How To Spend One Wonderful Week In Barcelona, Spain

The best things to do and sights to see when spending a week in Barcelona, Spain!

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It is probably no secret that Barcelona is one of my favorite places to visit. This for many reasons, the main one being that it is one of the best allergy-friendly vacation destinations I have experienced!

Barcelona is located in the northeastern part of Spain on the Mediterranean Sea. Originally founded as a Roman city, it is now the second largest in the country.

It is important to know the people who live in Barcelona call themselves Catalonian, not Spanish. Catalonia is an autonomous community within Spain meaning they have gained considerable independence to govern themselves, especially as it relates to things like education, politics, environmental issues, and cultural affairs.

In talking to the many friendly locals, they told me Catalonians identify themselves as very liberal and forward-thinking. Especially when it came to topics like animal rights related to bull fighting (which is banned in Catalonia) and other similar hotly debated issues throughout Spain.

Barcelona has become a bustling tourist destination and is known for it’s rich cultural heritage, stunning architecture, delicious cuisine, and world-class sporting events.

The Best Time Of Year To Go To Barcelona

When considering when to go to Barcelona, I will say what I always do: the best time of year to go somewhere is when you are able to go!

Being on the water, the temperatures are generally very good year round, with the winter month averages in the 50’s and the middle of summer as high as the 80’s. Generally, prices will be best right before and after the busy seasons, so aiming for March-May or September-October may help you find more deals on flights and hotels.

I chose to visit at the end of April. The temperature was idyllic although I did face a few days of rain. During that time of year the tourist spots were definitely hopping but not so packed that it was unpleasant.

How To Get Around In Barcelona

When coming from the airport, I recommend always checking to see if your hotel offers transportation, as that is often the most cost effective option.

Whenever possible, I enjoy choosing a hotel that is centrally located so I can walk as much as possible to see the city. Barcelona is very walkable but is also a very large city, so plan that you will want to take transportation to at least some of your tours and other sights. I talk more about those options below.

When in Barcelona I used both cabs and the Uber app for rides. This was extremely easy and something I recommend checking out if you are looking for an easy way to get around.

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Where To Stay In Barcelona

When I plan out my trips, I like to select a hotel that is centrally located.

I stayed at the Le Meridien Barcelona, a very beautiful and modern hotel!

I did choose to stay in a more “touristy” area, as it was right off of La Rambla. This location was ideal for me because it was within walking distance to many activities and restaurants that I had on my itinerary and eating plan.

Another benefit was that even if it was far from some of the major sites I planned to visit, it was close to Placa de Catalunya.

Placa de Catalunya is a large square with lots of shopping and more importantly – the pickup location of many tour groups and the hop-on-hop-off bus tours!

The only note I will have about spending time in the tourist areas and on La Rambla in particular, is to keep an eye out for pickpockets as they prey on the unsuspecting and unaware!

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What To Do For One Week In Barcelona

Before I get into all of my favorite activities, I want to stop and remind you to not overbook your days. I ALWAYS recommend choosing to pace yourself, no matter where you are traveling!

For me that means planning a half day of activities and leaving the other half of the day open for exploring. If I do plan full day tours, I try to balance it out with having a full day free to follow my heart (or my stomach!) and check out things that might be off the beaten path.

Wondering where I ate while in Barcelona? Check out my guide to Allergy-Friendly Eating In Barcelona, Spain!

Barcelona Free Walking Tour

I recommend the very first thing you do when arriving in Barcelona is to check out the free walking tour! It is in fact free – but do plan to tip your guide.

Free walking tours are my absolute favorite way to start off seeing a new city. It gets you out and walking around, which is really helpful with jet lag after an international flight.

It also helps to give you a general overview of the city and help you understand the culture in a new way.

I find that after a walking tour I feel more oriented in how to get around and also have an idea of places I will want to go back and explore when I have free time.

Montserrat Tour with Tapas and Wine

I believe no trip to Barcelona would be complete without a stop in the stunning monastery tucked into the side of a mountain – Montserrat!

Even if churches are not your thing, the view on the drive and at the top can’t be beat. Even more than that, the history is something straight out of Indiana Jones – quite literally! There’s a lot more to this place than just the monks and it is a stop you won’t soon forget.

After Montserrat, the tour went to a local winery located in an old castle. There were tapas (they even catered to my food allergies!) and a great wine tasting. Learning about the history of the local wines gave me a new appreciation for the area and the food!

Tour of Girona and Costa Brava

While Barcelona itself has enough to keep you busy for weeks on end, don’t miss an opportunity to take a tour of the other nearby cities and towns.

This was a full day tour and one of the very best things I did while on the trip! They balanced the perfect amount of education and direction with freedom to explore each location and take in the views.

Driving through the countryside I enjoyed views of rolling hills, rows of thousand-year-old olive trees, and picturesque castles. It was a great way to add new dimension to the area and round out the urban experiences I had in Barcelona.

Hop-on-hop-off City Tour of Barcelona

I am an addict for hop-on-hop-off tours when traveling and Barcelona’s did not disappoint!

Since there was so much to see and Barcelona is such a large city, I chose to buy two days worth of tickets for the bus tours.

Starting from Placa de Catalunya, I was able to tour all of the major sites of the city and have a audio tour of each stop along the way.

On one of the days it was raining and I chose to ride each of the lines, stay warm and get a general outline of each place.

The next day it was nicer out and I focused on visiting specific places that I had tickets to tour such as the amazing Basilica of the Sagrada Familia and unique Parc Guell.

These tours are truly the most efficient way I have found to see a city while also having the freedom to get off and explore at my own pace and I highly recommend giving them a try!

Conclusion

If you have one week, you can see so much! Barcelona is an absolutely beautiful city that is easy to get around and full of great food, history, and architecture. Not far away are vineyards, castles, and medieval towns just waiting for you to explore!

Are you planning a trip to Barcelona or have you already visited? What is on your list of favorite activities?

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