In the words of Ed Sheeran, “let’s pretend we are dancing in the street in Barcelona“! I totally get why he wrote a song about this amazing city now that I’ve had the chance to visit! There are SO many things to do, but I have rounded up my top ten things to do in Barcelona. We spent a total of three nights here, and we were able to easily check off each of these things. Enjoy!
When to go to Barcelona
Whenever you get the chance! For us, that happened to be the last weekend of September. The weather was beautiful. Temps were in the mid 70’s and we never experienced rain. Do keep in mind that most apartments and homes in Barcelona don’t have air conditioning so during the day it can get a little warm. The evenings seemed to cool off a bit, and I was happy to have a light leather jacket with me for venturing out.
Where to stay in Barcelona
Airbnb all the way! Sadly I wouldn’t recommend our actual Air BnB that we stayed in due to some issues with the host responsiveness upon arrival. However, all of our other experiences with Airbnb on this trip were great! Our stay in Barcelona ultimately turned out fine, but it took a few tries with our host in making it right. The actual location we stayed was right off La Rambla. It was definitely a noisy part of town in the evenings, but we liked being within walking distance of several things we wanted to see and do.
Buses to and from the airport are easy to locate and cost about 6 Euros to get you to Placa Catalunya. The ride will take about 30 minutes. The city overall is very walkable at all times of the day. We arrived after 10PM on a Friday night and there were still plenty of people everywhere and restaurants and bars were still open and busy.
Top 10 things to do in Barcelona
Have a beer at Olgod Craft Beer Bar
Talk about random, chance happenings, Olgod Craft Beer Bar was that for us. We were in a cab sitting in a TON of traffic on a Sunday afternoon after having toured the Sagrada Familia heading back to our place when we saw Olgod out the window. We kept watching the meter on the cab tick upward when we decided to just get out and start walking the rest of the way home. We popped into the bar for one beer, and ended up staying for 5 hours! We met 4 other Americans visiting Barcelona and had the best time drinking and chatting with them! By far, one of the most memorable parts of our trip! So when things aren’t going your way while traveling, embrace it because you never know who or what you might experience that will stick with you forever.
Visit the Beach and dip your toe in the Mediterranean
A Saturday at the end of September in Barcelona, the beaches were still jam packed with visitors! There are plenty of public areas to layout if that is your preference, along with several beach bars where you can sit and people watch while sipping some rose! The beach right along the water is mostly rocky, but higher up you will find softer sand. One thing to keep in mind, you will see locals along the beach selling cheap little souvenirs and services – including massages. I had a woman come up to me while we were sitting along the beach and just start rubbing my feet haha! I politely told her no thanks several times but she kept doing it! She finally did stop, but beware, they can be a little pushy at times.
Visit Mercat de la Boqueria
This open air market was right down the street from where we stayed! There are aisles upon aisles of fresh squeezed juices and all sorts of other fresh food to nibble on! Not to mention the colors everywhere are so fun to see!
{Dragonfruit Smoothie = DELISH}
Buy yourself a pair of espadrilles
Spain is known for these cute little shoes with the jute wrapped bottoms. You will literally see them EVERYWHERE — in store windows and on the feet of local women (and men too)! I purchased my pair from La Manual Alpargatera. They have been in business since the Civil War era! The staff was super helpful in bringing out several styles and sizes for me to try and I’m so happy with the pair that I picked! I know I will wear them for many years to come!
Climb to the top of Turo de les tres creus
This is the highest part of Park Guell. When you reach the top, you can see some pretty spectacular views of most of Barcelona! If you’re afraid of heights, beware! But I promise the views are worth it!
Have a picnic in Park Guell
Remember how I talked about embracing when things don’t go your way while traveling? Here’s another example for you. As we roamed around the free parts of Park Guell, I became hangry. Google maps had already failed us once on finding something near the park to eat, but then it redeemed itself by bringing us to Guelly Sandwich Shop! The shop is located right outside of the park on a hill top (right as you come up the steps from the Guell train stop). This little family run shop was the cutest, and their sandwiches were delish (along with the churros dipped in chocolate)! We grabbed ours to go and walked back into the free part of the park and found a spot to enjoy!
Dine at Brunch and Cake
If you have a love for the beautiful and creative content that you see on the gram, then a meal at Brunch and Cake is an absolute MUST while in Barcelona! I found out about this place while searching hashtags before our trip and I’m so glad I put this on our list to visit! The food was SOOO good, and the presentation was out of this world! Be sure to arrive as early as possible (especially on a weekend) because there will most definitely be a line. We waited for about 20 min for a table, but once we were seated the service was quick.
Get the matcha pancakes!
Get lost in the Gothic Quarter
The charming Gothic Quarter is full of narrow streets filled with bars, restaurants, and shops. As we strolled through on a Saturday afternoon, the streets were busy with people enjoying a beautiful day! I loved stumbling upon a musician playing on a street corner and taking it in for a moment!
Visit the Arc de Triomf
This was a fun spot on a Saturday. The Arc de Triomf was the main access gate to the 1888 World’s Fair in Barcelona. While we were there on a busy Saturday afternoon we encountered locals and tourists alike!
Tour Sagrada Familia
If you’re not familiar with Sagrada Familia, it is a large unfinished Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona. The church design was done by Antoni Gaudi starting in 1892! Yes, you read that right, 1892! The expected completion date is 2026. If you plan to tour the church like we did (which I highly recommend), be sure to purchase your tickets in advance of your trip! It is an absolutely breathtaking structure! When you exit Sagrada Familia, be sure to browse the paintings outside from local artists. There are tons of different sizes and they make for a great souvenir to take home. We purchased one to hang on our gallery wall.
Barcelona was a beauty! We had so much fun and made memories that will last forever! Be sure to check out my capsule packing wardrobe post here! And stay tuned for a recap of our visit to Rome and Sorrento too!
