1 Week Barcelona Itinerary
Do you want to go to Barcelona for a week? Wondering how to organize your days so you don’t miss anything?
You are in the right place!
With my itinerary for visiting Barcelona in a week, you will know exactly what to do and where to go.
To start, I give you all my good tips to avoid queuing: you will save a lot of time!
I then continue with the detailed program of visits to be made each day, accompanied by maps to help you find your way around.
And to make your stay truly perfect, I’ll also give you my selection of the best hotels to stay in during your 7 days in Barcelona, as well as some very cool activity ideas for a family trip.
So what to do in Barcelona for 7 days?
Tips to save time and skip the line in Barcelona
If we were to make a ranking of the most touristic European cities, there is no doubt that Barcelona would feature prominently alongside Florence, London or Rome, for example.
And if there is one unmissable monument that everyone wants to see when visiting Barcelona in 1 week, it is the Sagrada Familia! Every day, hundreds of people sometimes wait for hours before they can get inside.
Well that’s because they didn’t follow my advice! 😛
There are several tips to avoid waiting outside the most popular sites and save a lot of time during your week-long trip to Barcelona.
I will explain everything to you right away!
1. Barcelona City Pass
To discover a lot of things during your one-week tour in Barcelona, the first solution I recommend is to buy the Barcelona City Pass.
Taking the Barcelona City Pass not only saves you time in line, but also saves you a lot of money.
You must book it in advance on the internet so that all skip-the-line tickets are sent to you by email. You will then just have to show them on your smartphone at the entrance to tourist attractions.
Last very useful advantage of the Barcelona City Pass is that it has no time limit. Once activated, you can use it for your entire one-week stay in Barcelona.
If you are looking for the most complete and practical pass to visit Barcelona in 1 week, the Barcelona City Pass is what you need!
Here is a selection of the visits included:
- Sagrada Familia Skip-the-Line Ticket: When purchasing the City Pass, you will be asked to choose a date and time to visit. It is mandatory to respect the time slots.
- A skip-the-line ticket to Park Güell. Date and time of your visit to the park will be requested.
- A ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus
- An audio guide to discover more than 100 places of interest in the city
- Discounts for attractions and some museums: those for Casa Batlló and Casa Milà are really useful! A 10% discount code will be sent to you after taking the Barcelona City Pass. You will then have to book your visits on the same site to benefit from the promo code.
To buy your Barcelona City Pass, just click here.
2. Skip-the-line tickets for tourist attractions in Barcelona
The second solution to be able to quickly access the sites is to take a skip-the-line ticket for each of them.
You will find entrance tickets for most museums and monuments but also for many activities to do in Barcelona in 1 week.
I list below those that correspond to the circuit of visits that I present to you in detail a little later.
To make a reservation or more details, just click on the links in orange. They are also pointed out throughout this article (by a link or a green button):
Visit Barcelona in 7-8 days: The essentials
- Casa Batlló
- Milan House
- Gaudi’s 3 Houses Tour Pass
- Spectacle de flamenco
- Park Güell
- The Modernist Precinct of Sant Pau
- Sagrada Familia coupe file
- Sagrada Familia guided tour FR
- MNAC
- Barcelona Museum Pass
- Montjuic cable car
- The Palace of Catalan Music
- Hop-on Hop-off Tourist Bus
3. Barcelona Card
Last solution that I mention briefly because I do not find it very useful to visit Barcelona in 7 days: the Barcelona Card.
This card allows you to take public transport for free and entitles you to discounts in the city’s museums such as the Picasso Museum.
With the route that I propose, the cost of the Barcelona card will not be amortized, since it is not necessary to take the bus or the metro often. I purposely grouped some visits together so that you don’t have to walk too much!
And if you want to take the bus/metro, it’s cheaper to take the 10-trip pass sold at the terminals, at the entrance to the metro stations.
The Barcelona Card also does not include fast access to the most touristic places like the Sagrada Familia.
For a first 7-day stay in Barcelona, I therefore recommend that you take the Barcelona City Pass or skip-the-line tickets.
