So, technically we had two and a quarter days in Barcelona as we arrived by train at about 3:30 p.m. on Monday, and then had all of Tuesday and Wednesday in the city.
We got checked into our hotel, dropped off our bags and freshened up, checked out the rooftop pool that overlooks La Pedrera, and then headed off for some 4 o’clock sightseeing.
We went to Casa Batllo first as we had to start off our time in Barcelona by seeing one of Gaudi’s buildings. We explored it bottom to top and did an immersive VR tour with an English audioguide. It’s such a unique home that was reworked between 1904 and 1906. The home is artistic but also super functional, it was so neat hearing about the windows and ventilation systems that kept the home cool, but also let in a lot of light.
The home was opened to the public in 1995 after being bought by the Bernat family. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site and Gaudi’s style has been so lovingly preserved and celebrated here.
There was a cool film, Gaudi’s Dreams, at the end that showcased Gaudi’s work and style that was projected on all the walls. It was so cool and colorful, but as someone who experiences motion sickness, there were times I had to remember I was just in a room or close my eyes.
We went back to the hotel as we had some time to kill before our next activity so we ordered a few glasses of Spanish wine at the bar. Then we were back out and went just around the corner to check out the light show experience at La Pedrera.
Rick and I had visited La Pedrera last time we were in Barcelona, back in 2018, and this was a unique way to see it with the light projections on the chimneys.
Then we had dinner at Vivo Barcelona where we shared some light bites and a seafood paella. Rick and I grabbed another glass of wine and went back up to the rooftop to enjoy the view of the city at night.
Then it was time to get some sleep as we had a busy two days in Barcelona ahead of us.
Travel itinerary: 2 days in Barcelona
Day 1
Our first full day had more Gaudi-focused sightseeing on the agenda, as well as revisiting some favorite stops from our first trip to Barcelona. Of course we started our day off with some delicious churros con chocolate!
Casa Vicens
We started our day off at Casa Vicens where he had registered for a guided tour in English. Elements were similar to Casa Battle but also had a very different vibe and had floral tiles and floral themes woven into the ceiling. It too had a fun rooftop with colorful chimneys and some great ironwork.
Christmas market at the Barcelona Cathedral
We then made our way through the city toward the Barcelona Cathedral, a church Rick and I had visited last time we were in the city. This time though we got to explore the goods on display at the Christmas market in the square in front of the cathedral.
I did pick up a fun Christmas-themed souvenir that we saw everywhere: A Tio de Nadal or Caga Tio. It’s a log, they come in all sizes (I even got a stuffed animal version of a Tio de Nadal), that has a smiling face painted on it. Caga Tio plays an important role at Christmas as children feed it scraps of food, hit it, and it’s supposed to poop out presents and turron or nougat. I was very excited to take my little party pooper home with us.
We did not go in the church on this visit, but have seen it before and it is stunning on the inside and free to visit.
Lunch
Since I was supposed to feed my Caga Tio, we found a nearby spot for some tapas and wine, or sangria in my case. We shared croquettes, the Spanish tortilla or omelette, and some grilled octopus. We then popped into a shop next door for some gelato and then continued exploring the city.
Palace Guell
We moved onto our next Gaudi building by visiting Palace Guell. This too was both distinctly Gaudi but also different. The house wasn’t as bright or colorful as Casa Batllo, though the chimneys did have the colorful tiles I expect when seeing Gaudi’s home.
La Boqueria
We strolled down La Rambla and headed to La Boqueria, one of our favorite spots from last time we were in Barcelona. Unfortunately many of the stalls were closing by the time we got there but it was still fun seeing it again and enjoying all the smells of fresh produce, snacks, and the legs of jamon!
The market has been in business since 1836 and is home to more than 200 vendors.
Dinner
We headed back to our neighborhood and stopped for dinner at Cerveseria Catalana, which was absolutely fantastic. We got a bottle of wine and a variety of tapas to share. We opted for the mixed mushrooms, pan con tomate, shrimp and scallop skewers, beef tenderloin, anchovies, and then finished our meal with some crema catalana.
This restaurant was super popular and is known as an institution and serves amazing food. We got lucky since we’re Americans and eat early that we beat the rush and got a table as the restaurant does not take reservations.
Churros
Later that night we went to Xurreria Trebol to get some decadent churros, like a dulce de leche or a chocolate churro with Kinder Bueno stuffing. Well worth the walk for a late night treat.
Day 2
Catalan Music Palace
AKA the Palau de la Música Catalana, this building is iconic and gorgeous. I would love to see a performance at this concert hall! We were booked for another guided tour of the building and heard about the history of the palace.
Our tour of the UNESCO site was just under an hour. The seemingly magical building was built between 1905 and 1908 and features stained glass, sculptures, mosaics, and ironwork. This was a truly beautiful building and deserves a visit on any trip to Barcelona.
Sagrada Familia
Then we made our way to the most famous sightseeing attraction in Barcelona: La Sagrada Familia.
Rick and I were both so happy to return to Sagrada Familia as it seems like no amount of time spent in this church is enough to take it all in. It is without a doubt one of the most beautiful churches I have ever seen – and it’s not even complete yet.
We still need to do our side-by-side picture comparisons to see how much has changed on the facade since 2018! Before the pandemic they had said it was going to be complete by 2026, a hundred years after Gaudi’s death, but I don’t think that’s happening unless they work around the clock.
This is hands-down my favorite thing to see in Barcelona and we hired a private guide to take us through the church and discuss Gaudi’s work. Originally designed in 1882 in a Neo-gothic style, complete with flying buttresses, Gaudi took over the next year and came up with a new vision for the basilica. It received UNESCO designation in 2005, even though it’s still unfinished.
Tapas
We were pretty hungry by this point and went to Madre on the suggestion by our tour guide and got some cocktails, paella, and more crema catalana, this time a whipped version that was quite tasty.
Christmas market at Sagrada Familia
We then walked back by La Sagrada on our way back to our hotel and stopped to check out the Christmas market to pick up some souvenirs and Christmas gifts for friends and family back home.
Dinner
After dropping off our goodies at the hotel we headed over to Dora to eat an appropriate time in Spain, 8 p.m. It was our last night in Spain so Rick and I went all out and got a pitcher of sangria and then shared some light bites with our family. We ordered some pan con tomate, Spanish cheeses, and croquettas. And more crema catalana for dessert because why not?
Sadly the next morning we had to leave bright and early, though it was winter in Spain so not exactly bright at 7 a.m. It was hard to say goodbye to Barcelona as it’s a city Rick and I absolutely love and were so happy we got to return to and cannot wait for the chance to plan a return trip in the future.
If you have any recs for what we should do next time we’re in Barcelona, please share those in the comments!
