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If Barcelona isn’t already on your bucket list, it should be. This Catalan city is a joy to explore. You will find whimsical architecture, some of the best art in the world and a vibrant culture. Want to know the best places to visit during a trip? We have the perfect Barcelona 4 Day Itinerary of sites to see!
One thing you will want to get before your trip to Barcelona is purchase the Barcelona Pass.
This pass will get you skip the line entry (and tours) for many of the must see attractions on our 4 Day Barcelona Itinerary.
Pricing is based on how many days you would like to use the pass.
Since you are in Barcelona for 4 days, you will want to purchase the three day pass. The 3-day pass is good for 72 hours consecutive hours.
You can opt to add on the Travel Card. If you opt for the additional travelcard, you can enjoy unlimited use of Barcelona’s public transport network including the metro, Montjuïc funicular, bus (TMB), local train (FGC, Zone 1), tram (TRAM) and regional train (Rodalies de Catalunya, Zone 1).
We suggest you add this one since you will want an easy way of going from one part of town to the other.
When you are traveling to Barcelona without a tour guide, you should consider purchasing a pocket guide. Our favorite is Rick Steves.
This pocket guide is small enough to take with you and has great walking tours with maps! It makes getting around simple and also gives you some hints on things you will want to notice as you are going from one site to another.
Barcelona is a great destination when you are travelling as a family. If you are will have kids travelling with you to Barcelona consider getting them a Mission Barcelona travel guide.
This book keeps kids entertained as they sight see. It gives them “missions” to accomplish while teaching them facts about Barcelona.
Barcelona 4 Day Itinerary
Day One in Barcelona (Map)
- Take a Hop on Hop off Bus Tour
- Pla de Palau (Red line stop 21)
- Picasso Museum
- Barcelona Cathedral
- The Palau Güell
- Walk La Rambla
- Visit the Gothic Quarter
Hop on Hop off Bus Tour of Barcelona
On your first day in Barcelona, take advantage of the Hop on & Hop off bus tour. The Hop on Hop off Bus tours of Barcelona will take you to all the most important landmarks in the city.
The Hop on Hop off Bus is included in the Barcelona Pass, but if you didn’t buy the pass, you can purchase a ticket for the Hop on Hop off bus separately.
Take the Hop on Hop off bus to stop 21 (Red Line) Pla de Palau
Pla de Palau
The Pla de Palau stop on the Red Route is the closet stop to the Picasso Museum.This square was a hub for trading during from the 13th-19th centuries.
Get off the Hop on Hop off bus & make the 6 minute walk to the Picasso Museum
Picasso Museum
Pablo Picasso is one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Most known for Cubist movement in art, Picasso’s work eclipses so much more.
A trip to Museu Picasso will show you the growth in his work from his adolescence until his death, including works from his Blue period.
Plan for at least 2 hours in the museum because there is so much to see (it has the most extensive collections of Picasso’s art with over 4,000 pieces).
Location: Picasso Museum, Carrer Montcada, 15-23, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Admission: (BOOK NOW)
- Museu Picasso is on the Barcelona Pass
- Standard Admission: €12
- Those 18-25 years old & People 65+ are €7
- Thursday afternoons from 6- 9.30pm and First Sunday of each month, from 9am to 7pm are FREE.
Cathedral Barcelona
The Cathedral of Barcelona (also known as The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia) was built from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries and given a decorative Neoclassical facade in the late 1800’s .
While not as grand as the Sagrada Familia, this cathedral is decorated with gargoyles, statues, pinnacles, and arches with tall bell towers.
The interior has a knave that is flanked with 28 chapels and beautiful stain glass windows.
Location: Pla Seu, 3 Barcelona
Hours: Available to tour 12:30 p.m. at 7:45 p.m. (Monday-Friday); 12:30 p.m. at 5:30 p.m. (Saturday); 2:00 p.m. at 5:30 p.m (Sunday)
Admission
Worship and prayer: Includes entry to the Cathedral floor and the cloister.
