If you visit Barcelona for at least a week, take a look at our 7-day itinerary!
We have designed it so that you can enjoy the most important monuments and places in Barcelona.
Before You Start
Day 1
Visit the historic quarter: our route begins at the Gothic Cathedral of Barcelona.
Cathedral of Barcelona
It is one of Barcelona’s most visited landmarks and an architectural, artistic, cultural, spiritual, and religious masterpiece.
It was built during the 13th to 15th centuries on the old Romanesque cathedral, built in turn on a church from the Visigoth period that was preceded by a Paleo-Christian basilica.
The completion of the imposing façade in the same style, however, is much more modern (19th century).
You can check the ticket prices here. Here you can visit the schedules.
Leaving the Cathedral, go towards Carrer del Bisbe and at Plaça de Garriga i Bachs take a small street called Carrer de Montjuic del Bisbe until you reach Plaça Felip Neri.
Plaça Felip Neri
Leaving the square, head towards the Cathedral and skirt it along Calle del Bisbe (don’t forget to see the Bisbe bridge) and continue along Calle de la Piedad and Baixada de Santa Clara, until you reach Plaça del Rei.
Plaça del Rei
It represents the greatest exponent of the many Gothic-style buildings in Barcelona, the Palau Reial Major, is the most important of all. Located in the center of the Gothic Quarter, it was the former residence of the Counts of Barcelona between the 13th and 15th centuries.
Although currently the building is dated from the 13th century, it also houses Roman and Visigoth remains. It is currently the headquarters of the Barcelona History Museum and the Frederic Marès Museum.
Our next stop will be at Plaça Sant Jaume.
Plaça Sant Jaume
Here are some of the most important civil buildings, such as the Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan government) and the Barcelona City Hall.
For our next stop, we head down Carrer Ferran and then turn to Carrer del Vidre until we reach Plaça Reial.
Plaça Reial
The Royal Square (Plaça Reial), was built in the 19th century. It was built in honor of the monarchy, to exalt its influence.
It has a neoclassical style, and in its center is the Three Graces fountain and two lampposts by Gaudí. It is a meeting point for nightlife as it is located next to Las Ramblas.
If we continue walking down Calle Ferran we will come across the famous Ramblas of Barcelona and right in front of us you will find the largest theater in Barcelona: the Teatre del Liceu.
La Rambla
La Rambla or as those of us who live in Barcelona know it “Las Ramblas”, is the most important street in Barcelona.
It is a very lively street, full of tourists, with stalls selling gifts, flowers and ice creams and with artists such as painters and human statues.
Las Ramblas has been transformed but still retains some of its oldest premises such as the Casa Beethoven music store, or the Café de l’Ópera… as you walk down Las Ramblas, go look for these remaining charming shops.
Las Ramblas also have many terraces (although prices are quite expensive because it is a tourist area).
We continue our way along this street until we reach the Mercat de la Boqueria.
Gran Teatre del Liceu
The Gran Teatro del Liceo de Barcelona is the oldest and most prestigious opera house in Barcelona and is considered one of the most important in the world.
This is where the best opera singers perform. This building located in the center of Las Ramblas witnessed the bourgeois society since its construction and is part of the history of the city.
The current building is a reconstruction of the one that existed after a fire destroyed it in 1994 and from which the Cercle del Liceu (private modernist-style club) was miraculously saved, where you can admire 12 oil paintings by the Catalan painter Ramón Casas. The reconstruction served for the theater to renew its technical systems, which allows it to represent a modern set design. In the 21st century, the stage is opened to citizens and nowadays all kinds of music can be heard.
Mercat de la Boqueria
This is the most famous market in Barcelona (and well deserved). They sell fresh and high-quality food products and it is also characterized by the fact that you can find products from all over the world. Here you can make some of the most colorful photos!
On our last visit we had a couple of juices: orange with mango and pineapple with orange for €1.5 each.
MACBA
We continue walking along Las Ramblas and turn left onto Carrer del Carme.
