10 Days in Barcelona: A Journey Through History and Culture

Kira Pinto

11 Nov 2023

Experience the vibrant city of Barcelona with this 10-day itinerary. Explore iconic landmarks, indulge in delicious cuisine, and immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of Catalonia, Spain.

Trip to Barcelona

Tours & Activities

Viator Tours

Day 1

$133

$ 19

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

14 - 17 min

Directions

Gothic monastery with an elegant, 3-storey cloister & a chapel decorated by Bassa, plus a museum.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$10

21 - 26 min

Directions

Amusement park, opened in 1868, with 25 rides, restaurants & picnic areas, plus views over the city.

10:30 AM - 2:30 PM

•

$31

21 - 26 min

Directions

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

•

$19

28 - 34 min

Directions

Neoclassical park with a cypress tree maze, a terraced pavilion, water features and a picnic area.

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

$13

32 - 39 min

Directions

MUHBA Turó de la Rovira (Battery Viewpoint)

Panoramic views of Barcelona from Spanish Civil War bunkers where anti-aircraft guns were installed.

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

•

Free

18 - 27 min

Directions

Former show house & residence of Antoni Gaudi with furniture, objects & documents by the architect.

8:30 PM - 10:00 PM

•

$15

3 - 4 min

Directions

Mosaic-covered buildings, steps & sculptures in verdant park with Gaudi museum & panoramic views.

10:30 PM - 12:30 AM

•

$11

9 - 14 min

Directions

Museum focusing on the Spanish modernist architect, with exhibits & an interactive 4-D movie.

1:00 AM - 2:30 AM

•

$15

9 - 11 min

Directions

Grand 4-floor house, designed by Antoni Gaudi, with Moorish influences & a protruding corner tower.

3:00 AM - 4:00 AM

•

$19

Day 2

$90

$ 22

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

15 - 18 min

Directions

Imposing modernist building housing science museum with planetarium & living Amazonian rainforest.

8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$19

17 - 21 min

Directions

Hilltop 20th-century church by Catalan architect Sagnier, with a huge bronze Sacred Heart statue.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

$10

22 - 27 min

Directions

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$17

24 - 29 min

Directions

Scenic views of Barcelona are provided from this mountaintop with a grand cathedral & ferris wheel.

3:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

$19

12 - 15 min

Directions

8,000 hectare natural area for cycling, birdwatching & historic sites, plus themed & guided walks.

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

•

Free

10 - 12 min

Directions

Hilltop tower with a visitor space on the top floor of the unusual pod offering wide city views.

10:30 PM - 11:30 PM

•

$13

16 - 20 min

Directions

Early 1900s neo-Gothic home & spire designed by Antoni Gaudí, with audio & guided tours.

12:00 AM - 1:30 AM

•

$13

Day 3

$139

$ 8

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

9 - 11 min

Directions

Cross-shaped Romanesque monastery known for its compact cloisters with elegant Moorish arches.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

8 - 12 min

Directions

Famous indoor public market with meat, produce, cheese & an array of other food in a bustling space.

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

•

4 - 5 min

Directions

Exhibits on erotica from ancient times to today, including Kama Sutra, erotic art & sexual records.

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$13

4 - 5 min

Directions

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

•

$10

2 - 3 min

Directions

Gothic church set on an elegant square, with a grand rose window & views from the bell tower.

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

12 - 15 min

Directions

This vibrant, urban beach features swimming, sunbathing, lifeguards, sports facilities & eateries.

4:00 PM - 7:00 PM

•

Free

10 - 15 min

Directions

Museum in 19th-century, waterside warehouse tracing Catalan history from its origins to the present.

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

•

$13

11 - 16 min

Directions

Museum in 18th-century palace, showcasing 20th- to 21st-century figurative paintings & sculpture.

10:00 PM - 11:30 PM

•

$15

5 - 8 min

Directions

Medieval sculpture collection of Frederic Marès & other displays in palace with tranquil courtyard.

12:00 AM - 1:30 AM

•

$10

4 - 5 min

Directions

Imposing Gothic cathedral with geese-filled cloisters, offering guided tours & city-wide views.

2:00 AM - 3:30 AM

•

$13

13 - 20 min

Directions

Art nouveau concert hall known for its ornate facade & opulent auditorium with a stained-glass dome.

4:00 AM - 6:00 AM

•

$23

8 - 10 min

Directions

Gaudi's Catalan art nouveau period building with quarrylike facade, hosting exhibitions & concerts.

6:30 AM - 8:00 AM

•

$25

Day 4

$73

$ 19

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

8 - 10 min

Directions

Museum featuring famous artworks rendered in chocolate, plus workshops for kids & adults.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

4 - 5 min

Directions

Event & cultural space in a restored former market, with excavated city ruins from 1700s on display.

