The Ultimate Guide to Barcelona, Spain

Aw Barcelona. The magical city that captured my heart from the very first moment I stepped foot here. It really is a wondrous city. And I’m so blessed I’ve been able to visit for both work and pleasure. I hope my guide to Barcelona will inspire you to explore the city for yourself and find your prefect holiday in Barcelona!

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But first, a little history:

The Romans founded the beautiful city of Barcelona at the end of the first century.

The Muslims owned Barcelona for over 200 years until the Christian reconquest. It became the Carolingian Empire and one of the main residences of the court for the Crown of Aragon. The medieval period was very beneficial for Barcelona. It became the economical and political center of the Western Mediterranean. You can see proof of this while wandering around my favorite part of town, the Gothic Quarter.

Barcelona began to decline from the 15th to 18th centuries. The city struggled greatly to keep it’s independence. In 1714, the city fell to the Bourbon troops and the Catalonia’s and Catalan’s rights and privileges were repressed.

In the mid 19th century, Barcelona rose again with their development in the textile industry. And it was also during this period where Catalan regained it’s prominence as a literary language. Yay Barcelona!

The 20th century brought us the amazing Catalan, Antoni Gaudi, who built such amazing architectural feats like the Sagrada Familia and Casa Battlo. I’ll go more into him later. Although freedom was greatly restricted during the Civil War in 1936, in 1978, Barcelona regained it’s economic strength and the Catalan language was restored.

WHERE TO STAY:

I’ve stayed in so many different places in Barcelona, that I thought I’d give you a list of my favorites for each budget.

For my fellow lovely budget travelers:

I love the Hostel One Sants. Now it has been a while since I stayed here, but I met the most lovely travelers, and the rooms were so nice!

I also love the Hotel Cortes. I stayed there just a year ago. The rooms were so nice! It was very cheap and they offered a lovely breakfast in a very cute breakfast room. The location is also amazing – right in the Gothic Quarter.

Luxury travel:

The W Barcelona. The pool area is gorgeous! Plus it’s right on the beach. I love going here for afternoon drinks (if you’d like to keep your budget in check). It’s a beautiful location, but the only drawback is that it is a little removed from the rest of the city.

Majestic Hotel and Spa Barcelona. Now I have not stayed here, but it looks very nice. If you’re going for the luxury angle, this place is it. Also please send me your photos so I can live vicariously through you! 😉

If you would like to find more great hotel deals, I love Hotels.com.

Airbnb:

Another great option for Barcelona are airbnbs. It’s so great to have your own little apartment and almost feel like you’re living there a bit. I’m hoping to stay here next time I visit! This place looks perfect!

WHAT TO SEE:

Now here comes the fun part. There’s so much to see in Barcelona. Like really, you could spend a week here easily! And honestly, sometimes it’s nice to spend your days simply exploring the streets, doing a little shopping and then grabbing a sangria and late lunch at a cute cafe. Barcelona is a city for everyone. It’s a city that really gets under your skin. You’re going to love everything about it. I know it. So below are a few of my top favorite things to do in my guide to Barcelona!

Oh, and as a side note, the metro is amazing in Barcelona. You can easily use it to go everywhere. It’s safe, cheap, and very affordable. Taxis and Ubers are available too. Sometimes my taxis were actually cheaper than Ubers.

GAUDI! GUADI! GUADI!

Did I mention Guadi? I love this architect so much! If you love anything resembling Dr. Suess, I know you’ll love him too.

Antoni Gaudi is a true dreamer and artist. He was born the 25th of June 1852 and died the 10th of June 1926 while working on the Sagrada Familia. He was hit by a trolly just shy of his 74th birthday. Poor guy! Gaudi showed an interest early on for architecture. After serving in the military, he graduated from the Provincial School of Architecture in 1878.

Here are some of my most favorite Gaudi sites:

PARC GUELL:

I LOVE this place. Not only is it beautiful and such a great afternoon outing, it also has some beautiful Gaudi creations inside! Some are free, which is a plus. Although if you are a fan, I recommend paying the currently 10 euros to enter. Plus the views of the city are amazing from here. And you’ll get to enjoy a ton of outdoor escalators on your way up!

Parc Guell was built from 1900 to 1914. The park officially opened to the public in 1926. In 1984, the UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

Since you all know how much I love GetYourGuide, here’s a great walking tour to skip the line if you’d like to take that option.

CASA BATLLO:

I love this house. The first time I went was back in 2009 and I had no problem entering day of, however last time I went there was a bit of a wait outside to get in. Still amazing! But I recommend getting your tickets beforehand to avoid the long lines. Plus you’ll want more time to spend viewing this beautiful house! It really is gorgeous! And I love the rooftop!

The house was bought by Josep Batllo in 1900. He commissioned Gaudi to work on it in 1904 after his famed work on Parc Guell.

SAGRADA FAMILIA:

Beautiful structure that I know you’ve seen a photo of. It’s so stunning. I also recommend buying tickets in advance here.

The start date is stated as 1882 but construction really didn’t get started until 1883. Gaudi was just 31 years old when he was instructed with this work. And he wasn’t even the original choice. The project was first given to architect Francisco de Paula del Villar who envisioned a more gothic style. So you just never know how things are going to turn out for you in life. And this is why I’m always urging everyone on how important it is to keep following and believing in your dreams. Gaudi is a perfect example of having a personal vision and fighting for it.

Completion of the Sagrada Familia is stated to be 2026.

