Barcelona in 3 Days: tips, what to see, and much more

It may not be the capital of Spain, but Barcelona welcomes millions of visitors every year who want to see some of the most iconic places in the whole country: La Sagrada Familia and Gaudí's entire legacy, the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla, Paseo de Gracia, the Mediterranean Sea and much more. If you're thinking of coming to Barcelona for three days, here's an itinerary that will allow you to discover the essential sights.

Three days may seem like a short time to get to know Barcelona, but if you know how to organise yourself, you can visit all its points of interest and enjoy its monuments and attractions. On this first day, to get you started, I suggest you satisfy your curiosity by seeing the imposing Sagrada Familia. Before that, I suggest climbing to the top of Tibidabo, visiting the famous Park Güell and taking a stroll through the Gracia neighbourhood. In the evening, end the day in the Gothic Quarter.

Marvel at the city from above

To get a good first impression of Barcelona, I suggest taking a step back and getting a panoramic view of this beautiful city. To do this, take the green line(line 3) of the metro and get off at the Vallcarca stop.

You will have reached the upper part of the city and in less than 10 minutes walking through a beautiful residential and aristocratic neighbourhood you will reach the Tibidabo funicular, one of the highest peaks in the city with privileged views. For less than €5, you can take this interesting carriage, which will take you up in a matter of minutes. There, you will find the famous Sagrado Corazón temple and one of the oldest amusement parks in the city.

Discover the magic of Park Güell

After seeing Barcelona from above, one of the best ways to round off the morning is to descend to Park Güell. Just head to Travesera de Dalt and in less than 10 minutes you will reach the main gate of the park. Admission is free. However, if you want to enter Gaudí's entire architectural complex, you will have to pay an entrance fee of around €10. You also have the option of booking a tour of Park Güell to get to know it in depth.

Even so, I recommend that you pay close attention to Park Güell's opening hours, as there are times of the year when admission is free. For example, during the summer season, admission is free every Sunday from 5 p.m., so I recommend that you check the official website carefully.

Have lunch near Park Güell

After a whole morning of walking, panoramic views and culture, you're bound to be ready to stop and recharge your batteries. Luckily, there are plenty of places to eat just outside Park Güell, and despite being such a famous park, the area is quite residential, so you'll find good quality menus at reasonable prices.

One such restaurant is La Salut, which serves Mediterranean cuisine, specialising in paellas, seasonal vegetables, calçots and meats. You can also book a gastronomic tour of Barcelona to delve deeper into the local cuisine.

Head down and explore the Gracia neighbourhood

Everything looks better on a full stomach, and I can't think of a better way to walk off your meal than by taking a stroll or booking a bike tour to the Gracia neighbourhood. The good thing about Park Güell is that it's all downhill, so you just have to walk down the narrow streets that cross Travesera de Dalt and you'll arrive at Villa de Gracia, one of the most picturesque and artistic neighbourhoods in Barcelona.

There, you can enjoy a coffee in the famous Plaza del Diamante, one of the neighbourhood's hotspots and the title of Mercè Rodoreda's renowned novel.

Visit Barcelona's great landmark, the Sagrada Familia

If you've come to discover Barcelona, you're sure to be eager to see the Sagrada Familia, one of the city's icons and one of the most photographed sights in the whole country. It is one of the most experimental and interesting architectural projects of the Modern Age. Just seeing it from the outside is impressive, but you also have the option of admiring the interior of the Sagrada Familia, which I recommend as you've probably never seen anything like it.

There are several options for seeing it: you can buy a ticket and go on your own, take a guided tour or buy a combined ticket and save on two of your travel plans. Here are the different options available:

• Tickets for the Sagrada Familia, from AED 146
• Guided tour of the Sagrada Familia with optional access to the tower, from AED 364
• Tickets for the Sagrada Familia with access to one tower, from AED 202
• Skip-the-line guided tour of the Sagrada Familia, from AED 236
• Private guided tour of the Sagrada Familia, from AED 815
• Tour of Park Güell and La Sagrada Familia, from AED 441
• Gaudí tour of Barcelona with Casa Batlló, Park Güell and the Sagrada Familia, from AED 661
• Private tour of Park Güell and La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, from AED 1,029

Getting there from the Gracia neighbourhood is very easy. Just walk for about 15 minutes and you'll be there. If you don't want to walk that far, you can always take the metro at Joanic and get off at Sagrada Familia station, changing to line 5.

Explore the alleys of the Gothic Quarter at dusk

It's been a busy day, hasn't it? Don't worry, now it's time to relax. When you leave the Sagrada Familia, it will probably be dusk, so I suggest you take the metro to the Liceu stop. From here, you'll have access to the Gothic Quarter, which offers numerous tours and is one of the most famous and visited neighbourhoods in Barcelona.

