First Timers Guide to Barcelona
Oh, Barcelona, I fell in love with you. My first time in Barcelona was overwhelming, hectic, fast-paced, super fun, and beautiful. There are plenty of things I wish I had known, and now I’m going to pass my first-time visitor tips for Barcelona to you!
First Timers Guide to Barcelona
The basics for your first time in Barcelona
- Location: Spain
- Region: Catalonia
- Currency: Euro. If something is 10 euros and 20 cents, then it will be written like 10,20 €
- Language: Catalan (the majority of locals speak Catalan) and Spanish
- Average Temperature: Summer – 85°F/29°C, Winter – 59°F/15°C
- Barcelona’s beaches are all man-made… and thanks to the 1992 Olympics, they exist!
- Barcelona has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites
How to get to Barcelona
By Plane: There is only one airport in Barcelona, Barcelona- El Prat Josep Tarradellas Airport (BCN), however many smaller airlines will fly into neighboring airports and call it Barcelona.
Girona- Costa Brava (GRO) is 65 miles away, but is a very popular route, so just be careful when you are booking your ticket and double check your destination’s airport code. It will be so much cheaper to buy a more expensive plane ticket to BCN than to get the cheaper plane ticket to Girona or Reus and having to find transportation into Barcelona.
By Train: Train travel is very convenient and super easy in and around Barcelona. There are direct trains into the city, including high speed trains from Paris and Lyon!
Did you know, if you book at least a month in advance, you can find super cheap tickets from London to Barcelona with a change in Paris for under £50.00?!?! And you’ll get there in 12 hours!
By Boat: Barcelona has a cruise and ferry port in the harbor, so if you book a Mediterranean cruise, make sure Barcelona is on your day trip list!!
By Bus: Traveling by bus might seem like a hassle, and it will take a while; however, thanks to overnight buses and the increasing level of comfort, it’s actually a great way to travel. My go-to European bus travel is Flixbus, super frequent and budget friendly. The buses are comfy and roomy with free WiFi… better than taking a red-eye flight!
How to get to Barcelona from the Airport
More than likely, you will arrive in Barcelona by plane… so how do you get into the city? It’s actually SUPER easy and super close to the city center compared to a lot of major airports in the world.
By Taxi: You can take a taxi for a flat rate of €30.00 one way. Although if your accommodation is down one of the back streets or side streets, there’s a possibility you won’t be able to get dropped off right outside, and you might end up dragging your suitcases around when you don’t want to.
By Metro: This is my personal favorite… It’s super easy to figure out, and the city is well-connected. Look for the metro signs in the airport and walk up the stairs (or go up the escalator) to the bridge that leads away from Terminal 1. The metro line is L9. Walk down into the metro, and you can purchase your ticket from one of the machines or the customer service desk across from the machines. (More on the metro below!)
By Bus: The Aerobus is another convenient and budget option for getting into the city. Departures are every 5 minutes, and the stops in the city are placed so there’s lots of coverage of the city. You can either purchase a single ticket or a return ticket that must be used within 15 days. You can purchase your tickets online, at a bus stop, at the vending machines, or from the bus driver (cash only).
Quick Guide to the Metro
Since it’s your first time in Barcelona, you probably want to know how to get around the city. The subway is convenient and easy to navigate, making it your first choice for getting around.
First things first, download a metro map app!!! My favorite is the Barcelona Metro – TMB Map (Apple Version/Google Version) or CityMapper.
The lines are numbered with an L in front of the number. So, L1, L2, L3, etc…
The best thing about the metro is all the options for tickets. There’s literally something for everyone’s trip. It’s €2.40 for a single journey, so if you are just using it for getting to and from the airport, then a single ticket is perfect.
If you’re planning on doing 10 trips, the T10 ticket is €10.00. This can be used by multiple people in your group, so if you have a group of 2 or 3 and you just need a couple of trips, then you can get this ticket, save money, and share it between your group.
The Hola Travel Card is what I used, and I highly recommend it for shorter trips up to 5 days. You get unlimited travel for 2, 3, 4, or 5 days. So if you plan on using public transport the whole time you’re in the city, then buy one of these cards. You can purchase online for a small discount or buy it at the airport metro for your first journey. If you buy the 2-day, 48-hour pass, then it will expire EXACTLY 48 hours later.
- 2 Days/48 Hours: €16.83
- 3 Days/72 Hours: €24.57
- 4 Days/96 Hours: €32.04
- 5 Days/120 Hours: €39.24
Gothic Quarter
This is a charming area of Barcelona, filled with restaurants, local shops, bars, and medieval streets.
My favorite area is around the Cathedral of Barcelona (which took centuries to build!!) and the original Roman City of Barcino. It’s fun to just walk around here and look at the architecture.
Las Ramblas
This street (technically a few streets) is over a mile long and a tourist mecca in Barcelona. Over 150,000 people walk this street EVERY DAY! What?!
Vendors and restaurants are lining the busy streets. I recommend walking down it, to say you did; however, DON’T EAT HERE. You won’t get authentic food, and you’ll end up paying double the price!
You will find the infamous La Boqueria food market here; it’s good to walk around and check it out, however, the food is overpriced.
Watch out for pickpockets
I hate bringing up the bad stuff, but Barcelona has been known as the “Pick Pocket Capital of the World”. And you don’t want your first time in Barcelona to be ruined by something that could’ve been prevented with a little knowledge.