After going through some alleys, we will go up Carrer dels Àngels. This street will take you to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA) which, as its name suggests, you can find pieces of contemporary art from 1940 to date, as well as Catalan art.
Day 2
Park Güell
Today we will start our day in Park Güell, created by Antoni Gaudi, it is a UNESCO Heritage Site since 1993.
Initially, it was designed to be a luxury residential space, but this idea was unsuccessful and the park was built instead. It has elements inspired by nature and which in turn have important symbolism, both political and religious.
Discover Park Güell with an Official Tourist Guide
Park Güell is much more than a park filled with colorful mosaics. Discovering Gaudí’s vision, the symbolism behind his work, and the park’s hidden corners will make your visit far more meaningful and memorable.
Leaving through the main entrance we head towards Travessera de Dalt – Torrent de les Flors street where we will find the H6 bus stop (remember to have already bought the ticket because it cannot be done directly on the bus. Here you can see the transport rates).
You will have to get off at the Ronda Guinardó – Castillejos stop. From here we will go down Cartagena Street for about 5 minutes until we reach the Sant Pau Modernist Hospital.
Modernist Sant Pau Hospital
The Sant Pau Modernist Enclosure was built between 1905 and 1930, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner as a city-garden for the sick. After serving for a century as a public hospital, its rehabilitated pavilions shine today in all their splendor.
On this route we are not going to visit the interior, but if you are interested, you will find price information here.
Sagrada Familia
Going down Avinguda Gaudí you will find the imposing Sagrada Familia.
It is the most visited monument in all of Spain and for this reason it is important that you plan this visit in advance. It is common for tickets to sell out, so it is very important to try to plan your visit in advance and buy your tickets a few days in advance. The Sagrada Familia is a UNIQUE monument and it would be a shame to come to Barcelona and miss it!
Want to discover all the secrets of the Sagrada Família?
The Sagrada Família is filled with symbols, hidden details, and fascinating stories that many visitors miss without the right explanation. During my private tours, I’ll help you understand Gaudí’s masterpiece and uncover the meaning behind each façade, making your visit a much richer and more memorable experience.
Day 3
Barcelona is known for its Mediterranean coast, and on your third day you are surely already eager to visit the beach.
For this day we are going to leave you 3 beach options and also some water activity.
If your visit is in winter, you can also go down to the beach and walk along it, you will see that it is full of people doing activities (running, sunbathing, playing volleyball or simply relaxing having a drink or a snack in a “chiringuito” ).
Barcelona has many beaches, many of them are a good option if you want to take a dip, but they are usually crowded so we recommend that you go early to find a good spot.
La Barceloneta
It is the most famous beach in the city and in Spain. Created for the 1992 Olympic Games, it is traditionally one of the most popular beaches, mainly because it is located in the Ciutat Vella neighborhood and is easily accessible from anywhere in the city.
In the Municipal Sailing Center, located in the Port Olimpic, you will find many water activities that you can enjoy.
La Marbella
Within the metropolitan area this is my favorite. It is located near the Poblenou neighborhood and is usually less crowded than the other beaches in Barcelona, so it is easier to find a nice place near the sea.
Sitges
If you are looking for an incredible beach, with the romance of a small town.
Sitges is only a 40-minute walk away and you can get there by train or car. This city is known for being inclusive and hospitable due to its traditional gay pride parades and carnival parties.
It also has a good selection of restaurants and the town itself is impressive. If you have time, it’s a must!
Day 4
Montjuïc
On the fourth day of this route we will visit Montjuïc.
We will start the day from Plaza España, where you can get from the L1 and L3 metro lines and many buses (see which ones here). In the center of the square we find a monumental classical-style fountain and also the Las Arenas shopping center, which is an old bullring and today is a shopping center.
If we head towards Avenida de la Reina María Cristina, we will cross through the Venetian towers, which welcome visitors and will be our access to Montjuïc. On both sides we can find the facilities of the Fira de Barcelona, which is the place where the big congresses are held.
