Barcelona 5 Days Itinerary: The Ultimate Guide

Barcelona is my favourite city in Europe. Even before visiting, I knew I was going to love it. It has everything a great city needs: it’s cosmopolitan, cultural with a great food scene and it’s at the beach. Oh, and the weather is constantly beautiful too. In this blog post, I am sharing with you my Barcelona 5 days itinerary alongside general tips for visiting the Catalan capital.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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📖 Planning a trip to Spain? Check my 16 Best Books to Read before Visiting Spain: A Reading Guide blog post.

How to Get to Barcelona

The easiest way to get to Barcelona is to fly to Barcelona-El Prat Airport. There are a lot of direct international flights, including from the UK, US, UAE.

Once you’re at the airport, there are a few options on how to get to Barcelona city centre.

The first and most budget-friendly option is to take a shuttle bus.
If you plan on using public transport frequently, then the best option is to get this Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card and to choose between 48, 72, 96 or 120-hour passes.
And lastly, private transfers are also pretty affordable in Barcelona, so you can pre-book a private transfer directly to your hotel or take an Uber or FreeNOW (which is what I did).

There’s also a low budget option to fly to Girona-Costa Brava Airport, but bear in mind that this airport is based in Girona, a nearby town, so it will take the additional 1h to get to Barcelona.

If you’re landing there, then the best is to take a direct shuttle bus from the airport to Barcelona.

✅ Check the flight prices here.

How to Get around Barcelona

If you’re staying in the tourist area (near La Rambla or Gothic Quarter), which is very close to the main sites, then you can pretty much walk around Barcelona. Some sites are spread out (like La Sagrada Familia), so you may need to use metro or Uber once or twice in that case.

✅ If you plan on using public transport frequently, then the best option is to get this Hola Barcelona Public Transport Travel Card and to choose between 48, 72, 96 or 120-hour passes.

Where to Stay in Barcelona

My recommendation is to stay in the main tourist area near La Rambla and Gothic Quarter because most sites you’d love to visit are in this circle, it’s close to La Barceloneta (main beach) and easy to explore on foot, so no need to use public transport.

📖 Additionally, check my 15 Best Barcelona Hotels with Amazing Rooftop Pool blog post.

When to Visit Barcelona

Barcelona has some of the best weather in Europe, although the seasons are still quite distinct. You can expect milder temperatures in winter months (about 15 C or 59 F) and hot temperatures in summer (about 30 C or 86 F).

Personally, I think the best time to visit Barcelona is from June to September when the weather is at its best and great for some beach time too.

📖 Check my 12 Warmest Places in Europe You Should Visit in Winter blog post.

How Many Days in Barcelona is Ideal

I would not plan less than 4 full days in Barcelona because there’s a lot to do. If you’re going to visit Barcelona in summer or if you’d like to do a day trip, then 5 days is the ideal amount of time which we will exactly cover in this Barcelona 5 days itinerary.

Day 1 in Barcelona

On your first day in Barcelona you will explore the area around Plaça de Catalunya and La Rambla and check some of the most famous sites of Antoni Gaudi.

✅ If you plan on visiting a lot of sites, I recommend checking Barcelona Go City Card to save the money on bundle attractions.

Mercado de la Boqueria

I don’t know about you, but I always start my day somewhere with grabbing something to eat! And there’s no better place to do that in Barcelona than La Boqueria Market.

It opened in the 19th century and has ever since been selling food, vegetables, fruits and fresh produce. But what I really love about La Boqueria (and other Spanish markets like in Madrid) is that there are a lot of places to sit and drink while trying this delicious street food.

Honestly, it’s one of the best foodie places in Barcelona, so don’t miss it out!

✅ If you’re interested in a food tour, this is the highest rated one which includes La Boqueria.

Casa Batlló

Casa Batlló is one of the best and most famous sites done by Antoni Gaudí. It was redesigned in 1904 and is enlisted as the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The local name for the building is Casa dels Ossos (House of Bones) because it does look like a skeleton. While it’s awesome from the outside, I highly recommend you to buy the tickets and check the inside and the rooftop too.

Actually, for all Gaudi sites I recommend getting those tickets because they are all so much worth exploring. The modernism style he created is like nothing else in this world and something so unique to Barcelona!

✅ If you’d love to explore Gaudi houses with a local guide, check out this Barcelona Gaudi Houses Tour.

📖 Check my Top 8 Gaudi Sites You Have to Visit in Barcelona blog post.

Casa Milà

Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera, is another house made by Gaudi and very close to Casa Batllo. It was the last private residence designed by Antoni Gaudí and was built between 1906 and 1912.

In 1984 it was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unlike Casa Batllo there are still some residential apartments in Casa Mila. However, despite this fact, you can still visit the inside and the rooftop.

