If you’re planning a trip to Barcelona, spending three days is the perfect amount of time to see the city. After all, in a city bustling with tourists and locals alike, there’s not a minute that passes where there isn’t something going on. You can stroll the streets gawking at the architecture by Gaudí, sit at a cafe eating tapas, drinking sangria, and people watching. Or spend your time on the beach soaking in the Spanish sun. There’s so much to do and see in Barcelona, three days is hardly enough to see it all. This is your ultimate guide to spending 72 hours in Barcelona!
If you’re traveling to Spain, don’t miss…
- Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip to Spain
- The Ultimate Spain Packing List
- Everything You Need to Know About Renting a Car in Spain
IF YOU PLAN TO SIGHTSEE IN BARCELONA, PURCHASE A BARCELONA PASS TO SAVE MONEY ON ATTRACTIONS!
Is 3 Days Long Enough in Barcelona?
Yes, I would say that three days in Barcelona is plenty of time. I have to admit, Barcelona isn’t my favorite city (in fact there are other places in Spain I enjoy way more!), but there is a time and a place for Barcelona. If you’re not a big city person, you would probably be fine with two days in Barcelona. But if you love city breaks and you thrive on chaos, then you might need a bit longer in Barcelona! In three days you’ll be able to see a variety of attractions, spend time in Barcelona’s historic neighborhoods, head to the top of Montjuic, and visit the beach.
How to Get to Barcelona
The good news about visiting Barcelona is that if you’re flying from the US, there are tons of easy, affordable, and non-stop flights (from major cities). I like to use a search engine to compare prices across multiple different airlines and choose the route best for me. The airport you’ll fly into is called Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN).
BOOK YOUR FLIGHT TO BARCELONA HERE!
Getting from the Airport to the City
The easiest way to get from the airport to the city is to take a taxi from the airport. Depending where you’re going, the drive should be around 20-30 minutes and shouldn’t cost more than €40. You can also take an Uber from the airport (although this was more expensive in my experience) or book an English-speaking driver to be waiting for you at the airport.
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Where to Stay in Barcelona
Although it’s the most touristy spot in Barcelona, I highly recommend staying in or near the Gothic Quarter. This part of the city is really fun and beautiful with tons of great shops, restaurants, and tapas bars. Here are my hotel recommendations…
BOOK YOUR HOTEL IN BARCELONA HERE!
Day 1 in Barcelona
HIGHLIGHTS OF DAY 1: PARC GUELL + MONTJUIC
SPENDING THE MORNING IN BARCELONA
Start your trip to Barcelona by seeing it through Gaudí’s eyes and visiting one of the most famous Barcelona attractions, Parc Güell. Parc Güell is a staple to Barcelona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and houses the longest bench in the world. It’s a colorful and vibrant park built atop Carmel Hill, overlooking all of Barcelona. On a clear day, the views allow you to see clear down to the Balearic Sea. To enter Parc Güell you must purchase a ticket beforehand, and enter at your allotted time. Although there is a free part of the park, the ticket will allow you access to the bench and buildings that Gaudí constructed. While you can move through the park quickly, I encourage you to take your time and awe at the amount of detail that went into making it what it is. You could spend hours tracing the colorful tiles and walking through the museums.
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A GUIDED TOUR OF PARC GUELL, PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!
SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN BARCELONA
After spending your time admiring Gaudí’s work, make your way back towards the center of town to indulge in the traditional Spanish meal – tapas! With loads of restaurants selling these small plates, you truly can’t go wrong. But for an incredible experience head to Vinitus where all of the mouth-watering tapas are laid out along the bar, a feast for your eyes. And if you have it in you to get dessert? Head to the hole in the wall dessert bar – Chök.
This would also be a good time to consider a food tour through the city or take a traditional cooking class! Here are some of my recommendations for experiencing Barcelona through food…
- Paella Cooking Class Las Ramblas & Boqueria Market in Barcelona
- Tastes & Traditions of Barcelona Food Tour
- Taste Barcelona Like a Local: Gracia Neighborhood Food Tour
BOOK YOUR BARCELONA FOOD TOUR HERE!
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SPENDING THE EVENING IN BARCELONA
When I visited Barcelona, one tour that I went on that I particularly enjoyed was an electric bike tour of Montjuïc. It’s the perfect way to spend the evening in Barcelona, learning about the history of this city and seeing some major attractions on bike. Hop on your electric bike and you’ll weave through the city while making your way to Montjuïc where you will climb the highest point in Barcelona. Unlike the views at Parc Güell, Montjuïc places you higher, allowing you to see more of the city.
After finishing the bike ride, head for dinner at Bar del Pla. A cozy and intimate restaurant with top-notch tapas. Seating is limited so I’d recommend making a reservation ahead of time! And if you want to grab cocktails before or after dinner, I recommend Dr. Stravinsky or Farola Cocktail Bar.
SEE BARCELONA BY BIKE! BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE
Day 2 in Barcelona
HIGHLIGHTS OF DAY 2: LAS RAMBLAS + BARCELONETA BEACH
SPENDING THE MORNING IN BARCELONA
On day two, explore Las Ramblas Street, the most famous street in Barcelona. Back in the day it used to be a river and has since dried up to become one of the busiest streets in Barcelona. There are tons of shops and restaurants along Las Ramblas, you could spend hours moving slowly down the street popping in and out of souvenir shops and cafes.
SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN BARCELONA
Continue to make your way down Las Ramblas, until you eventually come to Barceloneta Beach. While packed with tourists, Barceloneta offers gorgeous soft sand beaches and bars and restaurants to sit at and people watch. Keep in mind that this is a nude beach and while not everyone chooses to be nude, some people do.
