24 Hours In Barcelona

Of course, no trip to Barcelona is complete without seeing Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. There are countless Gaudi buildings peppered throughout the city and it is possible to walk and see each of them, but in 24 hours my best advice is to be sure not to miss the Sagrada Familia. From the Gothic city, it is about a 30-minute walk so I recommend hiring a bicycle and go at a leisurely pace. There are several bicycle companies in the Gothic city where you can rent bikes; I suggest Green Bikes. Before heading to Sagrada Familia, however, be sure to book your tickets online in advanced so you can skip the line! Seeing the Sagrada Familia from the outside doesn’t do justice to what lies inside and I highly recommend spending at least an hour at this beautiful architectural wonder.

After the Sagrada Familia, head to the “Museu Picasso” back in the Gothic Quarter. This museum has some of Picasso’s original art pieces. I admit it, I’m not a big fan of abstract art, but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing many of these art pieces with my own eyes. Many of the paintings I grew up seeing in books or on television (after all who hasn’t heard of Picasso?) didn’t do justice to what my eyes feasted on in the museum. The vivid colours and paintings truly captured me and I found myself sitting on the various benches places throughout the museum just for people to sit and gaze at the canvases. I found myself struck by several of the paintings the more I sat and looked at them and in my short visit to the museum I realised why he was considered by many a timeless artist. I also suggest booking in advanced the “skip the line” tickets! Worth it!

After your trip to the museum you will want to spend your evening wisely. Take yourself on a date and watch the Flamenco Dancing. Check out Los Tarantos Flamenco and book your seat in advanced! The Flamenco dancing is only 30 minutes (perfect for those of us with limited time!) and it was an impressive performance. The times are at: 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30 with different performers both male and female dancers and singers each week! Not only were the costumes to die for but the theatre itself was cozy and quaint. It was the perfect setting to sit after a day out in the sun and have a drink while watching the dancers rapture the audience. 

24 Hours in Barcelona will undoubtedly leave you feeling hungry for more! With so many places to dance, shop, sunbathe, explore and learn you will inevitably find yourself wanting to come back as soon as possible. So on your final walk down la Rambla back to where it all started, stop at the Font de Canaletes - the La Rambla Drinking Fountain. Folklore says that drinking from this fountain will make you fall in love with the city and guarantee your return! Take a cheeky sip knowing that you will be back once again.