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Barcelona is found in the Catalunya region of Spain. On the Mediterranean Sea, it is the perfect city for some fun on the beach as well as exploring some amazing architecture. There is plenty to do in Barcelona and many would argue that 48 hours is not enough, but if you’re trying to explore as much of Spain as possible, you gotta do what you can. Of course, if you have more time to spend in Barcelona, by all means, pick up the extra activities we list after the full itinerary.
Barcelona is home to the famous Spanish architect Antoni Gaudรญ. There are many creative houses to see from the inside out. There are also many delicious restaurants, expansive parks, and of course, Sagrada Familia. From exploring the Gothic Quarter to lounging at the beach to touring the Barcelona Football Club Stadium, Barcelona has something for most travelers. Below you’ll find a full itinerary to see as much as possible.
Traveling to Madrid too? Check out our 48 hours in Madrid here!
48 Hours in Barcelona Itinerary
We assume you landed the day before and will, therefore, spend a full 48 hours in Barcelona.
Day 1 – 48 Hours in Barcelona
Breakfast
For breakfast, we head to Bracafe near Park Gรผell. It is an inexpensive, local cafe with sandwiches and coffee combos. The orange juice (zumo) is freshly squeezed in the cafรฉ. Another option for a breakfast spot that’s near Park Gรผell is Gรผelly Sandwichpark. It opens a little later than the Bracafe, but it also boasts sandwiches, coffees, and fresh juice. They also offer churros con chocolate.
Park Guell
This park showcases the hope that Antoni Gaudรญ had for the wealthy people of Barcelona. He wanted to build a community with homes that lived in harmony with nature. The entrance has a guardhouse and a guesthouse. This is the main entrance of the park, and it leads into a set of stairs that go up to the neighborhood plaza. Here you’ll see the famous salamander statue.
One thing you want to keep in mind is that there are multiple entrances to Park Gรผell. Which means if you don’t come through the main entrance, you’ll think it’s one big nature park without seeing all the interesting or impressive buildings. There are several model houses of what Gaudรญ wanted the neighborhood to look like. Be sure to follow the signs to the aqueducts and the palm tree walk. This will lead you to the main entrance if you don’t come through the main entrance. We nearly left before seeing everything because we came in from the side and didn’t realize our error. Not all the houses in the park are available on the general pass, but you can enter the guest house and guard house for free.
Pro Tip: You’ll want to make sure to purchase your tickets for Park Gรผell as early as possible, as the tickets sell out. The best option is to pick an early morning time to ensure you don’t have to compete with so many crowds.
Casa Vicens Gaudรญ
A 20-minute walk from Park Gรผell, you’ll head to Casa Vicens Gaudรญ. This house is a grand 4-story with a tower. It is an impressive display of Gaudรญ’s hard work. It is one of 3 houses that we will see in Barcelona. There is a tour that will show you all three houses here. Since there are three houses and only 48 hours in Barcelona, we chose to only go inside Casa Vicens Gaudรญ. If you love architecture, definitely check all of them out.
Lunch
We will take the metro to the Gothic Quarter for lunch. While it is a little out of the way, it’ll be good to get an understanding of where we will be tomorrow. For lunch, we recommend either Restaurant Glaciar or Colom Restaurant. They’re both delicious Spanish restaurants with great tapas options. Both are near the metro for the next spots.
Montjuรฏc Castle & Teleferic
From lunch, we will take the funicular up to the Teleferic (gondola) to the Montjuรฏc Castle. The funicular is part of the Barcelona metro system, so it is included in your daily metro pass (if you choose to get one), but the teleferic is not included. During busy times, the funicular can take upwards of 20 minutes waiting in line, but we went in the late afternoon, and it was empty! There are not many seats inside the funicular.
After arriving, you can either get tickets for the teleferic or walk to the top. It is a long walk, so we opted for the gondolas. Nearby, you’ll also see the old Olympic park (you have to walk there). Finally, once you get to the top, there is the Montjuรฏc Castle. You can go for a tour inside to explore. You can also walk around the park area and enjoy the views of the city.
Mercat de Sant Antoni
For dinner, we will explore Mercat de Sant Antoni. This market has many different food stands with many fresh and local fruits and vegetables. There are even jamรณn Iberico cones to eat. It’s a great place to try a bunch of different appetizers to make it a whole meal or just a start before heading out to a different place for dinner. There are also great tapas walking tours of the market to enjoy! If you’re interested in a meal elsewhere, we recommend Tipico Asador Argentino.
Day 2 – Barcelona & Sagrada Familia
Breakfast
For breakfast, we will head to a restaurant near the Sagrada Familia. We recommend either Marmot or Paisano Bistro for breakfast. They are both walking distance from Sagrada Familia, and they have great and delicious options. If you’re not a full breakfast person, then we recommend heading to Cafe Fargo. This espresso bar has some baked goods and delicious coffee.
Sagrada Familia
Arguably, one of the most famous churches in the world is Sagrada Familia. It wouldn’t be a trip to Barcelona without touring the beautiful and grand basilica. Another building designed by Antoni Gaudรญ, with the idea of bringing the Gospels to life in the outside facade while bringing nature indoors. The tours of Sagrada Familia are either self-guided or you can purchase a guided tour. The self-guided tour will require you to use an app on your phone. You can either do the 45-minute tour or the shorter 25-minute tour. You can also purchase tickets to climb to the top of 2 different towers. We went up the Nativity tower.
Pro Tip: Purchase your tickets for Sagrada Familia as soon as possible, as the time slots fill up fast. You’ll get to pick a time, and we recommend as early as you can, so there are fewer people in the church.
