As you may already know, most of our travel occurs over long weekends. Thus, our trips are generally pretty quick, lasting two to four days.  At first, I thought the timeframe was too short, but now I think the full four days is too much to visit some cities in Europe.  Barcelona is not one of them, though!  There were so many things to do here, we could have definitely stayed a bit longer to explore. One thing I loved about Barcelona (besides the food) was all of the COLOR! Just wait – you’ll see.

We actually took this trip over Thanksgiving and funny enough, Black Friday is a thing in Europe too (see the rest of the Best of 2018 here).  So, what would I recommend you do if you only have a weekend (or couple days)?  Scroll on to find out!

 

 

Catalan Cuisine

The food in Barcelona is on point. There are a plethora of options, so you will definitely not go hungry. We made sure to try the paella, potatas braves, bombas, crema Catalana, and of course, Jamón ibérico ham. The first thing we saw as we stepped off of the plane were pig legs and Jamón ibérico sandwiches. Of course, we snatched one up, as we had to taste the world’s most expensive ham!

If you’re looking for a tapas restaurant that won’t disappoint, Tapas 2254 will hit the spot. Their olives stuffed with Sicilian orange and olive oil caviar were my favorite!!

We also made sure to stop by Mercado de La Boqueria (a large public market) to grab some fresh fruit juice and some food.

 

 

Modern Architecture

Part of the fun of Barcelona is checking out the incredible Catalan Gothic and Modernisme architecture, which was like nothing else I’ve ever seen in my life! Sometimes, I feel like tourist attractions are overrated, but these were just soooo worth visiting.

 

Sagrada Família

You’ve undoubtedly heard of Sagrada Família before, as it is a true masterpiece. The famous architect, Antoni Gaudí, joined the building of this church in 1883. Construction still continues today as only EIGHT of EIGHTEEN towers have been built. Construction is expected to be finished in 2026, but it’s worth visiting as it is. We visited the tower on the Nativity façade, the facade that was completed prior to Gaudi’s death in 1926.

 

Not only is the church itself absolutely breathtaking on the outside, the inside was just so stunning!!

 

We also really enjoyed the views of the city from the top! You can also see Torre Agbar, a slender, conical building from the top as well. The tickets to visit were a bit pricey, but seriously worth every penny. I highly recommend reserving as far in advance as possible.

 

Park Güell

Part bushy parkland, part Gaudi design, Park Güell is definitely worth the steep uphill trek. Definitely be aware of this, as it was a bit strenuous. If you want to see Gaudi’s designs, you have to purchase a ticket BEFORE coming to the park. We didn’t have a firm plan for our trip, so we did not purchase tickets beforehand. It did appear that most of the Gaudi part appeared to be under construction.  We took some time to explore the bushy part and enjoyed.

 

La Pedrera – Casa Milà

An apartment building that Casa Batlló commissioned Antoni Gaudí to build. You can purchase tickets to visit and acmes the roof terrace.

 

Casa Batlló

Another of Gaudí ‘s masterpieces.

 

Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona

An arch originally built as the access gate for the Barcelona World Fair in 1888. We had a fun photoshoot here for our friends, Rachel and AJ, and their parents, who just happened to be visiting at the same time! Check out more from our session here.

Entertainment

Flamenco Show

We made a decision on a whim to go out for a show with our friends Rachel and AJ and it was worth it! Rachel actually cried. Full disclaimer, we were all shoved into a crowded little room with uncomfortable chairs, but the show was fantastic!!

Passages

Like Paris, the city has some hidden passages that are worth exploring if you have time. The Yurbban Passage, just happened to be right beside our hotel, the Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa.

Art Browsing/Shopping

We really enjoyed checking out the art shops around Barcelona. This particular shop in the Jewish Quarter was pretty neat!

Hotel

Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa

Our hotel was pretty sweet! It’s not central-central, but requires a tiny bit of a walk. We never mind a little walk for a nice hotel! The views from the rooftop were stellar. If it were warm weather, it would have also been a super cool place to hang!