Travel Bunny: [SPAIN] Barcelona Travel Recommendation (including 3D2N itinerary)

Barcelona, the second largest city and Catalonian capital in Spain, is well known for its unique architecture, great Mediterranean weather, excellent food and nightlife. It was the first city I visited during my trip to Spain and what a great start it was.

Getting in:

1) By plane:

Barcelona El-Prat International Airport is a main transport hub in Europe. I flew in from Nice by easyJet, a low-cost carrier in Europe. From the airport, you can either take the Aerobus, train or metro to reach Barcelona city.

The RENFE train service runs approximately every 30 minutes to and from Barcelona airport to the city centre. Travel time approximately 25 minutes. If travelling from the airport to the city centre you can get off at Barcelona Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or El Clot-Arago which are serviced by metro stops. From these you can change for the Barcelona metro to go to your final destination.

The L9 metro link connects Barcelona Airport to the city centre. Its service is more frequent as compared to RENFE train. There are two stops at Barcelona airport which are called: Aeroport T1 and Aeroport T2. The airport metro service operates to the same hours as the normal metro system.

* I bought a T10 ticket which enabled me to take RENFE train from the airport to the city. On 01 January 2020, the T10 ticket transport ticket was discontinued and replaced by the T-Casual ticket. The T-Casual is similar to the T10 ticket in that you still have 10 journeys with a travel duration time of 75 Minutes per journey. However, the main difference is that the T-Casual ticket is not a multi-person ticket, which means you cannot share the ticket with anyone on the same journey. You can however, give your T-Casual ticket to another person and they can use it provided that you are not using the same T-Casual ticket on the same journey as the person you have given it to.

** Note that if you have the Barcelona Card, it gives you free travel on RENFE train from the airport to the city centre.

2) By train

Barcelona is well connected by high speed train with other cities in Spain and Europe. The train duration from Paris to Barcelona is about 6 hours. The three main train stations in the city are Barcelona-Sants, Barcelona-Passeig de Gràcia or Barcelona-Estació de França, Avinguda Marquès de l´Argentera.

3) By bus

Barcelona Nord is the main bus station in the city. It is located next to L1 Arc de Triomf metro station. Coach services is available between Barcelona and other major cities in Europe such as London, Paris, Amsterdam and etc.

4) By sea

You can choose to arrive at Barcelona's port by cruise or ferry. The ferry docks almost directly on the Rambles while the larger cruise ships docks 1 to 2km to the southwest.

5) By car

There are several main roads leading to Barcelona from France and Spain.

Getting Around:

The city is well connected by public transport such as bus, metro, RENFE train and tram. Above is the metro map.

There are three transport tickets you can buy apart from the single use ticket:

a) Barcelona Card - no limits on amounts of journeys, valid for the number of days you purchase the card for, includes discounts to attractions and many venues

b) Tourist Travel Pass - Unlimited journeys on Barcelona public transport system, validity for 2 - 5 days

c) T-Casual ticket - valid for 10 journeys only

I would recommended to buy the T-Casual ticket if you're not travelling extensively on public transport. A T-Casual ticket cost EUR 11.35. A metro single ticket costs EUR 2.40. Most of Barcelona's attractions in the city centre is located in Zone 1.

Accomodation:

I was staying in Rodamon Barcelona Hostel which is located right next to Passeig de Gràcia and within 5 minutes walk to Gaudi's Casa Milà. The closest metro station is Diagonal (2-minutes away from the hostel). It has a small lift to go up its floor.

It cost me EUR 131 (double room with private bathroom) for 2 nights back in October 2019.

What I like most about the hostel is that it has a very cozy terrace and laundry service. Veritas supermarket is just next door in case you couldn't locate the hostel as the hostel sign is not very visible from outside.

Website: https://www.rodamonhostels.com/barcelona-hostel/

My 3D2N itinerary in Barcelona (click on pink font for further reading):

Day 1: Arriving at 2pm at Barcelona Airport -> check in to hostel -> Hospital de Sant Pau -> Sagrada Familia

Day 2: Casa Batlló -> Palau Güell -> La Rambla street -> Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria -> Columbus Monument -> Barcelona Cathedral -> Placa del Rei -> Gothic Square (Bishop Bridge)

Day 3: Park Güell -> Casa Milà -> Palau de la Música Catalana -> Cascada Monument -> Arc de Triomf - train to Madrid at 5.25pm

What to See in Barcelona:

Seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites by Gaudi

Sagrada Familia is Antoni Gaudi's most well known work and it has become the symbol of Barcelona. Its construction began in 1882 and is expected to be completed by 2026. Gaudi managed to complete the crypt and the Nativity Facade during his lifetime, which have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site together with six other Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. It is possible to visit the Nativity Tower or the Passion Tower.

Tip: If you want to take photo of the Nativity Facade when it's facing the sun, you should come during the morning as it is facing east. Likewise, if you want to take photo of the Passion Facade when it's facing the sun, you should come during the evening as it is facing west.

Casa Batlló is a famous apartment on the Passeig de Gràcia which was redesigned by Antoni Gaudi in 1904. Take note that ticket bought from the ticket office is more expensive as compared to online tickets. Do not miss the Noble Floor, the patio of lights and the roof terrace which is famous for its dragon back design.

Casa Milà is the last building designed by Antoni Gaudí, before he devoted himself completely to the construction of the Sagrada Familia. It was the new home of the Milà family, hence the name. Its Warrior Rooftop is no doubt the highlight of the building. It is recommended to buy ticket online as it saves time and money.

