Spending 2 days in Barcelona sounds like the best city trip to me. Barcelona has everything you could ask for in a city- amazing weather the whole year round, the beach within walking distance from your house, and amazing food spots everywhere in the city. If you are a fan of the Mediterranean diet, Barcelona will be perfect for you. Make sure to try some amazing Spanish food if you spend a weekend in Barcelona! Then, Barcelona also has a lot of cultures, history, and beautiful architecture everywhere. You will feel like in a fairytale. Of course, you probably cannot wait to see some stunning Gaudí masterpieces. As you already might be able to tell, I think Barcelona is an amazing city to visit. You will definitely want to come back!
Other blog posts that could be interesting for you:
- The Complete Guide to Visiting Mount Tibidabo in Barcelona
- Let’s do a self-guided walking tour of Barcelona + interactive map you can download
- Barcelona Bucket List for first-time travellers: 20 Attractions you cannot skip!
What you should know about Barcelona
- Are you afraid that your Spanish is not good enough for going to Barcelona? Many people do speak English here. But do not just expect everyone to speak your language. Ask politely if somone speaks English. Or what about an express language course?
- Many people speak Catalan. Many locals take pride in their language and might just start speaking to you in Catalan. Ask nicely to repeat in Spanish or English if that ever happens to you.
- Barcelona has very mild temperatures the whole year around. I do not think there is a bad time of visiting, as it is not too hot in summer and quite moderate in winter. So go, book your trip :)
What are the best places to stay in Barcelona?
€: Meet new people at Unite Hostels Barcelona
I could not believe how affordable this hostel is the first time I saw it. It is perfect if you want to stay with fellow travelers and are looking for a social place to stay. The hostel is located right next to Parc de la Ciutadella. Very central and affordable!
€€: Live in a fairytale at Hotel Continental Palacete
The interior of this hotel really creates a wow-effect. If you are looking for a unique place to stay in Barcelona this is your place to go. The location and the price are really unbeatable.
€€€: Relax & Spoil yourself at Hotel Neri
This hotel looks absolutely stunning and is located in the heart of the Gothic quarter. Stay in the very historical center of Barcelona and admire parts of the hotel that are from the 17th century. Take a look at that terrace with the beautiful pool. The perfect place to stay if you want to spoil yourself a bit.
Take the bus from Airport Barcelona El Prat
Now that you arrived in Barcelona at the airport how do you actually get to the city center? Option one would be taking a cab, but that will be very expensive. Especially if it’s just one or two people. Taking a cap from the airport from Barcelona to Plaza Catalunya will cost you around 25-35 Euros.
Instead, you should take the bus at the airport that will bring you to the city center for only 5.90 Euros. If you buy a round ticket it will only be 10.20 Euros. They do not have fixed timetables but usually leave around every 15 minutes from the airport during the day. You can find those blue buses with “Aerobús” written on the outside of terminal 1 and 2. When they leave the airport they stop at the following stops: Plaza Espanya, Gran Via/Urgell, Plaza Universitat and Plaza Catalunya. Most of the people will leave at Plaza Catalunya.
Or rent a car in Barcelona!
Renting a car is a great choice if you want to be flexible and want to check out the surrounding areas of Barcelona. If you have enough time, I would absolutely recommend doing so! Make sure to check out discovercars.com if you want to rent a car during your stay. They have multilingual customer support and offer very low prices, compared to other companies you will find at the airport. Renting a car in a foreign country really could not be easier!
Interactive Map with all Attractions you will visit in 2 days in Barcelona
Getting Around in Barcelona during your weekend trip: Hop-on Hop-off bus!
I might be biased because I am someone that enjoys walking a lot. And Barcelona has just the right side that you can get around walking easily. However, if you are planning to have a packed day walking might not be the best choice. You could use the metro, but I feel like it will not be the fastest choice and it can be tricky to understand the whole metro system of a new city.
If you really want to try to see as many things as possible you should get a ticket to the Hop-on-Hop-Off bus. This is the perfect way of getting around a city if you only have limited time. That way you do not have to try to figure out how public transport works. And, it will be easier to go to attractions outside of the city center, like Park Guell or Tibidabo. (I wrote a blog post about visiting Tibidabo, which you can find here) My mom is a big fan of the hop-on-hop-off bus and she took one in Barcelona and loved it!
You can book your ticket here. And if your plans change, don’t worry! You can cancel up to 24 hours before the starting date, and get a refund!
