Parking in One day in Barcelona

If you only have one day to spend in Barcelona, you will fit a fast-paced adventure into a handful of hours. We understand why Barcelona is such a popular tourist destination: from the beaches and sunny weather to the unique architecture and tasty cuisine, you can’t go wrong in the Condal City. There are things to do for everyone, whether you are visiting as a solo traveler, a group of friends, an educational outing or a family vacation. This historic place has always been a go-to destination, maybe since it is rumored to have been founded by Hercules 400 years before Rome was built!

If the myth proves true, Hercules definitely created a lasting legacy, as Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city. This hive of activity is home to nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, seven of which are works by Antoni Gaudi.

Of course, if you only have 24 hours or less to enjoy the Catalonian capital, you need to decide what the most important tourist attractions are. To help you plan these hectic hours of activity, we at Parclick want to share some of our favorite places and activities to experience in Barcelona.

Itinerary

When you arrive

First, to make sure to see the main attractions in the easiest and most efficient way possible, consider signing up for one of the many free walking tours. With the various options offered, you can choose the tour that works the best with your interests. Most of the free walking tours go to the principle points of interest in Barcelona, such as the Las Ramblas area, the Gothic Quarter (with the Barcelona Cathedral and Placa Reial), the Jewish Quarter, the Sagrada Familia and Park Güell, among others. These tours are a great way to get your bearings in Barcelona and to learn the history behind the monuments. However, no, the tour isn’t exactly “free.” You pay the tour guide what you think they deserve, so no matter what, you know that you are getting a great price.

After the tour, refuel with some typical street food, like cookies, empanadas or hot dogs that are sold on any corner in the Gothic area. If you’re feeling really hungry, you can always pop into Brunch & Cake, located in the central Eixample district, for filling brunch cuisine.

Afternoon activities

Once your rumbling stomach is taken care of, either rent a bike or get a hop-on hop-off bus ticket to easily explore the rest of Barcelona at your own pace. Take your camera and capture the amazing sights along the way. Experience a local haunt by grabbing a typical Barcelonan drink, called horchata de chufa, from Horchatería Sirvent, situated in the Eixample district. This beverage is a chilled tiger nut milk, water and sugar combination that will delight your taste buds and cool you off after a day of exploring. If you’re anything like us, travelling makes you hungry and you’ll be ready to sit down for some cheap, good eats and feel like a native Barcelonan in the famed Bar Casi, in the Grácia area of Barcelona.

Finish the day

Depending on how much time you have left, see if there is a football game scheduled at Camp Nou. Barcelona is well-known for its love of the sport, and to truly see everything the city has to offer, you need to attend a FC Barcelona game. On the weekends, games generally start at 4:15 p.m., which hopefully gives you enough time to watch a match from beginning to end.

Celebrate the win or drown your sorrows with a tasty dinner of tapas and beer at Ølgod in the Raval neighborhood. This dining experience will round out an action-packed day before you have to leave this exhilarating city. Trust us, after such a fun-filled adventure, you will want to fall asleep on the way back home. Although there is no way to see everything Barcelona has to offer in less than 24 hours, this day visit will give you a small taste of the city that leaves you dreaming of your next trip to Barcelona.