On the other hand, if you already know a little about the city and its essentials, and your schedule is based on museums, do not hesitate to click here to see if the Barcelona Card is right for you.
Last tip for a perfect 7 day stay in Barcelona
If you already know your travel dates (or as soon as you have them!), I highly recommend that you book your accommodation.
And yes, Barcelona is quite simply one of the most touristic cities in the world and the hotels offering the best value for money fill up very quickly.
Being used to travelling, I can guarantee you that it’s always by going as far in advance as possible that I’ve found the best accommodation.
It would be a shame to partly ruin your stay in Barcelona by finding yourself in a terrible hotel that will have cost you a fortune, right?
So take 5 minutes now to take a look at the list of travelers’ favorite hotels in Barcelona.
And if you like a hotel, book it!
Cancellation is often free, it’s quick, easy, and it will protect you from the inconvenience of finding nothing, except mediocre rooms at exorbitant prices.
To see the best deals on Barcelona right now, just click here.
Once you have booked your hotel or apartment, it’s time to continue reading this guide!
Visit Barcelona in 1 week: the best itinerary
Once the summary of the best tips for not queuing is finished, it’s time to discover my 1-week itinerary in Barcelona.
For the 7 days, I present to you my schedule of visits and a map of the places to see.
However, I would like to point out that the program is based on not having to wait too long in front of the entrance thanks to the purchase of the Barcelona City Pass or skip-the-line tickets. We agree that if you wait 3 hours in line in front of the Sagrada, it will be difficult to do everything.
If you still have questions after reading everything, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments section at the very end of the article.
So what to do in Barcelona in a week?
Day 1: The historic center of Barcelona
The visits of day 1:
A. The Cathédrale Sainte-Croix and the gothic quarter
B. The Rambla
C. Marché de la Boqueria
D. The Casa Batlló
E. The Casa Milà
F. Flamenco show
A. Sainte-Croix Cathedral and the Gothic Quarter
The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona is the ideal first stop to start a week-long trip to Barcelona.
Locally referred to as the “Barrio Gòtico”, this district is one of the most famous and busiest in the city. It is a pretty medieval quarter and also the historic center of the capital.
In particular, you can see the very imposing Gothic Sainte-Croix cathedral . I recommend the visit which is very interesting.
If you have the chance, don’t miss the artistic shows (especially sardana dancing) which take place every Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. in the square of the cathedral.
In the Gothic quarter, you can also stroll and discover the maze of alleys while admiring:
- Sant Jaume Square
- The King’s Square (Place du Roi)
- Barcelona History Museum
- New Square
- The Pine Square.
B. Walk on the Ramblas Avenue
You may have already heard of the Rambla, the large pedestrian avenue in Barcelona that connects the port to Plaza de Catalunya (Plaça de Catalunya). You will reach it in just 10 minutes on foot from Barrio Gotico.
La Rambla is a must during a 1 week stay in Barcelona. It is very lively, hosts many street artists and is lined with restaurants, shops and cafes.
For this route, I suggest that you first go down to the port.
To see along the way:
- The Grand Théâtre du Liceu (oldest theater in the city)
- The Joan Miro mosaic
- The Royal Square.
Then go back to Plaça Catalunya. Along the way, you can see the Canaletes fountain and the Palau de la Virreina and its temporary exhibitions.
C. The Boqueria Market
Along the Rambla you will also find the famous Boqueria market, whose entrance is characterized by a large Art Deco portal.
It is a picturesque market, the oldest in the city.
I suggest you take a tour and discover and taste Catalan specialties, tapas and fresh fruit. The market is often crowded, except in the morning between 8 am and 10 am when it is quieter.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
Do you like slightly unusual guided tours?
Then you can choose the special visit of the market in the company of a chef who then prepares tapas and a paella to share in front of you.
D. Casa Batlló
Continue the route, now heading towards Passeig de Gracia. This street is a 5-minute walk from Plaza Catalunya.
If I take you here, it is to guide you to one of Barcelona’s major attractions : Casa Battlo, Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece .
