If you’re not adverse to walking until your feet are throbbing then here’s what I managed to pack in during my trip to Barcelona and you can too. As with any city, the key is to pack in as much as possible in a short amount of time and I certainly did that. Most cities are better seen by foot and strolling through the vibrant streets to really soak in the atmosphere and culture. This was my first visit to Barcelona and I wanted to make the most of my time there. Below is a snippet of what I got up to.
Day 1
I was up early ready to catch a 7am flight from London Heathrow and landed at Barcelona airport around 11 am and after a smooth journey it was time to enter into the queue for passport control that snaked down the corridor. After well over an hour I was through and collecting my luggage. Barcelona airport is sprawling and the queues for a taxi was just the same. However, the line moved fairly quickly and I’ve never seen so many yellow and black taxis lined up. It was a well organised affair and soon I reached my hotel by midday. I stayed in the Bogatell region about a 40 minute walk to the centre of Barcelona and it had the mix of the city with the beach making this a perfect base for my trip. The area itself was very quiet and felt perfectly safe to walk around during the day and the evening.
After quickly dropping off my bags it was time to explore. I had booked a ticket for the La Sagrada Família in the afternoon around 3:30pm and the Passion Tower tour for stunning views of Barcelona. The first thing that struck me was how imposing La Sagrada Família is within the city and how striking it is before I reached the entrance. The construction started in 1882 by architect Antoni Gaudí and is expected to be completed in 2026. The intricate design is incredible and the view from the tower was just as spectacular, however when I stepped onto the bridge connecting two towers together to soak in the view, I realised that I didn’t like heights too much. I would not recommend the Passion Tower tour is you’re afraid of heights. The theme of this day was definitely queuing and be prepared for this when visiting La Sagrada Família. Crowds of visitors were everywhere I turned, I do think this distracted from the beautiful architecture and in some ways the need to take selfies and photos has skewed the priorities of visitors. Instead of taking in their surroundings and being present in the moment, everything is viewed through a tiny screen. It is a shame, of course one or two photos as a memory is acceptable but I saw one visitor push another out of the way because they were blocking their picture. I have to say I’d never seen that happen before but unfortunately that was quite common throughout my trip. At points it did feel that many were only there to view the building as a commodity rather than to appreciate its function, history and culture relevance. As much as I enjoyed walking around and admiring the architecture, I would have liked to understand the history and process of creating the moulds during the construction. This sort of information was only available via audio guide and I’m not a big fan of those so I had to opt out. There is an option for a guided tour but this is an additional fee. Overall, it is always difficult to put into words how it feels to see a famous landmark in person and trying to take it all in and commit it all to memory is always a challenge. I adored the intricate architecture and despite my sudden fear of heights, the view from the Passion Tower of the basilica was stunning. The tower itself includes a lift to the top and then several look out points as the visitor journeys down to the bottom – including 400 narrow steps. As with all major landmarks across the world, the number of tourists and crowds is a problem so that is something to be aware of when visiting.
Day 2
Next up was Park Güell, another masterpiece created by the genius mind of Antoni Gaudi and my ticket also included access to Gaudi’s house located a short walk from the entrance to the park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 and is an example of Catalan modernism and it feels like walking through a fairytale realm. Everywhere is colourful and unique. The house itself was rather sparse inside with a small bedroom, bathroom (with an incredibly long flush handle) and furniture, but offered impressive views of Barcelona. The tour included history about the building and Gaudi’s life that led to him designing the park and La Sagrada Família. I was shocked to learn that Gaudi was tragically killed by being hit by a tram in 1926. The rest of the park boast Gaudi’s signature style with a strong Catalan culture running through with gothic and geometric influences. The weather was a little overcast and only added to the moody atmosphere when looking out from the viewing platform across Barcelona. The mist rolling in surrounded the imposing towers of La Sagrada Família. Again, this was very busy and despite the early entry time and the crowds made navigating the park a little tricky. It’s incredible to think that these designs have become timeless and surpassed the test of time from when Gaudi first imagined the designs to being enjoyed over a 100 years later.
After lunch I headed to Montserrat, a monastery that is the sanctuary of the Virgin Mary of Montserrat and has its origins in the hermitage of Santa Maria in 888. Today, the monastery is still working and is open to pilgrims every year after a 1,000 years after its founding. I booked a guided excursion through Julia Travel which included a bus transfer to Monserrat, the train to the mountain, guided tour, access to the Black Madonna and the Basilica. Montserrat is about an hour drive from the centre of Barcelona and is well worth the trip with a picturesque journey through the mountains. The monastery itself is accessible by train with an added option of either a funicular or a cable car right to the top of the mountain. But I didn’t have enough time to ride the funicular on this occasion. As the monastery is celebrating 1,000 years there are many activities and events taking place. My tour guide said we were very privileged to witness the initiates to become Monks create human towers. I did feel the tour was a little rushed and would have liked a little more time to explore, but the views were so calming and the architecture was so unlike anything I’d seen before. Again, like any major attraction the crowds were sprawling and it was a little difficult to fully enjoy the serenity of the monastery. But despite the crowds, this is a worthwhile trip if you can drag yourself away from the vibrant streets of Barcelona.
Day 3 / 4
My last two days in Barcelona consisted of gentle strolls through Port Vell and soaking in the beach atmosphere passing docked boats and the ancient dockyard. This is a much calmer walk that takes you away from the crowds and if your feet are still cooperating then I suggest a walk through the parc de la ciutadella to absorb the fading sun with a backdrop of intricate architecture and a boating lake in the late afternoon / evening. The park also has a greenhouse, green parrots and a zoo – plenty to do! Or you can simply sit and watch the world go by on one of the many benches. Unfortunately, there were renovation works on the fountain but I can only imagine how spectacular the fountain would have looked – it reminded me of the Palaces of Versailles with a statue of Poseidon and a golden chariot towering above the park. It truly looked like something out of a fairytale.
On my final day I continued to leisurely walk and explore the city and take in all the beautiful architecture and culture. This time I walked through Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter famous for its eclectic markets and shops just off from Port Vell. The street did have renovations and construction works going on, but that didn’t dampen my experience. Given this was the off-season it was still rather busy and a lot of my research suggested to keep a close eye on personal belongings as pick pockets and scam artists operate in this area. I loved the way the gothic architecture easily merged with the modern buildings which created this sense of walking through another world. Barcelona is a big city and I know I didn’t manage to do and see everything and only scratched the surface of what this beautiful city and culture has to offer. Overall, Barcelona is sprawling, vibrant and beautiful to walk around and has so much to offer from a day at the beach soaking up the sun to exploring the city’s history through architecture. Be prepared to walk until you drop but it is so worth it to see this unique city by foot.
Here’s a snippet of this vibrant city:
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and her action-packed debut novel, CORNELIA FAIRFIELD AND THE DARKENED HEART is set to be published in 2026! For more content click here to read book reviews, short stories and updates on Amy’s writing journey.
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