I also want to add that getting a cab is surprisingly cheap in Barcelona. If you are going around the city you will not spend more than 10-15 Euros on a trip. Please keep in mind that there is no Uber in Barcelona. The apps that are used for getting a cab are FREENOW and Cabify.
Start in Plaza Catalunya
Plaza Catalunya is the main square of Barcelona. It is the equivalent to Alexanderplatz in Berlin or Sol in Madrid. There is a Tourist Shop where you can pick up brochures or ask any questions you have. Before moving out check out the fountains and sculptures on it.
To be fair, it is really not too pretty so you should not stay there for too long. If you want to grab some breakfast around there I would recommend Citizen Café. By the way, I wrote a whole guide with restaurants in Barcelona you have to check out, which you can find here.
Head Over to Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas or La Rambla is the famous street going From Plaza Catalunya to the Monument of Colom at the port. On this street there are many souvenir shops, coffee shops and other types of little kiosks. Make sure to check out the architecture as well while you are walking there. My boyfriend always jokes that you have to always look up while walking around Barcelona, cause Barcelona’s beauty lies in the buildings.
Please be cautious of pickpockets while you are there. Barcelona has a problem with pickpockets and tourists in crowded places are an easy target.
Important Landmarks you will walk past at La Rambla: Font de Canaletes, Mosaic de Juan Miró, and then the Mercado de la Boquería
Check out Mercado de la Boquería
Mercado de la Boquería is the famous indoor market of Barcelona, that was built in the 19th century. It offers different stands with meat, cheese, wine, and other international food. The entrance is free.
You do not have to buy a lot of things here as it can be quite expensive (in my opinion), but it’s definitely worth walking around and checking out the different wine bodegas. Or maybe even order a small tapa.
Walk to the Cathedral of Barcelona
The Cathedral of Barcelona is in the Gothic Quarter of the city, which is definitely one of my favorite parts of Barcelona. This Landmark was built from the 13th-15th Century and is dedicated to Santa Eulalia, the co-patron saint of Barcelona. Therefore its whole name actually is Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Catalan: Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia)
The entrance is 9 Euros and you can decide for yourself whether you actually would like to enter it. To me, it was enough to just look at it from the outside. The facade itself is already very beautiful and detailed.
If you have time, you can go to the terrace of Hotel Colón with views of the Cathedral from above.
In case you are already getting hungry, I would recommend having lunch at Can Culleretes (Barcelona’s oldest restaurant!) or at the beautiful terrace of The Circle.
Check out Parc de la Ciutadella and look for the waterfall
Parc de la Ciutadella is the biggest downtown park of Barcelona and unlike Parque Güell, the entrance is free. It is very popular for all kinds of outdoor activities. If you are like me and love parks, this one will be perfect for you. There is also a boating lake. The highlight of the park is the “Cascada del Parc de la Ciutadella”, which is a fountain from the 19th century with beautiful golden decorations.
Admire the stunning beach of Barcelona
The closest metro stop to the beach is “Barceloneta” which is also the name of the beach in Barcelona. Another option could be “Ciutadella Viola Olimpica” or just simply walking there from the Parc de la Ciutadella.
You can start by walking up the Port and stopping for a drink at “Restaurante Brisa” if you have time. The views from up there are incredible! Afterward, you can walk in the direction of the “W hotel Barcelona”. You really cannot miss it. It is a huge skyscraper really close to the water. From there you can walk the Barceloneta beach and maybe have another drink at a beach bar that the locals call “Chiringuito”.
The beach might be a bit crowded, but is a really nice place for a walk and to enjoy the sun!
Have an amazing dinner in Born
Did you know that in today’s Passeig del Born lance fights between the medieval knights used to be held? You can still find gothic elements in the architecture, small streets and inside of the buildings.
El Born is a really unique area of Barcelona. And it is especially known for its bar and nightlife. That is exactly the reason why I said you should stay in this area if you feel like staying out for a longer time. A good place to have dinner here is Euskal Etxea (a Galician Tapas restaurant). For drinks afterward I can recommend Mr. Robinson.
Day 2 in Barcelona: Parque Güell in the morning
I am really not a fan of packing my day full of sightseeing which is why I decided to write a post that focuses on a weekend in Barcelona instead of just one day. Once you are in Barcelona you will realize that the distances between two attractions are not always too close. So it might be tricky to cross the city a couple of times during the rush hour. If you are planning to see the Sagrada Familia or go to Parque Güell, I would recommend you stay another day. Should that not be possible, you could try to go to Parque Güell in the very morning or right before it closes, to avoid many people. But then your day will be packed!
