48 HOURS IN BARCELONA

Barcelona is a colorful city located on the northeastern coast of Spain, along the Mediterranean Sea. While Madrid is the capital of Spain, Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous community in Spain that has an independent culture, history, and language. Thus, with its own ethos, Barcelona stuns with its Catalan Modernism (a distinct Art Nouveau architectural style), tapas food scene, and lively neighborhoods that offer both modern and historic areas. If you have never been to Barcelona before and you only have 48 hours to pack in the most of what the city centre has to offer, here is how I would spend my time:

Day 1

Start your day in Barcelona by dropping off your bags at the Olivia Balmes Hotel, a four-star hotel situated in the Eixample neighborhood. Then start the long walk to Park Güell, a park that was designed by Antoni Gaudí. While this landmark is a little out of the way, it is absolutely worth it! Be sure to purchase your tickets for the first timeslot entrance in advance. When you are able to enter, make your way to the panoramic terrace and move towards the Serpentine Bench. This is the most popular part of the park, so you want to hit this spot first before more tourists start to flood in. Another popular landmark of the park is El Drac, a colorful mosaic lizard.

Then make your way back into the heart of the city and stop off at Bombons Blasi for some chocolate souvenirs. Since 1877, the Cordomí family has been making chocolate in Barcelona, and their products are incredible. I absolutely love their almonds covered in raspberry powder, and still dream of them! If you manage to keep your chocolates sealed, have lunch at El Bodegón, an Argentinean restaurant. Next, walk along Passeig de Gràcia until you run into La Pedrera, another Gaudí masterpiece and a beautiful example of Catalan Modernism. Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance, and do not skip the roof access!

Continuing your walk of Passeig de Gràcia, you will find your third Gaudí design: Casa Batlló. This is another fantastic Catalan Modernism work that always draws a crowd, so it is important to buy your tickets in advance. Spend the rest of the afternoon discovering Passeig de Gràcia’s luxury shopping and vibrant atmosphere. End the evening with a steak dinner at Carnal.

Day 2

Start your day at Sagrada Familia, the most iconic landmark of Barcelona. Purchase tickets in advance for the first timeslot and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your entrance time. Then walk a few minutes over to Miam for breakfast.

Next, walk over to the Palace of Catalan Music. In advance, be sure to purchase tickets for a tour (or even a performance if one is available!) Then grab lunch at Boro Bar.

After lunch, walk through the Arc de Triomf, and enter Ciutadella Park by way of the Passeig de Lluís Companys. Spend the first half of the afternoon people watching in the park.

Spend the latter half of the afternoon wandering around the Gothic Quarter, the oldest part of Barcelona. There are many sights here to discover, like the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Picasso Museum, as well as shops, my favorite being Iriarte Iriarte. End the evening with dinner at Le Bistro Sensi.

For more detail regarding the sights mentioned in this article, as well as a few more, please see my article here on Barcelona Must Sees.

DAY TRIP: GIRONA

BARCELONA MUST SEES