How Many Days Do I Need to See Barcelona?

Barcelona has a lot of great sightseeing and food options. During the 7 nights in Barcelona we kept very busy, and you always can find more to do and see in a city as diverse as Barcelona. Since it was winter, we didn’t spend time on the beach and our only trip outside the city was to Montserrat which is a full day typically.

Cruise ships that offer a day tour of Barcelona will afford only 1 or 2 attractions downtown such Case Milà or Sagrada Familia. You just cannot do Barcelona justice in a day or 2. In 3 full days you can see the major highlights in the city and have a few good meals, but not really dig deep into the neighborhoods. I recommend a minimum of 5 full days to see the highlights and some exploring. 7-10 days are ideal if you have the time, especially if you plan some beach time or any day trips outside the city.

Below are suggested itineraries. Unless you are a true history buff or architectural fan, too many buildings and museums get a bit tiring for me. There are a lot of these attractions in Barcelona and are all certainly worth a visit, but I limited myself to 2 attractions a day and explored and ate my way through the city in between. The nightlife and food are too good to miss in Barcelona. I would rather skip a tourist site to experience the true flavor of a city. Otherwise by the afternoon my Grumpy Meter is getting overloaded!

“The nightlife and food are too good to miss in Barcelona. I would rather skip a tourist site to experience the true flavor of a city.”

The Grumpy Retiree

Ideally if you have time I would combine Barcelona with other parts of Spain such as Madrid, Basque Country and San Sebastián, Southern Spain or even Portugal. If you are looking for a great 3-4 week vacation Spain is a fantastic choice.

Barcelona Attractions

There are several top attractions you must see in Barcelona. In particular, Gaudí’s sites are first and foremost on traveler’s minds, and for good reason. I booked tickets for the Gaudí attractions directly with the respective official sites and went as early as possible in the morning. You can book tickets or tours to all major sites online and in some cases combination tickets are available.

Additionally, there are special passes such as the Barcelona City Pass that provide entrance to multiple sites with skip the line options. I found that the Barcelona City Pass wasn’t worth the price as a lot of the included items were touristy things I would never use. The City Pass does not include every attraction, individual tickets may still be needed. Read all the site inclusions and exclusions before deciding and make sure you have time to get the true value!

I list all the attractions below with the more popular attraction on top. If you have enough time, we found it better to see one major attraction early in the morning and then explore neighborhoods, eat tapas and see secondary locations the rest of the day. While it is possible to see 2-3 major attractions all on one day, you may find yourself waiting in long lines. I hate lines as they wasting time! By splitting up sites we never waited in a line to get inside and had few crowds while visiting!

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia is undoubtedly the premier destination in Barcelona and Antoni Gaudí’s crowning achievment. Regardless your interests, missing Sagrada Familia is like missing the Eiffel Tower when in Paris. Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO World Heritage site and was started in 1822 with a scheduled completion in 2026, over 200 years later! That is one incredibly long construction loan!

Both the interior and exterior of Sagrada Familia are amazing. The interior takes many of the design features directly from nature and it is impressive how Gaudí incorporates this into the building. I strongly recommend arriving as early as possible as the morning light streaming through the stained glass windows at Sagrada Familia was incredible. Hint: You cannot bring food or drink inside at all, buy water etc. after you leave.

“I strongly recommend arriving as early as possible as the morning light streaming through the stained glass windows at Sagrada Familia was incredible.”

The Grumpy Retiree

Case Milà (La Pedrera)

Casa Milà, also know as La Pedrera (stone quarry), started construction in 1905 as a private residence and apartments and is located on Passeig de Gràcia, a short walk from Casa Batlló. Casa Milà, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was not well received by locals and was considered a bit of an eyesore.

There are several options for tickets to Casa Milà. We purchased the combination daytime tour and nighttime light show. I was a bit skeptical of the night show as I presumed it to be too touristy, but in the end the light show was worth the return visit. The ticket I booked was La Pedrera Essential & Night Experience.

Picking between Casa Milà and Casa Batlló is a toss up. Casa Milà does have more displays and history about Antoni Gaudí that was fascinating. Based solely on the architecture if I could only see one during the day I would pick Casa Batlló. If I was planning an evening visit I would see Casa Milà as it also has the light show. This is why you need more days in Barcelona!

