Imagine you have arrived in Barcelona with a written or a mental list of things to do and visit. Advices from relatives, people from work, neighbours and/or friends have increased that ‘list’ to the maximum: monuments, museums, restaurants… You only have a week and you panic!. So many things to do and so little time!
Don’t worry, here are some suggestions to spend a week in our city without freaking out. You will see ‘what you need to see’, you will be able to purchase that gift or souvenir that you may have been asked to buy and, most importantly, you will also become an ‘adviser’ for future requests, whenever somebody asks you: “What do I have to do in Barcelona if I only have a week?”.
MONDAY: Welcome to Barcelona!
It is important to know that most museums are closed on Mondays. So, how about knowing the city instead?
Barcelona is not a huge town, and it is quite comfortable to travel around using public transport. But if you want to start with a ‘win-win’ option, take a Daily Tour. You have the ‘All Barcelona Highlights Tour‘, which includes a visit to the picturesque Poble Espanyol (a reproduction of a charming and typical Spanish village), and Montjuïc’s Mountain itself, where you can behold the Olympic Stadium and enjoy some of the fantastic views of the whole city.
During the tour there is a drive along the waterfront, crowned by Columbus’s Statue and the most outstanding, a fast track entrance to Sagrada Família. It is a five-hour tour where you go from location to location in a comfortable coach.
Good to know:
You have the option to do the trip in the morning, starting at Sagrada Família at 10.00 AM and finishing in Montjuïc at noon. If you choose the second option, you will start in Poble Espanyol, where you can take your time to have lunch and then go to Sagrada Família around 3.30 PM… probably the quietest hour of the day and when the Temple at its splendorous best. The sunset light passes through the coloured windows and the interior becomes a truly beautiful mosaic.
TUESDAY: Shopping day!
Tuesday is the day in which lots of stores replenish their stock after the weekend. It’s a good day to go shopping because It’s not as crowded as at the weekend. Plus, after one day in Barcelona, you may still have some euros to spend!
The wide variety of malls and streets with shops is very extensive in the city. But to find something more exclusive and unique you can also take the ‘El Born-Independent Boutiques Shopping Tour’. In just three hours you will get immersed in one of the trendiest quarters in town, which also keeps its medieval spirit, with narrow streets and picturesque corners. Designer stores, art galleries, antiques, hand-crafts or extravagant gifts are in the list of shops giving the option to find that ‘unique’ article you may (or you may not) have been looking for.
Luxurious but affordable option:
Just 30 minute from Barcelona there is La Roca Village retail Store, with over 130 boutiques that offer discounts up to 60%. We can drive you there in a comfortable coach after a tour around Gaudí’s most emblematic buildings.
From April to September: You can join ‘Barcelona Genuine Shops’: A tour around Sant Pere, Born and Gothic quarters with the purpose to discover ancient shops and innovative stores in a unique scenario, plus a visit to Santa Caterina fresh food Market.
WEDNESDAY: A day at the Museums
Wednesday can be a good day to exchange consumerism for cultural concerns. The bond between the genius of Pablo Picasso and Barcelona was so strong and influential in his artistic career that there is a museum that holds up to 4,251 if his artworks. You can’t miss it! neither the Dalí museum… fascinating!
Not far away from there, you can find a new and innovative space about one of the most emblematic names in the city: “Modernisme” architect Antoni Gaudí. Next to the Cathedral, The Gaudí Exhibition Centre helps you discover the “why” and “how” the architect developed his massive creativity that at one point turned out to be unique buildings and urban spaces such as Park Güell, Casa Batlló or Sagrada Família.
THURSDAY: ‘Treasure Buildings’
Two jewels are waiting for you and they are just one next to each other. The first is Palau de la Música Catalana, a splendid building designed by Domènech i Muntaner and declared World Heritage by UNESCO thirty years ago. A beautiful building on the inside but also on the outside, but one of the most unique concert halls in the world, being one of the buildings locals feel most proud of (with the permission of Liceu).
After your visit Palau de la Música Catalana you can venture yourself into Casa de la Seda (the ‘House of Silk’), which is only twenty steps away. It is the only guild house in Barcelona that is open to the public and a brand-new attraction in the city. It is a great opportunity to learn about the silk manufacturing process inside an impressive Building decorated with amazing silk lined walls and noble furniture. The exterior is also a piece of art, too, with a beautiful and impressive 18th century sgrafitto and Baroque-inspired moldings that frame windows and balconies.
FRIDAY: Getting ready for the weekend
Friday can be a good day to visit what you hadn’t been able to see on the previous days in order to skip the massive crowds that walk around on Saturdays and Sundays. You can even choose a Day Tour outside Barcelona and visit one of the most spiritual places in Catalonia: The imposing landscape of Montserrat with its sanctuary and Monastery, (which holds ‘La Moreneta’ the ‘Black Madonna’). It is remarkable to know that the trip starts at 3 PM, which is an ‘afternoon/evening’ tour. The main reason is that Montserrat, one of the main tourist attractions in the surrounding area of Barcelona, is not as crowded at this time of the day, and you can have some valuable free-time in the morning organize your schedule.
SATURDAY: Sea and Music
It would be unforgivable to spend a few days in Barcelona without approaching the sea. Saturday morning would be a really good day to walk along the promenade or, if the weather allows, to spend some time at the beach, yes, better to go in the early morning or at dusk, where there is not so much crowded.
After a relaxing afternoon, you can get ready to have fun and party! How about a Flamenco Show with great music and dancers, enjoy a drink or a dinner with a Tapas Menu?
Running since 1920, Palacio del Flamenco is very near to Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and offers three sessions (‘Flamenco y Olé’ at 6.25 PM, ‘Flamenco Gipsy at 7.25 PM and ‘Flamenco Pasión at 10.30 PM) which is easier to suit your schedules.
Want to impress everyone?
An original way to surprise everyone when you come back from Barcelona is to show them your ‘Flamenco’ moves that you’ve learnt! Just go to Palacio del Flamenco 30 minutes before the session and you will get a free Flamenco lesson! Olé!
SUNDAY:
Your week in Barcelona is coming to an end. It’s time to pack your bags. But how about spending your last hours enjoying what is known here as the ‘king sport’? An incomparable place is Camp Nou, FC Barcelona’s stadium, with a capacity of almost 100,000 people.
If you are not lucky with the football season schedule, you can spend your last hours visiting museums. Most of them are open and, most importantly, there are quite a few that grants you free entrance from 3 pm. Furthermore, if you are able to visit Barcelona at the beginning of the month, you should know that on Sunday the entrance to all museums is free all day long. Just enjoy Barcelona every day and month!!!! We wait for you!!!! ?