Barcelona 3-day itinerary
Spain
Where to go and what to see in Barcelona – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
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Overview >Bucket list experience:
Barcelona’s best architecture
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
The extraordinary concert hall of La Palau Musica – another Gaudi masterpiece
Credit Rodrigo Garrido / Shutterstock.com
Last updated: 10 November, 2022
When Barcelona is prosperous, it builds with breathtaking flair. Its superb Gothic buildings are engineering marvels; not for their height, but their width.
During the late 19th century, the city evolved its own Modernista style, related to Art Nouveau but filled with Catalan national symbols (notably dragons).
It also produced one extraordinary genius, Antoni Gaudí, whose inspiration went beyond mere decoration to the forms of nature herself. Today Barcelona is reinventing again; just visit the new 22@ District.
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Price: Free
Minimum age: 1
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Duration: Any
Getting there & doing it
The Barcelona tourism office has an architecture audio guide to Gaudí’s 11 Barcelona buildings, available in Spanish, English and French. Download it from the tourism office website. The Ruta de Modernisme is a self-guided route with all 117 Modernista buildings, and 105 Modernista hotels, bars and restaurants. A physical version of the guide and map are also on sale at Barcelona’s tourist office; it also offers 50% discount on admissions. Or just explore for yourself: the 19th-century suburb of Eixample is full of stunning Modernista façades that most tourists never find: hire a bike and explore at leisure.
Experience
Agbar Tower
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Barcelonans, understandably, call it a ‘giant suppository’. Designed in 2005 by French architect Jean Nouvel, it features an innovative, shimmering skin of 4,500 LED lights that display delightful, infinitely varied coloured patterns.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Experience
Barcelona Cathedral
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
This massive pile is Catalan Gothic at its most grandiose, full of wonders: lavishly ornate chapels, Renaissance sculpted choir stalls, and crypt of patron saint Eulalia. The cloister is especially charming.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Casa Batllo
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
The former home of the Batllo family, Gaudí’s shimmering, colour-drenched townhouse is a Modernista masterpiece.
Best for ages: 8+ | £32
Casa Mila (La Pedrera)
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Marking the culmination of his experimentation with natural forms, Gaudi’s landmark apartment building resembles a giant cliff face battered by the sea. Inside, a remarkable Gaudi-style apartment, an attic filled with architectural exhibits, and the extraordinary roof and chimneys.
Best for ages: 8+ | £25
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Gaudi's Modernist Legacy in Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Small Group Walking Tour
Barcelona
Enjoy a stroll through the streets of Barcelona and discover its most extravagant buildings on this 3-hours walking tour of the city's moder...
€18 | Rating 4.92 / 5 [13 ratings]
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Barcelona e-Bike Gaudí Highlights or Bohemian Neighborhoods Small Group Tour
Barcelona
See Barcelona with lots of fun and little effort on this 3,5 hours electric bike tour, led by an expert local guide. The easy-to-use bikes a...
€40 | Rating 4.90 / 5 [418 ratings]
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Barcelona Gaudí Segway Tour
Barcelona
This 150 minute Segway Tour takes you along the districts of Eixample and Gràcia including the Sagrada Familia and other Barcelona top sight...
€59 | Rating 4.88 / 5 [35 ratings]
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Gaudi Bike Tour with Skip-the-Line Sagrada Familia Ticket
Barcelona
The famed architect Antoni Gaudí is as synonymous with Barcelona as siestas and las Ramblas. The Fat Tire Gaudí Bike tour is the perfect way...
€69 | Rating 4.57 / 5 [7 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Grand Hotel Central
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
A stylish, central hotel in the hip El Born district, with 1920s features and one of the best rooftop pools in town.
Official star rating:
Hotel Neri
Barcelona, Catalunia, Spain
Historic charm, contemporary chic and great food combine in this beguiling bolthole, on a picturesque square in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
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Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
The MO boasts spectacular interiors, a world-class spa, double-Michelin starred restaurant and an unparalleled location on the beautiful Passeig de Gracia.
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W Barcelona
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
This sceney, architectural waterfront hotel comes with edgy design, a party-feel pool terrace and sweeping Mediterranean views.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Barcelona
Catalonia, Spain
Spain’s cultural heart has unforgettable architecture, a pioneering arts scene, creative cuisine and nightlife that buzzes till dawn.
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