This symbol of Barcelona can be recognized by its very particular curvaceous architecture, characteristic of Gaudi’s work. This villa is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and can also be visited from the inside.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
Avoid the endless line at the entrance to Caso Battlo by purchasing your ticket in advance.
Don’t forget that with the Barcelona City Pass, you have obtained a 10% promo code valid in particular for the visit to Casa Batll ó via the Tiqets site.
E. The Milan House
I then suggest that you continue your visit on Passeig de Gracia going up a little to the north.
You will arrive in 6-7 minutes in front of another villa imagined by Gaudi: Casa Milà. Just as essential in Barcelona as the previous one, Casa Milà has a remarkable white facade with wavy lines.
I also advise you to visit the interior to soak up the genius of the architect on the 5 different floors of the building.
And at the very top on the roof terrace of the villa, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the whole neighborhood.
Also here , remember to buy your entrance ticket to Casa Milà on Tiqets with the discount obtained when you buy your Barcelona City Pass.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
For an unusual visit, choose a night entry ticket. The night tour begins at 9 p.m. and includes audiovisual projections with, as a bonus, a complimentary glass of Champagne.
This night entrance ticket can be purchased by clicking here.
F. Attend a flamenco show
What better way to end this first day in Barcelona than to attend a flamenco show?
Performances take place all year round in the city’s tablaos, intimate places to eat, have a drink while attending musical performances.
I particularly recommend “Los Tarantos”, one of the oldest and most famous tablaos in the city. It is located in Plaça Reia, very close to the Rambla.
You can book your evening show by simply clicking here!
What to do and see in Barcelona on the second day?
The visits of day 2:
A. Park Güell
B. Bunkers del Carmel
C. Modernista Precinct of Sant Pau
D. Sagrada Familia
E. Quartier du Born
A. Parc Güell
After a good night’s sleep, I suggest you start this second day with a walk in Parc Güell.
Also straight out of the imagination of Antoni Gaudi, it was built in the early 1900s. It is another major and unmissable work of the architect in Barcelona.
Parc Güell is located in the north of the city and is divided into two sections. One part is free and the other paid.
In the paid area (called “Monumental”), you can admire famous works by Gaudi including a wavy bench covered in mosaic, a salamander and columns in the shape of tree trunks.
I advise you to be there early in the morning to have time to visit everything at a leisurely pace.
To reach Park Güell, take metro line 3 and get off at Vallcarca.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
Access to the park is included in the Barcelona City Pass, otherwise you can also get your skip-the-line ticket directly by clicking here.
I really advise you to book in advance because there are a limited number of entries each day.
B. Carmel Bunkers
After this morning in the park, I suggest you now head to the Bunkers del Carmel, about a 20-minute walk.
It is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in Barcelona with a 360° view of the whole city.
This former anti-aircraft base located 262 meters above sea level is on the Turo de la Rovira. Access is free and free.
For example, I advise you to plan a picnic and have lunch up there to have a good time and recharge your batteries!
C. The Modernist Precinct of Sant Pau
After a 30-minute walk, reach the Recinta Modernista de Sant Pau.
This former public hospital now hosts exhibitions and it is possible to visit the various buildings that retrace the history of the place.
But it is already worth a look just for its architecture and its facade!
Entrance tickets are to be taken here, if the visit tempts you.
D. The Holy Family
It is the ultimate emblem of the Catalan capital, THE city’s flagship monument: the Sagrada Familia is a must during your 7-day tour of Barcelona.
The work of Gaudi, this spectacular basilica is the most visited monument in Spain. It is listed as a UNESCO heritage site and embodies a sumptuous blend of Gothic and Art Nouveau architecture.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
Don’t forget that your Barcelona City Pass entitles you to priority entry to the Sagrada Familia. That alone is a good reason to buy it!
Otherwise, without the Pass, skip-the-line ticket required so as not to stay stuck for hours in front of the entrance. Buy by clicking here.
E. El Born neighborhood
The end of the day is coming and I suggest you end it quietly in the El Born district.