Visit to the choir: 3 € per person
Visit to the roof: 3 € per person
Tourist visit that allows you access to Cathedral floor and cloister, roof, choir, Chapter Hall Museum, The Saint Christ of Lepanto’s Chapel: Donation of 7 € per person
Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter is a beautiful section of Barcelona. You will find medieval streets, and squares lined with quaint shops, cafes, bars, and Catalan restaurants.
There is live music, fountains and people enjoying sitting outside in the squares.
Spend time walking along the cobblestone streets and you will find all sorts of hidden jewels!
Palau Güell
Visit Palau Guell, the Art Nouveau mansion designed by Gaudi. It is one of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona and since it is right off La Rambla and it is convenient to see while in the area.
Palau Güell was designed for the industrial tycoon Eusebi Güell in the late 1880’s. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site almost 100 years later due to its use of space and natural light.
It is the only Gaudi building that he fully designed & completed.
Location: C/ Nou de la Rambla, 3-5 08001 Barcelona.
Admission: free with Barcelona Pass
Adults: 12€ or you can do a guided walking tour of Palau Güell along with the Gothic Quarter for $35. BOOK NOW
La Rambla
When you are spending 4 days in Barcelona, you will probably find yourself on La Rambla more than once. Each time you go, you will have a different experience especially if you go during different times of the day.
You will find market-style shops, open-air dining, street performers, and lots and lots of people enjoying life.
This is the best place to grab a meal, drink or even dessert! After a busy first day in Barcelona, you are going to want to sit back & relax while enjoying the local vibe.
You can grab the Hop on Hop off Bus nearby to take you back to the closest stop to wherever you are staying.
Day Two in Barcelona (Map)
Hop back on the Barcelona Hop on Hop off bus and this time take the Blue Line. It will get you to all of the destinations for this days itinerary. Stop 2 is Casa Batlo and where you will start your day.
Casa Batlló
You can’t help but admire the whimsical set of buildings on the what is called the Block of Discord. It is so-named because the buildings, while adjacent to one another, are each very different with contrasting styles.
They are The Casa Amatller (designed by Josep Puig), the Casa Lleó Morera (by Domènech i Montaner), and Casa Batlló (designed by Gaudí).
The exterior of Casa Batlló was inspired by the Mediterranean sea. This dragon-like building was a rebuild of a previous structure. Gaudi added a new facade, increasing the size and changing the living space.
A tour of Casa Batlló will allow you to explore the living space and see the rooftop terrace.
Location: Passeig de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Tickets: Online: €25 adults & €22 children 7-18 .BUY TICKETS NOW
La Pedrera
Stop 4 on the Barcelona Hop on Hop off bus is La Pedrera. Also known as Casa Milà, it is the last private residence designed by Gaudí. It was built between 1906 and 1912 and combines waves of stone with twisting iron.
The design uses elements of nature with bright courtyards and natural light. There are nine levels with three areas open to tour: the attic with his trademark arches; the rooftop of chimneys towering from the floor; and an apartment.
Location: Passeig de Gràcia, 92, 08008 Barcelona
Tickets: Online: €22 / Ticket office: €25 & comes with free audio guide.BUY TICKETS NOW
Sagrada Familia
The is the most iconic landmark in Barcelona is Sagrada Familia, designed by Antoni Gaudí. The Gothic Basilica is certainly one of the most beautiful cathedrals in all of the world.
A work in progress since 1882, The Sagrada Familia is set to be completed in 2026.
When finished, it will have 18 towers. 12 represent the apostles, four represent the evangelists, one for the Virgin Mary, and the pinnacle tower in the center of them all will be for Jesus.
On the exterior of the Sagrada Familia you will find three facades: the Nativity, The Passion, and the Glory. While intricately carved, with the Passion facade is the least ornamental and the most symbolic.
The interior of Sagrada Familia is breathtaking. Gaudi brings his love for nature and whimsical design through out the interior design of the Basilica
Every aspect of the Sagrada Familia is purposeful and intricately created to draw the visitor into his imagination.
