Some might call it charm or allure. Spellbinding, attention grabbing. However you choose to say it, there’s an old-world magic in Barcelona. Strolling La Rambla, ascending mystical staircases, and exploring gritty streets are just a few activities the gripping capital of Catalunya offers.
Oh, on that note, let’s address that thought I know you just had – Catalunya?! Yep. Catalonia in English, it’s the area in the Northeastern corner of Spain. Some residents have been pushing for independence from Spain, but it’s only an autonomous community for now. What does that even mean? For your visiting purposes, it means it’s different in a few integral ways from the rest of Spain. They speak Catalan (but Spanish (and a lot of English) too, so don’t worry about communication!), aren’t known for flamenco, and don’t have bullfights or runs. If you are looking for any of these traditional Spanish activities, don’t go to Barcelona! But do go to Barcelona for all the other wonders you can experience*. One of those experiences is something called a castell – a tower made from humans. (That sounds creepy, but the humans are all living and consenting.) I never saw one, but they are a fascinating (and terrifying) cultural activity.
*For anyone who thinks Barcelona is dangerous/scary/not worth it – it’s not any different than any other European city. Or any city in general, really. I personally found it remarkable (hence, my beautiful, flowery language. Am I overdoing it? Sorry… not sorry actually. I really liked it. Anyway.). You may not be as enamored of Barcelona as I was, but that’s expected of any city. As for safety, there are tourist sections, scams, and pickpockets, sure. But are you afraid of London? I’m willing to bet no – and it has all the same elements!
With that out of the way, let’s get back to my two-day itinerary in Barcelona. I want to say off the bat, two days in Barcelona is not enough. (In my humble opinion. These days, I prefer to experience a city more slowly, so I would spend 4-7 days there at minimum. You’ll also be able to see more things.) After hours of research, two days is what I decided to do, and in all honestly it was the best choice for my budget at the time. Barcelona attractions are expensive. So, I’ll be providing my inexpensive choices, but also giving you choices if you have more room in your budget.
I must also provide a disclaimer. I made a stupid decision when I was planning to visit Barcelona. I thought Antoni Gaudi’s work would be overrated, not worth it, and just like other buildings. I was wrong. Terribly wrong. I didn’t include any of his works in my original itinerary, but as luck had it, I ended up at Palau Güell anyway. Palau Güell is one of the cheaper options for Gaudi’s work, but my goodness was I amazed. It helped foster my strong desire to return to Barcelona (combined with many other factors). He’s a highly praised and lauded architect for those unfamiliar with the name.
All that to say, my itinerary doesn’t technically include any Gaudi works. I didn’t want to change what I followed in case it helped someone else. I will discuss options, but I wanted to explain why I essentially ignored this maverick mogul of design.
Another disclaimer. There’s a reason I didn’t call this post “The BEST 2-Day Barcelona Itinerary.” I’m honestly not convinced it is the best. But I AM convinced it’s the most unique – I made a lot of mistakes, and I learned from those mistakes. I then came and disclosed all those quirky mistakes. What other travel blogger does that?! Without editing the itinerary, mind you! Even if you don’t follow this itinerary to a T, I think you’ll gain a lot from reading about the potential setbacks and attractions that you can visit! It also doesn’t focus on Gaudi’s work, which is pretty unique if I do say so myself.
Table of Contents
- Where is Barcelona?
- When to Visit Barcelona
- How to Get to Barcelona
- Where to Eat in Barcelona
4a. Where I Went
4b. Places That Sound Interesting - 2-Day Barcelona Itinerary Day 1
5a. Parc de la Ciutadella
5b. La Rambla
5c. Other Stops Near La Rambla
5d. Walking Tour
5e. Santa Maria del Mar
5f. Picasso Museum
5g. Font Màgica
5h. Arenas de Barcelona
5i. Barceloneta, Tapas Stop, or Bar Hopping - 2-Day Barcelona Itinerary Day 2
6a. Palau de la Musica Catalana
6b. Palau Güell
6c. Montjuïc Castle
6d. Options
6e. 2-Day Barcelona Itinerary Summary
Where is Barcelona
I answered this question in an earlier paragraph (the second one about Catalunya and human towers. Did you miss that part about human towers?), but Barcelona is in Western Europe in the Northeastern corner of Spain. It’s the capital of Catalunya (but not Spain), and it’s a beach town believe it or not.
