UPDATED 3/15/23

Are you ready for the best long weekend adventure in Spain? Look no further than Barcelona. This vibrant, lively city has something for all solo travelers, from lazing away on some of Europe’s best beaches, to exploring impressive architectural marvels from centuries past, to sampling incredible cuisine or music scene, there’s an an unforgettable experience waiting around every corner in Barcelona. Use this Barcelona 3 day itinerary to find out all that Barcelona has to offer and while getting one of those unforgettable solo travel in Spain experiences.

As you’ll notice from the tips throughout, this perfect Barcelona itinerary is intentionally written for the first time Barcelona solo traveler and/or older traveler (I am over 50 and have been traveling solo FOREVER). Yet, anyone can use this travel itinerary it to plan and book 3 days in Barcelona.

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Here are all of the sites you need to successfully book these perfect 3 days in Barcelona, Spain.

I even give you my suggested Barcelona hotel as a sustainable and centrally-located stay in the Barcelona city center, an ideal location for Barcelona solo travel on foot.

I recommend you bookmark and use these sites early to lock in your Barcelona 3 days itinerary and get the best Barclona travel deals.

Cheap Flights to Barcelona

Best Barcelona City Center Hotels

Barcelona Hotel Pick

Best Barcelona City Center Hostels

Barcelona Hostel Pick

Barcelona Train Tickets

Barcelona Bus Tickets

The Barcelona Card

Don’t forget to use the Ultimate Barcelona Solo Travel Guide to plan your three days in Barcelona. It is the ultimate one-stop-shop guide for all you need to know to plan Barcelona solo travel with:

If you’re a first-time traveler to Spain, also use my Spain Travel Guide full of tips on culture, entry requirements, currency, tipping, using electronics, safety, and a lot more.

Purchasing the Barcelona Card (aka the Barcelona Pass) is not a requirement for these 3 days in Barcelona. It does cover 25 museums and attractions in Barcelona, skip the line entrance, free public transportation, and can be good for 3 (to 5) days in Barcelona.

If you are on a budget, the Barcelona Card may help in terms of providing free public transportation from the airport, free city and suburb public transportation, and giving discounts on entry to some top attractions like 50% off admission to Gaudi’s Casa Milà and Casa Batlló, flamenco shows, and more.

Research if the Barcelona Card is right for you while visiting Barcelona in 3 days. I did not opt for the Barcelona Card on this particular itinerary for Barcelona mainly because I traveled to Barcelona in the off-season. I opted to buy my itinerary tickets individually, which I’ll show you below.

Still, if you are traveling to Barcelona during peak season it may help you financially and save time.

Yes, you will get to do all of these top Barcelona things to do in this 3 days in Barcelona itinerary. Inspired yet?

ECO TRAVEL PICKS

Barcelona in 3 Days Itinerary

Ready to find out how you can see and do some of of the best of Barcelona in a 3 day itinerary for Barcelona?

First, plan your Barcelona itinerary to arrive the night before to have 4 nights in Barcelona and start this itinerary fresh the following day for a full, 3 days in Barcelona.

Second, this itinerary tackles Barcelona by neighborhood so you can get the most out of each day in Barcelona. It is also built to be done predominately on foot so you can absorb the Barcelona architecture, sounds and smells.

However, you can use public transportation or get a bike rental (Barcelona has a lot of bike paths) to cover distance between attractions quicker.

This 3 days Barcelona itinerary is full, so feel free to skip an attraction or two if they do not interest you or you want to just veg on a Barcelona beach.

Take advantage of the amazing, full breakfast you’ll get from my suggested Barcelona hotel just off Las Ramblas. Breakfast is served later in Spain than in other European countries, so planning on eating by 8am is reasonable and still leaves you a full day of Barcelona sightseeing.

Last, save yourself time on this Barcelona 3 day itinerary and don’t forget to get your top Barcelona attraction entry tickets online in advance, or purchase the Barcelona Card, especially if you’re traveling Barcelona solo during peak season. The last thing you want is to waste time in lines.

Day 1 – Eixample

Eixample is a district located in the heart of Barcelona, Spain known for its unique architecture and must do Barcelona attractions, such as Casa Milà and the UNESCO World Heritage Site listed structure, La Segrada Familia.

Here is your very full, first day in Barcelona with suggested entry times to keep you on point and not miss the top things to see in Barcelona in 3 days.

• 8am – Enjoy a quick hotel breakfast
• 8:30am – Walk north on Las Ramblas to Passeig de Gracia to absorb the Barcelona architecture and vibe
• 9am – Before it gets crowded, start your early self-guided audio tour of Basílica de la Sagrada Familia or take a 1.5 hour guided tour with optional tower access (confirm in advance the towers are open at time of your visit before purchasing)
• 11:30am – Enter the Casa Milà – La Pedrera and be in awe of Gaudi’s organic feel and capture Barcelona views from the roof
• 1:30pm – Lunch on Rambla de Catalunya at any outdoor spot of your choosing.

• 3pm – Stretch your legs again with a self-guided audio tour of Casa Batlló
• 5pm – Head south for an exploration of Plaça de Catalunya, the central square in Barcelona that marks the border between Eixample and the Gothic Quarter, and a bit of shopping, if you wish
• 7pm – Be back at your hotel near Las Ramblas for a break (optional)
• 8pm – Have dinner at Racó de Bonsuccés or on La Ramblas followed by a night of dancing (if you have the energy). Another option is to have a buffet dinner and sangria at a 9 or 10:30pm Flamenco show at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes, conveniently near Las Ramblas.