Continuing along Avenida de la Reina María Cristina, in Plaza Carles Buigas, you will find the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc.
Font Mágica
This fountain has been the protagonist of some of the most important moments in the history of Barcelona, such as the 1992 Olympic Games or the Pyromusical of La Mercè (patron saint of Barcelona).
Every day an amazing show of water, light and color takes place.
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Mies Van der Rohe
To the right of the fountain we have the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, which was designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich as the German pavilion for the Barcelona International Exhibition held on Montjuïc in 1929.
It was Germany’s calling card after World War I. Later renamed Barcelona Pavilion.
MNAC
If we continue along the Avenue and go up the conventional stairs or the escalators, we find the National Palace that houses the National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC).
It is one of the most important museums in the city, it is worth visiting.
From its façade there are excellent views of Barcelona.
Surrounding the museum if we continue ascending the mountain, we will find more escalators to go up to the Olympic ring area. Once there we can walk through the heart of the 1992 Olympics.
There we can find the Olympic Stadium, and next to the stadium, in the Plaza de Europa, the Calatrava tower stands out, white in color that forms the figure of an athlete carrying the Olympic torch.
We will continue to the south, in the direction of Montjuïc Castle and we will walk in front of the Joan Miró Foundation. It is a center for the study and dissemination of the work and contemporary art of Joan Miró.
We still have several stops left, keep walking to the left where you will find the Montjuïc Funicular exit and the Cable Car station. A little further up is the entrance to the gardens of J. Verdaguer.
When you have finished strolling through the gardens, head towards the Jardines del Mirador de l’Alcalde. (Mair Gardens)
Where you can enjoy magnificent views of the city, with a unique perspective. There is a small kiosk where you can have a drink and recharge your batteries.
When you resume the march, we will have a bit of a climb until we reach the Castle. Once you have visited the castle, you can walk around and take photos of its gardens.
And if you continue along the dirt road, called Camino del Mar, which will take us directly to the Caseta del Migdia, which is a picnic area with a restaurant located in the Mirador del Migdia. (Noon lookout)
Day 5
Today our route begins at Passeig de Gracia, one of the most luxurious avenues in Barcelona.
Here you cannot miss the 32 lamppost-benches designed by Pere Falqués i Urpí, nor the tile by Gaudí, which covers the entire Passeig.
These tiles were designed by Gaudí in a hexagonal shape with 3 different shapes inspired by marine elements: a starfish, some algae and a snail fossil.
In this street we will find the following 3 monuments:
This 7-day route allows you the freedom to visit the suggested places. But if you don’t have that much time, you can choose the places
La Pedrera – Casa Milà
If you go down Passeig de Gracia, this monument is on your left side.
In 1900, Passeig de Gracia was the most important avenue in Barcelona and today it is the most expensive street in the city. For this reason, many local bourgeois wanted to build their houses here to show off their wealth and social status. It is then that Pere Milà and Roser Segimon bought a piece of land and commissioned Antoni Gaudí to build their new residence.
Casa Milà is considered Gaudí’s most emblematic civil building for its constructive and functional innovations, with ornaments and decoration that broke with the architectural styles of its time.
Casa Batlló
If we continue downhill, on the right side of the avenue, we will see two modernist houses, one next to the other: Casa Batlló and Casa Ametller.
Casa Batlló was remodeled by Gaudí on an old building by order of Don Josep Batlló i Casanovas, a textile industrialist who owned several factories in Barcelona and a prominent businessman.
This set of buildings that we see here, between Aragón and Consell de Cent streets, is known as the Discord’s Apple due to the rivalry between its architects and the owners who commissioned them.
Casa Atmetller
Built at the same time as Casa Batlló, Casa Atmetller was remodeled in an urban Gothic style by Jodep Puig i Cadafalch and commissioned by Antoni Amatller, a businessman dedicated to the chocolate industry.
