Barcelona Itinerary in a day

Barcelona, one of Spain's most important cities, is one of those places you have to visit at least once in your life! Between culture, history, sea and fun, without forgetting the excellent cuisine, it is a destination for everyone: young people in search of movida, couples who want to experience a romantic trip, culture lovers and families with children! One day is a short time, but you will still be able to discover some of its most beautiful attractions and immerse yourself in its wonderful atmosphere!

Ready to go? Let's discover together the Barcelona in a Day itinerary!
SEE ALSO: What to see in Barcelona

Barcelona one-day itinerary

The itinerary includes the main stops in Barcelona, but excludes museums and attractions that would take too long to visit.

The day starts with Barcelona's must-see par excellence: the Sagrada Familia! After the visit, either individual or with a guided tour with access to the Tower, head to Parc Guell, one of the city's must-sees! Around lunchtime, head back towards the centre and admire Casa Batlló from the outside.

For lunch, head to La Rambla, eat at one of the cafés there and then stroll down to the Barrio Gotico, one of the city's most characteristic neighbourhoods. During the walk, stop at Mercado de la Boquería, the largest market in Spain! End the day at the Parc de la Ciutadella.

One of the best places to spend the evening is the Ciutat Vella, or old town, perhaps catching a flamenco show at the Tablao Flamenco Cordobes! If, on the other hand, you visit in the summer, we recommend heading to the coast, i.e. the Barceloneta district.

• Morning: Sagrada Familia (€20.00), Parc Guell (free), Casa Batlló (free outside)

• Afternoon: La Rambla (free), Barrio Gotico (free), Mercado de la Boquerìa (free), Parc de la Ciutadella (free)

• Evening: Ciutat Vella (free / flamenco show at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes from €44.00), in summer Barceloneta (free)

• Distance travelled: 9 km

• Where to eat: Lunch at Cerveceria Catalana, Carrer de Mallorca 236(Get directions) / Dinner at Parellada, Carrer de l'Argenteria 37(Get directions)

First time in Barcelona? To optimise your time and get a first impression of the city, we recommend booking a free walking tour with a local guide or a panoramic bus tour.

Barcelona is a city that offers many options for travelers with different preferences. From culture to history, from sea to fun, the city has it all. If you want to make the most of your visit, we recommend staying at the AC Hotel Barcelona Forum. It is strategically located in the Diagonal Mar district, which is well connected to all major attractions in the city. The hotel offers a wide range of services and facilities, including a rooftop pool, a fitness center, and a terrace with stunning views of the Mediterranean. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, and equipped with modern amenities. If you are a business traveler, the hotel has a conference center and meeting rooms that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests. In short, the AC Hotel Barcelona Forum is the perfect place to start and end your day in Barcelona.

Below we detail the 5 main stops on our itinerary.

1 - Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia is one of Barcelona's symbols par excellence, a masterpiece by architect Antonio Gaudi. Inside the crypt is the tomb of Gaudi, the famous Spanish architect to whom we owe many of the buildings in the city! The Sagrada Familia was a very ambitious project, still 'unfinished': of the three planned facades, there are currently only two.

Declared a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2015, as you can already imagine, it is themost visited attraction in Barcelona, definitely a must-see, no matter how many days you have available to visit the Spanish city! We recommend you include it as your first attraction, as it opens at 9am. The visit lasts on average 1 h 30 min.

Tour info: open November to February 9am-6pm, March and October 9am-7pm, April to September 9am-8pm. Admission €20.00.
SEE ALSO: Visit to the Sagrada Familia: How to get there, prices and advice

Climb thetower: Don't miss out! The best option is to join a guided tour including the tower, thus avoiding the queues! Start at 9.30 a.m., duration 1 h 30 min. Info and costs here / Alternatively, you can opt for the guided tour with fast-track access, without the tower. Info and costs here

2 - Parc Guell

Once the tour is over, take the direct bus line V19 from Mallorca - Pg Sant Joan to Ramiro de Maeztu - C N Catalunya (18 min), or alternatively a much faster taxi (10 min), and get to Parc Guell, a real garden city! Also built to a design by Gaudí and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is the perfect place to stroll around and admire the view over the city!

The park itself is free, and we recommend that you dedicate yourself to this area, leaving aside the individual museums within it, such as the Casa-Museu Gaudí or the Casa del Guarda! Enjoy a walk through the gardens, admire the nice and wonderful sculptures, such as theEscalinata del Drac, and enjoy the beautiful views of Barcelona.

Visiting info: open November to February 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, March 9:30 am to 6 pm, April to October 9:30 am to 7:30 pm. Entrance to the park free of charge, individual museums charge a fee.
SEE ALSO: Visiting the Parc Güell: How to get there, prices and advice

Consider visiting individual attractions: If you don't want to miss out on visiting individual museums, such as the Casa-Museu Gaudí, we recommend that you buy your entrance ticket in advance to avoid wasting valuable time in line. Info and costs here

3 - Casa Batlló

Around lunchtime head back towards the centre: take metro line L3 from Vallcarca and get off at Passeig de Gràcia, a one-minute walk from the world-famous Casa Batlló. This is one of the most extravagant and original buildings in Europe, also designed by the genius Antonio Gaudi, and of course a UNESCO World Heritage Site! It has also been part of the Seven Wonders of Barcelona, the city's must-see attractions, since 2007!

