What to see in Barcelona in 1 day on your own – route, photo, description, map
When there is very little time, it is very difficult to feel the atmosphere of a European city, get acquainted with its features and consider it in detail. But if it doesn't work out differently, and your next stop is Barcelona, then we will try to help you somehow by developing an interesting and rich walking route. We promise that this day will be remembered for a lifetime, and next time you will certainly want to spend much more time here. So, we will tell you what to see in Barcelona in one day on your own.
House Mila
In the wave-like eccentric building, one can guess the style and hand of the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, who was popular with the upper strata of society and regularly received orders from them. Gaudi himself admitted more than once that all his creations are inspired by nature – Casa Mila looks like a sheer cliff washed by the waves of a raging sea, and the fence on the balconies is made of iron rods resembling algae intertwined with water.
The house has almost no strict straight lines and load-bearing structures, for which the locals call it the “drunken house”. Once the entire building was built for the wealthy family of magnates Pere Mila y Caps, but today it houses a bank, several residential apartments and a museum. Most of the museum's exhibits represent the personal belongings of Gaudi, which he inspired and used in his drawings, as well as interior items of the 20th century.
For that time, Mila's house was very extravagant and incomprehensible, but decades later the work of the architect was appreciated and even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can listen to the history of the house using the audio guide in Russian. The ticket price for children is 11 euros, for students – 16.5 euros, and for adults – 22 euros. In winter, it is open from 9:00 to 18:30, in autumn – from 9:00 to 20:00, on holidays – from 9:00 to 14:00.
Skip-the-line ticket with audio guide to Dom Mila – 22 €
Casa Batlló
Batlló is one of the most amazing buildings in the whole world. The history of the creation of this masterpiece began in the same way as with the rest of the buildings of Antonio Gaudi: a wealthy Spanish entrepreneur decided to outdo the neighboring Neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau house of Amalie in luxury and decoration and, it seems, knew who to turn to.
In just 2 years, the facade of the building, devoid of symmetry, was overgrown with multi-colored mosaics and human bones, and the roof of the building with a tower on it became like dragon scales, which, by the way, shimmers in the sun with all the colors of the rainbow. Despite the seemingly frightening elements of skulls framed by balconies and columns, Batllo, on the contrary, looks attractive and fabulous.
If the previous architectural monument traces marine motifs, then here Gaudi, in a team with other talented craftsmen, embodied the myth of the victory of St. George over the dragon, and then we can conclude that the bones belong to the victims of the monster, and the tower with the cross is a kind of sword stuck in his back. You can visit the “House of Bones” daily from 9:00 to 21:00 for 21.5 euros for pensioners, students and children from 7 to 18 years old, the rest will have to pay 24.5 euros. Tickets at the box office will cost more by 4 euros.
Buy online ticket to Casa Batlló + video guide – 24.50 €
Plaza Catalunya
The center is the source of nine famous shopping streets, which is a square in the form of the sun and the rays emanating from it. Life around the local attraction is in full swing 24 hours a day: the metro passes here; the hum of buses and cars does not subside until the very night; from the boutiques around the square, crowds of locals and tourists come here to rest, feed the pigeons, take photos against the backdrop of monumental sculptures and fountains, and try Catalan cuisine. In winter, this place is filled with a skating rink, and in the fall, national holidays with performances are held here.
Modern Art Museum
A huge building with many Art Nouveau windows can be seen from afar. Since the opening of the museum in 1955, its owners have been collecting works that represent not only Spanish art, but also foreign art from the 1940s-1970s. There are so many exhibits that a couple more neighboring buildings, smaller than the main one, had to be allocated for it. They host exhibitions of contemporary authors, and there is a library.
Between the buildings there is a huge square – a favorite place for skateboarders, which, by the way, is recognized as one of the best in all of Europe for this purpose. On weekdays, the museum is open from 11:00 to 19:30, on weekends – from 10:00 to 21:00, on holidays – from 10:00 to 15:00, and on Tuesdays it does not work at all. The ticket price is 14 euros, for pensioners and children under 14 years old the entrance is free.
Palace Güell
Another work of Gaudi, included in the UNESCO list, from which the architect began to develop his own unique style. The politician and philanthropist Guell was a friend of Antonio and could only trust him to make his dream come true. After 5 years, he received a pretentious and unique palace made of gray marble, the equal of which has not been found to this day.
The lower part of the building is decorated with gothic wrought iron gates, many windows and balconies, the bars on which are intertwined, forming symbols of hell; while the middle of the palace is done in a rather austere style without frills, showing the fusion of earth and sky. And on the roof there are chimney towers stretching towards the sky and the gods, plastered with a mosaic of the brightest colors.
The interior decoration also deserves attention – chandeliers along the flight of stairs, red carpets, marble columns and ivory inlaid furniture cost Guell a lot of money, and even attracted the attention of King Umberto I of Spain himself. Children under 10 years old can visit the palace museum for free, and for the rest, the ticket will cost 9-12 euros. Opening hours: 10:00 – 20:00 (April to October) and 10:00 – 17:30 (November to January).