CASA MILA / LA PEDRERA:

I love the beautiful seawall you’ll find here at Casa Mila, or La Pedrera as it’s more commonly referred to.. The shapes are all so stunning and gorgeous.

In 1905 Gaudi was commissioned by Pere Mila and his new wife, Roser Segimon, to build their new home. The Mila’s lived in their home and the other apartments were to be rented. Unfortunately, both Mila and Gaudi were ridiculed profusely for their work on this project. Many cartoons were made making fun of them. Today it is part of the 1984 UNESCO World Heritage Site for Antoni Gaudi. And a place I love visiting.

PAULA GUELL:

A mansion built by Gaudi from 1886 to 1888 for the textile tycoon Eusebi Guell. It’s a beautiful spot to visit. You can get tickets online here.

CASA CALVET:

A place built by Gaudi in 1889 for a textile manufacturer. There was to be a residence as well as a commercial property attached. It’s probably the most conventional of his works, but still a stunning building worth a visit.

GAUDI HOUSE AND MUSEUM:

If you love Guadi and you’re in the Parc Guell already, I highly recommend a visit here. Plus it’s really cool to see his old house!

Guadi moved here in 1906 with his father and niece. he continued to live here until 1925.

BARCELONA CATHEDRAL:

I love this Cathedral. I try and make a visit whenever I’m here. It’s actually older than the Sagrada Familia and right in the Gothic Quarter. There are super cute birds on the patio you can visit and and awesome view from the tower!

GOTHIC QUARTER:

My absolute favorite place in Barcelona! I love getting lost in the streets. I love all the cute shops and cafes. Musicians often play here at night and it’s just really the best area. Definitely spend at least an afternoon wandering around. A great tip is to explore places like this after the museums and other sites close. If you’re short on time that is. When I’m in Barcelona for a layover that’s what I like to do (but then I like to pack in as much as possible).

POBLE ESPANYOL:

This place is very interesting. Poble Espanyol is basically a history lesson about the entire country of Spain. It’s an architecture museum and very fascinating. If you have a couple days in Barcelona, I highly recommend checking it out. You’ll get some amazing photos.

THE PLAYA!

I love walking along the beaches in Barcelona. It’s a little bit of a walk from the Gothic Quarter, but nothing unheard of (I am quite the walker though! I’m known on my Miami Beach layovers to walk all the way from North Miami to South Beach!). There are some great places to grab a drink and a bite to eat too.

You can take the Port Cable Car to the beach for some extra amazing views!

MUSEUM OF NATIONAL ART OF CATALONIA:

Not only is this an amazing museum, but the building itself is absolutely gorgeous! Definitely my top museum here in Barcelona.

As a bonus for anyone not able to travel right now, their site is offering some virtual tours! So you can see some beautiful art from the comfort of your own home! Win win!

MERCADO DE LA BOQUERIA:

This is an amazing spot for some great treats. It’s one of Barcelona’s most famous markets. It’s very fun to wander around and snap a few photos.

PLAZA CATALUNYA:

A beautiful plaza which is also a great stop to grab an afternoon sangria and enjoy the warm afternoon sun at. You won’t need a ton of time to see it, but it’s gorgeous and I love relaxing here.

MOUNT TIBIDABO:

Okay, this is one spot I’ve been trying to go to for a while! It has a cute retro theme park and Sagrat Cor Church up top. I’ve tried to go my past two work trips, one I flew with a really great new flight attendant who’d never been, so I showed him around the other parts of Barcelona, and my last layover it was cloudy and thought I’d save it for a clearer day to see the view. But I have researched how to get there, so I’m going to give you the steps here, since it at first seemed a little tricky by public transport:

HOW TO GET THERE:

Take the Brown Line Metro L7 from Placa Catalunya to Avenida Tibidabo. Change to the historic Tramvia Blau (a cool old blue tram) to Placa Dr. Andreu. And then take the Tibidabo Funicular all the way up to the top!

WHAT TO EAT:

Please, please, please enjoy your day/afternoon by eating a long lunch and or tapas outside. Get that sangria and just enjoy the beautiful atmosphere of Barcelona. Patatas Bravas will always remain my favorite tapas! Yum!

I had an amazing dinner at the Cafe de L’Academia in the Gothic Quarter. So good! I highly recommend eating a meal there.

I always enjoy my gelato while wandering around the beautiful streets. You really will find some great food in Barcelona.

Also want to grab a drink where a young Picasso did in the early 1900s? Head over to Els Quatre Gats in the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter).

Once again, I love Barcelona. It’s easily one of my favorite cities in the whole world. I even considered living here at one time and then commuting to work in New York. Might still do it one day. Barcelona is a magical city filled with inspiration and creativity. I know when you go you will love it too. And while it’s not as cheap as Madrid felt to me, you can still keep yourself within a budget here. Maybe only visit a few top attractions and spend the rest of your time wandering around the amazing streets. Barcelona is a great city to get lost in.

Want some film inspiration before you go?

Definitely check out Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It’ll definitely get you in the mood for your trip. It’s one of those Saturday afternoon type films with beautiful people and beautiful scenery (Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Scarlett Johansson in one film? Yes please).

Biutiful, also with Javier Bardem, is set in Barcelona and is an amazing film! However it’s a bit on the sad side, so maybe not the best film to get you in the mood? Definitely a great film set there though.

That’s all I have for the moment. If you’d like to check out my top places to see in Sevilla and my 24 Hours in Madrid Guide please feel free to do so. As always, I hope you all are happy and following your dreams. Stay amazing!

Happy traveling loves!

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