Barcelona in 1 Day: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Barcelona is a city that combines history, architecture and modernity. As a result of this mix, Barcelona has a lot to see and offers its visitors countless plans. But unfortunately we do not always have enough time to make the most of the visit. In many cases we only have 24 hours. And it is precisely to those who only have one day to get to know Barcelona that this small guide is addressed.

Below you will find an itinerary designed to visit most of the sights of Barcelona in just one day, with an optimal linear route for it. Logically there are things that will be left out, but with this approach you will be able to see the essence of Barcelona, its main street, its historic district and the modernist part of the city. Without further ado, here are all the details:

The first hours of the day and until noon or so we will reserve them to walk the mythical Rambla of Barcelona and the Gothic Quarter.

Our starting point will be the Columbus monument located just at the end of the Rambla next to the port. From there we will start walking up the Rambla and we will see the following points of interest:

Starting to walk along the Rambla from the statue of Christopher Columbus our first stop will be at the Plaza Real, located on the right hand side from our starting point. This is one of the most important squares of the city and one of its most common meeting points.

Decorated with numerous palm trees and fountains, it is surrounded by bars and cafes that allow us to sit down for a good breakfast to get strength for the day.

This square was designed by architect Daniel Molina and was erected in the same place where the Capuchin convent of Santa Madrona was located, which was demolished in 1835. It is an access point to the Gothic quarter, although we will not go into it yet, and its decoration includes elements such as the lampposts designed by Gaudi or the fountain of the three graces by Antoine Durenne.

Leaving the Plaza Real from the same place where we entered and almost opposite is the historic Liceu theater. This is the oldest and best known theater in Barcelona and one of the most prestigious opera houses in the world. From the Rambla we can stop to see its historic facade although its greatest charm lies in its interior.

Although the building has suffered numerous accidents such as bombings and two fires, it maintains its charm intact. The last of these fires in 1994 gave way to a reconstruction that ended in 1999.

With just enough time we can not afford to visit the interior but write it down as a must for when you visit Barcelona with more time.

The second obligatory stop on Barcelona's Rambla is the Boqueria market. A temple for lovers of gastronomy.

Inside there are more than 300 stalls with all kinds of top quality products. Fish, meat, fruit, vegetables... It is worth entering and taking a brief stroll through some of them.

If you do, you will surely get hungry, but you can calm it down by having a quick snack in any of the stalls. Fresh fruit juices are very typical and in demand, especially in summer. It is best to visit the Boqueria early in the morning as this is when there are fewer tourists and when they have just put all the goods.

It is now time to enter the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. In contrast to the wide streets and avenues of the rest of the city, this historic district of Barcelona is formed by narrow streets and alleys with lots of charm and numerous places of interest.

The best thing to do is to stroll through the streets until you reach the Plaza del Pi where the basilica of Santa Maria del Pi is located. This church has spectacular stained glass windows and the largest rose window in Catalonia. If the visit coincides with the weekend it is likely that in the same square we run into its traditional markets.

We then move on to the Plaza de Sant Jaume which is the political center of Barcelona and Catalonia as in this square are the buildings of the town hall and the Palace of the Generalitat one in front of the other.

The most representative place of the neighborhood is undoubtedly the Cathedral of Barcelona. The impressive building was built from the thirteenth century until the end of the twentieth century which resulted in a mixture of styles that make it an architectural gem. But undoubtedly highlights the Catalan Gothic, being the cathedral one of its greatest exponents.

To finish the tour of the Gothic quarter at the back of the cathedral is the Plaza del Rey which houses several Gothic buildings such as the Palacio Real Mayor which was home to the kings of Aragon.

If we have gone at a normal pace at noon we will have finished seeing the Rambla and the Gothic Quarter. For lunchtime we can go from the Cathedral to Plaza Catalunya. This is the heart of Barcelona and the central axis as it is right in the middle of the historical center of the city and the modern part of the Ensanche.

In the streets adjacent to this large square we can find a place to eat and continue our visit. The square is not the most beautiful of Barcelona but from it are born some of the most important streets of the city such as La Rambla or Portal del Angel.

After lunch and from the Plaza de Cataluña it is time to visit the modernist part of Barcelona. This architectural style is the most characteristic of the city largely due to the figure of Antonio Gaudi, who signed the main monuments of Barcelona and that some of them we will see in the afternoon.