This is the oldest part of Barcelona, which you'll notice right away from its narrow, winding streets and the remains of its city walls. Seeing it at dusk is wonderful, as it's usually lit up and you feel like you're stepping into another era. You can book a tour of the old town and the Gothic Quarter, have dinner at one of the restaurants in Plaça Nova and enjoy a romantic evening with views of Barcelona Cathedral.

For this second day, I have prepared a day full of art, culture and tradition in all its forms. To start with, you can see two of the most characteristic buildings in the centre of Barcelona for yourself: La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Then you'll walk through the city centre until you reach Las Ramblas, have lunch at the iconic Boqueria Market, spend the afternoon visiting the famous MacBa museum and, to round off the day, enjoy a delicious dinner with sea views in Barceloneta. Are you up for it?

Discover the essence of Gaudí by visiting La Pedrera

Gaudí is present throughout the city of Barcelona. So much so that when you walk through the city centre and Paseo de Gracia, you feel like you are in a walking museum, as even the street lamps have his essence. To get a better understanding of his imagination, I suggest you spend the morning getting to know one of Gaudí's most famous works.

You will need to go to Diagonal station, metro lines 3 and 5. From there, you are just a few steps away from La Pedrera, the former home of the Milá family, which today is visited as an example of the architect's modernism. Its winding shapes, stone façade, famous warrior-shaped chimneys and flower courtyard are just some of the features you can explore inside this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Book your ticket for La Pedrera in advance. I assure you it's an experience worth having.

Continue your exploration of Gaudí by visiting Casa Batlló

On leaving La Pedrera, walk down Paseo de Gracia and, just a few steps away, on the opposite side of the street, you will find another of Gaudí's great landmarks: Casa Batlló. This iconic building was completely renovated by Gaudí on behalf of Josep Batlló, who gave it its characteristic nature-inspired shapes and colourful stained-glass windows. Stepping inside is like entering a fairy tale, so don't wait any longer to book your ticket for Casa Batlló.

Stroll along Las Ramblas

After a morning of walking and soaking up all of Gaudí's Barcelona culture, I suggest you gradually make your way towards the centre of Barcelona, following the famous Paseo de Gracia until you reach Plaça Catalunya, one of the most central points in the city. From here, you'll be at the entrance to the famous Ramblas, an iconic avenue in the city that connects Plaça Catalunya with the statue of Columbus and the entrance to the port.

Here you'll find the famous Canaletas fountain, where Barça fans celebrate their victories, as well as the famous flower kiosks and some of the most popular tourist shops. Strolling along Las Ramblas is one of the essential things to do on your trip.

Eat at La Boquería

From La Rambla, you can easily reach La Boquería Market. This is one of the most important gastronomic spots in the city.

Here, people buy the most exclusive ingredients, but there are also different stalls offering top-quality food, from meat and seafood to more experimental cuisine. If you want to taste the best dishes, a very interesting option is to book a gastronomic tour of Barcelona's markets.

Spend a cultural afternoon at the MacBa and discover the Raval

I suggest you continue your visit to one of Barcelona's most important museums on an international level. The MacBa is Barcelona's contemporary art museum and a benchmark for all the world's avant-garde art movements. It is located in the heart of the Raval district, a few minutes' walk from the Boquería market, and is usually open until 8 pm, so you have time to visit it in the afternoon.

If you book tickets for the Museum of Contemporary Art, you can enjoy the main exhibitions and see works by Picasso, Miró, Dalí and many of the world's leading modern and contemporary artists. On your way out, take some time to stroll through the streets of Raval, one of the most multicultural neighbourhoods in the city.

End the day with a stroll along Barceloneta

The day is coming to an end and you are just a short walk from the beach. Barcelona is a city with access to the sea, which makes it doubly interesting because, in summer, as well as enjoying the museums and culture, you can end the day with a dip in the Mediterranean.

One of Barcelona's most iconic and characterful neighbourhoods is Barceloneta, a former fishing district that now boasts an incredible range of restaurants. I can't think of a better way to end the day than sitting on one of Barceloneta's terraces and eating a delicious fish dish while looking out over the sea.

You've reached the last day of your 3-day trip to Barcelona, but the fun isn't over yet, because for this final day I've got one of the areas most cherished by Barcelona locals in store for you: Montjuïc.

Early in the morning, you'll hop on a cable car that will take you to the top of the famous mountain, and you'll spend the whole day exploring its castle, gardens, museums and incredible views. After lunch, I've reserved a spot for you to do some last-minute shopping, and to say goodbye, I've prepared a beautiful light and water show.

