Over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), I have been sharing ALLLL about my adventures with my best friend Shivani via our 2-week long trip throughout Spain and Portugal via Porto and Lisbon. Our first leg of our adventures in the Iberian Peninsula started off in Madrid, Spain (read all about our time there here!) and continued onto 3 days in Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona, Spain is a cosmopolitan city and capital of Spain’s Catalonia region. Notably known for its art and architecture, including La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and Barcelona Cathedral, Barcelona truly has something for everybody! In fact, while there, Shivani and I both agreed that you could easily spend weeks in Barcelona before getting to do/see everything on your list!!

For more travel abroad inspiration, check out my exploring 50 Countries Expedition page.

Barcelona, Spain Travel Guide

Getting There (From Madrid):

Barcelona was our second stop on our European adventure throughout Spain and Portugal. We happened to travel by train to Barcelona Sants from Madrid Atocha. Shivani graciously booked our train tickets on the Iryo train line through Omio’s website. Our train ride was a direct ride from Madrid to Barcelona with assigned seats together (I highly recommend booking train tickets together in order to be seated together throughout Europe) as well as a checked bag. Here are my tips for taking the train within Spain:

• It is recommended to get to the train stations within Spain about 30 minutes (we played it safe and arrived about an hour before) beforehand.
• You WILL go through security and put your luggage on a conveyer scanner of sorts like in the airport. It is quick and easy and less stressful than at the airport, though!
• At least at Madrid Atocha train station, gates for trains are announced once the train arrives at the station for boarding.
• Madrid Atocha train station has connivence and tech shops and cafes, alongside seating as passengers must carry on all of their luggage on/off the train. There is a place to store your checked luggage in each train car alongside overhead compartments for smaller carry-on luggage.
• As for most of Spain, it is highly recommended that you take a taxi instead of Ubering, as it is cheaper and more cost-effective. We called a taxi 10 minutes beforehand at our hotel in Madrid. As for Barcelona, we waited in the taxi pick-up line outside of the train station (which is standard in Spain and Portugal) to retrieve our taxi. Taxis do accept credit cards and Apple Pay is commonly used.

As for our experience on the train, I napped (LOLLLLL!!!!) for most of the ride. However, when I did look out the window, I was truly IN AWE at the unique landscapes that I saw which Spain has to offer. Truly, it is like nothing I have ever seen before!!

Where To Stay:

Hotel 1898 was our lovely home in Barcelona! Located on La Rambla aka central Barcelona’s most well-known street with close proximity to the city’s historic Gothic Quarter, Hotel 1898 is a 4-star hotel with an onsite Spa Siargo and restaurant Cuisine H1898. Hotel 1898 was a lovely home for us during our time in Barcelona. We spent LOTS of time at Hotel 1898 enjoying some of the many offerings available to us as well as interacting with fellow hotel guests! Offerings include:

• Live music on select nights
• Complimentary group wine tasting offering Spanish-made wines for all hotel guests on Wednesdays at 6pm
• Complimentary cocktail making class for all hotel guests on Thursdays at 6pm
• Access to Spa Siargo at an additional cost
• Breakfast buffet either included within reservation or at an additional cost per day at Cuisine H1898 for all hotel guests. Note: free coffee is available to all hotel guests, regardless of if they choose to indulge in the breakfast buffet.
• Access to the rooftop Terrace La Isabela in the warmer months for all hotel guests
• The opportunity to enjoy Catalan cuisine at Cuisine H1898 at an additional cost for dinner
• Enjoy a drink at the onsite Bar H1898
• Complimentary tea + snacks around 4pm daily

Throughout our stay, Shivani and I LOVED our experience at Hotel 1898!! We both enjoyed the complimentary wine tasting and LOVED getting to meet fellow hotel guests from England that we befriended throughout our stay. We also befriended the hotel staff who were lovely and helped make our wine tasting one for the books. We, indeed, happened to stay at the wine tasting an hour after it ended just chatting with our new friends and enjoying some local Spanish and more specifically Catalan wines! The same goes for the cocktail making class which Shivani attended solo while I was at Casa Batlló however I did not miss the after party of meeting *even* more new friends from Canada and *of course* England! It is also worth mentioning that alongside our fellow hotel guest friends, the staff at the hotel were also ultra-kind and fun to chat with, too! Truly, the people made our experience at Hotel 1898 one for the books!! Needless to say, I highly recommend staying at Hotel 1898 and will only stay there when in Barcelona.

