36 Hours in Barcelona- The Adventuring Millennial

Does anyone else have the George Ezra song stuck in their head?

Barcelona is a unique and colorful city. It is the capital of Catalonia and the second most populated city in Spain. During your time in Barcelona, you will see many sites designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí. Parc Guell and the Sagrada Familia are some of his most recognized works.

So, if you only have a short amount of time in this Spanish city, don’t stress. Of course, we would all love weeks to explore. But sometimes that isn’t possible.

I recently spent 36 hours in Barcelona. I was able to explore the main sites and eat plenty of tapas. So, if you are ready to plan your quick trip to Barcelona, check out my guide below!

Getting Here

There are a few different ways to reach Barcelona.

If you are flying, you will land at the Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) international airport. It is really easy to get to the city center from the airport. Book an Aerobus ticket online or purchase one at the airport. The Aerobus will take you directly to the city center.

You can also reach Barcelona by train. Barcelona Sants is the main hub for national and international trains in the city.

Where to Stay

Barcelona’s neighborhoods each offer a unique vibe.

Some of the best neighborhoods for visitors are Gracia, Poble Sec, El Raval, and El Born.

On my most recent trip, I stayed in the Poble Sec neighborhood. This is a quiet neighborhood that comes alive at night. You can easily wander the streets of Poble Sec and find dozens of delicious tapas bars.

Transportation

Barcelona offers a decent public transportation system. The city has a metro and public buses. You can purchase individual tickets or a multi-day pass for public transportation.

Barcelona is also very walkable. But, be aware that the streets are not all arranged in a grid. Coming from New York, I did get confused a few times. And the street signs can be hard to find (they are usually on the side of a building). But just be patient with yourself and try to find a good map!

Good to Know

Barcelona is located in the Catalonia region of Spain. And Catalan is the main language spoken here. Sure, you can get by with Spanish, but Catalan is a distinctly different language. Luckily, most locals also speak English.

Since Barcelona is part of the European Union, they use euros as their currency.

Day 1

Granja Viader Breakfast

Buneos dias. We are starting the day the best way possible with coffee and a pastry. And this cafe is where I discovered my obsession with Spanish coffee.

Granja Viader has served the Raval neighborhood since 1870. This cafe originally operated as a dairy farm (in the same location if you can believe that!)

Today locals and tourists alike enjoy Granja Viader’s traditional menu. For breakfast, you can’t go wrong with ladyfingers and a cafe con leche. Have I mentioned that you need to try their coffee? Spanish cafe con leches are so much more than a simple coffee with milk. In Spain, this drink is espresso served with scalding milk. Maybe it still sounds simple. But just try it…you might soon be hooked (like me!).

Also, make sure you try some zumo de naranja. You can get it here or later in the day (there are plenty of places along Las Ramblas selling OJ). Spain’s fresh squeezed orange juice is some of the best I’ve ever tasted.

Park Güell

After you’ve filled up on pastries and coffee, it’s time to visit our first Gaudí site of this trip.

Yes, we are now heading to the whimsical Park Güell. You probably recognize this site from Instagram. The colorful tile bench is very popular on the ‘gram.

Park Güell wasn’t originally planned as a park. Güell, a rich benefactor of Gaudí, had the idea to build a gated community outside of the city. Long story short, the community was a failure. Barcelona’s 20th-century societies wanted to live closer to the city center (an early version of FOMO?).

So, of the 60 planned houses, only 2 were built. The area was converted into a park, which you can visit today.

Although this is a “park” it isn’t free. You need to purchase a ticket to explore this site. I recommend buying your tickets online in advance. Tickets are sold for specific time slots, so make sure you plan ahead. If you are following my itinerary, I booked my ticket for 11 am. This gave me plenty of time to eat breakfast and get to the park without feeling rushed.

La Boqueria

Next up: lunch.

We are heading back into the city center for lunch at one of Barcelona’s most popular food markets. La Boqueria is a colorful market right off the main drag of Las Ramblas.

Inside this market, you will find fruit (lots and lots of colorful fruit), jamon, fish, and other delicious treats. Take some time to stroll through this market. Sure, it will be crowded. But just get into it and enjoy it.

A market has existed on this site since 1217. The market has changed over the years but I think it’s neat to shop on a site where people have been buying fresh goods for hundreds of years.

Las Ramblas Walking Tour

Since we are now near Las Ramblas, it’s time to explore this bustling street.

This tree-lined street stretches from Plaça de Catalunya to the Columbus Monument. Along the way, you will pass beautiful churches, theaters, and interesting street performers. You can simply walk along this street on your own. Soak up the atmosphere and maybe stop for a coffee.

Or, you can follow a self-guided walking tour. This is one of my favorite ways to explore a city. I like that I can still go at my own pace, but I am also able to learn along the way.

