3 Breathtaking Days in Barcelona

Have you ever pondered the Travelocity saying that “Every journey begins with a single step?” We’ve partnered with smart luxury travel expert Dr. Cacinda Maloney, from the blog PointsandTravel, to help you take that first step as you seek out some of the most amazing experiences in Barcelona. There are only so many hours in a lifetime to wander the earth, better do it wisely! 

Making the Most of 3 Days in Barcelona, Spain

Recently I had a chance to choose from a surplus of tour choices that are available to travelers going to the magical city of Barcelona, Spain. Checking the Travelocity website alone, I found that there were well over 200 things to do in Barcelona — wow! In just a few clicks, there is a plethora of options at your disposal. But with all those choices, what should you do?

With only three days in Barcelona, I knew I had to make smart decisions. Are you short on time for your Spanish escape, too? Here’s how to make the most of your trip, so you can plan and book an adventure that best matches your interests.

Research the City’s History

Knowing a little about the historical background of your destination is key to helping you choose from among all the tour selections. Travel research is an important first step in choosing what you will do … so that you can spend your vacation time wisely. For my trip to Barcelona, I began to do some educational digging, and here is what I found.

The city of Barcelona was founded by the Romans at the end of the 1st Century BC, so you can get an idea of how old this city is. Back then, they called it Barcino and it had a walled city center. It was a Muslim city for over 200 years before being conquered by the Christians, where eventually it was established as an economic and political center of Western Europe. You should get a chance to experience this history in the Gothic Quarter, as it was built during the 13th and 15th Centuries. Barcelona struggled to maintain its economic and political independence between the 15th and 18th Centuries. However, it was Catalan Antoni Gaudi, one of the most eminent architects of his time, that has the city blushing with pride, as he built some of the most unusually designed spaces in Barcelona. His four main projects are the most visited tourist destinations in all of Barcelona. It is this Gaudi history that should help you begin to plan your trip.

Due to the large tourist crowds in Barcelona, I suggest booking all of Gaudi’s masterpieces before you actually arrive in Barcelona. You will receive a time slot to go in and see his work. I can recommend the iVenture Card if you are interested in taking a variety of tours from my own experience, but if you only want a ticket and time slot, you can do that instead!

Choose Your Favorite Historic Tours

You should at the very least visit one of Gaudi Masterpieces on your first trip to Barcelona: Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila (La Pedrera), Casa Batllo and/or Park Güell. Then save the others for a return visit. The city is full of tourists, and many of them come to see Gaudi’s works … so be prepared for the crowds! But if you have your ticket and your time slot, you will be golden! On my last visit to Barcelona, we visited Casa Batllo, Park Quell and Sagrada Familia.

We chose to visit Casa Batllo and were impressed and amazed at the work of this amazing man and his impact on the city. Casa Batllo was a private residence that Antonio Gaudi redesigned for a wealthy family in 1904 in the neighborhood of Eixample. Eixample showcases some of the most distinctive Catalonian art nouveau buildings in all of Barcelona.

Find Additional Tours to Match Your Interests 

Once you’ve covered your bases on the historic front, it’s time to start to looking at other offerings. My family loves the Spanish dance of flamenco and the sounds of the Spanish guitar. Although it is not from this region of Spain, we still enjoy experiencing the quality of the performers that we get exposed to. It is for that reason that we chose to book the Flamenco Show at Palacio del Flamenco, even though it has a touristy angle. We also enjoy visiting any new countries, which led us to choose the 3 Countries in One Day tour!

Even though this is a Catalan region and the Spanish dance of flamenco is not really the culture of the local people, it is still a huge part of the impression of Spain. The Palacio del Flamenco will teach you the history of flamenco, its origins, its great performers, and you can have a cocktail and/or dinner while watching the incredibly enticing show.

Clap, clap, clap, stomp, stomp, stomp. With a whirl of her flowing dress, she majestically strolls onto center stage where the spotlight burned down upon her as if she was on fire. She stops, and then with quick movements, grabs the bottom of her dress to lift it up, stomps again, and twirls all while an equally talented male guitarist plays in the background. The show goes on for over an hour with each dancer progressively getting almost better than the last. There were moments when it almost seemed circus-like in the beginning, but by the end the crowds and myself were on our feet, clapping, and wanting more of the energy that they eluded during a magnificent performance.

Have you ever wanted to visit three countries in one day? I actually am not really into fast travel, but my son was so excited to visit the country of Andorra that he insisted we go (and boy, did he change my mind!) Off we went to book our long day trip from Barcelona. We ventured out of the city in the early morning light for a journey to the small medieval town of Baga, Spain which is located in the Pyrenees Mountains. It was a sleepy Spanish village complete with a local bakery and an old church. We wandered around a bit, grabbed some local bread and a coffee, and continued on to country #2: France. We then arrived at Axe-Les-Thermes, a riverside town with thermal hot springs in the city center, we shopped artisan shops and ate slices of French pizza! Then we were off to the third and final country of the tour: #3 Andorra, which of the three was one of the prettiest sections of the Pyrenees Mountains I have seen. We passed over Pas de la Casa and went up to the ski area of town for some amazing views. There were lush green lands surrounding us everywhere we looked. We then drove into the capital city of La Vella, where we shopped duty-free, took selfies, and ate more snacks before heading back to Barcelona. The entire trip took 12 hours and was simply unforgettable.

Leave Free Time for Serendipitous Events

So there you have it, our perfect trip to Barcelona! Ready to plan yours? Just remember, to plan wisely … but always leave a little room for spontaneous adventures along the way! For more tips, check out my fellow Gnational Gnomads’ article showcasing the world’s best hotels with an amazing view (hint: Barcelona’s Hotel DO Plaça Reial) or try an apartment or even rent a car and take a drive for more incredible Spanish experiences.

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