Sagrada Familia
The best work of Antonio Gaudi, he gave her several years of his life, without having time to finish. Construction continues today, but the townspeople do not rush things – in Spain there is a legend about the end of the world, which will come at the end of this project. The temple consists of three buildings, personifying the birth, death and resurrection of Christ, and above each of them there are four spiers, corresponding to the 12 apostles.
The main tower, 170 meters high, is a symbol of Jesus, and even it is worked out in great detail. Despite the surprise of the workers about the futility of decorations at such a height, Gaudí remained firmly on his own and is going to embody the entire New Testament on the facade of the building. Religious scenes and rituals from the Bible with full-length statues of saints, bas-reliefs, windows, stained-glass windows, arches, columns and stairs did not leave a single even place on the walls of the cathedral, that now it looks more like an anthill.
Surprisingly, such an abundance of outdoor decorations does not crush and reduce space, but on the contrary, it is very spacious there. You can visit this wonder of the world every day from 9:00 to 18:00, and on weekends and holidays until 14:00. A ticket costs 15-20 euros, depending on the presence of a guide on your tour.
Ticket for fast entry to the Sagrada Familia – 20 €
Park Güell
The once well-known businessman Guell decided once again to invest his accumulated funds in real estate in an ecologically clean area away from the noisy city and construction sites, but in harmony with nature. He bet on the originality of the building and turned to his longtime friend Gaudi. However, after the hard work of the architect for 14 years, plans to enrich themselves failed miserably. The Spanish rich did not appreciate the “gingerbread house” style, which was too bold for that time, and it passed into the hands of the state.
Even today, the kingdom, as if descended from the pages of fairy tale books, no one could surpass in extravagance. As always, you will not find straight lines and ascetic walls near colorful mansions, fences are decorated with battlements, bones, broken glass and colorful mosaics. The inner halls are breathtaking with the jewelery work of the craftsmen, who decorated the curved, sometimes convex ceiling with hundreds of small medallions of iridescent colors, reminiscent of the back of a salamander.
Columns, benches in the form of curving snakes, viaducts, an unusual landscape with exotic plants, observation platforms, museums and souvenir shops – this is not a complete list of everything that you can see here. Part of the park can be visited for free, while tickets for other areas cost 8 euros for adults and 6 euros for children. In the cold season, the park is open from 8:30 to 18:30, in spring – from 8:00 to 20:30, and in summer – from 8:00 to 21:30.
Entrance ticket to Park Güell – 10.75 €
Monument to Columbus
This monument is located in many cities of Spain, and each of them is ready to prove that it was in their city that Columbus was born and lived. A group of sculptors with artist-engineers took the sights revered by the people of Barcelona with all seriousness, and after 7 years a 60-meter column towered over Barcelona. At the base of the monument there is a passage where the elevator is located – it takes tourists to the observation deck “to the feet” of the navigator.
Much attention has been paid to the statues at the foot of the statue – everyone who was involved in the discoveries of Columbus is imprinted here forever. These are the Catalan rulers who equipped him on an expedition; and a team without which he might not have been able to succeed; and gods symbolizing victory. They don’t take money for viewing the sculpture, but for a beautiful view from a bird’s eye view, you need to pay 2 euros.
Sea port
For 2000 years, the port has received cruise liners, fishing and merchant ships. The huge square near its building serves as a place for walks and meetings of the Spaniards, and in its center stands a monument to Christopher Columbus. From here there are roads to La Rambla, the Grand Market, Columbus Avenue, the Museum of the History of Catalonia and a beautiful bridge in the form of a wave, through which the path to Europe's largest aquarium and shopping centers runs. And along the embankment there are luxury yachts, street cafes and souvenir shops.
La Rambla
Pedestrian kilometer street, obligatory in the list for tourists. It connects five boulevards, each of which has its own peculiarity. On one of them is a fountain where coins are thrown; the second is the gathering place for Barça fans; on the third, you can buy seeds of exotic plants as a gift to relatives-dacha residents; the fourth offers national snacks and sweets; and the fifth is represented by the opera house.
Within walking distance from La Rambla are Pla del Hos and the intricate, unusual House of Umbrellas. Especially magnificent here are street performers, mimes, magicians, living statues and just costumed heroes from history or modern films. At every step, mouth-watering signs beckon to pizzerias and restaurants of European cuisine, but food, souvenirs and things on La Rambla are 2-3 times more expensive than anywhere else.
Boqueria Market
You won't find a more colorful place than Bokeria. All trade pavilions are decorated as if they are preparing for a food fair. The sellers treat their business with love and arrange fruits and vegetables in such a way that it is impossible to pass by the colorful variety and not buy at least a kilogram of ripe tomatoes or juicy oranges lined up in a pyramid.
Assorted fruits or smoothies are sold on every corner for 1-2 euros per serving. The next rows are reserved for the freshest seafood that can be prepared for you without leaving the cash register, for example, a portion of shrimp in batter costs 4-6 euros. And of course, the department of sausages (chorizo from 2 euros per stick) and jamon (from 50 euros per pound) is considered the most popular area on the market. Bright red bundles of red peppers, garlic and mushrooms dangle from almost every counter, while jars of spices, olives and oil can be seen on the back shelves.