I recommend Rick Steves Las Ramblas walking tour. Rick Steves is one of the most well-known travel guide authors. He specializes in European travel and his books have been so helpful as I’ve traveled around Europe. But you don’t have to buy his book to find the walking tour. Simply download the Rick Steves app or Podcast. I used the app, which provided an audio guide and map of the tour.

So, take your time wandering along Las Ramblas. Eventually, make your way towards the Columbus Monument.

Columbus Monument

The Christopher Columbus Monument sits at the end of Las Ramblas. This tower is almost 200 ft tall and offers an incredible 360-degree view of Barcelona.

This tower was constructed for the 1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition (basically a World’s Fair). The architects decided to honor Barcelona’s connection to Columbus with this monument. When Columbus returned from this 1492 voyage, he reported to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand V in Barcelona.

Today, you can take an elevator to the top of the monument. The ticket costs €5.40 and you can easily purchase these at the door.

Sagrada Familia

Ok, I’m sure you’ve been wondering when we would get to the Sagrada Familia. I decided to place this popular site at the end of my day for one main reason. My budget.

The Sagrada Familia offers a variety of tickets. So you need to decide what and when you want to visit (more on that in a second). But they also offer discounts if you are under 30 years old. And on certain dates, this ticket is reduced even further if you are 30 years old and visit after 6 pm. Go figure.

So, if you don’t fall in this category you don’t have to wait until the end of the day to visit. But you will need to purchase a timed ticket.

You also need to decide if you want to visit either of the accessible towers. I read so many conflicting reports online about the towers. I ultimately decided not to include a tower. And I felt like I still had a full experience. But if you want to visit one of the towers, make sure you purchase the correct ticket.

Ok, let’s back up a bit. The Sagrada Familia is a staggering Catholic Basicilia. This incredible church was first designed by none other than Antoni Gaudi. He started work on this church in 1883. Construction is still going on today. Some estimates say it will be done by 2032…but we will have to wait and see.

This church is awe-inspiring. The exterior details are unlike anything I’d seen before. And the stained glass inside lets in playful beams of colorful light. Take your time exploring and appreciating this beautiful building.

Evening Activities

The night is yours!

I have a few different suggestions for your evening plans. And if you have more than one night, maybe you can fit in all of these activities.

The Romantic/Foodie Evening: Take a paella cooking class. Yes, you can try paella all over the city. But why not make it for yourself? My husband and I took this class and it was my favorite thing we did in Barcelona. I loved everything about this class. The chefs were so knowledgeable and made you feel incredibly relaxed. Even if you have no cooking experience, you will enjoy this class. During the class, you also get to enjoy and learn about Spanish wine. At the end of the class, you get to enjoy a leisurely meal complete with the paella you cooked and additional dishes prepared by the chef. I booked the class through Airbnb Experiences, but you can also go directly to The Paella Club’s website.

The Classic Evening: If cooking on vacation isn’t your thing, spend the night visiting tapas bars. Poble Sec and Raval are the best neighborhoods for a tapas crawl. Make sure you enjoy plenty of jamon Iberico and sangria along the way. And don’t shy away from pintxos. These are similar to tapas, but these small items are set on plates near the bar. Simply grab what you want instead of ordering from a menu. You will pay based on the number of toothpicks (from the pintxos) on your plate. Some of the best places to eat are:

To complete your classic evening, visit the Magic Fountains. This nightly water and light show takes place outside the Palau Nacional. Crowds gather for this free show, similar to something you might see in Vegas or Disney. Check their website for an updated schedule, but the show usually happens at 9:30 and 10 pm.

Day 2

Breakfast

Rise and shine! Today is your last day. And you only have a few hours left in this beautiful city.

I really won’t judge if you go back to Granja Viader for breakfast. But if you want something a little different, check out La Donuteria (I know, shocking that I would recommend a doughnut place).

This gourmet doughnut shop was opened by a world-traveling pastry chef in 2014. He enjoys experimenting and his doughnut flavors change daily. Some of their past flavors included Banana, Coffee & Cocoa Nibs and Pink Grapefruit and Candied Ginger.

You can also enjoy a cafe con leche from La Donuteria. You know you want to.

Late Morning Activity

Again, I’m leaving this decision up to you. And depending on your schedule, maybe you can do both.

Casa Battlo: This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of Gaudi’s masterpieces. You can take a self-guided audio tour of the house, which will give you a glimpse into Gaudi’s whimsical mind. Book your tickets in advance to avoid the long lines.

Montjuïc/Palau Nacional: If you only have time for one of the two activities, I recommend skipping Casa Battlo. Montjuïc is a hill topped with the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. If you have time, consider exploring the museum. It includes a nice collection of Catalan art.