9:30 AM - 11:30 AM

•

$10

11 - 14 min

Directions

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

•

$18

9 - 14 min

Directions

Popular beach with beach volleyball, table tennis, a skate park & wheelchair accessibility.

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM

•

Free

7 - 9 min

Directions

Large, bustling beach featuring a wide stretch of sand used for volleyball, sunbathing & more.

5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

•

Free

10 - 12 min

Directions

Barcelona's longest beach with scenic views & a modern statue of swimming sports by Alfredo Lanz.

8:30 PM - 11:30 PM

•

Free

19 - 28 min

Directions

Tanks themed by marine habitat, including a Mediterranean ecosystem, plus scuba diving with sharks.

12:00 AM - 2:00 AM

•

$31

19 - 23 min

Directions

Compact square with an imposing baroque church scarred by bombs that killed dozens in the Civil War.

2:30 AM - 3:30 AM

•

Free

11 - 14 min

Directions

Vibrant market for fresh fish, produce & vegetables set in a sprawling 1882 steel-frame building.

4:00 AM - 5:00 AM

•

Day 5

$72

$ 11

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

6 - 8 min

Directions

Old Hospital de la Santa Creu, Barcelona

A former hospital, this notable medieval complex houses the national library & academic institutes.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$10

11 - 16 min

Directions

Medieval harbor with a large maritime museum displaying a replica galleon, plus art, maps & models.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

•

$10

4 - 5 min

Directions

Waxwork figures of historical & cultural characters & celebs, plus a cafe in a fantasy fairy forest.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

•

$13

8 - 12 min

Directions

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$10

1 - 2 min

Directions

Landmark city square & gathering point, home to the town hall & the Palau de la Generalitat.

3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

•

Free

2 - 3 min

Directions

A small courtyard surrounds these restored columns from Temple of Augustus, built 1st century BCE.

5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

•

6 - 9 min

Directions

Buzzy market featuring a unique, wavy roof & colorful mosaics, with a variety of vendors & eateries.

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

•

8 - 12 min

Directions

Classical archway built as the main entrance to the Universal Exhibition hosted by the city in 1888.

8:00 PM - 9:00 PM

•

13 - 16 min

Directions

This clothes optional city beach features a narrow strip of sand close to the city center.

9:30 PM - 12:30 AM

•

Free

11 - 16 min

Directions

Easygoing beach close to hotels & bars with umbrella & chair rentals in a low-key atmosphere.

1:00 AM - 4:00 AM

•

Free

12 - 15 min

Directions

Museum of music with displays of 500 musical instruments from ancient civilizations to present.

4:30 AM - 6:00 AM

•

$10

Day 6

$92

$ 11

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

17 - 21 min

Directions

Contemporary exhibition & conference center with an extensive natural history media library & shop.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$10

7 - 9 min

Directions

Family-friendly sandy beach with an array of amenities, restaurants & activities.

10:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

Free

10 - 12 min

Directions

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$15

4 - 6 min

Directions

Popular swimming & lounging haunt with many services, including a lifeguard, rental chairs & Wi-Fi.

3:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

Free

16 - 23 min

Directions

Park setting for zoo with exotic animals in natural habitats, plus sea lion feedings.

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

•

$25

12 - 17 min

Directions

Barcelona's history museum in a medieval setting, featuring remains of Roman streets & buildings.

10:30 PM - 12:00 AM

•

$10

11 - 16 min

Directions

Ornate 1888 Corinthian column topped with a statue of Christopher Columbus pointing toward America.

12:30 AM - 1:30 AM

•

9 - 14 min

Directions

Landmark historic theater showcasing operas, concerts & dance recitals in an opulent interior.

2:00 AM - 4:00 AM

•

$25

Day 7

$140

$ 11

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

12 - 18 min

Directions

Tours are available of this circa-1905 modernist mansion by local architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$15

7 - 9 min

Directions

Antoni Gaudí's renowned unfinished church, started in the 1880s, with museum and city views.

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$28

8 - 10 min

Directions

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

•

$18

8 - 11 min

Directions

Museum in a contemporary building with exhibits on Spanish industrial design & decorative art.

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$15

17 - 21 min

Directions

Park created in late 1800s, with zoo, boating lake, ornate museums and lush walking trails.

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

•

Free

9 - 14 min

Directions

14th-century, Gothic-style church with soaring columns & 3 naves, plus grand stained glass windows.

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM

•

$10

3 - 4 min

Directions

Medieval mansions housing extensive collection of influential Spanish cubist's works & masterpieces.

8:30 PM - 10:30 PM

•

$19

6 - 9 min

Directions

Medieval building housing the city's history museum & archaeological finds including Roman streets.

11:00 PM - 12:00 AM

•

Free

8 - 11 min

Directions

Food & sangria served in a classic flamenco-inspired spot with traditional live music & dance shows.