This small medieval quarter forms, together with the Gothic quarter, the old town of Barcelona. It is also a very trendy place where you can spend a pleasant evening in one of the trendy tapas bars or restaurants.
Other things to do in the El Born district:
- Admire the Gothic churches
- Visit the Picasso Museum
- Visit the Palace of Music (one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world!).
Day 3: Places of interest to visit in Barcelona
The visits of day 3:
A. Plaça Espanya
B. MNAC
C. Montjuic Park
D. Olympic facilities
E. Montjuic Castle
F. Plaça Espanya and the Magic Fountain
A. Spain Square
For this third day of your week-long itinerary in Barcelona, meet at Plaça Espanya.
Built in 1929, we owe it to another great Spanish architect : Puig y Cadafalch. It’s a bit like the Place de l’Etoile barcelonaise and it’s the starting point for the other visits of the day.
This square is also surrounded by several buildings and congress halls, including “Las Arenas”, former bullrings transformed into a shopping centre.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
I advise you to go to the roof terrace of Las Arenas to enjoy the exceptional view.
B. MNAC
You will find the National Art Museum of Catalonia (MNAC) just opposite Plaça Espanya. It is one of the largest museums in Spain and one of the richest in Barcelona.
It houses the largest collection of Romanesque art in the world.
It takes about 15 minutes on foot to get there via the Magic Fountain (which I’ll save for you for the evening).
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
On Saturday after 3 p.m. and the first Sunday of each month, admission to the MNAC is free.
Thanks to the Barcelona City Pass, you will be able to benefit from a reduction for your entrance to the MNAC, by clicking directly here.
If you intend to visit other museums during these 5 days in Barcelona, you can instead buy the Barcelona Museums Pass which gives access to the 6 main museums of the city.
C. Montjuïc Park
After this cultural visit, it should be lunch time.
So I suggest you go for a picnic in the Parc de Montjuic, the main green space in Barcelona where the locals usually come to play sports and get some fresh air on weekends or after work.
This park is located high up, perched on the hill of Montjuic and can be reached by funicular ( Return ticket for the cable car here. ).
Divided into several gardens, the park also houses some historical monuments and museums:
- The Urban Guard Museum
- The modern art museum
- The Olympic Museum
- The Joan Miro Foundation.
D. The Olympic facilities
The Barcelona Olympic Games were in 1992 and the city has kept many of the facilities made for the occasion.
So I now suggest you go and see the Olympic facilities which are located in the Montjuic Olympic Park, very close to the gardens.
In particular, you can see:
- The Olympic Stadium
- Palau Sant Jordi
- Calatrava’s Tower
- The Sports Palace of Barcelona
- The Industrial Spain Pavilion.
E. Visit to Montjuic Castle
Stay in Montjuic and end your afternoon with a visit to the castle which is open every day from 10am to 6pm.
Built in 1640, the Château de Montjuic is a must when you have the chance to go to Barcelona for a week. It once served to protect the city from Catalan rebels, then was transformed into a prison and finally into a military museum in the 1960s.
The visit is very interesting and you can enjoy a very beautiful panorama of the Barcelona coast from the heights.
F. Tapas in Plaça Espanya and Magic Fountain
This third day in Barcelona is already coming to an end.
It’s time to get something to eat in one of the delicious tapas bars in Plaça Espanya.
After dinner, take a seat in front of the Magic Fountain and enjoy the sound and light show which takes place every evening, Wednesday to Sunday (from 8 p.m. from November to March, and from 9 p.m. from April to October ).
This show lasts about an hour and always attracts a lot of people.
Day 4: Walk in Barcelona
The visits of day 4:
A. The Old Port
B. The Passeig Maritim
C. The Olympic Port
D. The Ciutadella Park
E. The Basilica Santa Maria del Mar
A. The Old Port
Today, continue your 1 week trip to Barcelona via Port Vell (meaning “Old Port”).
As its name suggests, it is the oldest port in the city and it is also a pleasant place to stroll. The Moll de la Fusta (“Wooden Quay”) is particularly very pretty.