What To Do:

Guided tour of La Sagrada Familia with The Tour Guy – La Sagrada Familia is a Catholic church under construction in downtown Barcelona. One of Antoni Gaudi’s masterpieces, it is currently the largest unfinished Catholic Church in the world, with its construction beginning on March 19, 1882 and having yet to be completed. My Mom visited Barcelona in 2022 and could not stop recommending to me that I book a guided tour of La Sagrada Familia. I knew that I wanted to visit La Sagrada Familia while in Barcelona. Though, I was on the fence initially about booking a guided tour, as I usually prefer to simply wander places of my own. However, I *finally* caved in and did so. I booked my guided tour of La Sagrada Familia through GetYourGuide in English with The Tour Guy. ANDDDD, let me just say, that it was SOOOOO worth it!! Our tour guide was AMAZING and did an incredible job highlighting the story of La Sagrada Familia throughout our tour as well as the life and story of the famous architect behind this magnificent cathedral Gaudi. Today, La Sagrada Familia is still under construction with buildings being constructed around where the church is to have additional construction take place. The construction of La Sagrada Familia runs on donations including ticketed entry and tours (even through third-party vendors such as The Tour Guy!). Although not fully completed yet, La Sagrada Familia is magnificent and one of my favorite places I have ever been to. Book the same tour I booked here!

Visit + order a glass of Cava at Casa Batlló – I visited Casa Batlló – a building designed by Antoni Gaudi (who also designed La Sagrada Familia!) and consider to also be one of his masterpieces that is currently a museum. Casa Batlló was redesigned in 1904 by Gaudi, himself, and has since been refurbished. Upon entry into the museum, all guests are given an iPad and headset to walk through the museum and reimagine it as if it were 1904. One of the most admirable things about Casa Batlló is its commitment to Autism awareness and being an Autism acceptance and friendly museum and is the first international cultural organization to do so. They also hire people who are neurodiverse! After 7pm, guests can go up to the rooftop terrace and order a glass of Cava amongst other drinks to enjoy while admiring the city of Barcelona from up above!! It is important to note that Casa Batlló offers timed-entry tickets and is suggested that you book them in advance. Book them here!

Soak in the Mediterranean at Barceloneta Beach – A special thanks to Shivani for routing us to see the Mediterranean! Barceloneta Beach is a popular beachfront spot alongside the Mediterranean in Barcelona. There are plenty of bars and restaurants nearby and it was in easy walking distance (about 25 minutes each way!) from our hotel on La Ramblas. We mainly walked to the beach, took in the Mediterranean views and simply soaked it ALLLL in. At the same time, it was lovely to see downtown Barcelona at a distance from the beach, especially the Gothic Quarter!

Get lost in the streets – Alongside taking in the views of Barcelona from afar via walking to Barceloneta Beach, I also enjoyed getting lost in the streets! I CANNOT attest enough that getting lost in the streets is such a GREAT way to get to know a city and its charm in a less stressful manner. Through getting lost in the streets of Barcelona, specifically within the Gothic Quarter nearby our hotel and by walking to/from La Sagrada Familia, I truly got to know and see Barcelona and many of its neighborhoods. I stumbled upon several unique local shops, cafes, bars, and beautiful buildings!

Visit the Barcelona Cathedral – Located in the heart of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, this Barcelona Cathedral is home to the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona. It was constructed between the 13th-15th centuries. Alongside admiring the interior gothic architecture, visitors can climb to the top of the cathedral to take in the scenic skyline views. At the same time, I highly recommend checking out the outdoor courtyard in the center of the cathedral to see … ducks!!! Tickets can be reserved onsite or in-advance via GetYourGuide.