The columns appear like trees reaching to the ceiling and the stained glass bring enough of light to overwhelm the entire space inside.
The focal point of Sagrada Familia is the High Altar. The canopy of trees appears to converge into an opening at the top of the church through which it can be imagined that Jesus is ascending to heaven.
Location: Carrer de Mallorca, 401, 08013 Barcelona, Spain
Hours:
- November through February from 9 am to 6 pm
- March from 9 am to 7 pm
- April through September from 9 am to 8 pm
- October from 9 am to 7 pm.
- December 25-26 and January 1 & 6th from 9 am to 2 pm.
Admission (Book Guided Tour NOW)
- Sagrada Familia is on the Barcelona Pass
- Adults: €20
- Seniors: €16
- Students & adults under 30: €18
- Disabled & Children 10 and under are FREE
Parc Güell
Since you’ve spent most of the day touring Gaudi landmarks, you probably should end your day at the park he designed, Güell.
This picturesque public park is designed with typical Gaudí whimsy. You will find his trademark stone, along with colorful mosaic tiles and a curvy natural landscape creating the perfect open park space.
Enjoy walking the trails and taking in the views of the city and sea below and see why this was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Park Güell is on the Barcelona Pass. If you don’t have it, then you will definitely want to get your tickets in advance as this is a very popular place to visit!
Admission (BOOK NOW)
- General 7.50€
- Children 7-12 5,25€
- Over 65 5,25€
- Children 0-6 FREE
- Disabled FREE
Your park ticket will cover transport on the direct shuttle bus from Alfons X to Park Güell. You will want to take advantage of this as the Park is on a hill.
Day Three in Barcelona
If you take the Green line of the Hop on Hop off Bus, you will find that it will take you straight to the beaches of Barcelona.
Bogatell Beach
The most popular (and crowded) beach is Bogatell. As with most of this part of the coast, the beach at Bogatell was completely renovated during the preparations for the 92 Olympic games.
You can spend time getting sun, playing beach volleyball or taking a walk along the promenade.
There are plenty of places to eat on the beach so don’t worry if you get hungry. You will find many different food choices right off the beach.
Parc de la Ciutadella
After spending sometime in the sun, you might want to do some more exploring in town. There are a few different ways you can spend the rest of your day, but I would encourage you to check out Parc de la Ciutadella.
There are several attractions in this part of Barcelona: the Barcelona Zoo (on the Barcelona Pass), the Museu d’Art Modern, Museu de Geologia are in the vicinity of the park.
Day 4: Go from Barcelona to Montserrat
Since you have 4 days in Barcelona, you really should take a trip out to Montserrat, a sacred mountain just an hour outside Barcelona.
How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona
To get to Montserrat, you will need to take a train. Head to Plaça España train station in Barcelona where you will take the R5 train to Aeri de Montserrat and then take the cable car up to Montserrat Monastery. You can purchase a combination ticket at the train station.
Take a guided tour and learn about the fascinating history of Montserrat and why it draws thousands of pilgrims a month! Don’t miss seeing the The Black Virgin Mary statue inside the Basilica.
After your tour, walk the nature paths and take in the views of the beautiful natural landscapes and rock formations.
Your trip to Monsterrat will take up most of your day (considering its a 3 hour round trip). You simply won’t have much time to do much else, other than eat dinner back in Barcelona and see the Magic Fountain.
The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
After dinner and once the sun sets, take the Hop on Hop off Bus to Montjuïc Magic Fountain. There you will witness a beautiful water show filled with movement and color set to music.
Magic Fountain Schedule (no shows Monday to Wednesday):
- Jan 7-Feb: closed for maintenance.
- March: from 8-9pm
- April-May: from 9-10pm
- Jun-Sept: from 9:30-10:30
- Oct: from 9:00-10:00
- Nov-Jan 6 2019: from 8:00-9:00
Show lasts about 20 minutes and breaks for 10 minutes before replaying.Viewing the show is free and the best way to end your 4 days in Barcelona!
Have you been to Barcelona? What were some of your favorite things to do in the city?
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