12:30 AM - 2:00 AM

•

$25

6 - 9 min

Directions

Grand 18th-century palace, home to the city's cultural department, hosting exhibitions & events.

2:30 AM - 4:00 AM

•

$10

Day 8

$157

$ 8

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

4 - 6 min

Directions

Contemporary museum in a modernist building offering works by painter Antoni Tàpies & other artists.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

•

$13

4 - 5 min

Directions

Museum of ancient Egyptian culture, housing jewelry, sarcophaguses & artwork exhibits.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

•

$13

4 - 5 min

Directions

Fantastical, curving dragon-roofed apartment block, now a museum, created by architect Antoni Gaudi.

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

•

$31

2 - 3 min

Directions

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

$18

3 - 4 min

Directions

Colorful modernista house fusing Catalan & Flemish styles, decorated with quirky animal sculptures.

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

•

$13

8 - 12 min

Directions

Central, tree-lined, sculpture-filled square lined with shops & cafes, used for special events.

5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

•

Free

8 - 11 min

Directions

Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona

Cultural hub & creative arts venue with a theater, exhibition galleries & lecture halls.

8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

•

$13

2 - 3 min

Directions

White, light-filled building housing art from the 1940s to the present & a large Catalan collection.

10:30 PM - 12:30 AM

•

$15

11 - 14 min

Directions

Palatial, hilltop museum for 11th- to 20th-century Catalan art plus important Romanesque collection.

1:00 AM - 3:00 AM

•

$18

4 - 5 min

Directions

Huge circular fountain renowned for its scheduled shows of water & light choreographed to music.

3:30 AM - 4:30 AM

•

Free

15 - 18 min

Directions

Stadium museum of the history of FC Barcelona, one of the world's most successful football clubs.

5:00 AM - 7:00 AM

•

$25

Day 9

$104

$ 11

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

11 - 14 min

Directions

Ruins of a grand complex built in the late 1880s for Count Güell, with an elaborate gate & gardens.

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

•

$13

17 - 21 min

Directions

Famed architect's grotto-like crypt, created as part of a colony for mill workers in the forest.

9:30 AM - 11:00 AM

•

$10

19 - 23 min

Directions

Open-air museum, built in 1929, with 117 buildings showcasing Spain's typical regional architecture.

11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

•

$15

15 - 22 min

Directions

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

•

10 - 15 min

Directions

Eclectic, contemporary art show program on display in striking, art nouveau former textile factory.

3:30 PM - 5:30 PM

•

$13

2 - 3 min

Directions

Reconstruction of pavilion from the 1929 World's Fair, home to architectural lectures & exhibitions.

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

•

$13

7 - 10 min

Directions

Expansive neo-Baroque palace constructed in 1929, housing the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

7:30 PM - 9:30 PM

•

$10

10 - 15 min

Directions

Showcase of Joan Miro's modern, colorful artworks in hilltop museum with courtyards and terraces.

10:00 PM - 11:30 PM

•

$10

21 - 32 min

Directions

Historic site on a hill with a cablecar, harbor views & a park with a castle & museums.

12:00 AM - 3:00 AM

•

14 - 21 min

Directions

Named after a Mallorcan poet, this 6.15-hectare botanic garden contains cacti from around the world.

3:30 AM - 5:00 AM

•

Day 10

$101

$ 19

Sant Jordi Hostels Rock Palace

Depart from your stay 🏨

12 - 15 min

Directions

Former royal palace with ornamental Mediterranean gardens & a Gaudí-designed fountain.

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM

•

$13

11 - 16 min

Directions

Legendary training complex that gave rise to many of Spain's 'golden generation' of footballers.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM

•

$10

16 - 20 min

Directions

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

•

8 - 10 min

Directions

This massive indoor arena used in the 1992 Summer Olympics hosts sporting events & concerts.

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

•

$19

8 - 10 min

Directions

Joan Miró is buried in this hilly cemetery with modernist pieces overlooking the sea.

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

•

13 - 16 min

Directions

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

•

Free

21 - 26 min

Directions

17th-century hilltop fortress & former prison, housing a military museum with impressive city views.

9:00 PM - 11:00 PM

•

$10

16 - 24 min

Directions

Landscaped international flora, chosen to thrive in Mediterranean conditions, plus sea & city views.

11:30 PM - 1:30 AM

•

12 - 18 min

Directions

Art deco building housing an archaeological museum, with Greek, Roman & prehistoric artifacts.

2:00 AM - 4:00 AM

•

$13

9 - 14 min

Directions

Telefèric de Montjuïc (Barcelona Cable Car)

Cable car from Parc de Montjuïc to Castell de Montjuïc, offering panoramic city views.

4:30 AM - 5:30 AM

•

$15

Budget breakdown: $1232 In total

Activities & Food:$1097

Transport:$135