Weekend in Barcelona?

Matthew McConnell
Jul 25, 2017 · 4 min read

Yes please!
If there is one way to come back to reality after walking 320 plus kilometers through northern Spain it would be a fast paced city break. Mine was in the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona. There is a lot to see and do in this interesting city and if you are on a limited budget of time and/or money it can be done in 3 days with no issue.

Getting there and around

  • Ryanair fly here from most major European airports and it is possible, if its not a spontaneous trip, to get there and back for under €150. From the airport the metro can be taken to most places in the city for about €5.
  • The metro. Enough said. It’s the best way to get around. You can get a T10, which allows you 10 journeys and costs under €10 which is the perfect amount for a weekend.

What to do.

There are tones of lists of "things to do in Barcelona" but since you're here I'll tell you my recommendations.

  • The Picasso museum was brilliant and inspirational. Admission however is regulated and I would recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment. Of you are under 18 admission is free and if you are between 18-25 admission is €7. General admission is €11. I found that early afternoon was a good time to go as it wasn’t too crowded then.
  • Following the artistic inspiration, a wander around the Gothic quarter is a must. Narrow cobbled streets, big arches and walls that most date back to Roman times. After exploring, a big pan of paella was a perfect way to fill up, and not too expensive, about €8 per person for a large portion.
  • The sagrada familia. You can either just take your photos and admire the outside of Gaudí’s masterpiece or you can go inside. You have to book online to go inside. We were in the first wave to go in, and to be honest with you I would not go at any other time, it gets very busy very quickly inside.
  • Cable car up to Montjuïc. Castell de Montjüic is a castle that dates back to the Spanish civil war and offers some very panoramic views of the city below, admission is not free but worth the cheap ticket price. Getting a cable car up is optional however, you could walk up from the metro station if you wanted but the cable car was enjoyable and offered a breathtaking reveal of the city bowl below.
  • Park Güell. I wasn’t mad about this park, it was extremely crowded, even in the centre (which costs about €10 and also must be booked online beforehand) but if you can get through the selfie sticks and tinder photoshoots the architecture is very unique and interesting. Perhaps early morning or late evening would be best to avoid the crowds.
  • For the food the locals eat head to Boqueria, these fast paced markets are ideal to pick up supplies if you are staying in an AirBnB. Or to sit and have a glass of cava, a local bubbly wine. But be careful, this area is infamous for pick pockets, so be aware of your valuables!

Accommodation

  • There are plenty of places to stay in Barcelona, for all budgets. You can go ultra fancy in one of the cities 5 star hotels, or you can hostel it up. We chose to stay in an AirBnB in order to have “our own” space with which to base ourselves, (for about €100 a night, however divided by 3 people that’s very reasonable). It had an incredible view of the sagrada familia from the balcony also. (The link is below to book it). The more central your accommodation is the more you will pay per night, so for those on limited budgets of time and money a balance must be struck.

Barcelona is a very vibrant city with lots of things to see and do and it should be on your European city to see list.

Want to see more images of mine?

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https://www.instagram.com/matthew2m/

Our airbnb \/

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Matthew McConnell

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Story teller Instagram - @mrmattmcc

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