Barcelona is a good place to get lost. In fact that is one of its definite pleasures. Meandering through the ancient streets, around every corner, there is another surprise. It might be a pretty square, a little art shop or a bar with a beautiful balcony.
Where you go and what you do really depends on your interests, but we have put together the ultimate guide to what we recommend doing if you are short on time and have just one day to explore the Catalan capital.
Get ready for this whirlwind itinerary taking in Barcelona’s main tourist attractions.
Can You Do Barcelona in 1 Day?
Is it worth going to Barcelona if you just have one day? Well, of course it’s best to have more time, but you can enjoy some of the main highlights of of Barcelona in just 24 hours. If you need some ideas for where to stay view our guide to the best hotels in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona.
Getting Around
First thing is, forget the car. Navigating the city’s narrow streets is a nightmare and parking is even worse.
Public transport is cheap and plentiful. A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs around around €30-€35. In the city centre minimum fare is less than €5 and cabs can be hired if they have a green light showing.
There is a simple metro train system with just five lines to navigate. Buses are slightly more complicated because of the one-way systems. They do not always run on the same streets in each direction.
You’ll see much more of this endlessly fascinating city if you walk, and you can book city sightseeing tours which are a great way to learn more about the places you visit and see the main attractions of Barcelona in a short period of time.
Morning
Start the day with a stroll with the crowds thronging along Barcelona’s famous tree-lined boulevard, La Rambla.
This is perhaps the best-known walking street in the world and one of the most stylish shopping destinations in Spain. Cars are relegated to a poor second place while pedestrians jostle through the flower stalls, living statues and birdcages. It is a never-ending carnival.
Maybe it’s not as authentic as it once was. Maybe there are a few too many international fast-food chains and a few too many street performers. But it remains one of the world’s great city walks.
There are sights that no visitor should miss near La Rambla – the Picasso Museum, Gaudi’s stunning modernist architecture, the churches and cathedral – but do leave time for aimless wandering.
Although it is a city of distinct parts, Barcelona is fairly compact with many of the sights within easy walking distance of each other. A map reveals the tightly packed mass of narrow streets bordered by Avda Paral.lel, the Ciutadella Park, Plaça Catalunya and the sea. This area fell within the medieval walls and made up the entire city until 150 years ago.
At its heart is the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter). Its winding streets grew within the original Roman wall. In the Middle Ages La Mercé, Sant Pere and La Ribera, were brought within the city by a second wall built in the 13th century.
On the other side of the riverbed later to become the Rambla was the Raval and a third city wall built in the 14th century. Almost all of Barcelona’s great medieval buildings are within this old walled city.
Above the Barri Gòtic is the grid of streets built after the city’s third set of walls were torn down in 1860. This is the Eixample, where most of the Moderniste architecture is concentrated.
Your hotel or the tourist office will tell you about the Ruta del Modernisme, a system of guides that takes you through some 50 Art Nouveau sites.
Afternoon
In the afternoon the city eats and sleeps. Lunch is at 2pm and most places shut for siesta until 5pm.
If you are a sports fan you should not miss the Nou Camp, home to Barcelona FC and Europe’s largest soccer stadium.
Pay your respects at the shrine of soccer. Under the Franco dictatorship all expression of Catalan nationalism was banned, even the local language. The Catalan capital’s football team Barca became the focus of the region’s pent up feelings.
The Nou Camp is Europe’s largest soccer stadium and a stunning testament to the people’s support. Watching a match here is an unforgettable experience. On match days its 98,000 capacity means getting a ticket is generally far from impossible.
The ground also contains the city’s second most popular museum. Only Picasso’s art attracts more visitors than this shrine to soccer.
If the Nou Camp doesn’t appeal, take the elevator to the top of the Sagrada Famillia.
This church is the unfinished work of the crazed architectural genius Antonio Gaudi. Some will argue that it is not his best work, and you should certainly check out some of his other buildings and the Parc Guell, but you will never see another building like this one.
Towards of the end of the afternoon you might want to head to the beach and the harbor via Barceloneta, the city’s traditional gateway to the beach.
This is one of the areas that was transformed for the 1992 Olympics. It may not have the dubious color it once had, but at least the sea is clean enough for bathing. The place to get the best view of the city is from the Montjuic mountain.
Despite its proximity to the city some parts are remarkably tranquil. It is also home to the Olympic village, an excellent assortment of museums, a ‘typical’ Spanish village and the magic fountain. With its choreographed colored lights this is perhaps the worst taste and most enjoyable sight in Barcelona.
Take a ride on one of Las Golondrinas, the pretty pleasure boats built at the end of the nineteenth century. For less than $3 you can chug across the harbour have a quiet drink, then chug slowly back again.
Evening
Find Catalonia’s village in the city. Gracia has two distinct faces.
n the day it is filled with tiny shops and artisans, by evening it is transformed and the terrace bars overlooking the many squares begin to fill up. It is also one of the best places in the city to eat.
There is nothing quite like the pleasure of discovering a cheap restaurant with fabulous food, unlisted in any of the guidebooks.
Night
At 8pm there is another transformation as the stores close and the people get ready to party.
Barcelona is a city where everything happens late. Restaurants do not fill up until 10.30pm. It is not uncommon to see families sit down to a meal at midnight.
Down by the beach, around the Eixample or in the Gothic Quarter, the clubs are in full swing at 3am. Most shut at 5am or 6am, and, although the weekends are busiest, there never seems to be a quiet evening.
And after just a few Barcelona nights and you’ll discover why the siesta is a way of life!
Plan the Perfect Day in Barcelona
Barcelona is a city where you can always find something different to do.
There is always a new restaurant, bar or club. There are restaurants where you haven’t eaten before, new exhibitions or just places to hang out.
A perfect day in Barcelona really is what you make it, if you visit in summer a day on the beach relaxing and people watching can be just as fun as sightseeing. Or if you are after culture, there are lots of highly rated museums and art galleries in Barcelona.
Now go enjoy this amazing city for yourself.