While I loved the exterior and interior of Casa Batllo more, the rooftop at La Pedrera was amazing and way better! Not only the views were great, but the design of the rooftop was so cool and unique that it even inspired George Lucas’s Darth Vader and stormtroopers!

✅ I definitely recommend getting the tickets to Casa Mila.

Palau Güell

Palau Güell is a mansion designed by Gaudí and honestly, one of the coolest and most unique palaces I have ever been to.

It is often overlooked by other works of Gaudi, but you have to check it out! I loved both the interior and the rooftop a lot, though the interior is a little bit more fascinating.

✅ You can get your tickets to the Guell Palace here.

Day 2 in Barcelona

On your second day in Barcelona you will visit the remaining of Gaudi sites, including my favourite one – La Sagrada Familia.

✅ If you’d love to explore La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell with a local guide, this is the best guided tour to book.

La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia has been on my bucket list for so long that seeing it in person felt unreal. And given its design and unique architecture, even more so.

For now it’s the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world, though apparently it’s going to be finished in 2026.

In 2005 La Sagrada Familia was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and in 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica.

While stunning outside, it is even more so from the inside and it’s surely so different from any church you have ever seen before! Which is why I cannot recommend more to buy the tickets for La Sagrada Familia.

There you really get to appreciate and realise how nature inspired Gaudi’s work and how he incorporated nature shapes into his architecture.

📖 Read my Tips for Visiting La Sagrada Familia: Ultimate Guide blog post for more.

✅ The best photo opportunity with Sagrada Familia is at the little park nearby at Plaça de Gaudí as you can see in the photo below.

Terrace of Sercotel Rosellón

Terrace of Sercotel Rosellón is the best rooftop bar in Barcelona and surely the best one with the Sagrada Familia views.

Keep in mind that the reservation is a must, which you can do on their official website. They release the slots for 7 days in advance, so you can’t book super early.

Additionally, you can stay in their hotel and then have unlimited access to the rooftop bar.

📖 Read my 12 Best Views in Barcelona: Most Beautiful Viewpoints blog post.

Park Güell

If there’s one park you have to visit in Barcelona, then of course it has to be Park Güell, another masterpiece by Antoni Gaudi.

It was built between 1900 and 1914 and was officially opened to the public in 1926. In 1984 it was enlisted into UNESCO World Heritage Site.

To enter the park, you have to buy the tickets.

Below are the best things to do in Park Guell.

The Greek Theatre or Nature Square

The Greek Theatre or Nature Square is a square with a mosaic seating area. It was supposed to stage large open-air shows that could be watched from the surrounding terraces, but today it’s a place to relax and enjoy the views.

This is one of the most instagrammable places in Park Guell because it looks directly at Casa del Guarda, which looks like a Gingerbread House.

Casa del Guarda

Casa del Guarda is at one of the entrances into the park and it was built because Gaudi envisioned a guard would live there. This is not the case though, so today it’s a museum which you can visit (it’s included in the park ticket).

Pòrtic de la Bugadera

Pòrtic de la Bugadera is a beautiful and instagrammable pathway of large organic looking columns made from stone.

Hypostyle Room

The Hypostyle Room is made up of 86 striated columns inspired in the Doric style. The ceiling is formed of small domes constructed using the traditional technique of clay bricks decorated with original tile-shard mosaics.

It’s a truly beautiful place and one of the most popular ones.

The Dragon’s Staircase

The Dragon’s Staircase is the busiest and most popular place in Park Guell. It’s right under the Hypostyle Room and the reason people love this place is because of the Dragon fountain.

It’s a cool place to check out, but I loved it the least because it was super busy to visit. It’s at one of the entrances to the park.

Gaudí Museum House

And lastly, you can also check the Gaudí Museum House where Gaudi lived until 1925. Today it’s a museum included in the ticket price.

Bunkers del Carmel

Bunkers del Carmel was used for anti aircraft warfare in the Spanish Civil War. Today it serves a better purpose – it’s turned into a public park with great panoramic views of Barcelona.

Güell Tapas

Finally, I have to recommend this place for dinner – Güell Tapas. We went there at least 3x and every time the food was awesome. The ambience too.

It’s one of the best tapas places to eat in Barcelona.

Day 3 in Barcelona

On your day 3 of this Barcelona 5 days itinerary, you will explore the Gothic Quarter. The oldest neighbourhood in Barcelona, the most beautiful and my favourite.

✅ If you’d love to explore the Gothic Quarter with a local guide, consider joining this highest rated walking tour.

Plaça Reial

Plaça Reial or the Royal Square is a great place full of restaurants and cafes. Definitely check it out!

Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi

Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi is a 15th century gothic church in Barcelona. It is mainly known for its large rose window.

The church is free to visit, so I would definitely make a stop there.

Roman City Wall

In the 1st century BC Romans founded a city called Barcino – and that’s how Barcelona was born!