From the Plaza de Cataluña we start our route along the Paseo de Gracia, which is the equivalent of the Champs Elysees in Paris or Fifth Avenue in New York, and where our first two stops of the afternoon are located.

Leaving Plaza Catalunya along Passeig de Gràcia and just 10 minutes walk away is the Batlló House. One of the symbols of Barcelona and one of its most valued monuments.

This unique building is the work of Antonio Gaudi who designed it commissioned by Josep Batlló in 1904. Gaudi had total creative freedom to reform the building turning it into an architectural symbol that stands out for the shapes and colors of its facade and its functional, but original interior.

The visit to the interior of the house lasts 45 minutes but, as in most of Gaudi's monuments, there are usually huge queues to enter.

If you are determined to enter in case you only have one day to see Barcelona, as is the assumption of this itinerary, it is almost mandatory to get tickets online to save the queue. Next to the Casa Batlló there are other modernist houses that are worth stopping to contemplate, such as the Casa Amatller right next door, but they are overshadowed by the work of Gaudi. In fact that block is known as the block of discord as all the houses are by great architects who competed for Barcelona's urban planning awards.

La Pedrera, also known as Casa Mila, is also the work of Antonio Gaudi and is located on Passeig de Gràcia, just a few blocks from Casa Batlló. It is somewhat more discreet than the Batlló house but equally worthy of being considered one of the best works of Gaudi and modernism. Its facade and undulating forms are inspired by nature and its famous chimneys, its peculiar roof and the original railings of the balconies stand out.

It is somewhat newer than the Batlló house as Gaudi was commissioned to design it from scratch and began its construction in 1906 until 1912. The commission came from the marriage of Pere Milà and Roser Segimon to live in it and rent the other apartments in which they have lived important figures of Catalan society.

Of course you can also visit the interior of the Pedrera but as in the case of the Batlló house here you have to buy tickets online to avoid queues.

Unfortunately if you only have one day to see Barcelona you can only choose one if you want to see the rest of modernist Barcelona. There is no one better than the other and here everyone can decide based on their tastes.

For the penultimate stop what better than to visit the symbol of Barcelona par excellence. Gaudi's Sagrada Familia. The temple, although unfinished, is the masterpiece of Gaudi and considered the greatest exponent of modernism. Construction began in 1882 and its completion date is still unknown since it is financed by donations and depends on them.

The first impression of the building will leave you breathless. Its towers dominate the sky of Barcelona although only 8 of the 18 towers that Gaudi designed in honor of the twelve apostles, the four evangelists and Jesus and Mary are finished.

The first thing to do is to walk around it to see its 3 facades. The Nativity façade, dedicated to the birth of Christ, the Passion façade where the same scene of the death of Christ is reflected, and the Glory façade which represents death, the Last Judgment, Glory and hell and is the main façade of the Sagrada Familia. Gaudi himself, who died in an accident in 1926, knowing that he would not see it finished, left sketches of his work for other artists to complete it.

If we still have time left over we can go to its spectacular interior inspired by nature, but, again, it is highly recommended to buy tickets in advance if we do not want to share the queue with the thousands of tourists who visit daily.

For the next and last stop of this itinerary you have to take public transport or walk about 15 minutes. For the first option, you will have to take the metro line 3, the best way to move around Barcelona, to get there in less than 10 minutes. Although it is better to take a short walk from the Sagrada Familia.

In any case the destination is well worth it because I am talking about the Park Güell. A demonstration of the ability of Antonio Gaudí to create places full of magic. The park began to be built in 1900 and was opened to the public as such in 1926. To enter you have to buy a ticket but it is definitely worth it.

Inside the park there is a lot to see but since we do not have much time the highlights that we can prioritize are: The Plaza de la Naturaleza, the Pórtico de la Bugadera, the Sala Hipóstil, or of the Hundred Columns, the access staircase, the famous lizard that has become a symbol of the park, and to crown the visit the views of Barcelona from the viewpoint of the park.

In this link I leave you all the information with the schedules of the Park.

And with the Park Güell as a finale, we finish this tour from the Rambla de Barcelona to Gaudi's Barcelona through the Gothic Quarter. The best of Barcelona condensed into a single day. But the city offers much more, so if you have the chance, and you will want to, come back to visit Barcelona without leaving anything out.