Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, after Madrid, and is home to one of the major works of Antoni Gaudi. It is also considered as the best beach city in the world by National Geographic. Today there are seven beaches with a total coastline of 4.5km. Barceloneta beach is the best urban beach in the world and the third best beach in the world.
Compared to Rome and Venice, Barcelona is my favorite city. I only spent 36 hours in Barcelona before I had to board a cruise ship.
Day 1:
My flight arrived in Barcelona in the morning, so by the time we got to the hotel, it was time for lunch. We put our luggage in a safety room and immediately went out to explore. First stop was La Rambla.
La Rambla
La Rambla is probably the most famous street in Barcelona. I personally love it. I’m not really a crowd person, but for a street like La Rambla, more people means the better it will get. The nightlife on La Rambla is wonderful. There are performances, art shows, music (I especially enjoyed the NYC Hamilton play), human statues… it really is a fun and amazing place to hang out at night.
If you are looking for something to eat, La Rambla is a great place to start. You can sit outside on the patio and enjoy a refreshing glass of Sangria or you can choose to go to La Boqueria. The Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, also known as La Boqueria is a large food market with a very diverse selection of foods to eat. You can get to it through La Rambla.
It can get really crowded and humid once inside. But, luckily when we went, it rained earlier, so it was much cooler.
Did you know La Rambla consists of 5 boulevards and is joined to make one long promenade?
Day 2:
I really recommend Barcelona’s Hop On and Hop Off Tour. For such a cheap price, it really is worth it. It will save you lots of time. The buses come often, so the wait time is short. There are two routes and the price that you pay for the bus works on both routes. You can keep switching back and forth, too. There is so much to see on the route that one day just isn’t enough.
Montjuic’s Panoramic View
We got off the bus to see a panoramic view of Barcelona. In the distance, you can actually see La Sagrada Familia. From that stop, you can also see the cruise port as well as a beautiful panoramic view of the coastline.
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
We got off this stop because of the architecture and the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc. Too bad it wasn’t night time. I could only imagine how beautiful the fountain show would have been. Oh… and just a warning, there are lots of stairs. But… not to worry because there are escalators!
La Pedrera
La Pedrera is one of Gaudí’s greatest works and was constructed between 1906 and 1910. This is a must see! I recommend going inside, too! The price to go inside is around 20€ and it will change depending on age. The price includes a visit to the exhibition about Gaudí’s work, the rooftop and the recreation of a period apartment.
Gothic Town
This Gothic District refers to a number of streets around the Cathedral and is beautiful and worth seeing. If you are down for a little bit of shopping, this place is great for it.
La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia is another one of Gaudi’s works and it is definitely a must see. We got there around 1.5 hours before their closing time, so we were able to breeze through the line. Otherwise, the line up to get inside can take hours. Construction of La Sagrada Familia began in 1882 and as of today, it is still being built. La Sagrada Familia is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.
These were just a few places that I went and visited. As you can see, 1.5 days in Barcelona is definitely not enough and I recommend more days! Adios Barcelona!
Fionn is an adventure seeker that is attracted to danger. She is always on a mission to wander around the globe curiously. Whether it will be hiking to the bottom of Grand Canyon, swimming with whale sharks, or finishing the World’s Toughest Mudder, she will always be there with her camera(s) in her hands, a smile on her face and butterflies in her stomach. Oh, and did she forget to mention that she is also a foreign Piña Colada drinker?
Fionn, great post! A lot of people don’t like to take the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus because it’s too touristy, but it’s actually a fantastic way to see the city, get some history and decide which spots you want to return to when the day is done. We’re glad you enjoyed your stay in our amazing city!
Thank you! Truly an amazing and beautiful city! I will definitely be back. Barcelona’s actually my first city where I took the Hop On Hop Off bus tour and I loved it. It will not be my last. Cheers 🙂
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