Take the cable car up to Montjuic and visit its castle

To reach the top of Montjuic, I recommend going to the Paral·lel metro station and from there taking a funicular inside the metro itself, which will take you to the Parc de Montjuic station in a few minutes. From here, a huge range of panoramas opens up to you, as this mountain is home to two of the most important museums, the Olympic City and Montjuic Castle.

I suggest several possibilities. On the one hand, you can book the Montjuic tour or, if you prefer to go on your own, you can also head to the cable car station. It costs around €10 and will take you to the castle in less than 5 minutes, as well as showing you the whole hill with a panoramic view. Once at the castle, depending on how much time you have, you can choose to walk around and see its moat and exterior façade, or pay an entrance fee of around €5 and see the inside as well.

Relive the 1992 Olympics

On leaving the castle, you can walk through the beautiful gardens of Montjuic until you reach one of the most interesting areas for all sports enthusiasts: the Olympic City. In 1992, Barcelona hosted the Olympics and built an entire sports city at the top of Montjuic, which is still in use today and remains an impressive reminder of that time.

You can visit the Olympic Stadium and explore the entire enormous infrastructure. Admission is free, and you can get an idea of what that event was like and the enormous scale of the project.

Delve into the art of the Miró Foundation or the National Museum

Just before lunch, I have two plans to choose from. At the top of Montjuic there are two museums that are quite important to Barcelona's culture, but as there isn't time to see both, you'll have to choose the one that best suits your tastes.

• Joan Miró Foundation: this is a museum dedicated to the entire oeuvre of Joan Miró, the famous painter. From the structure of the building to all its paintings and sculptures, you are transported to a childlike world of fantasy and innocence. It is undoubtedly an experience for your senses if you like avant-garde art. Admission costs approximately €15 and it is located halfway between the gardens and the Olympic City.
• National Art Museum of Catalonia: This is a huge neoclassical building that houses the largest collection of national and Catalan art. Inside, there is a huge mural by Miró, Picasso's "Woman with a Hat" and countless other classical and contemporary works and exhibitions. General admission is around €10.

Lunch with the best views of Barcelona

Whichever museum you've chosen to end your morning tour, you're bound to be hungry by now. If you've chosen the National Museum, the place I'm going to suggest for lunch is right next door, and if you've chosen the Miró Foundation, it's only a few minutes' walk away.

This is Óleum, the museum's restaurant, which offers excellent cuisine and also boasts one of the best views in the entire area, as it is located in the museum's former Throne Room. You can sample some of the best local dishes while enjoying a privileged view of Plaza España. And if you prefer tapas and wine, you can also book a private gastronomic tour of Barcelona. Bon profit!

Do your last-minute shopping in the old bullring

There's no better way to settle your meal than to walk down the stairs from the museum to Plaza España. Once back in the lower part of the city, you can spend a good part of this last afternoon shopping for last-minute gifts and souvenirs from Barcelona in one of its most emblematic shopping centres, Arenas. You can also get there comfortably by booking the Barcelona bus.

What makes this place special is not only that it brings together all the major brands, but also that it used to be an old bullring. When bullfighting was banned throughout the region, the place was renovated and is now one of the busiest shopping spots. What's more, if you go up to the top floor, you can access a viewpoint that is especially beautiful at sunset, when the lights come on.

Say goodbye to Barcelona with two options: Magic Fountain or Caixaforum

To bid farewell on this last day and leave this beautiful city with a good taste in your mouth, I have one last plan in store for you. Right where you are, in Plaza España, every Thursday, Friday and Saturday there is a light and water show starting at 9 p.m. at the so-called Magic Fountain.

For an hour, the fountain creates figures with water and lighting effects accompanied by music and all kinds of visual effects. It's an ideal plan whether you're travelling as a couple or with children, and what's more, it's completely free.

If you can't make it, another option to round off the evening would be to visit the CaixaForum, a cultural centre built in a former factory that usually has very interesting exhibitions throughout the year and is open every day until 8 pm with admission costing around €5.

As you can imagine, Barcelona is a city that, due to its great tourist appeal, receives visitors in all seasons of the year. You should be prepared to deal with tourists, so it is advisable to book in advance to avoid queues.

Even so, I recommend, although it may sound strange, that you avoid the high season in Barcelona, as this is when all the cruise ships dock in the port and the city is truly overflowing with people, as well as having very high temperatures.

The best time to visit Barcelona is in the spring months, as you can enjoy the good weather and all the activities without the crowds. Another option, if you like the cold, is to come and enjoy Barcelona at Christmas, where you can experience its most authentic traditions and try the real turrón.