When to Visit Barcelona
The best time to visit Barcelona varies greatly based on who you ask. Some will say April-May or September-October for the warm (but not too hot) weather. Some will say April-July for the festivals, while some will say November-March because it’s “off season” so fewer tourists will be milling about (fewer tourists? I wish!). I went in February and found the weather comfortable, the people plentiful, and the events common; so, the answer to this question hugely varies based on the person (so that’s why the answers are so different!). I didn’t find going at an “inopportune” time bad at all – as I’ve mentioned, I loved it. My final answer is visit Barcelona when you get the chance!
How to Get to Barcelona
Okay, I’m going to be real here for a second. The only reason I included this section is so I can complain. Why is “how to get to…” still a part of itineraries and blog posts about a location? I even have them on my Solvang and Joshua Tree itineraries (I have a 1, 2, and 5-day plan!). Even then, I thought it was weird that we still have to specify the directions to a town/country/city when we all know people are just going to pull up their accommodation on a GPS or online maps system like Google Maps. Or pull up their preferred bus or train provider. Or airline. Heck maybe they’ll call up the local tuk-tuk company. All this rambling to say, I’m thinking about leaving this bit out. Unless it’s a “strange” or relatively unknown place, in which case I’ll put where it is. But not how to get there. Again, unless it’s unique (I know of some places without roads), so I’m leaving my options open. I haven’t decided. Can you tell? If you’ve made it this far, I thank you and welcome comments below. Oh, and there’s an international airport just outside Barcelona, two major train stations (tickets here), and two main bus stations (tickets purchased from individual bus companies such as FlixBus and ALSA). Most of the time, you’ll want Barcelona Sants Train Station or Barcelona Nord Bus Station. The options all vary appropriately in price, but where you are coming from is the biggest factor (in my opinion) for which option you choose. Pick your poison.
Where to Stay in Barcelona
I stayed at Hola Hostal Eixample. It’s clean, quiet, in a great area, and staff is friendly. Furthermore, they have automatic lights, so you don’t have to worry about your roommates stumbling in and turning on lights. What more could you ask for in a hostel? They are also close to many attractions and have great reviews. If you look at Hola Hostal and decide it isn’t for you, there are plenty of other hostel options!
For a bigger budget (or if you just hate hostels – I’ll admit, I like them for many reasons but to each their own), Booking.com is my go-to site for places. I’m not affiliated with them, so I don’t get a commission or anything. I genuinely find them the most useful for my needs, but I have used Hotels.com when traveling with family too.
How to Get Around Barcelona
I walked, plain and simple. I found Barcelona to be walk-able, and got to stop and see sights when I wanted to.
If walking isn’t your thing, the Hola Barcelona Travel Card is very reasonably priced – getting a 48-hour pass for 16 euro can help you see more in less time, protect your feet from pain, and not break the bank -especially when you consider one ride is 2.40 euro. Just because I prefer walking doesn’t mean you have to! Honestly, sometimes I wish I had gotten this pass.
Where to Eat in Barcelona
Cat Bar wall 
CatBar burger and potatoes. Not my best picture…
I’ve got some news to break… It’s not difficult to be vegan in Barcelona!! Plenty of people will tell you how difficult it is to travel vegan, but I swear it’s not true. Even if you don’t speak the language! There are nearly 30 completely vegan restaurants, over 60 vegetarian restaurants, and over 200 restaurants with options. That’s over 300 restaurants where vegans/vegetarians can eat (I’m prone to the all-veg ones, but I sometimes make exceptions.)
I’ll be honest, I was in the thick of saving money and not thinking food was important for my health or travel experience during this time. I also went before many of the new vegan restaurants opened! Because of that, I missed going most places. (But I saved money! Great! Right? It depends. Not eating out is certainly a tip for saving money while traveling. There’s a fine balance between saving money, being healthy, being reasonable, and enjoying your favorite travel. I’ve got a post on my to-write list about it.)
