Barcelona is one of those cities that you cannot miss either on a trip to the Mediterranean, on a business trip or during an extensive trip to Spain. In any one of the three scenarios, the time to visit all that Barcelona has to offer is probably limited.
Barcelona has an impressive cultural offer, suggestive gastronomy and spectacular beaches to combat the high summer temperatures. So how do you fall in love with Barcelona in 3 days?
Day 1: Center of Barcelona
Visiting the center of Barcelona is important to know the history of the city and the routine of its inhabitants. The heart of Barcelona is full of people and for some people it can be a bit overwhelming but it is well worth getting to know. After all, this is where the most popular monuments and spaces in the city are.
We will start the route on day 1 from Plaza de Catalunya, the nerve center of Barcelona and the junction point between the old part of the city and the Ensanche. From here, important streets such as La Rambla, Passeig de Gracia, Rambla de Catalunya as well as Avenida de Portal del Ángel, the great commercial thoroughfare of Barcelona and the old gate of the walls, start from here. In this square, its beautiful fountain with sculptures by important artists such as Josep Clarà, Frederic Marès or Enrique Casanovas stands out.
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Then we continue our way along the Ramblas, a 1,3 kilometer walk that connects the Plaza de Catalunya with the old port of the city. Las Ramblas are always lively, packed with tourists, flower stalls, and street performers. The promenade has many terraces and it is pleasant to sit down and have a drink to contemplate the passers-by or even become one of them and observe the surrounding buildings. The most popular street in Barcelona deserves an essential visit.
The next stop is the Boquería Market, a colorful labyrinth of more than 2.500 square meters along which there are hundreds of stalls that offer the best fresh products. Some of them offer menus made with these raw materials so it is very suitable for eating, both for locals and tourists.
Near Las Ramblas is the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, one of the most beautiful and oldest areas of the Catalan capital. Here are some of the most interesting monuments such as the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, the Plaza de Sant Jaume, the Plaza del Rey, the Jewish Quarter or the Frederic Marès Museum, among others. Here we will end the visit of day 1 through the center of Barcelona.
Day 2: Gaudí's Route
Barcelona is known worldwide for the work of the brilliant architect Antonio Gaudí. An artist who challenged the architecture of his time and redefined the essence of the city with his own style.
We will start our tour at Paseo de Gracia, one of the main avenues of Barcelona characterized by its commercial activity and its modernist buildings. Here are two with Gaudía's stamp: Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. The first is very popular for its roof built like dragon scales and its interior lighthouse with details that recall the sea. The second has an undulating façade that is also reminiscent of the waves of the sea.
The next stop on Gaudí's route is the Sagrada Familia, the icon par excellence of Barcelona. The construction began with a neo-Gothic style in 1882. However, when the project passed into the hands of Gaudí, he gave it a totally innovative style than the current one we know today.
Then we go to Park Güell, a place declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984 and with an area of more than 17 hectares full of mosaics, wavy and geometric shapes and inspired by nature.
Inside the Güell Park we find religious symbolic elements that give it an even more special meaning. The architect wanted to take advantage of the unevenness of the mountain of the enclosure to create a path of spiritual elevation that culminated with the visit to the chapel that he planned to build on the top. Finally, this idea was not carried out and was replaced by the Monument to Calvary, from which you have the best views of Barcelona.
Day 3: Green spaces
Another place from where you have excellent views of Barcelona is the Montjüic Mountain, a viewpoint full of places of tourist interest such as the National Art Museum of Catalonia, the Montjüic Fountain and Castle, the Joan Miró Foundation or the Botanical Garden. .
Another of the most beautiful green spaces in Barcelona is the Ciutadella Park. Built on the grounds of the old fortress of Barcelona on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition of 1888, the Parque de la Ciudadela is an oasis of rush and traffic of more than 17 hectares whose main tourist attraction is the waterfall made up of a huge monumental complex and the building of the Castle of the Three Dragons, which currently functions as a Museum of Zoology.
How to get around Barcelona
The historic center of Barcelona is quite compact, so most of it can be explored on foot. However, its public transport network is quite extensive and reliable so that you can quickly reach any point in the city.