By Shannon Gomes
The coastal city of Barcelona, home to more than 2 million people, is undeniably beautiful. From the stunning architecture to the delicious food to the wonderful people, the Catalonian region of Spain is not to be missed! Here are my recommendations for this vibrant city. ✨
🗓️ How many days should you visit?
At minimum, you should plan on staying at least 4 days. However if we want to truly experience the city and explore outside the city, I recommend one week (or more).
🌞 Best time of year to visit?
Spring or Fall is ideal, weather and crowds-wise. Summer is great but be prepared for heat and large crowds.
✈️ Best airport to fly in/out of?
The Barcelona-El Prat airport (BCN). You can fly direct flights from the U.S. as well as from other cities in Europe, and beyond.
🚉 Already in Spain or Europe?
It’s super easy to travel by train to/from Barcelona, and personally, one of my favorite ways to travel. There are a few train stations in the city, but the main one is Sants. Book your train tickets online in advance!
🚕 Do you need to rent a car or take a taxi everywhere instead?
Unless you are planning to travel to other areas in Spain, there is no need to rent a car. Taxis are very easy to get from the airport and train stations, and they all take credit cards. Uber is also now in Barcelona so that is also an option, although taxis are more prevalent.
🚲 In the mood to bike?
Great news, Barcelona is very bike-friendly! They even have separate, protected lanes in the middle of the roads specifically for bikes and scooters (U.S. cities, take note!)
🏨 Where to stay?
Barcelona offers a host of beautiful hotels in all different price ranges. While hotels are great if you are staying for just a few nights, I prefer to rent a local apartment through Airbnb or stay in a HomeExchange so our family can enjoy more space, and live life more like a local.
👀 Key sights not to miss?
Oh, there are so many but here are a few must-visit spots:
Sagrada Familia (tip: Book a tour in advance with a guide through the app GetYourGuide)
La Boqueria Mercat (tip: Come hungry!)
Museo Picasso Málaga
Casa Batlló – Gaudí Barcelona
Stroll through the Gothic Quarter
Barcelona Cathedral (note: women must have shoulders covered to enter)
Go on a TukTuk tour with Eco Tuk Tuk to see some highlights of the city and experience some incredible views!
🦐 Where to eat? Barcelona is known for its delicious seafood paellas, meats and tapas. But since is such an international city, I highly recommend also trying other cuisines while in this very tasty city. Here are some of my favorites:
Bar Cañete (A must! Classic Spanish tapas and cuisine, beautiful restaurant with a fantastic vibe. Book a few weeks in advance.)
CAL PEP (There are a few tables in the back of the restaurant that you must reserve online weeks in advance, otherwise try your luck by waiting for a seat at the bar for some incredible tapas.)
PacoMeralgo
Terraza Martinez (amazing views of the city; known for their paella)
Parking Pizza (awesome pizza in a super hip modern space)
Parking Pita (sister restaurant to Parking Pizza; incredible Middle Eastern food!)
🎒 Want to escape the city for the day? Look no further than booking a day trip with Stepan of World Adventour. You will meet Stepan and his van in downtown Barcelona in the morning, and then he will take you on a fabulous adventure for the day. He offers hiking trips, wine tasting tours, kayaking tours and even a snowshoeing tour in the winter. We went on the Costa Brava sea kayaking trip and wow – it was one of the highlights of our trip and our teens didn’t want to leave the beautiful beach with warm water. A must-do and nice reprieve from the busy city for the day.
Barcelona has so much to offer to people of all ages, and all interests. You could spend all day chilling on the beach, consume yourself in the world of stunning musuems and churches, or “shop ‘til you drop” along Las Ramblas (just be smart & aware of pickpocketers). And of course, enjoy every bite of the delicious food and don’t leave without having some churros!