You will also find the Rambla de Mar, a floating walkway that takes you to the shopping center of the port where you can do some shopping if you wish. You can also enjoy the ride to climb to the top of the statue of Christopher Columbus or visit the Barcelona Aquarium.
From the port, you can also embark on a golondrina for a mini cruise. To book here.
B. The Maritime Promenade
Continue the morning by taking the Passeig Maritim from Port Vell and take a stroll along the coast.
This coastal walk is 5 km long. It runs along the beaches of Barcelona and, in summer, allows you to stop at the most beautiful for a picnic and/or a swim.
C. The Olympic Port
If you like sports and want to learn more about the 1992 Olympic Games, I advise you to stop next at Parc de Mar where there are other Olympic facilities including the Port Olympic de Barcelona and the Pavillon de la Mar. bella.
D. Promenade au parc de la Ciutadella
Continue with a visit to Ciutadella Park.
Dating from 1888, this huge park allows you to walk in the fresh air, take a boat trip on the lake and also has several places of interest:
- The Arc de Triomphe
- Barcelona Zoo
- The Museum of Modern Art
- The Seat of the Parliament of Catalonia.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
If you plan to visit the zoo with your family, you can save money by booking one of these passes online (click on the links to book):
- The Barcelona Family Pass with: entrance to the zoo + one-hour cruise on the port + skip-the-line entrance to the wax museum
- The Zoo and Aquarium Pack with: entrance to the zoo + ticket for the aquarium + a trip in the cable car from the port of Barcelona.
E. The Basilique Santa Maria del Mar
And to end this fourth day of your 1-week stay in Barcelona, I suggest you visit the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar.
This Gothic basilica is in the historic El Born district. It is very impressive inside and out and even more beautiful at night when it is all lit up.
From the Terraces (paying access), you can enjoy a magnificent view of the whole district.
Day 5: Day in Port Aventura
Spending 1 week in Barcelona will allow you to have time to get out of the city and explore the surroundings.
In 4 days you should have seen the main points of interest in the Catalan capital. That’s why I suggest you, for this fifth day, to go to PortAventura, a destination not to be missed in the Barcelona region.
PortAventura is the largest amusement park in Spain and even in all of southern Europe.
It is just over an hour’s drive from Barcelona (train or car).
To visit Port Aventura, if you don’t have a car, it’s best to book a day trip including round-trip transport.
Book your 12-hour day-trip here which includes round trip from Barcelona by bus and skip-the-line ticket.
Day 6: Visit to Montserrat
For this sixth day, I again offer you a “day-trip” around the Catalan capital, this time in the mountain of Montserrat.
Here again it is an essential destination in the surroundings of Barcelona. A place where you can recharge your batteries and enjoy the calm after the hustle and bustle of the city and the rides.
The Monserrat Mountain is both a Benedictine monastery (with a very beautiful abbey to visit), a nature reserve and a sanctuary for Catalan culture and art. You can therefore make beautiful visits but also magnificent walks.
Things to do in Montserrat:
- Visit Montserrat Abbey
- Discover the works of Caravaggio, Fortuny, Rusiñol, Picasso, Dali and many others.
- Admire the Black Madonna
- Hike in nature
- Taste the local liqueurs.
This organized tour includes the round trip from Barcelona by train, the visit to the monastery and the museum of Montserrat with audio guide.
Day 7: The Costa Brava
Your week-long trip to Barcelona is coming to an end and I have a choice excursion in store for you to end your stay: a dream day on the Costa Brava!
The Costa Brava, in northern Catalonia, is one of the most famous and renowned Spanish coasts.
For this seventh day, I suggest you book a day-trip including a boat trip and the discovery of the paradisiacal villages of Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar.
This day-trip includes bus transport and a guide. It is to be reserved by clicking here.
And for the more athletic, you also have another option to discover the Costa Brava: a kayak tour including snorkelling (duration 8 hours).
