The perfect 3 day itinerary for a weekend in Barcelona! Including places to eat, iconic art, and incredible history! This guide is also perfect for low-budget travellers and backpackers like myself ☺️

Barcelona, Spain

A Weekend in Barcelona

Day 3 - Barceloneta &  Park de la Ciutadella

Barcelona is an extravagant city full of history, art, gastronomy, beaches, parties, sports and so so much more. This guide I have curated is just a small fraction of what the city has to offer and is completely customizable to your own tastes. 

I always find the best way to start my visit to a new city is by wandering around the area on the first day. So, on the first day, spend a few hours wandering around the Gothic Quarter admiring the history, narrow alleyways, and hidden art. 

Since were already in the area, lets head over to Bistrot Levante for some mediterranean inspired tapas. 

After lunch we will walk back to the Picasso Museum. This gallery is home to over 4,200 original works of the Catalan artist. The gallery reveals a lot of Picassos personal relationships to his birthplace in Barcelona. 

💡 Be sure to pre-book your tickets online to avoid long waits. 

💡 Students get discounted admission to many museums and art galleries in Barcelona, so be sure to bring some student ID.

If you're not tired of all the art yet - which I hope you're not since Barcelona is filled to the brim with it - we'll head just a few blocks down to the Moco Museum. This modern art gallery is home to works by the likes of KAWS, Banksy, and Basquiat - to name a few. 

💡 If you find your self over in Amsterdam, be sure the check out the Moco there as well. 

A few notable stops within the gothic quarter include: 

Make your way over to the most famous street in all of Barcelona - La Rambla. This street is perfect for shopping - or window shopping - people watching, and interesting street performers. 

💡Watch your belongings as this is a popular tourist area which means frequent pickpocketing occurs as well. 

You can't leave Barcelona without sampling a few tapas. Here are a few recommended tapas places nearby for all sorts of budgets:

This day is all about the world-renowned Antoni Gaudí and his works throughout the city. Gaudí is known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism and most of his works can be found within the city. 

Start your day out at Park Güell, one of the cities many green spaces filled with whimsical mosaics and lush gardens. 

💡 Be sure to book in advance as this attraction sells out quick!

Barcelona is full of hostels and as a backpacker and budget traveller myself this is the type of accommodation I’ll usually opt for. Here are just a few of the most popular hostels in Barcelona: 

Head back towards town and enjoy some fun and authentic Mexican tacos at La Taqueria right near La Sagrada Família. 

After lunch, head over to arguably the most famous Gaudí masterpiece - La Sagrada Família. The cathedral is still under construction and likely won't be finished until 2026, however, this is one of the most incredible constructions in the entire country. The exterior displays two different facades, each so intricately designed and planned with every little detail holding significance. The interior is filled with stained glass that floods the aisles with colour. If ever there is only one monument you could see in Barcelona it would be this. 

💡 Book these tickets in advance as there are time slots and they fill up fast!

Often referred to as "la Pedrera" for its eerily shaped figures, Casa Milà is the last private residence designed by Gaudí. The stone building is rather bland and would blend in as any other if it weren't for the wave-like shape and haunting human-like steel figures that make up the balconies. 

Only a few blocks away is another of the artists famous buildings, yet this one sticks out like a sore thumb. The facade is covered from top to bottom is purple, blue, and green mosaics in the artists signature style, while the balconies carvings eerily mimic human skulls.

finish the afternoon wandering around the area and maybe enjoy some dinner, drinks, or tapas at one of the locations included in this guide: 

On the third but hopefully not final day in the city, you will spend the day visiting some green spaces and relaxing on the beach. 

start the day with a late brunch at Firebug, a cozy bistro serving everything from pancakes to burgers and craft beer. 

Just a couple blocks down you will spot the Catalans' very own Arc de Triomf. This gateway was built as the entrance 1888 World Exhibition and of course, modeled after the one in France. 

The archway sits at the top of the Passeig de Lluís Companys. Here you will find a long greenway bustling with locals riding bikes, playing shuffle board, or hiding from the Spanish sun under some palm trees. 

While the park is not nearly an hours walk from the passeig, it is a nice place to stop and relax or wander. The end of the Passeig leads directly into the Parc de la Ciutadella - city park. 

This idillyc green oasis used to be the cities only green space. The park is filled with lush greenery and lawns, ponds, and ornate, gold-plated water fountains. You'll find this park crawling with locals and tourists sunbathing, bike-riding, paddling around the ponds, and maybe even salsa dancing in the gazebos. 

After soaking in all that the park has to offer, head on down to the Barceloneta beach. An area which was once uninhabited by anyone except the local fishermen, this beach is not bustling with things to do. There is tons to do in this area apart from just lounging at the beach. Wander the old narrow streets, or watch the fishermen unload their daily catch and auction off their fish at sunset. There is also a history museum, aquarium, IMAX theatre and even a cable car that will take you to the Miramar gardens.

A non-definitive guide on where to eat in Barcelona. I've covered everything from breakfast/brunch, lunch, tapas, dinners, and even food markets and desserts. All these places are sure to leave you satisfied without breaking the bank. 

A Weekend in Barcelona

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