We took a short weekend break to Barcelona, a city I’d always been pretty fond of after the last time I visited way back in 2004. Back then I wasn’t exactly an experienced traveller and Barcelona seemed quite foreign, maybe it was the heat and humidity of summer that made it feel so different. This time around it somehow seemed very familiar, I wasn’t sure whether it was because I’ve travelled so much or because Barcelona had changed so much from when I first visited.
Barcelona certainly has a definite style, charm and culture of its own, trying to fit all the sights into a single weekend is a big ask. Despite the urge to wander aimlessly sampling tapas, drinking cava and stumbling across renowned works of beautiful architecture, we found ourselves creating a loose plan each morning to ensure we at least managed to see what really appealed to us. For a quick two minute over view of our trip and highlights watch the video above.
Here are some of my highlights for a fun, fast paced weekend in Barcelona.
Park Güell
If you’re keen to experience the works of Antoni Gaudí then you’ll probably be heading to Park Güell. By metro it’s about a 20 minute walk with the final few hundred metres walk up hill (although they have installed a escalator). You’ll need to purchase a ticket before entering the park to visit some of Gaudi’s buildings and the famous lizard statue.
The highlight of my visit was the 360 panoramic view out across the city from a look out point in the park, from here you can spot numerous Barcelona landmarks including Sagrada Familia and Torre Agbar.
Nou Camp – FC Barcelona
Football fans should head to the Nou Camp, home to Spain’s most successful football team, FC Barcelona. If you’re not lucky enough to time it right to catch a live game you’ll still have the opportunity to experience the stadium and explore its facilities with a stadium tour.
Prices of the tour are currently:
Adult Euros 23.00
Youth (from 6 to 13 years) Euros 17.00
Over 70 years Euros 17.00
If you’re a big Barcelona fan or just looking to get someone a bit of a present, the club shop has plenty of merchandise on offer. The stadium also has a selection of food and drink outlets in the surrounding area that means a trip here is very well catered for even if you’re not venturing inside.
With limited time on our hands we were happy enough wandering around the surrounding area taking photos of the stadium from the outside.
Sagrada Familia
You’ll often see postcards scattered around shops in Barcelona with a “photoshopped” image of Sagrada Familia. It’s only when you see this that can you imagine how much work there is yet to be done (even though it was started a hundred years ago) on this stunning medieval inspired cathedral. Even from a distance you’ll be able to notice the contrast in stone work that has been completed over different periods, up close the detail is quite stunning.
Even if you don’t want to wait in the big tourists queues to get into the cathedral it is a beautiful sight from the outside.
We preferred to wander the gardens in front of Sagrada Familia rather than tackle the hordes of tourists in and around the building.
Mercat De La Boqueria
Like most markets, getting there early in the morning is usually a good bet. Situated just off from Las Ramblas, Mercat de la Boqueria is where locals come to shop and where tourists come to wander. If you don’t need any fresh produce but fancy a bite to eat, navigate your way to the back of the market to seek out the tapas bars.
Cava at Can Paixano
A bustling, popular cava bar down by the port in Barcelona is Can Paixano. Push your way inside at peak hours and enjoy some tapas, great sandwiches all accompanied by some cheap (3 Euros a bottle) but quality cava.
Be careful though, the cava is very easy to drink, the bar is cosy and dark, by the time you stumble out onto the pavement it could be later than you think.
Mercat Del Encants
If you’re looking for some vintage bric-a-brac head out to Mercat Del Encants flea market (close to Torre Agbar), you’ll find everything from old computer games, antique chairs, adult videos, books to cheap clothes.
The flea market is quite busy on a Saturday, so it is best avoided unless you’re looking to brave the crowds and grab a bargain.
Barcelona Beach
After a long day of sightseeing in Barcelona it’s well worth wandering down to one of city’s beaches to soak up the sunshine. Barceloneta is the first beaches you’re likely to reach as it’s closest to the city centre and features the ‘Homenatge a la Barceloneta’ monument, by the German Artist Rachel Horn. If you’ve had enough of sunning yourself on the beach there are a few bars lining the beach front to catch a bit of shade and a cold beer.
There’s so much to squeeze into a weekend in Barcelona that it’s a pretty good idea to have a list of highlights you really want to see. We managed to get a good balance between exploring the city and visiting the places that were also on our “must see” list.
Have you been to Barcelona?
What were your highlights?