Parque Güell is a beautiful Park a little bit further away from the city center of Barcelona. The closest metro stop is “Vallcarca”. From there it is only 10 minutes to the entrance of the park. Parque Güell was built between 1900-1914 by Antoni Gaudí and is famous for its architecture, which is very typical for Gaudí and part of Catalan Modernism.
I would advise booking your ticket in advance because this park always gets so crowded. And currently the number of people allowed to visit it is limited, due to Covid. You can book your online ticket here. I can assure you, Park Guell will be one of the highlights of your visit!
I definitely recommend going there and for me, it will be one of the highlights of Barcelona. The park is full of mosaic work and is quite big. There are many beautiful places to look at . That is why I would not recommend rushing through it.
Sagrada Familia: The iconic landmark of Barcelona
Of course, you cannot miss the Sagrada Familia during your stay in Barcelona. Did you know that Antoni Gaudí, the initial architect, was hit by a tram in 1926 and died, is buried there? Up to this day, the Sagrada Familia is still unfinished. It is planned to finish this landmark by 2026, the 100 year death anniversary of Gaudí. Let’s see if this is going to happen!
Believe me, this Cathedral is an architectural masterpiece like no other on this planet. Every little details of this church had meaning to Gaudí and finding out about it is just really powerful. Make sure you have enough time to visit it. You will not regret it!
Something you should know before visiting the Sagrada Familia: The best way is to book your ticket online, because that way you can skip the huge queue in front of the Cathedral. There are thousands of people visiting Sagrada Familia every day. So you really do not want to wait in line there. Apart from that, an audio guide is included in your ticket. It is very helpful in order to learn more about the history of the Sagrada Familia, and of course, about Gaudí as well. You can book your ticket here!
Continue with Gaudí’s Work: Casa Mila (La Pedrera) & Casa Batlló
La Pedrera & Casa Battló are two big buildings in the neighborhood of Grácia that were designed by Antonio Gaudí. They are both located in the most expensive shopping street (Passeig de Grácia) of Barcelona. What is really eye-catching about them is their unique architecture which is very typical for Gaudí. He designed both of these houses at the beginning of the 20th century.
You can go inside both houses to see the architectural masterwork of Gaudí. Be aware that the entrance is 25 Euros each. In case you do not feel like spending 50 Euros to go inside both of them, I can help you decide: La Pedrera is famous for its beautiful rooftop. If you are more interested in the inside of the houses, Casa Batlló might be the better choice. There, they let you see almost all parts of the building.
You can book your ticket for Casa Batlló here and the entry tickets for la Pedrera here.
Plan for the afternoon: Catamaran Trip Along Port Vell
If you decide to spend two days in Barcelona, you should explore the beach and the port as well. And a really good opportunity to do so is by booking a Catamaran Trip that will take you along the port of Barcelona. I found an amazing and affordable tour here, which only costs 7.50€/person.
During that tour, you will be able to see the beautiful view of the port of Barcelona. Pass by the most impressive ships and yachts in the port and look at the beautiful landmarks you can see from the sea. I am sure the photos you will take from the Catamaran will be amazing.
The ticket only costs 7.50€ which I think is really affordable. I saw that this is one of the most popular tours on get your guide, so I would recommend booking your ticket in advance before your date is sold out!
The highlight of 2 days in Barcelona: Watch a Flamenco Show!
This will be the perfect ending to your short stay in Barcelona: Watch a world-class Flamenco Show. Flamenco is a traditional dance that actually origins from Andalusia. But, don’t worry. Barcelona also offers amazing Flamenco Shows. And they are quite affordable, too!
Flamenco is usually performed by men and women in traditional Flamenco clothes. You really have to check out the beautiful dresses the women wear. The dance is accompanied by a Spanish Guitar. And the voice of the singers will give you goosebumps, I promise!
I cannot believe I found such an affordable and popular Flamenco show in Barcelona. It will be in the City Hall Theater in Barcelona which is such a unique location. A ticket only costs 18€ and the duration of the show is one hour.
I hope you will have the best 48 hours in Barcelona! It is an amazing city to spend the weekend in. I hope you find this itinerary helpful to get around and have the best time. Let me know if you think something is missing :)