Within Catalan modernism, Josep Puig i Cadafalch was, along with Antoni Gaudí, one of the great architects of this era.
Plaza Catalunya
If we continue along Passeig de Gracia we will find Plaza Catalunya, one of the nerve centers of Barcelona.
It was built in 1889 after the Barcelona Universal Exhibition and its function was (and still is) to connect the Eixample district with the oldest core of the city. Here you will find a tourist information point.
La Rambla
You already knew this street on day 1. This time we will go through it until we reach the Port Vell area.
Font de Canaletas (Fountain)
The Canaletas fountain is a fountain-lamppost where you have to drink if, as tradition says, you want to return to Barcelona. It is an emblematic place in the city because it is where the fans of the Barcelona Football Club celebrate their successes.
The history of why victories are celebrated in this small fountain is due to the fact that: in the 1930s the building in front of the fountain was the headquarters of the sports newspaper «La Rambla».
When the information reached the teletype, they wrote it on a blackboard that they showed through the windows. Outside the «culés» they waited, and when the result was positive they celebrated it right there.
Statue of Columbus
The statue of Columbus is at the end of La Rambla. This statue honors the discoverer of America. As a curiosity, it might seem that Columbus points his finger at the new continent, but it is not!
There are 3 theories:
- The intention of its author was for Columbus to point to America, but the public would not have understood that the finger pointed towards La Rambla (inland) and that is why he installed the statue pointing to the sea.
- The statue does not point to America, but to the way to America by sea,
- The statue does not point to the route to America but to Genoa, his presumed hometown, and which is in a straight line following the direction indicated by the finger.
Maremagnum
At this point, we leave Las Ramblas and head towards the Maremagnum Wooden Bridge. Take your time, watch the boats go by, the seagulls…
Continuing along the path you will arrive at the Maremagnum Shopping Center. You can keep crossing through the middle of the mall or go around it. And if you have a need, it can be a good time to go to the bathroom!
Museu d’Història de Catalunya (Museum of History of Catalonia)
The MHC is located at Palacio del Mar, an old warehouse building in the Old Port of Barcelona built in 1881.
If you feel like it, I recommend you go up to its roof on the 4th floor of the so-called La Terraza de las Indianas. (Indian terrace)
The Museum takes us on a journey through the history of Catalonia from its first settlers to the present day.
Here you can find more information.
Day 6
Monestir de Montserrat
This magnificent mountain and its Sanctuary have been the most important pilgrimage site in Catalonia for centuries, a special place full of history. It is the home of the Virgin of Montserrat and Patron Saint of Catalonia: La Moreneta. Montserrat is located 50 km from Barcelona (40 min approx), in a natural environment. For the Catalans it is much more than a mountain, its Monastery, full of stories and legends, together with the peculiar shapes of the rocks of its mountain, have made it an emblematic place in Catalonia.
Visit on your own or with a guide to Montserrat
When visiting Montserrat, we must take into account what type of visit we want to make.
- Option 1: Travel on your own: This possibility allows us to visit the Basilica but at the same time allows us the flexibility to go mountaineering and enjoy excursions in the middle of nature, having the whole day available. Therefore, the ideal would be to travel by public transport (train and rack railway) or go by car.
- Option 2: Tour of the basilica and its surroundings: With a duration of five hours, you have the Tour to Montserrat, with a guided tour and a visit to the Montserrat museum. The trip is done in a group and by bus. During the guided tour you will enter the Basilica to see the Moreneta, and you will also be able to see the Audiovisual of Montserrat in the museum.
Visiting schedules at Montserrat Monastery
You must bear in mind that in the current extraordinary conditions due to Covid-19, the hours of the different places and services may be different, or may be closed.
Visiting schedules of the Basilica at Montserrat Monastery
If you want to visit the Virgin of Montserrat, the access times are:
Day 7
Camp Nou + experience
In recent years, Barcelona has been recognized worldwide for hosting one of the best teams in the world: F.C Barcelona. Its stadium, the Camp Nou, has a capacity of 99,354 spectators, which makes it the largest stadium in Spain and Europe.