Some might call eating out a travel mistake – I personally just think you should be smart about it. I’ve got a whole post about travel mistakes you should avoid!
Where I Went
CatBar is the one restaurant I made it to in Barcelona. The rest of the time, I stopped in grocery stores and picked up food (ever had guacamole and a baguette? It’s actually really yummy!). CatBar is a perfect place for a variety of travelers – I was solo but didn’t worry about judgement from people because of it. I also saw small groups and other single people (it’s a bar, so large groups aren’t expected). Keep in mind, you must walk up to the bar to order. They serve vegan burgers, fries, and beer – I had a cider and the Black Cat, which is a black bean burger with garlic vegenaise, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, and aubergine, which was a perfect budget-friendly vegan food option in Barcelona. The full menu can be found on TripAdvisor.
Places That Sound Interesting
Vegetart serves budget-friendly (!) take away food. The most interesting thing on the menu is their vegan tortilla. Spain is known for tortillas, which are different from the flour and corn tortilla most people I know are familiar with. Spanish tortillas are egg and potato, but they make different vegan versions with chickpea flour! I’ve also wanted to try one, so this place is on my list when I return to Barcelona.
Barceloneta Sangria Bar is an all vegan tapas and sangria* bar – perfect for vegans looking for that quintessential experience. Sangria isn’t a Catalonia “thing,” but still!
Dolce Pizza is a vegetarian pizza spot, and I would normally not include somewhere that is not only not vegan, but not local food. But this place makes their own vegan cheese, so I need you to try it for me. Let me know how it is ASAP.
All Vegan is a vegan restaurant in Barcelona that offers typical Catalan dishes – local recipes made vegan is the best food to try in my opinion!
2 Days in Barcelona: Day 1
Parc de la Ciutadella
The day starts later in Barcelona. Most places don’t open until at least 10am, so if you are an early riser like me, you’ll get to have a leisurely morning. I started my day with a walk to La Rambla, Spain’s most famous pedestrian-only street (arguably, it’s most famous street period). I passed under the Arco de Triunfo (Barcelona’s Arc de Triomphe), strolled through the Parc de la Ciutadella (a huge green space with an ornate fountain, museums, a lake, zoo, and Catalunya Parliament), and took way too many pictures. I highly recommend exploring this area!
Note: You can eat breakfast out, but I chose to stop at a grocery store for a baguette (yes, in Spain!) and guacamole to maximize my sightseeing time!
La Rambla
You’ll soon reach La Rambla to see its picturesque charm without hundreds (thousands?) of tourists – at least if you get there before 10am. I didn’t carve out much time for La Rambla because I wanted to see less “touristy” parts of Barcelona, but it’s still worth seeing! Attractions are tourist destinations for a reason in my opinion.
Anyway, getting there before 10am means you’ll probably miss a lot of the “entertainment” (e. g., moving statutes and other street performers), but experience how the area used to be. If the entertainers are important to you, feel free to visit later in the day. When you do go, don’t miss the Mosaic del Pla de l’Os by Joan Miró, a famed Catalan artist, that’s along the street near Liceu Metro and Liceu Theater. It’s an inlaid tile work many people just pass-over, but it’s a beautiful piece of Barcelona’s history – and Miró helped build part of La Rambla. Bonus points if you can find the tile Miró signed!
I wouldn’t suggest eating along any of the many La Rambla restaurants because the prices are elevated and the service can be… well, not elevated. (Just one travel mistake I suggest you try to avoid!) However, if it’s in your budget or something on your bucket list, I won’t judge you for grabbing a drink and people watching on La Rambla (yes, even if you go in the morning. It’s vacation!).
Other Stops Near La Rambla
While in this area, La Boqueria is a popular stop. It’s a farmer’s market style market, full of fruits, vegetables, street food, flowers, fish, meat, spices, and more. It’s a relatively inexpensive place to pick up a snack or breakfast!
The Christopher Columbus Monument is also near La Rambla. I didn’t stop here nor see it, but if statues are your thing it’s at the very end of La Rambla by the beach.