Palau Güell is one of Antoni Gaudi's early works in Barcelona (1886 - 1890). It was the home of the Güell i López family on La Rambla until they moved to Park Güell. The highlight of the building is the central hall and rooftop.

Park Güell is an impressive park covering a total of 12 hectare among Carmel Hill’s north face, another masterpiece by Gaudí. It is possible to visit the park for free if you plan it right. Highlights of the park includes the Greek Theatre, Hypostyle Hall, Dragon Stairways, entrance and lodge pavillion, Austria Garden and the Colonnaded pathways.

I just dropped by to see Casa Vicens in the Gracia neighbourhood. Despite being lesser known, the building still looks impressive.

I did not have time to visit the seventh site - Güell Colony which is located about 1 hour away from Plaza Catalunya.

Others UNESCO World Heritage Sites worth seeing

Hospital de Sant Pau is a fascinating hospital with over 600 years of history. Together with Palau de la Musica, both were designed by the same architect, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and were declared UNESCO World Heritage in 1997. It is recommended to arrange a visit to the hospital and Sagrada Familia at the same time since it is just 10-15 minutes walk away.

Palau de la Música Catalana is a concert hall that epitomises Catalan Art Nouveau, was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997. Although it is still a fully functioning music hall today, it is equally as popular as a tourist attraction with guided tours to view its distinctive and ornamental interior.

La Rambla Area

La Rambla street is a pedestrian-only street lined with shops, chain stores, tacky tourist stalls, cafes, and restaurants. It is a tourist hot spot and great for people watching.

Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria is a large public market. It offers a wide range of fresh produce including meat, vegetables, seafood, fruits and etc. Be ware of pickpockets as the market is usually crowded. It is easier and quicker to pay with cash, not all stalls accept credit card.

Placa Reial (meaning Royal Plaza) is an elegant square which is decorated with palm trees, street lamps and fountain. The plaza has many restaurants and some of the city's most famous nightclubs. It is closed to La Rambla.

Old Port Area

Columbus Monument was constructed in honour of Columbus's first voyage to the Americas. It is located at the end of La Rambla street near the old port.

Port Vell, the waterfront harbour is nice to stroll along, especially when the weather is nice.

Gothic Square

Barcelona Cathedral is the Gothic cathedral and seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona.

I encountered a lady who put a balloons into my child's hand and asked me for EUR 1 for the balloon. Since my child wouldn't let go of the balloon, I reluctantly paid her. Beware of scammers like that in front of the Barcelona Cathedral.

Placa Sant Felip Neri is a small square near to Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic Square. The seemingly quiet and peaceful square hides a dark history. During the Spanish civil war, the church was used as a makeshift orphanage. On 30 January 1938, one of Franco's bomb exploded directly in front of the church killing 30 people, most of whom were children who were sheltering inside. As people were trying to rescue survivors, a second bomb exploded in the square bringing the death toll to 42. Franco's regime attributed the pockmarked walls of the church to anarchist firing squads who had supposedly executed priests in the square. This was spread in an attempt to cover up the evidence of the 1938 bombings.

Placa del Rei is a 14th century medieval public square in the Gothic Square.

Bishop Bridge is one of the most photographed sights in Gothic Square.

Barcelona City Hall also called 'Casa de la Ciutat' is situated in Placa de Sant Jaume.

The Gothic Square is a lovely place to explore on foot and has many hidden treasures.

Park Area

Arc de Triomf is a triumphal arch in Barcelona which was built as gateway to the 1888 World Fair. It does not celebrate the country's military victories like other similiar structures.

Castell des Tres Dragons was at the end of the main street running from the Arc de Triomf to the Parc de la Ciutadella.

Cascada Monument in the Parc de la Ciutadella is loosely modeled on Rome's Trevi Fountain. It is stunning in its own right. There's a zoo nearby if you want to visit.

Others attractions that I did not have time to cover includes the various museums such as Picaso Museum, Museo D'Historia de Barcelona and etc and the beach.

What and Where to Eat:

Paella is a classic Spanish dish. I had paella on my first night in Barcelona. I ordered the classic seafood paella and Paella Negra cooked with squid ink!

I also ordered Sangria (red wine and chopped fruit). The restaurant is called Artespanol, specialising in paella and tapas.

Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria is a great place to grab a quick bite. Avoid the restaurants and cafes on La Rambla street as they are generally overpriced.

If you're willing to splurge, head to El Nacional. The ambience of its interior was top notched and even the bathroom is gorgeous. I tried some tapas here including the Bombas. Food was good but overpriced to me.

My favourite meal in Barcelona was actually a Japanese buffet at a restaurant called Wok nearby the Arc de Triomf. I stumbled upon this gem while visiting the arc. The buffet only cost EUR 11.50 for an adult. However, you must order drinks separately. They serve really good selection of fresh seafood, meat, noodles, sushi, salads and dessert (fruit, yogurt and pudding). What I like most is the live cooking station. The chef will grill or fry your selection of seafood or meat on the spot. Two thumbs up! I stuffed myself so full that I didn't eat dinner that night, haha.

And definitely try the Churro, a delicious deep-fried snack.

What to Buy:

Espadrille is a Spanish summer footwear which is casual, rope-soled, usually flat but sometimes high-heeled. It is a popular footwear in the Spanish Mediterranean coast during the spring or summer months.