It is called the temple of soccer in the city and you can enjoy it if you are lucky and the dates accompany it; of a good game or the official tour of the stadium. The visit known as «Camp Nou Experience» lasts approximately 2 hours. In it we will learn about the history of the club, from its beginnings, its legendary players, trophies and they will tell us about nights of unforgettable victories. The tour also includes activities such as a visit to the changing rooms, the museum, the lawn, the benches, the stands, the museum, the press room, the chapel and the famous Barça store known as the “Botiga”.
Neighborhood of Gracia
For those who are not interested in sports, we suggest a visit to the Neighborhood of Gracia (Grace). There you can walk through the most iconic working-class neighborhood in the city or even visit one of Antoni Gaudí’s work such as Casa Vicens.
Want to Make the Most of Your Week in Barcelona?
As an Official Tourist Guide of Catalonia, I offer private tours tailored to each traveler, helping you discover Barcelona in a unique and more personal way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Barcelona in 7 Days
Is one week enough to explore Barcelona?
Yes, one week is more than enough time to discover Barcelona’s main landmarks and neighborhoods without rushing. In addition to visiting must-see attractions such as the Sagrada Família, Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter, and Montjuïc, you’ll also have time to relax on the beaches, visit museums, and even take a day trip outside the city. This 7-day itinerary combines Barcelona’s highlights with lesser-known places, allowing you to experience the city in greater depth.
Which tickets should I book in advance?
If you’re visiting Barcelona during the high season, it’s highly recommended to book your Sagrada Família and Park Güell tickets well in advance, as they often sell out several days ahead. It’s also a good idea to reserve tickets for Casa Batlló, La Pedrera, and other popular attractions. If you plan to join an organized excursion or take the Montjuïc Cable Car, booking early will help you avoid queues and guarantee your spot.
Where should I stay for a week in Barcelona?
For a seven-day stay, it’s best to choose accommodation in a well-connected neighborhood that allows you to easily explore the entire city. Eixample is one of the best options thanks to its central location, safety, and wide selection of hotels and apartments. If you prefer a more historic atmosphere, the Gothic Quarter is another excellent choice, while Barceloneta and Poblenou are perfect if you’d like to combine sightseeing with time at the beach. Check out my complete guide on where to stay in Barcelona to find the neighborhood that best suits your trip.
Is it worth taking day trips from Barcelona?
Absolutely. If you’re spending a week in Barcelona, I highly recommend setting aside at least one day to explore the surrounding area. Montserrat is one of the most popular day trips, offering spectacular mountain scenery and its famous monastery. If you have extra time, you might also consider visiting Sitges, Girona, or the Costa Brava. These destinations provide a wonderful opportunity to discover a different side of Catalonia.
How much money do I need for 7 days in Barcelona?
Your budget will depend on your choice of accommodation, restaurants, and the activities you plan to do. As a general guide, spending a week in Barcelona usually requires a higher budget if you intend to visit several paid attractions or take day trips. To estimate the total cost of your trip, I recommend using my Barcelona travel budget calculator, where you can easily calculate your expected expenses based on your travel style.
When is the best time to visit Barcelona?
Barcelona is a great destination all year round, but spring and autumn are generally considered the best seasons thanks to their pleasant temperatures and fewer tourists. Summer is ideal if you want to enjoy the beaches and the city’s lively atmosphere, although it is also the busiest and hottest time of the year. For a more relaxed experience, consider visiting between March and June or September and November.
Is it better to explore Barcelona on foot or by public transport?
Many of the attractions included in this itinerary can be explored on foot, especially those located in the historic center and the Eixample district. However, to reach places such as Park Güell, Montjuïc, or Camp Nou, the metro and bus are the fastest and most convenient options. Barcelona has an excellent public transportation network, making it easy to get around the city throughout your stay while saving both time and money.