For people without children, Museu de l’ Erotica could also be an interesting stop to see the history of sex, sexuality, and erotica. This museum also wasn’t on my “must-do” list, so I can’t accurately comment on its quality.
Walking Tour
Next up, I highly recommend a walking tour, which tend to start ay 11am and lasts 2.5-3 hours. There is a lot of standing, so bear that in mind if you are differently abled.
There are at least eight companies that offer free tours, and within some of those companies, there are more tours (some still free). I wanted to go on all of them. I chose the Old City Walking Tour with Runner Beans (now known as the Gothic Quarter Free Walking Tour) and couldn’t have been happier or enjoyed myself more. Sandemans and Free Walking Tours Barcelona are other popular companies that offer similar tours. Just make sure you book online if you do one of these tours!
The tour starts at Placa Reial, a beautiful square in the Barri Gotic (the Gothic Quarter). A tour of the Barri Gotic will include Placa del Pi, the Jewish Quarter, the Roman City, and more. I won’t go into detail about any of these so you can be surprised, but it’s enchanting. On my tour, we even stopped at a bakery that served turróns. It’s a sweet typically made of honey, sugar, and egg white, with toasted nuts – but they also had vegan versions!
Santa Maria del Mar
The tour ends at Santa Maria del Mar, which is an architecture marvel. It’s also in the popular El Born neighborhood, so you aren’t exploring the same areas over and over! It’s not one of Gaudi’s creations, so it’s considerably cheaper than, say, La Sagrada Familia. They have two types of tours: the “complete” tour (church, galleries, and crypt) for 10 euro or the tower tour (towers and rooftops) for 8.50 euro. I took the towers and rooftop tour because I wanted to see Barcelona from above, and I knew I wouldn’t be getting the “quintessential” shot at Park Güell (another one of Gaudi’s famous works). I also knew I didn’t need to hear the history that would be provided on the complete tour – they cover that on the walking tour.
Make sure to have cash and arrive by 2pm, as the tours are timed. The walking tour should be timed precisely with a few minutes to spare. The tours last between 45 minutes and one hour.
Picasso Museum
The Picasso Museum is two minutes from Santa Maria del Mar. If you aren’t between the ages of 18-25, it’s not the most inexpensive option at 12 euro. The reduced price for younger people is 7 euro, so if you are older and on a budget, I’d consider pushing your visit to a Thursday after 5pm – it’s free of charge until 9pm! You can also opt to hop on transit and visit one of Gaudi’s buildings instead.
Depending on how much you like art and/or Picasso, you can spend anywhere from 1-2 hours here. I was there closer to two.
Dinner
CatBar is 3 minutes from the Picasso museum, which is how I decided to eat there – and I’m glad I did! Vegetalia and Vegan Junk Food Bar are also close options.
Font Màgica
It’s a 40-minute walk from Barri Gotic to the explosion of awe that is Font Màgica, but you can use your handy dandy transit pass if you’d like. You are now in a completely novel area of Barcelona – the Sants-Montjuïc. About an hour, this presentation is a choreographed light show with music and dancing water. The fountain is below Palau Nacional (another museum). It was built in 1929 for the International Exhibition and then restored for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. It’s been making music and entertainment ever since, for good reason. It draws a huge crowd, and I made sure to arrive well before the start time (varies based on season).
Arenas de Barcelona
Not going to lie, this stop is simply a shopping mall. If you ask anybody else, El Corte Ingles is the place to see anything and everything – shopping wise – in Barcelona. But I was walking back to my hostel after the show and decided to see how Spanish malls differed from US or Irish malls (spoiler: they really aren’t that different, but the layout was cool!). I’m partial to Arenas because I stumbled on it! So, if you are curious, it’s open until 10pm and you can visit after the fountain show.
Barceloneta, Tapas Stop, or Bar Hopping
If you have it in you, are feeling peckish, or want to bar hop, you can stop in one of Barcelona’s many bars. Barceloneta Sangria Bar is another transit trip back the way you came but there are plenty of options throughout the city. I’ve heard some of the best nightlife is near Passeig del Born, but it’s hard to imagine anywhere in Barcelona having bad nightlife. I personally wanted to sleep :’D
2 Days in Barcelona: Day 2
Another morning left for wandering. Choose your own adventure sorts – maybe head to the beach or enjoy breakfast and people watch the few people who will be awake (I didn’t). Or just sleep in!
