Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

Andrea Wieman
The best to do in Barcelona with not much time on your hands.
Updated ago
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Must See:

1. Parc Güell

- This Park is not close to the main attractions/neighborhoods of Barcelona (reference location on map). I would suggest public transportation (a metro is extremely cheap and would take about 35 minutes from el Born) or ubering/taking a taxi (the uber app essentially calls a taxi for you as they don't have "real" ubers in Barcelona, but I find it's quicker typically to hail a taxi rather than calling one with the app).

- Make reservations as far in advance as you can! Book the 1 hr guided tour below which includes a skip the line ticket!

2. Sagrada Familia (go as early in the day as possible to avoid crowds).

I recommend booking the guided tour linked below to learn about the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and gain access to the towers for stunning views of the city.

3. The Cathedral

4. Ciutadella Park

5. Arc de Triomf

6. Casa Batlló

7. Mercat de La Boqueria

Rooftops:

1. Terrassa de Viví - call ahead to ask for table with good view, go for sunset probably around 7 pm when you’re there

2. Other rooftops are La Isabela and The Roof at the Barcelona EDITION hotel in El Born Neighborhood

Vino and Tapas Please:

1. La Vinya del Señor (beautiful tapas and drinks right outside a church in a plaza)

2. Mescladis del Pou (good sangria)

3. Bodega del Born (cute alleyway, pics on my Instagram in these parts, near la vinya)

4. La violeta (natural wine bar)

Cafes:

1. Bar del Convent (kinda hidden, super cute)

2. Caua Cacao roasters

3. Onis Coffee

4. La Camila

Bars/speakeasies:

Head to the Gothic Quarter/El Born for the best nightlife!

1. Dr Stravinsky

2. Paradiso

3. The Supermercat

4. Monk Barcelona

5. Space Cowboy

6. Mariposa Negra (see picture below)

Where to Stay:

I would suggest staying in the el Born neighborhood or the Gothic Quarter as this will put you close to much of the activity- within walking distance to all the best nightlife, the beach, and the main attractions such as  the Sagrada Familia. Not to mention, it's the prettiest part of the city.

Sonder Los Arcos
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This hotel is conveniently located in the las Ramblas area of Barcelona, and the rooms here are incredibly romantic. With black iron pillars and balustraded windows, this building adds to the charm of the Gothic Quarter. To top it all off, this hotel will not break the bank and is well worth the price. 

This Air BnB was super cozy and centrally located, but books out pretty far in advance. The 2 bedroom apartment was perfect for my boyfriend and I to stay in with our two friends that we were visiting. 

Places I Talked About in this Post (Map):

Park Güell
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Sagrada Família
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Cathedral of Barcelona
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Ciutadella Park
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Arc de Triomf
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Casa Batlló
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Terrassa de Vivi
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La Isabela Restaurant
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La Vinya del Senyor
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Mescladís del Pou
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Bodega del Born
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La Violeta, natural wine bar
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Bar del Convent
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CAUA CACAO ROASTERS
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ONIS COFFEE
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Bar la Camila
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Dr Stravinsky
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Supermercat
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Space Cowboy
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Monk Barcelona
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Mariposa Negra Cocktail Bar - Cocteleria artesana
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea Wieman
Welcome to my page! I’m Andy and travelling is my greatest passion. I started this page as my friends and family started frequently asking me to help them plan their travel- sometimes the stress of planning the trip is what holds many people back from making the trip actually happen. Luckily, I love planning trips almost as much as I love taking them. Growing up in a small town in Illinois, I had very few opportunities to travel outside of the Midwest. Once I finally made my own big kid paycheck, I started prioritizing travel every chance I got. Like many people, I had to be creative with my money and my PTO to make travelling so often my reality. I hope you find some inspiration from these guides and that it can help you find creative ways to sneak in a small weekend trip or even plan something as big as your honeymoon. Anyone can do it, no matter the budget or time constraints. Let’s make it happen.
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