Arc de Triomf
Once you’re done enjoying your time at Sagrada Familia, we will take the metro over to the Arc de Triomf. This archway was built for the World Fair that was held in Barcelona. It is not a military triumph archway like the one in Paris. The Arc is overlooking a walkway and a park. It is a great place to start a walk over into the Gothic Quarter. But before exploring, we will stop for lunch.
Lunch
For lunch, we will head over to the famous Elisabeth’s restaurant. You will need a reservation to eat here. We didn’t make one, and there was a 3-hour wait for lunch alone! You can walk over from the Arc de Triomf or you can take the metro. Either way, it is a delicious and incredibly popular place for lunch. We recommend the Tortilla de Papa.
Stroll Down La Rambla
La Rambla is a very famous street in Barcelona, and it is where you’ll find all the main shopping. It is the main artery of the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. It starts at Plaรงa de Catalunya and goes all the way to Monument a Colom right near the water. We recommend walking the entire street and taking some side streets when you find something interesting. Here are some points of interest:
- Palau Gรผell
- Mercat la Boqueria
- Plaรงa Reial
- Palau Moja
- Basรญlica de Santa Maria del Pi
Also, make sure to step into a turron shop to get some of the Spanish dessert delicacy! It is my favorite dessert. One of the many delicious foods to try in Spain.
A great way to explore and experience this area is through a walking tour of Barcelona.
Or if you’re tired of walking, check out this biking tour of Barcelona.
Chocolate Street
Off La Rambla is Carrer de Petritxol, also known as Chocolate Street. Starting with Chรถk on Carme and crossing La Ramble onto Carrer de Petritxol, you’ll get to try a variety of different chocolate shops. Here we stopped for churros and chocolate. There are a variety of different cute shops down this street as well. You’ll want to ensure you don’t walk through here during the siesta time, because most things will be closed. Also, try some Turron.
Casa Batllรณ & Casa Milร
Once you’re done with your chocolate mid-afternoon snack, we will head back to the metro to go over to Casa Batllรณ and Casa Milร . They are walking distance from each other, so pick one and go from there. They are absolutely beautiful from the inside as well, but it is not necessary to go inside. Seeing the houses and buildings in this area is awe-inspiring. They have so many different buildings with decorations and intricate details. They also have special events like nighttime shows, which might be a fun thing to do after dinner. These houses are also located in a posh shopping area if you’re interested in some shopping.
Dinner & Drinks
From the Gaudรญ houses, we will head over to dinner at Serenata. It is within walking distance or accessible by metro. This is an Italian panini place. The paninis were truly incredible. Larry and I each got one and swapped halves. I highly recommend doing that in order to try more paninis. The meats are sliced at the time of making the sandwiches, and the breads are freshly toasted.
From dinner, you will take a leisurely stroll to the Orient Express bar. They also offer food, not only cocktails. The Orient Express offers both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. The bar has two sides, one is the wagon and the other is the station. The wagon has the blue door, and the station has the red door. The station has games to find out your best cocktail while the wagon is set up like you’re traveling from Paris to Istanbul. You need to buy a ticket before going inside. It is such a fun way to end your 48 hours in Barcelona.
Extra Time? Check Out These Fun Activities for Your 48 Hours in Barcelona
Head to the Beach
Barcelona is on the Mediterranean Sea. So this means that you can go swimming at the beaches. There are several wonderful beaches in Barcelona. You can go to Playa de la Barceloneta, which is the most famous. Bogatell and Mar Bella are other beach options as well. Of course, you can also take an adventurous day trip to the Costa Brava for some swimming, cliff jumping, and kayaking as well.
Palau de la Mรบsica Catalana
This UNESCO site is the palace of Catalan music in Barcelona. In the Modernista style, it is an intricate building with many beautiful details. Architect Lluรญs Domรจnech i Montaner created this masterpiece in 1905. It is spectacular to tour during your visit to Barcelona. The mosaic columns are what this music hall is most known for. You can even see performances in the concert hall to this day, which is a different way of experiencing the Palau.
Spotify Camp Nou
Camp Nou is where the Barcelona Football Club (soccer) plays. While it is currently under construction and being renovated so you cannot tour the actual stadium. You can, however, go to the Camp Nou immersive museum to see everything it has to offer. Hopefully, in the future, we can tour the stadium.
Cathedral of Barcelona
The beautiful Cathedral of Barcelona is a popular site to visit. While less famous and grand than the Sagrada Familia, it is still worth a visit. The Cathedral does require an entrance fee to visit. You can see it on the outside and explore the plaza outside the cathedral. We enjoy seeing the incredible architecture and details of these older churches.
Food Market Tour
There are so many wonderful food markets in Spain throughout Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona. We loved going through and exploring them. There are several wonderful markets to explore in Barcelona. We included them in the 48-hour itinerary of Barcelona. However, a great way to see them all is through a Food Market Tour. You’ll get an expert perspective on the different markets.
Poble Espanyol
Looking to experience all the different corners of Spain without traveling to all of them? Look no further than the Poble Espanyol. This area has 117 real-life scale buildings of different Spanish architecture. Built to showcase Spain for the World Fair, it is truly a great way to experience pieces of Spain. There are 20 different workshop classes as well as panoramic views of Barcelona. It is a great place to visit with children. Get your tickets for Poble Espanyol here.
Things to Know About Spending 48 Hours in Barcelona
How To Get To Barcelona?
How To Get Around Barcelona?
Where To Stay In Barcelona?
Wrap-Up: 48 Hours In Barcelona
Barcelona can be a busy, bustling city with tons to do, or a beach vacation. How you choose to spend your vacation is up to you, and how you travel. When we visited Barcelona, we walked so much to get to all the sights. 48 hours in this city will just give you a glimpse, and if you love as many others do, then you’ll have plenty to come back to see. So bring your walking shoes to enjoy Barcelona!