While today very little is left from the ancient Roman times, there are still some traces, including the remains of the Roman City Wall, now adjacent to other buildings.

El Pont del Bisbe

El Pont del Bisbe is the most instagrammable place in the Gothic Quarter. It connects two buildings. However, despite being in the old quarter of Barcelona, El Pont del Bisbe was actually built in 1920.

Cathedral of Barcelona

The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, also known as Barcelona Cathedral, is the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. The cathedral was built in the 13th century and is one of the best Gothic examples in Spain.

You definitely have to go inside because it’s gorgeous, but even more so, you have to go to the rooftop. The views of Barcelona are great from there and it’s such an instagrammable place too!

✅ To visit the cathedral, you need to buy the tickets.

📖 Check my 5 Best Places to Visit in Spain for First Timers blog post.

The World Comes To Life With Each Kiss

The World Comes To Life With Each Kiss is the most famous street artwork in Barcelona. It’s a collage of photos that from a distance look like a kiss, but when you get up closer, you can see that each tile is a photo of its own.

It’s a great place to check!

Palau de la Música Catalana

Palau de la Música Catalana is one of the most unique and beautiful opera houses in the world. Even though it looks like something Gaudi could have designed, this beautiful building is not his one in this case, but it was designed in the Catalan modernista style by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

This place was so high on my bucket list, but sadly it was closed for renovation during my visit, so I would have to check this next time, but you definitely don’t miss it during your visit.

✅ You need to buy the tickets to visit Palau de la Musica Catalana.

Picasso Museum Barcelona

There are some really great museums to visit in the Gothic Quarter, but my choice would be the Picasso Museum.

There are about 5000 works in the permanent collection, so if you’re a fan of Picasso, this museum is not to be missed.

✅ To visit the museum, you can get the tickets on their official website or you can join this guided tour and skip the line.

Parc de la Ciutadella

Parc de la Ciutadella is a beautiful park near the Gothic Quarter and a perfect way to relax after all this sightseeing.

It’s free to visit.

Arc de Triomf

Arc de Triomf is a memorial arch in Barcelona located next to the Ciutadella Park.

It was built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair.

Personally, I haven’t found it as impressive as I did with arches in Paris or London, but it’s still a cool site to check!

Day 4 in Barcelona

On your 4th day in Barcelona you will check the Montjuic hill area.

Montjuïc Castle

Montjuïc Castle is a defensive castle in Barcelona built in the 18th century.

While I wasn’t impressed with the castle per se, it’s still a great place to visit because it offers great views of Barcelona.

While you can reach it with the cable car, I recommend a walk through the park. Yes, it’s uphill and of easy-to-moderate difficulty, but you’d be enjoying the views as you go up. Plus, the park is really nice.

✅ To explore the castle grounds, you need to buy the tickets.

Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

After you’re done with exploring the castle grounds, I recommend going into the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.

It has a great collection of Catalan art, so if you’re interested into the art history of the region, this is the best place to get familiar with it.

Plus, the building itself is gorgeous and it looks at the Plaça Espanya.

Next to it is the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, but sadly it’s been closed for quite some time as a water-saving measure due to drought.

Day 5 in Barcelona

On your last day of this Barcelona 5 days itinerary I suggest making it a fun day – either spending a day at the beach, especially in the summer time, or to go to Tibidabo Amusement Park.

La Barceloneta

So, if you’re in Barcelona in the summer, then spending a day at La Barceloneta is a must.

While the sea is not as clean and beautiful as elsewhere in Spain, it’s still a Mediterranean Sea – warm and refreshing at the same time.

The beach is completely sandy – it’s actually a man-made beach with sand from the Sahara Desert. There are plenty of things to do there – swimming, playing volleyball on the sand, checking some of the beach clubs, bars and restaurants or renting a Jet Ski.

✅ Consider joining this highest rated Sunset or Day Catamaran Cruise with Tapa & Drink tour.

Surely, you won’t be bored at all!

Tibidabo

Remember when Joey was backpacking in Barcelona and he was at the Mountain of Tibidabo? If you’re a fan of Friends, I’m sure you know by heart the funniest pick up line in the show.

Well, you can actually spend a day at Tibidabo.

Start by visiting the Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a 20th century church at the top of Tibidabo. While the entry to the church is free, if you’d love to go to the top to enjoy the views, you’d need to pay for the lift.

After you’ve explored it, then spend a day at the Tibidabo Amusement Park.

Is Barcelona worth Visiting

Surely, I am not hiding that Barcelona is my favourite city in Europe and is definitely in the top 5 in the world!

It has rich cultural and historical heritage, unique architecture, great gastro scene and beautiful weather. It’s such a fun city with many diverse things to do.

Which is why Barcelona is suitable for any kind of traveller and type of travel and therefore very much worth visiting.

✅ If you’re looking for a custom travel plan, find out more about my personalised itinerary service here.

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