Wonder around Park Güell – Built and designed by Antoni Gaudi just like La Sagrada Familia and Casa Batlló, Park Güell is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its captivating architecture and stunning skyline views. Shivani and I LOVED strolling throughout Park Güell and taking in the city of Barcelona from up above as well as admiring the unique architecture and local flora, whether it be palm trees of beautiful blooming flowers. While a bit of a hike (about a 30 minute taxi ride from our hotel in La Rambla) from the rest of the city, Park Güell overlooks the beautiful Barcelona from mountains to the Mediterranean Sea. Truly, Park Güell was worth a visit!

Note: Tickets are to be purchased in order to visit and walk throughout Park Güell. We purchased ours via GetYourGuide. A security checkpoint is required for all admitted visitors upon entrance to the park. There is also a designated taxi pick-up/drop-off point, given its location within Barcelona. 

Shop at the local boutiques – Right by Hotel 1898 aka our home in Barcelona nearby the Gothic Quarter, we had the opportunity to check out several local boutiques. My favorite of those boutiques was Bolsos Bella – a Barcelona-based handbag boutique selling beautiful Italian handbags that currently ships internationally! I bought TWO handbags from Bolsos Bella and the ladies who work there are LOVELY. I also shopped and/or browsed at Soruka aka a sustainable leather handbags and goods shop, Charly Therapy aka an adorable sunglasses boutique, and Kathe Wohlfahrt aka the CUTEST and MERRIEST Christmas shop. Needless to say, while in Barcelona, I LOVED getting to shop and support local!!

Where To Eat:

Buenas Migas – A bakery located a block away from my hotel in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, I popped into Buenas Migas for a coffee and delicious tomatoes + toast. I opted to sit outside in the courtyard that this lovely cafe calls its home and had a wonderful time. Needless to say, not only did my breakfast hit the spot, but the scenic views and people watching opportunities did as well!

Bilbao Berria – Serving great cocktails and Catalonian meat and fish delights, I enjoyed one of THE BEST meals that I’ve had throughout my 2 week European adventure at Bilbao Berria! I had a swordfish and potatoes and it was AMAZING! To this *very* day, I fondly dream about eating that meal again.

Bar Centric Raval – Upon getting lost in the Gothic Quarter streets as I did practically daily while in Barcelona, I came across Bar Centric Raval and decided to pop in for some local Catalonian wine! With some help from the ultra-kind bartender, I opted for one of the house red wines and it did not disappoint (alongside the bar’s intimate yet opulent setting!).

Restaurant Nuria – Early on in our in time Barcelona, Shivani solo dined at Restaurant Nuria and had an excellent experience. SO, we decided to be ladies who lunch at Restaurant Nuria after our morning strolls at Park Güell. We ended up having the same wonderful waitress that Shivani initially had and enjoyed a delicious wine and lunch together!

Bristol Cafe – During my walk from La Sagrada Familia back to the hotel, I stopped by Bristol Cafe for a delicious quick lunch and glass of wine. What caught my eye about Bristol Cafe was the ADORABLE Tiffany Blue exterior and interiors as well as the bistro chairs. Definitely worth a stop and pick-me-up!!

Wrap-Up:

Barcelona is a very distinct city when compared to Madrid, despite them both being cities within Spain. Like Madrid, I learned SO much culturally about Barcelona, Catalonia, and Spain as a whole. Barcelona is such a unique city that has something much for all of its visitors to learn about and grow from learning. I LOVED the people that we met, both from near and far, via coming together during our 3 days in Barcelona, Spain. Truly, I feel oh so grateful for our time in Barcelona and hop to visit again someday!!

And, as always, if you have any questions/concerns about planning your own 3 days2 in Barcelona, Spain, do not hesitate to reach out to me via email at Katefrancesthompson@gmail.com.

XOXO – Katie <3