularly beloved at the time of their construction. Of course, now, Modernista architecture is a symbol of the city of Barcelona.
Casa Battlo
If you are interested in unique architecture and decor, Casa Battlo is a good choice for a visit. Start by viewing its striking exterior (preferably early morning before the crowds arrive). There are several tour choices, we went with Blue, which included an audio tour. Be aware, it’s crowded and warm inside the building – another good reason to go early or late!
Casa Mila, AKA La Pedrera
Casa Mila (also called “La Pedrera”, or “stone quarry” by locals) is an apartment building built by Gaudi in the early 1900s. We went to the night show at Casa Mila for our tour, and it was a bit of a disappointment. It included a tour of the attic and rooftop, a light show on the roof, and glass of cava at the end. The amazing guide made it more worthwhile, but I would suggest saving the money and doing a regular daytime tour that includes an apartment and courtyards. Another option for nighttime would be the Alaire Rooftop Bar at the Hotel Condes de Barcelona near Casa Mila. It has a great view of Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia and the rest of the lights of Barcelona.
Palau de la Musica Catalana
This spot is technically in the Gothic Quarter, but its very close to Eixample and fits in well with the other sights for today. You can buy tickets to the self-guided tour for 18 Euros, or for just 4 additional Euros, you can get the guided tour, which lasts approx 45 minutes (no need to buy in advance, day of is fine). The building is a Modernista masterpiece by Domenech i Montaner, but it’s not as visited as the more famous Gaudi sights. If possible, see a show at the Palau! They are the home to concerts showcasing musical and dance performances of all genres.
Eating and Shopping in Eixample
Don’t miss the Passeig de Gracia for shopping heaven in Barcelona! Check out some affordable Spanish brands such as Mango and Zara for clothing. It’s also home to other international brands that may not be available in your hometown, such as Uniqlo. For a snack while you are out, try the cafe in Casa Amatller. The Amatller family were well known choclatiers, and their delicious chocolate is available for purchase in the cafe even if you decide not to tour the casa! For a sit down meal, don’t miss Ciutat Comtal. They do not take reservations, so go a little “early” – 7pm or so, to get seated right away. They have a tapas del dia menu, meaning they just bring out the freshest tapas to your table once they are prepared – it’s a great way to try out different foods you may not necessarily have ordered!
Nightlife
After dinner, head to the Orient Express (you can walk or take a short metro ride). This is probably the coolest bar I have ever been to – I just love a good theme! Buy the ticket for the train itself, its an immersive experience that makes you really feel like you are on a train going from Paris to Istanbul. The drink menu is entertaining, and all the drinks were delicous and well balanced!
Another nearby nightlife option is Sips Barcelona – rated the #1 bar in the world in 2024!
Day 4: Montjuic and Barceloneta Beach
Montjuic
At this point, you may be ready for some fresher air and a break from the city, like we were. Montjuic (translates to “Jewish Mountain”) fits the bill on both counts – a broad, flat hill near the Mediterranean that is a quick metro ride away, We took the metro directly to the funicular, which then took us to the Teleferic de Montjuic, a cable car ride to Montjuic Castle at the summit of the hill. If that’s not your thing, you can also catch a bus at the top of the funicular.
There is a ton to do on Montjuic, and you can take as much or as little time as you want. For a half a day to the park, you need to stick to around 3 things to do. Montjuic Castle has a rich history and amazing views of the city and the sea. You can buy tickets when you arrive. You can then take the Teleferic back down and either stop at the Miramar station (cactus garden and lookouts/walking trails) or all the way back down to where you got on, and walk to the Joan Miro Foundation (a hilltop museum filled with his colorful, childlike artwork).
Alternatively, walk (it’s downhill) or take the bus to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. The museum is a stunning, palatial celebration of Catalunyan Art. You can catch some great views from the terrace! Once water supplies allow, the Magic Fountains in front of the museum will be turned back on, and are not to be missed.
Montjuic is also home to several structures built for the 1992 Olympics and the 1929 World Expo. FC Barcelona is playing at the field built for the Olympics while their stadium, Camp Nou, is under construction. Poble Espanyol was built for the Expo, and is meant to be a representation of village life in various areas of Spain. There is an entrance fee, and in our opinion, it is not worth the fee. We did have a great meal with friendly service at Restaurant MexGal.
Finish off your Montjuic journey by riding the bus back down to Placa Espana. Keep an eye out for the former bullfighting arena turned shopping mall, Arenas de Barcelona. Barcelona was the first area in Spain to outlaw bullfighting.
Barceloneta Beach
If you are not planning a day trip or longer to visit the beaches near Barcelona, a half day at Barceloneta Beach is in order. We skipped it since we were heading to Tossa de Mar, but this urban beach is very popular with residents and tourists alike. Make sure to keep a particular watch on your belongings – it’s also a popular place for pickpockets (see “Safety“)!
Tips for Barcelona
Language
If you know a little Spanish, you may be surprised to look around Barcelona and discover that the signs….are not in Spanish. Barcelona is in Catalunya (Catalonia), which is a region of Spain that has a difficult history with the Spanish government. Often historically oppressed, they have been advocating for independence for years. For decades, speaking Catalan was discouraged or outright banned by the government, and for that reason, the people of Barcelona show their pride by flying the Catalan flag and speaking Catalan first, and Spanish second. Learn a few Catalonian phrases before you go and you will be well received, although there is no shortage of English speakers as well.
Safety
You’ve probably heard that many European cities have a pickpocket problem, and of those, Barcelona tops the list. That said, it’s not inevitable – if you take reasonable precautions, you can avoid the heartbreak and inconvenience of losing a wallet or phone to a pickpocketer. I can’t overstate how much I loved this product on our trip, and will never be found without a phone tether again when visiting a city. I wore a crossbody from Uniqlo (no special “theft proof” qualiies) and made sure the bag was always on the front side of my body, secured closed with a S-clip like this one, and my phone was on the crossbody tether and also tucked into my bag. Never leave a phone, purse, or wallet on a table or in your back pocket/a backpack. When in a crowd or on the metro, be extra vigilant.
Eating and Drinking
Spanish mealtimes are likely much later than you are used to! In general, breakfast is light (pastry and espresso or cafe cortada). This minimalist early breakfast allows for a 2nd breakfast around 11am – often a bocadillo (sandwich) and another coffee or even beer/sweet vermouth.
Lunch time is then 2pm on, followed by a siesta (yes, the siesta is real and corresponds with the heat of the day). This is less of an issue in touristy areas, but restaurants and shops may close during the siesta time. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and many restaurants offer a “menu del dia” (menu of the day) that includes 2-3 courses, including wine and is typically a great deal.
Dinner is then very late (given that lunch is such a large meal) – 9pm to 11pm, and often tapas/lighter bites. If you need something in between lunch and dinner, there are plenty of bars with tapas open during what we would think of as happy hour or early dinner, but many true restaurants don’t open until 8pm or so.
Don’t forget to try cava (the Spanish version of sparkling white wine), sweet vermouth (herby and surprisingly delicious) and all the sangria (both red and white) while you are there! Wine is a steal in Spain, and we went through plenty of it!
Conclusion
4-5 days is a perfect amount of time to spend in Barcelona, whether you are staying in the region or it’s a part of a multi-city trip. We felt like we wre able to see all we wanted to and still leave time for a little relaxation. I hope you enjoyed this guide to Barcelona’s best sights and bites, and if you are looking for more things to do in Barcelona, check out these options below! Drop me a line with any questions – I would love to hear from you!