Palau de la Musica Catalana
Here’s where the itinerary gets a little fuzzy. The original goal is to tour the Palau de la Musica Catalana at 10am (reduced prices aren’t expensive – 10 euro, but full price is at the high end – 20 euro). If you can do that, go for it. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage concert hall built in the early 1900s by another architectural mogul, Lluís Domènech i Montaner. However, I cannot speak on whether it’s “worth it.” Because it was closed. Have you been?! How was it? Still upset I missed it.
I walked up to the ticket office (at the time, tickets were cheaper that way), and the person at the desk said, “oh we aren’t doing that today.” No explanation, no nothing. Even after questions. No help. So. I found an alternative!
Palau Güell
Palau Güell is around the corner from the music hall. Even though I fully intended to skip all the Gaudi architecture, I decided I’d rather see a mildly interesting building than wander with no idea what to do or where to go (on that note, don’t make the mistake of relying on one form of direction – if something like this happens and you don’t have a backup plan, you’ll be out of luck!).
I’d like to reiterate – Thank goodness I ended up here. Please go to at least one Gaudi building. The audio guide is under an hour, but if you pause, wander, and enjoy the building it’ll take close to 1.5-2 hours.
Montjuïc Castle
This old fortress is a-ways out of the main area you’ve been staying in, back to the Sants-Montjuïc. It’s an hour walk by distance, but I’d plan to arrive around 2pm if you walk (part of it is a huuugge hill. I chose to walk up it instead of splurging for a transport ticket and it took me longer than an hour. You might want to splurge… it was kind of rough). Add an hour if you pop in for a sit-down lunch somewhere.
It’s free Sunday afternoons after 3pm (I didn’t!), or if you are in a reduced category it’s 3 euro. Even if you pay general admission, it’s only 5 euro – inexpensive compared to other attractions! At the time, guided tours were also free for small groups, but I can’t tell if that’s the case anymore due to pandemic cancellations. I highly recommend the tour, regardless, because not only was the tour guide wonderful, we saw places in the fortress I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. We also got a lot of information that was easier to understand and digest than what is provided on signs.
Choose your own adventure
After 1.5-2 hours at the castle/fortress, you’ve got options. I chose to stroll the city streets on my way to the train station (off to Madrid!). I managed to see La Sagrada Familia’s exterior and Casa Batlló beautifully lit in the dark (after realizing how amazing Gaudi’s work is and then seeing the price tag of going inside any more). I also saw Casa Milà without realizing it until years later. But, if you’ve got the budget and the time before hopping on your plane, train, bus, or yacht (you have a yacht? Take me with you! Also, ignore all my budget comments), there is much more to see. Visit MACBA, the modern art museum. Walk around the free part of Park Güell I didn’t know part of it was free until much later! Don’t be me! Get lost in Parc del Laberint d’Horta, the city’s oldest urban park. The list of options really goes on.
Summary
Following this 2-day Barcelona itinerary to a T means you’ll see some of the less visited tourist destinations, but not necessarily the “big” ones unless you choose to. The attractions I include are also on the lower end of the budget compared to other stops.
Also, pro-tip: Buy your tickets in advance for any and all attractions you choose! You won’t have to wait in line, and you’ll have a more positive experience. Unless there is a specified discount at the door, and it’s worth it.
2-Day Barcelona Itinerary Summary
Day 1
- Parc de la Ciutadella
- La Rambla
- Walking Tour
- Santa Maria del Mar
- Picasso Museum
- Font Màgica
- Arenas de Barcelona
- Barceloneta, Tapas Stop, or Bar Hopping
Day 2
- Palau de la Musica Catalana
- Palau Güell
- Montjuïc Castle
- Choose Your Own Adventure
So where are you most excited to visit in Barcelona? Or where was your favorite place/experience if you’ve been? Let me know in the comments!
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I’ve always wanted to visit Barcelona!! This looks incredible! 🙂
Thank you! I hope you get there 🙂