Out of all the places I visited in Europe – Barcelona, Spain holds a special place in my memories. It is full of rich culture. It felt like the city was alive, and it was – live music, stunning architecture, art galleries, history rich museums, and amazing food at every corner.
So, here it is, a travel guide to 3 days in Barcelona and some general tips to bring along with you on your travels.
Barcelona, Spain is located in the northeast region of Spain and it is the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region.
If you have a full week to see Barcelona that is ideal but if you have three days or if you are tight on time here is a basic guide for the popular landmarks or must see’s in Barcelona.
Mercado de La Boqueria
- Located: La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
- How to get there: Can be reached by Liceu metro on the green line (L3), but if you are staying in the main city like I did – you will find it in walking distance, halfway down La Rambla – which is Barcelona’s most famous street.
- Cost: Free – but you will most likely find yourself buying food or the 2 euro real fruit smoothies, I had two smoothies because they were amazing!
Just some of the delicious foods that are at the Mercado de La Boqueria.
This large central market is a foodies dream. There are rows and rows of various stands selling fruit, nuts, chocolate, cured meats, seafood, and some Spanish favourites!
My friend and I just couldn’t get enough of this market because it was just that good, and if you are on a travel budget the food is much more affordable than eating at restaurants everyday.
Heads up: It gets quite busy so expect lots of crowds and it is less busy in the early morning.
The Barcelona Bunkers – El Carmel
- Located: Carrer de Marià Labèrnia, s/n, 08032 Barcelona, Spain
- How to get there: you can get there by metro and the bust. The nearest bus station by taking bus 22 (Gran Vista – PI Mitja Lluna) is the last stop and 8 minutes away from the Bunkers, and the nearest subway is about 30 minutes away (Guinardo – L4, Yellow Line).
- Cost: Free
My favourite spot in Barcelona was the Bunkers del Carmel, also known as the Barcelona Bunkers. The Barcelona Bunkers are located on top of the Turó de la Rovira hill in the district of El Carmel.
With a short hike up the hillside of Turó de la Rovira you’ll find old 1930s bunkers where you can see an aerial view of Barcelona. These old bunkers were used as anti-aircraft warfare to defend the city from aerial attacks.
The Barcelona Bunkers are now a place filled with locals, tourists, tunes, sunsets, and some good chats. So bring some snacks and wine and have yourself a nice picnic while watching the sun set on Barcelona.
If you only have 3 days in Barcelona, I definitely recommend El Carmel as a must see – and don’t forget to scroll all the way down to the bottom of this page for general tips for your visit to Barcelona.
La Pedrera – Casa Mila (also known as The Stone Quarry)
- Located: Passeig de Gràcia, 92, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
- How to get there: Closest train station to La Pedrera is Plaça Catalunya.
- Once you exit the train you can walk by Passeig de Gràcia Street or you can take the metro line 3 (green line) at the same Plaça Catalunya station and stop at Diagonal. La Pedrera is 2 minutes walking from there.
- Cost: Tickets to go inside range from 24 euros to 41 euros. Or you can admire it from the outside.
- When I went to Barcelona I visited La Pedrera. I did not go inside the building because I went on a free walking tour hosted by the hostel I was staying at. Here is a link to one of the free walking tours that runs everyday from 11am!
Barcelona architecture and some clear blue skies. La Pedrera is also known as Casa Mila and the Stone Quarry. It was designed by Antoni Gaudi, which designed a great portion of Barcelona’s architecture.
Tip: Before you visit La Pedrera or other tourist attraction sites, especially Gaudi’s architecture, check online if there are building or park renovations. When I visited La Pedrera there was a lot of renovations going on and the construction site blocked some of the building.
Fun Fact: Writer Ana Viladomiul is the only resident at this building.
Park Güell
- Located: 08024 Barcelona, Spain
- How to get there: Closest metro stops are Lesseps or Vallcarca on the green line L3 (15 minute uphill walk). Or, take bus 24 from Passeig de Gracia or Placa Catalunya to get dropped off right in front of the gates.
- Cost: Around 10 euros for a general entry ticket into the park. Otherwise, it is 20-60 euros for a guided tour of the park explaining the history of Gaudi’s works.
Park Güell is home to many of Antoni Gaudi’s famous works. You will be walking down streets filled with colourful architecture and organic styled buildings with lots of cool structures and curves.
The park is divided into two sections – the Monumental Zone and the rest of the park area. The Monumental Zone is the section of the park where you have to purchase tickets. You can check out ticket prices here.
You will need about an hour and a half to two hours in Park Güell (not including lines) if you are travelling through the park at a more relaxed pace. It is nice to stop and admire the beauty of the park and take some photos.
Park Güell is also close to the Barcelona Bunkers so you may want to visit the park after watching the sunrise at the Bunkers. This way you can do both landmarks in the same day; this would be extremely helpful especially if you are short on time.
“There are no straight lines or sharp corners in nature. Therefore, buildings must have no straight lines or sharp corners.”
Antoni Gaudi
Casa Batlló
- Located: Passeig de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
- How to get there: Closest metro/RENFE station is Passeig de Gracia. There are also the metro stations Diagonal and Catalunya that are reachable by foot.
- Cost: 9-20 euros. You can find tickets on the official website here.
Another one of Antoni Gaudi’s famous architecture works is Casa Batlló. From the outside you can already see the stunning detail Gaudi puts into his work.
The outside of the building is very colourful with tones of turquoise and the front of the building looks like it is made out of skulls and bones. The balconies are made out of the skull formations, while the bones are supporting pillars. You can find more of the history of Casa Batlló here.
Tip: purchase tickets in advance because tickets get sold out quite fast; and also, look in advance for building renovations and closures throughout the building to avoid disappointment of skipping over parts of the building during the tour.
Arc de Triomf
- Located: Passeig de Lluís Companys, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
- How to get there: Nearest metro stop is Arc de Triomf on the red line (L1)
- Cost: Free
Arc de Triomf was built in 1888 and was designed by Josep Vilaseca as the main entrance to the Exposición Universal de Barcelona.
It is now a place where locals and tourists gather to enjoy a beautiful walk, admire the various street performers, and examine the prominent skate boarding culture throughout Barcelona. It is also a beautiful place and one of the most popular landmarks in Barcelona to take photos.
The Arc de Triomf has an alive feeling to it. The street is alive – I think the live music street performers have a lot to do with this.
3 Days in Barcelona General Tips
Watch Your Valuables
Barcelona is known as the #1 pick pocketing city in the world. This should not defer you from visiting Barcelona but instead make you aware when you do visit Barcelona.
Try not to carry a backpack but instead a bag that is in front of you and you can hold on to. I used this money belt as I walked through the streets of Barcelona.
Do not leave your cell phone or other valuables on the table of a restaurant or patio bar. Pick pocketer’s are good at what they do and work in teams, they are quick in their ways.
Other than this, Barcelona is more known for petty crime and it is generally a safe city.
Do Not Leave Your Bags Unattended
When arriving in Barcelona or at any time, do not leave your bags/luggage unattended. Hold on to it at all times.
Try Not to get Caught in Tourist Traps – Eat the Real Deal
Barcelona has an incredible food culture but the street called Las Ramblas (one of Barcelona’s main streets) has several touristy restaurants.
These touristy restaurants are very overpriced and serve mediocre food. It is best to do research on restaurants before hand or I like to go into hostels, which are all around the city, and ask the front desk for recommendations.
The front desk workers at hostels are very helpful and are more likely to know the local spots that serve authentic Spanish food.
Check out some more travel guides and top travel tips here.