SPENDING THE EVENING IN BARCELONA
When night falls, head to the Gothic Quarter for dinner at La Alcoba Barcino. There’s also a fun cocktail bar across the street – Carlos and Matilda.
Day 3 in Barcelona
HIGHLIGHTS OF DAY 3: SAGRADA FAMILIA + MERCADO DE BOQUERIA
SPENDING THE MORNING IN BARCELONA
On your last day in Barcelona, sightsee your way through the city. Start by visiting one of the most famous churches in the world, Sagrada Familia; a magnificent and ornate church built by GaudÍ. For guaranteed entrance into this extravagant church, you’ll want to make sure to purchase tickets in advance. And if you want to take a guided tour of Sagrada Familia, you can purchase tickets here or here for a private tour.
The amount of detail that went into Gaudí’s work is mindblowing; the inside and outside of the building leaving you speechless. The church itself tells the story of Jesus Christ, from birth to death. I urge everyone to get the audio guide to hear how much thought Gaudí put into every little piece of the church. And how much the architecture reflects the story of Jesus.
When you purchase a ticket to gain access, you are helping to finish Gaudí’s work. La Sagrada Familia is not yet finished and isn’t expected to be finished by 2026 at the earliest. When Gaudí began constructing the church he knew he wouldn’t be able to see it through to completion so he mapped out incredibly detailed plans to allow others to finish it long after he passed. If the church gets completed in 2026, it will total 150 years in the making and make for the tallest man-made building in Barcelona. It will be just short of the tallest God-made point… Montjuïc, on purpose. Gaudí stated, “The work of man should never rise above that of God”… so he intentionally built the church to be lower than the mountain top.
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TO SAGRADA FAMILIA HERE! IF YOU WANT TO JOIN A TOUR, PURCHASE HERE; AND FOR A PRIVATE TOUR, PURCHASE HERE
SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN BARCELONA
For the rest of your day spend time eating and drinking through the Gothic Quarter. Gorge on more delicious tapas at La Galera and La Plata, slowly walk the streets of the Gothic Quarter and eventually make your way to Mercado de Boqueria. Here you’ll find rows and rows of brightly colored food decorating the street stalls. cIf you’d rather something other than candy, or you’d like to sit down there are restaurants with tables inside the market. cOne of my favorites was Joel’s Oyster Bar, the oysters coming from the best oyster farm in the world as voted on in 2016.
Please be aware that there is a LOT of pickpocketing going on in the market. Hold your belongings close and move your valuables to your front pockets. To be extra safe, I recommend bringing an anti-theft bag.
SPENDING THE EVENING IN BARCELONA
If you love seafood, I’d highly recommend making a reservation at Batea. And for before or after dinner drinks, head to the speakeasy Bobby’s Free!
Spain Essentials – What You Need & Need to Know About Visiting Spain
TRAVELING THROUGH SPAIN
- The easiest way to book train tickets in Spain is through Omio
- The easiest way to book bus tickets in Spain is through Bookaway
- To book a flight to Spain, I recommend using a big search engine to compare options
- For car rentals in Spain, I recommend Discover Cars (you do need an international drivers license to drive in Spain)
- If you want an English speaking driver waiting to pick you up at the airport, use Welcome Pickups
- I highly recommend travel insurance when traveling through Spain – I use and recommend SafetyWing
- If you need a SIM card, aloSIM for an easy and affordable e-SIM – use code “KYLEE5” for 5% off
ACCOMODATION IN SPAIN
- To easiest way to book hotels in Spain is through Booking.com or Expedia
- The easiest way to book rentals in Spain is through VRBO
TOURS IN SPAIN
- For tours and activities in Spain, I recommend using Viator
- For food tours in Spain, I recommend Devour Tours
- For walking tours in Spain, I recommend Take Walks
- For cooking classes in Spain, I recommend using Cookly
WHAT TO BRING TO SPAIN
- Don’t forget a Spain guide book to help plan your travels
- You’ll need a travel plug adapter (Spain uses type C)
- I recommend bringing a reusable water bottle to cut down on plastic waste
- My favorite luggage is Calpak
- My favorite travel backpack is Nordace
- I recommend a sleep mask for long flights
I hope that this guide to spending 72 hours in Barcelona helps plan your travels and inspires your trip. If you have any questions about visiting Barcelona or Spain in general, let me know in a comment below!
If you’re traveling to Spain, don’t miss…
- A Complete Guide to Mallorca
- The Best 4 Day Basque Country Itinerary
- Things to Do in Seville – 5 Experiences to Have
- How to Spend One Day in Malaga
- How to Make the Most of One Day in Granada
- The 8 Day Vacay – Barcelona + Madrid + Southern Spain
For more information on things to see and do in the Spain, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel by searching “#ppinspain” or under my highlights for “Spain”; alternatively, head to my TikTok and search for the saved “Spain” highlight
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Founded by Kylee, a NICU nurse with nine years of experience, including seven years as a travel nurse; Passports and Preemies was created in 2017 and is now the go-to travel and lifestyle channel for nurses who crave adventure beyond the bedside. Whether you’re a staff nurse looking for your next getaway or a travel nurse navigating life on the road, this space is designed to help you maximize your time off, explore the world, and prevent nurse burnout.
On Passports and Preemies, you’ll find everything from travel nursing insights – how to get started, land the best assignments, and thrive on the road – to expert travel tips, destination guides, and real-talk about balancing nursing with a life well-traveled. Passports and Preemies also includes Beyond the Bedside – group trips for nurses around the world; as well as the podcast, Passports and Preemies Talks.