Las Ramblas is a hub for pickpockets, so BE CAREFUL! I’m not saying duct tape your wallet to your body under your clothes, but make sure you are aware of your surroundings.
Watch your bag or wear your backpack on your front when you are using the metro, and if you go to the Magic Fountains at night, be aware of where your personal belongings are, because that’s another hot spot.
Make a copy of your passport and leave the real thing in a safe spot in your hotel!
I always use my cross-body bag whenever I travel and rest my hand on the top of it when I’m walking through crowded areas or not fully paying attention to it. For my equipment, I use a backpack with hidden anti-theft pockets in it.
That being said, I had no issues while I was there, but have heard ALLLLLL the stories.
Who is Gaudí?
Antoni Gaudí is a famous architect who has had much influence around the city. You will see his works throughout the city. The most famous being the La Sagrada Familia (the massive cathedral), which has been under construction since 1882!!
His method for designing buildings was a little different; he would prefer to make 3D models instead of drawing plans for his buildings. His model of the La Sagrada Familia is being used to continue and finish construction on the cathedral… It’s supposed to be finished by 2026, so I guess we will see…
Seven of his works are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites that you can walk around and visit.
Things to Do in Barcelona?
There are so many amazing things to do in Barcelona (especially if it’s your first time), and sometimes it’s easier to just pick out a few things you really want to do and then go with the flow the rest of the time. It will definitely take you a few visits to fully explore everything this city has to offer.
La Sagrada Familia
I’ve already talked about this cathedral, so it needs no introduction, but it’s a must-visit! Walking around the interior is a magical, colorful experience, especially when the sun is shining. You need to pre-book your ticket well in advance if you want to see the inside.
If you’re not bothered about roaming the pews (which you should be), you can always walk around the outside of the cathedral. The park that is across the street, on the left side (if you are looking at the main entrance), is the most perfect view of La Sagrada Familia.
Park Güell
Another one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, which was actually supposed to be a quirky housing development that didn’t get its funding, was turned into a park overlooking the city.. and the views are amazing!
If you want to save some money, get here early and watch the sunrise. The gates to the park are left open even when the park is closed. If you arrive AND leave before they set up for the day (usually 8am or 8:30am, depending on the season), then you won’t have to pay the entry fee… and it won’t be so crowded!
Casa Ваtlló
One more Gaudí to add to the list. This is the most popular house to check out. You need to pre-purchase your tickets at least a week in advance. There are several ticket options to choose from, so pick the one that suits your needs.
Get in there early and purchase the early bird ticket for 8:30am because by 12pm, it’s SLAMMED! This picture was taken at 11:45am on Saturday during off season to give you an idea of the crowd. Tickets are VERY limited for this, but worth getting in before it opens to the public. It’s €39.00 per person.
Tickets are cheaper to purchase in advance online, and there are several ticket options to choose from:
- Blue Ticket: Regular ticket
- Silver Ticket: Regular ticket plus the Dragon’s Rooftop
- Gold Ticket: Everything in the previous tier, plus more of the house to explore, including the private residence on the first floor
- Platinum Ticket: Full ticket with skip-the-line privilege. This is worth the ticket price if you are going in the middle of the day when it’s already crowded.
You can also check out the OFFICIAL WEBSITE for more ticket options, including night visits and special exhibitions.
Montjuïc Cable Cars
If you’re interested in taking the cable cars, do not make my mistake!! There are two different cable cars that require two different tickets. I had no idea there were two different lines and ended up putting the higher cable car into my GPS and walking halfway up the mountain to where the first cable car would’ve dropped me off. *face palm*
One leaves from the harbor and goes up to the viewpoint at Miramar, and the other leaves from Parc de Montjuïc and goes to Castell de Montjuïc (the castle on the hill). Both will take you up to GREAT viewpoints!
You will have to walk to get to the harbor cable car, but the Montjuïc cable car is easily accessible via the Funicular de Montjuïc from the Paral·lel metro station (also included with your 48 travel card).
If you are crazy like me and want to walk up the mountain, which is steep, but will reward you with some great views, get off at the Paral·lel metro stop and just start walking south. You’ll run into a mountain… so start walking up! There are plenty of ways to get up, so you can take some steep stairs, try out the switchbacks, or head up the street.
Free entry to museums
Most museums will grant free entry on the first Sunday of the month and then free entry after 3:00pm on other Sundays. There are even special open days and nights at the museums with free entry.
If you’re unsure which museums participate in this, you can always check the museum’s website before you visit.
The Barcelona City History Museum, Picasso Museum, and even the Montjuïc Castle are all included!!
Travel off the beaten path
This is always an obvious one for me.
If you really want to see a city, then check out where the locals go… where do they eat? Where do they drink? Where do they hang out?
Yes, I know… It’s your first time in Barcelona, and you want to do the tourist stuff. At least walk around the local areas and see what you’re missing.
My favorite is the neighborhood of Sant Antoni (it’s right next to Montjuïc), where there’s some great food and drink in this area, and the atmosphere and vibe are so much more chill and quiet than the craziness of Las Ramblas.
Heading to Barcelona? Lemme know in the comments below!!
Looking for more places to visit in Europe
- The Mallorca Files Filming Locations in Mallorca
- First Time Guide to Lisbon, Portugal
- 3-Day London Itinerary
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