Case Batlló

Casa Batlló, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is within walking distance of Casa Milà on Passeig de Gràcia. Built in 1877 and purchased by Joseph Batlló in 1903, Casa Batlló was actually a Gaudí remodel job in 1904, just before HGTV. I really enjoyed the terrace area of Casa Batlló and depending on your ticket you could sit and enjoy a glass of Cava.

I found the interior of Casa Batlló just a bit more interesting than Casa Milà. The rooftop and chimneys on Casa Milà were less colorful than Casa Batlló but a bit more ominous, especially at the evening light show. If possible try to see both buildings, you will not be disappointed! Worst case, at least check out the facade of each building as they are unlike any typical buildings.

Hospital de Sant Pau

Sant Pau, or Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, finished in 1930, is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built by Domènech i Montaner, it was used as a hospital until 2009 and is a highlight of Modernista and Catalan Art Nouveau architecture.There are several buildings on the grounds you can explore that detail the hospital operation and medical history.

I think this site is overlooked by visitors to Barcelona and that is huge mistake! The buildings, architecture and history were fascinating both inside and out. Sant Pau is a tiny bit out of the way, closer to Sagrada Familia or Park Güell, and a 5-10 minute walk from the closest metro station. It is well worth the additional short distance.

During Christmas there is a light show at Sant Pau. It is not overly extensive, and there will be a lot of little rodents (kids) running around, but seeing the hospital lit up was a wonderful experience. You also feel like a local at the light show as there were few tourists.

Park Güell

Gaudi’s Park Güell is full of trees, mosaics, sculptures, pathways and buildings overlooking Barcelona. Here you will find several building reminiscent of gingerbread houses with frosting roofs. It is a great place to walk around and see all the structures.

While I enjoyed Park Güell, it was not my favorite site in Barcelona due to the crowds. We did not get there early so the crowds were larger which may have attributed to my grumpy disposition. You can’t be everywhere first thing in the morning! But it is still a good diversion from being inside buildings and getting some fresh air. Be aware that the closest metro station to Park Güell requires about a 1/2 mile walk up a very steep street with a many stepped sidewalk. If this is a concern consider a taxi.

Mercado de La Boqueria

Mercado de La Boqueria is located on Las Ramblas the major pedestrian walkway near the Gothic Quarter. While strolling on Las Ramblas stop at Mercado de La Boqueria for pictures, browsing or to pick up some groceries for breakfast or snacking.

Montjuïc Area and Sites

Montjuïc is a hillside neighborhood overlooking the city of Barcelona filled with parks, gardens and walking paths and Montjuïc Castle. Montjuïc was part of the 1992 Olympics site and includes the weekend evening light/music shows at the Magic Fountain near Plaça España square. You can access the hilltop via bus, funicular, or cable car. 

Spotify Camp Nou (FC Barcelona Soccer/Football)

Soccer (Football) in Barcelona and Spain is like American Football or Baseball in the US. FC Barcelona is one of the premiere teams in the world and Camp Nou is their home. The stadium is just west of Barcelona downtown and easily accessible via the metro system. You can tour the stadium or better yet catch as game if time and schedules permit!

Montserrat

Located about 1 hour outside the city of Barcelona, Montserrat makes for a great day trip and change of pace from city life. We took the Train to Montserrat so that we could see the famous monastery at our own pace, but several tours are also available.

The Benedictine monastery and abbey at Montserrat is perched in the mountains between 2 hillsides. The Boy’s Choir and Black Madonna are 2 of the attractions to see at Montserrat. We enjoyed taking the tram to the top of the mountain and walking around. There is cafeteria style and self serve food options available at Montserrat.

There are 2 options to get to the mountainside of Montserrat via train/metro, either the Rack Railway or the Cable Car. We chose the Rack Railway for our trip, but the Cable Car did look like fun. Also, make sure you decide which option you want if traveling independently via train. There are different non-interchangable tickets for the Rack Railway or the Cable Car and there are different train stops for each also. Check the link above for the details and timetable. Purchasing the tickets was not an issue as someone was able to assist us at the metro.

Honorable Mentions in Barcelona

There are so many additional sites to visit in Barcelona! Don’t get too caught up trying to see everything and miss the local culture, food scene or other interests you may have. Below are a few places you can research independently cause I am tired of typing damn it!

• Picasso Museum
• La Catedral or Cathedral of Barcelona
• Plaça Reial
• Cava Wineries (Day Trip outside Barcelona, many tours available)
• Casa Vicens Gaudí Museum
• Güell Palace
• Miró Museum
• National Museum of Art of Catalunya
• Walk the Waterfront