In order not to leave half of your accumulated vacation funds here (since local merchants skillfully tempt you to buy a whole pork leg at once), the guides offer a culinary tour of Boqueria for 15-70 euros, which includes a tasting and a lesson from the chef. Officially, the market is open from 8:00 to 20:30, but if the goods are sold out earlier, the tents are closed, so it’s better to get here before 16:00.
Gothic Quarter
Many buildings, built almost right next to each other, are made in the medieval Gothic style and date back to the 15th century, but these are not just former settlements of Roman soldiers, but a whole treasury of valuable historical monuments. Above the narrow dark streets, almost at every step, towering impressive churches and basilicas. Be sure to set aside time for a photo on the lace Bridge of Sighs, which connects the two parts of the residence of the President of Catalonia.
For 7 euros, you can take a tour of the historical museum in the same quarter and go down to the ruins of the Roman Empire. Exploring the Gothic quarter will take a lot of time, after which you will need to rest and the Royal Square with fountains and palm trees will provide such an opportunity – the bars are open until late at night. Among the cultural entertainments, the most popular are the contemporary art gallery and the exhibition of Salvador Dali.
National Art Museum of Catalonia
The Museum of Romanesque Art of the 19th-20th centuries opens its doors at the National Palace from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 19:00. Its sections are devoted to photographs, drawings, old coins and medals, books, exclusive furniture by Antonio Gaudi, wall paintings and paintings by famous artists, including Picasso and Dali.
The entrance to the museum is represented by a huge wide staircase, in the center of which a fountain falls like a waterfall, and trimmed bushes and trees are planted on the sides. On weekends, admission is sometimes free, children under 16 and pensioners also do not need to pay, and for everyone else, the ticket price is 12 euros.
Magic Fountain of Montjuic
When all the attractions are out of business and there is nowhere else to go, the Carlos Buigas Singing Fountain will start its show at nightfall. Montjuïc's over 3,620 jets automatically adjust the water pressure to the beat of romantic musical compositions. It took a whole year and about 3,000 workers to implement such a project, and at first the fountain was manually controlled by a whole team of people. The performance takes place every half an hour from 21:00 to 23:00 from Thursday to Sunday (May-October) and from 19:00 to 21:00 on Fridays and Saturdays (October-May). For convenience, viewing platforms and cafes have been created around the fountain, open until midnight.
Triumphal Arch
The Roman custom of placing an arch in memory of significant events was passed on to many countries, and Spain was no exception. Josep Vilaseque created a majestic masterpiece for the opening of the World Exhibition in 1888, surpassing similar buildings in neighboring properties. The classic red brick arch style combined with gray stone looks simple yet tasteful.
Numerous bas-reliefs that tell about the achievements of Barcelona, as well as sculptures depicting the process of welcoming and rewarding guests, serve as decorations. The 30-meter arch serves as the entrance to the Citadel Park, where it is pleasant to walk in cool weather. And not far from the arch there is a zoological museum, a park and several interesting castles.
Hola BCN: ticket for general transport for 2,3,4 or 5 days
Ticket to Port Aventura Park and transfer € 69
Ticket to Port Aventura and Ferrari Land parks € 55
Ticket to Tibidabo Amusement Park € 28.50
Hop-on hop-off tour of Barcelona for 1 or 2 days – 30 €
How and what to save
Everyone knows that Barcelona is an expensive city. If there is an opportunity to save, then why not take advantage of it?
Priority tickets will save you time and avoid long queues.
How to get from the airport to the center
So, you have arrived in the city, which means you need to get from the airport to the city, and here our life hack will come in handy. If the airport of your arrival is El Prat (El Prat), then you are lucky, the city is only 10 km away. The RENFE train will help you overcome this distance. Sit down and get to the station Passeig de Gracia (Paseo de Gracia) or, if you get closer to the hotel from the railway station, then you need to get off at Sants Estaci (Sants Estacio). You can also get from El Prat airport to the city by buying an Aerobus bus ticket, the route of which passes through Placa de Catalunya (Catalunya Square) and Placa Espanya (Spain Square). You can choose your stop. Bus number 46 will also take you to Placa Espanya. In case of a night arrival in the capital of Catalonia, the city can be reached by bus number 17.
If your plane landed at Girona Airport (Girona), then to get to the city you will have to cover a distance of over 90 km. But today distances are not a problem, and since you are in Spain, you know this from your own experience. From the airport to the bus station Estacion del Nord (Estacio del Nord) you can rush for an hour with a little bus, which belongs to the company Barselona Bus. By the way, this is practically the very center. So you will be lucky to see the famous Arc de Triomphe right away.
Now let's take a closer look at the tickets. After you get to the station, we recommend not to postpone the issue of buying them. Get down to the subway. Here you can buy a T10 ticket, which is designed for 10 trips on all types of public transport. We buy a ticket only for zone No. 1 (historical center).