Unfortunately, there won't be time to visit it inside, but it is definitely worth a stop to take a photo of its façade: there are no straight lines, only curves, waves and spirals, with a roof covered in coloured tiles and balconies with a very unusual architecture! Admire it in all its beauty.
SEE ALSO: Visit the Casa Batllò: opening hours, prices and tips

A stone's throw fromLa Rambla: After taking your photo at Casa Batlló, you will find yourself a stone's throw from La Rambla, Barcelona's most famous street! Amidst cafés, shops and street performers, it is the ideal place to have lunch. Follow the street to the Barrio Gotico, the attraction of the afternoon!

4 - Barrio Gotico and Mercado de la Boquería

Photo by Gerardo Almeida. After having lunch in one of the many bars on La Rambla, stroll towards the historic centre, the Ciutat Vella, and you'll find yourself in the Barrio Gotico, Barri Gòtic in Spanish, the medieval heart of Barcelona and one of its most characteristic districts! Here, take some time to wander through the narrow streets, cobbled lanes and wonderful Gothic monuments! Don't miss a visit to the Catedral de Barcelona, an impressive Gothic-style cathedral (10.30am-2pm and 4-7pm, €9.00).

While strolling in the Barrio Gotico make sure you don't miss the Mercado de la Boqueria, the largest market in Spain! Full of colours, smells and stalls, it offers a very interesting insight into everyday life in Barcelona! There are about 300 stalls selling all kinds of goods! The fruit area is wonderful, with lots of fruit salads, ideal as an afternoon snack!
SEE ALSO: Visit the Boqueria Market: opening hours, prices and tips

Discover the Roman remains in the neighbourhood: walking around the neighbourhood you can see some remains of the Barcelona of Ancient Rome, when it was called Barcino! You will come across the ancient Roman walls and the remains of the Temple d'August, now incorporated into a new building.

5 - Parc de la Ciutadella

End the afternoon in the nearby Parc de la Ciutadella, one of Barcelona's best-loved parks, a true green lung and the city's meeting point! Again, the park is accessible free of charge, while the attractions inside, such as the Parc Zoològic de Barcelona zoo, are chargeable!

Take the opportunity to stroll along its tree-lined paths, admire Plaça de Joan Fiveller and take a photo of the Monumental Waterfall, one of the park's main attractions! Enjoy plenty of time to explore, the park is open until late.
SEE ALSO: Visit the Parc de la Ciutadella: How to get there, prices and tips

Takea photo under the Arc de Triomf: a few steps away from the park, this classic arch was built as the main entrance to the 1888 Universal Exhibition. Impossible not to take a photo here!

Activities and ideas for alternative itineraries

If you don't feel like straying too far from the centre, rather than going to Parc Guell, you could enter Casa Batllò or the Pedrera.

If you are a big football fan, you will definitely not want to miss a visit to Camp Nou, the home of Barcelona FC. You might consider visiting the stadium and museum in the afternoon, instead of the walk between Barrio Gotico and Mercado de la Boquería.

If you're travelling with children, you should definitely see the light show at the Font màgica de Montjuïc (check the timetable on the website to decide what time of day to visit and what other attraction to miss). If you have already visited Barcelona, or simply want to focus on its cultural side, there are plenty of museums, houses and palaces to discover: such as the Museu Picasso (€12.00), the Gaudí House-Museum (€5.50), Casa Vincent (€16.00), Palau Güell (€12.00). Each of these takes on average 2 to 4 hours to visit!

Finally, in summer, the Barceloneta district, located on the coast and characterised by discos, clubs and a large, often very crowded beach, is a must-see.

• Family city tour: morning Parc de la Ciutadella and Zoo. Afternoon Sagrada Familia and afternoon performance of the Font màgica de Montjuïc. Late afternoon and evening Barrio Gotico (in summer, assess Barceloneta)

• Route of unknown places: morning Plaça d'Espanya with Font màgica de Montjuïc and Refuges 307. Afternoon Mercat dels Encants, Estrella Damm brewery and sunset from Bunker El Caramel. Evening Ciutat Vella

• Route of free attractions: morning outside Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, outside Casa Vincent, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Afternoon Ciutat Vella and Barceloneta. Evening El Raval

• Itinerary of Gaudi's places: morning Gaudi House-Museum and Parc Guell. Afternoon Sagrada Familia, from the outside Casa Vincent, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Evening Barrio Gotico

• Itinerary for football lovers: morning visit Camp Nou Stadium. Afternoon Sagrada Familia and Barrio Gotico. In summer, alternatively Barceloneta

• Itinerary between hill and sea: morning Teleferica del Montjuïc and Font màgica de Montjuïc. Afternoon visit to theBarcelona Aquarium. Towards sunset boat tour from Port Vell

Before you go: useful tips

1. Evaluate the day ticket: in one day you will not be able to move around exclusively on foot, the best solution is to buy the day ticket (T-Dia Card day ticket €10.50) and optimise your travel time - find out more

2. Consider purchasing the Barcelona Card: depending on your itinerary, you may find the city card useful, with free access to over 25 attractions and museums and free transport (from €46.00 - see details)

3. Book visits and tours in advance: with only one day to spare, it is essential not to waste precious time in queues! So book your attraction entrances early, favouring skip-the-line and priority tours

4. Consider priority entrance to museums: if your intention is to visit several museums, buying priority entrance to the 6 best art museums in the city may come in handy! Info and costs here