Get your access to Barcelona Day 1 top attractions with any of the following options to make booking your first day in Barcelona easier.

Day 2 – Gothic Quarter, Port Vell, La Barceloneta

Your second day in Barcelona will be a little more leisurely, but still full of must-see Barcelona sights. You’ll start with more of Las Ramblas, this time in the opposition direction, heading into the historic Gothic Quarter and soak in the sun at the famous Barcelona beaches.

• 8am – Enjoy another ‘quick’ hotel breakfast.
• 8:30am – Wander south on La Ramblas to Plaça Reial and head into the iconic Gothic Quarter.
• 9:30am – Do a short pop into the Barcelona Cathedral and head to the roof for more vistas of Barcelona.
• 10:30am – Be ready for your Picasso Museum 1.5 hour guided tour (closed on Mondays like most museums in Barcelona), and learn all you can about this infamous Spanish artist’s contributions.
  • If your day 2 in Barcelona is on a Monday or you just want to be outside, take a 2-hour Gothic Quarter walking tour (starts at 10am) instead and resume the itinerary below.

• 12pm – Head towards the Parc de la Ciutadella and do a slow meander through the park on way to lunch at an outdoor spot near the Museu d’Història de Catalunya in the Port Vell / La Barceloneta area, or grab a bite to-go at a yummy food vendor to take to the beach.
• 2pm – relax at La Barceloneta for the afternoon or visit the Barcelona Aquarium if you don’t want to hang at the beach for hours.
• 6pm – Collect your beach items and walk back towards Las Ramblas. Get your pic of the Christopher Columbus Monument, or ride to the top, before the entrance to Las Ramblas.
• 8pm – Dinner is also close by tonight in the Gothic Quarter at a Gothic Quarter restaurant of your choosing.
• An alternate choice for tonight’s dining in the Gothic Quarter is to leave the beach an hour earlier and join any one of the following:
  • 2.5-hour Gothic Quarter walking tour with tapas (starts at 6:30pm),
  • 3-hour Gothic Quarter tapas and wine tour (starts at 6:30pm or 7pm), or
  • 2.5-hour Gothic Quarter wine tour (starts at 7pm)

Get your access to Barcelona Day 2 top attractions with any of the following options to make booking your second day in Barcelona easier.

Day 3 – El Raval & Parc Montjuïc

To round out your last of 3 days in Barcelona, these top Barcelona activities and sites will not disappoint. By now you know the Las Ramblas area well, so do your jaunt to the Palau Güell with your 10am timed ticket to enjoy more of Gaudi’s influence in Barcelona while working up an appetite for lunch at La Boqueria.

• 8am – Hotel breakfast
• 9am – Stroll south on La Ramblas for outdoor vendor shopping
• 10am – Gape in wonder at the ornately designed Palau Güell by Gaudi.
• 12pm – Lunch at La Boqueria or spend a little extra time for an ultimate 2.5 hour La Boqueria tour and paella cooking experience that starts at noon.
• 2 or 2:30pm – satiated at La Boqueria, leave on foot to walk it off on the way to Parc Montjuïc, an expansive park in Barcelona containing multiple things to see and do like the Castell de Montjuïc (Montjuïc Castle), the Olympic Ring, Poble Espanyol, musuems and more. You’ll spend the rest of your day in this expansive park overlooking the Mediterranean. Enter on foot or via the Montjuic funicular that departs the Paral-lel metro station. Suggested sights for 4 to 5 hours are:
  • Montjuïc Castle
  • Fundació Joan Miró
  • Magic Fountain
  • Ride the Montjuïc Cable Car down (last ride stops 6 to 9pm, depending on the month of your visit).
• 7pm – Head back to your hotel and freshen up so you can enjoy your last night out in Barcelona to where ever you please.

Barcelona 4 Day Itinerary Option

If you have the time to make this a 4 day Barcelona itinerary, which is not a bad idea considering how large Barcelona is, I suggest doing the following:

• 8am – Hotel breakfast or coffee and pastry out.
• 9am – Catch the metro to Parc Güell with your metro pass.
• 9:30am – Arrive at Parc Güell with your entry ticket to explore more of Gaudí’s major works self-guided and take in the vast Barcelona skyline, or take a 75-minute guided tour
• 11:30am – Leave Park Güell and metro back to Plaça de Catalunya for lunch close by.

• 12:45pm – Back at the Plaça de Catalunya station with your approximate 1pm roundtrip Barcelona to Sitgest train ticket in hand, hop on the train and kick back for a 45-minute ride south along Costa del Maresme-Garraf coastline to enjoy the rest of the afternoon in Sitges on a lazy day trip from Barcelona.
• 1:45pm – arrive Sitges and stroll the narrow pedestrian streets between the whitewashed buildings holding multiple shops and restaurants along the way towards the ocean. Artists selling hand-crafted arts, outdoor cafes, stunning architecture, and, of course, the beach itself await for you where you can walk, rent a bike or just lounge on the beach until the sun goes down. I think Sitges is one of the best beach destinations for solo travelers in Europe, and it makes for an ideal, budget-friendly, and relaxing Barcelona getaway.
• 7pm – Dine in Sitges or catch the train back for dinner and your last night out in Barcelona.

Sold on staying for 4 days in Barcelona (or longer) and want other Barcelona day trip ideas? Here are some of the best day trip ideas for your Barcelona solo travel.

I would love to hear if this Barcelona 3 day itinerary (or 4 day itinerary) was helpful in planning your Spain solo travel. Post me your thoughts or questions in the Comments section below. Thank you!

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