For a maximum of 12 people, this package includes transfer to the Costa Brava, a session of kayaking and snorkelling.
Equipment is provided and lunch is included.
Accommodation in Barcelona
After all these explanations to know how to visit Barcelona in a week, we still have to address the question of your accommodation!
When you don’t know the city, it’s not always easy to know where to sleep and to sort through the multitude of accommodation available.
I have therefore selected a small list of the best hotels to stay in Barcelona, depending on your budget:
- Hostel One Ramblas: Hostel located in the center of Barcelona. Dormitory bed from €33 with dinner included. Most: the atmosphere, the price.
- Hotel Grums Barcelona: Located next to Montjuic hill and 600 m from Las Ramblas. Elegant and bright rooms from €134. The pluses: the spa with jacuzzi and sauna, the design of the rooms, the geographical location. It is our favorite for price / performance ratio.
- Ohla Barcelona: Ideal location for this luxury hotel in Barcelona, between the Cathedral and Plaça Catalunya and 200 meters from the metro. This 5-star hotel offers contemporary and comfortable double rooms from €325 per night, breakfast included. The pluses: the beauty of the establishment, both exterior and interior, the swimming pool on the roof with a breathtaking view, the 3 gourmet restaurants. The best choice for a romantic stay in the heart of Barcelona.
- The W Barcelona: Mythical hotel in Barcelona located in the district of La Barceloneta. Luxurious and well-equipped double room from 363€. Most: the view, the 2 swimming pools, the facilities, the restaurants. Undoubtedly the most famous hotel in Barcelona!
- Hotel Arts Barcelona: 5 star hotel located in the Olympic Port area, 250 m from the beach and 300 m from Ciutadella Park. Designer and ultra-spacious double room from €670 per night, breakfast included. The pluses: the 2-star restaurant in the Michelin Guide, the outdoor swimming pool with a panoramic view, the design and the collection of contemporary art. This is our recommendation for a luxury stay in Barcelona.
Tips for you Barcelona itinerary:
If these hotels show full for the dates of your stay in Barcelona, or do not correspond to what you want, I have concocted a wider selection in my other article.
My suggestions are classified by neighborhood and by price so that you can find your way around easily.
Visit Barcelona in 1 week with the family
Are you going to Barcelona for 1 week with your family? Are you wondering how to adapt the stay for children?
Rest assured, the Catalan capital is a destination that suits all ages and is particularly well suited to family holidays.
To help you organize your trip as well as possible according to your family, I share with you below some additional visits to include, according to your wishes, in the program if you plan to visit Barcelona in 7 days with your children:
- Poble Espanyol: this visit can for example replace that of a museum which might not be suitable for the youngest (the MNAC for example). The Poble Espanyol is a life-size artificial village, representing the different types of Spanish houses according to the regions. It is very close to the Magic Fountain and the visit is done on foot. It’s a fun visit that always appeals to children.
- Mount Tibidabo Amusement Park: This park is located on the outskirts of the city, perched on the highest peak in Barcelona. It is suitable for children from 6 years old and also allows you to spend a good afternoon with your family.
Without forgetting of course all the visits already included in the itinerary of a week in Barcelona and which are very suitable for holidays with children:
- Parc de la Ciutadella (near the El Born district): a pretty green space ideal for a family picnic. The interest is that it also includes a superb playground for children.
- PortAventura: this huge amusement park at the gates of Barcelona is of course the essential destination for a day of family fun.
- The promenade on the Rambla
- Flamenco shows
- The most beautiful viewpoints in Barcelona (Bunkers del Carmel, Mirador de Violai, roof of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, terraces of Montjuic Castle, roof terrace of Las Arenas)
- Montjuïc Park
- The Magic Fountain show.
Map of your 7 day itinerary in Barcelona
To help you visualize your itineraries during these 7 days in Barcelona, I made you a map listing the places to visit day by day. You can display the map legend by clicking on the top left button with a small arrow. You will then be able to view the routes for each day.
Need help planning your week-long Barcelona itinerary? Do not hesitate to ask me your questions in the comments.
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