3 days in Barcelona: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

Barcelona is the city of Gaudí and Catalan modernisme, set between a medieval old town and the hill of Montjuïc. Day one goes from the Sagrada Família along Passeig de Gràcia to the Palau de la Música and the Arc de Triomf, day two climbs to Park Güell and Gràcia before Sant Pau and La Rambla, and day three crosses the Gothic Quarter, the Born and the Raval to finish with Miró on Montjuïc.

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Day 1

Sagrada Família, Passeig de Gràcia and the Palau de la Música

5 stops

09:00
Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family
About 1 h 30 min
Gaudí's basilica has been under construction since 1882, and its forest-like nave lit by coloured stained glass is what brings many travellers to Barcelona. An hour and a half covers the nave, the facades and the museum below, so book a timed entry and arrive ready to go straight in.
Walk, 23 min
10:55
Casa Milà
About 45 min
La Pedrera, Gaudí's last private residence, is known for its rippling stone facade and a rooftop of sculpted chimneys that look like helmeted guards. The rooftop is the highlight, and from here it is a short stroll down Passeig de Gràcia to Casa Batlló.
Walk, 7 min
11:50
Casa Batlló
About 45 min
Gaudí remodelled this house in 1904 into something closer to a sea creature, with a scaled, dragon-backed roof and bone-shaped balconies. Inside, slow down at the light well tiled in shades of blue that deepen toward the top.
Walk, 16 min
12:55
Palau de la Música Catalana
About 1 h
Lluís Domènech i Montaner built this concert hall for the Orfeó Català choir and covered it in mosaic, stained glass and sculpture, crowned by a glass skylight over the hall. Visits are by guided tour, so book a slot that fits before the short walk to the Arc de Triomf.
Walk, 9 min
14:05
Arc de Triomf
About 20 min
This red brick arch was built as the main gate to the 1888 World Fair and opens onto a broad promenade leading to Parc de la Ciutadella. It is a quick photo stop, and the park beyond is the natural place to end the day.

Day 2

Park Güell, Gràcia, Sant Pau and La Rambla

5 stops

09:00
Park Güell
About 1 h 40 min
Gaudí's hillside park in Gràcia mixes gardens with tiled terraces, the mosaic salamander on the main stairs and a long, winding bench with views to the sea. The monumental area uses timed tickets, so book ahead and keep the rest of the park for a slower walk.
Walk, 18 min
11:00
Casa Vicens
About 1 h
Gaudí's first major house, built in the 1880s, is covered in green and white tiles with Moorish touches and was a private home for well over a century. It shows where his style began, a good contrast with what you saw on day one.
Taxi, 5 min
12:05
Hospital de Sant Pau
About 45 min
Domènech i Montaner's former hospital is a complex of pavilions with tiled domes linked by gardens, one of the largest works of Catalan modernisme. Walk the grounds and step into a restored pavilion before the taxi down to La Rambla.
Taxi, 9 min
13:00
Gran Teatre del Liceu
About 1 h
The Liceu on La Rambla is the city's opera house, first opened in the 1840s and rebuilt after a fire in 1994. A guided visit takes you into the horseshoe auditorium and the gilded Hall of Mirrors, and Palau Güell is a few minutes' walk away.
Walk, 3 min
14:05
Palau Güell
About 1 h 35 min
One of Gaudí's early works, this mansion for the industrialist Eusebi Güell shows his ideas taking shape, from the parabolic arches inside to the colourful chimneys on the roof. It sits just off La Rambla in El Raval and closes the day at an easy pace.

Day 3

The Gothic Quarter, the Born, the Raval and Montjuïc

5 stops

09:00
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
About 50 min
Barcelona Cathedral, built between the 13th and 15th centuries, is the heart of the Gothic Quarter. Look for the cloister with its flock of 13 white geese, and if you can, go up to the roof for a view over the old town.
Walk, 7 min
10:00
Museu Picasso
About 1 h 35 min
Spread across medieval palaces on Carrer Montcada, the museum is strongest on Picasso's early years and training in Barcelona, plus his series of variations on Velázquez's Las Meninas. An hour and a half suits a good look before the short walk to Santa Maria del Mar.
Walk, 3 min
11:40
Basilica of Our Lady of the Sea
About 45 min
Santa Maria del Mar is a 14th-century Catalan Gothic church with a wide, airy nave and slender columns, built by the people of the seafaring Ribera quarter. It feels calmer than the cathedral, and the Born lanes around it suit a coffee break.
Walk, 20 min
12:45
MACBA Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art
About 1 h 30 min
Richard Meier's bright white building holds contemporary art from the mid-20th century on, and the square in front is a favourite spot for skateboarders. It makes a change of pace from modernisme before you head up Montjuïc.
Taxi, 4 min
14:20
Fundació Joan Miró
About 1 h 35 min
Josep Lluís Sert designed this white building on Montjuïc for his friend Joan Miró, and it holds a large collection of his paintings, sculptures and tapestries. Finish on the roof terraces and in the garden, which look out over the city.

Good to know

Book timed entry ahead for the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, the city's most visited sights.
The plan walks between nearby stops and uses short taxi rides from Gràcia to Sant Pau and La Rambla on day two and up to Montjuïc on day three; the metro covers the same jumps.
Keep an eye on your bag in crowded places such as La Rambla, the metro and the old town lanes.
Late spring and early autumn are pleasant for walking; July and August are hot and crowded.
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Open in Atlazi

3 days in Barcelona: a day-by-day sightseeing plan

Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family

Casa Milà

Casa Batlló

Palau de la Música Catalana

Arc de Triomf

Park Güell

Casa Vicens

Hospital de Sant Pau

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Palau Güell

Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

Museu Picasso

Basilica of Our Lady of the Sea

MACBA Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art

Fundació Joan Miró

Good to know

Make this plan yours