Barcelona is not a city you do in one day.
Scratch that, Barcelona is a city you should give more than one day to explore.
Given the generosity of my corporate vacation policy (sarcasm), my pre-cruise stay in Barcelona left me with a little over 24 hours to take in the city. Since this was my first time visiting Barcelona, this was less than ideal. But I was determined to make the most of it, and see as much of the city as possible. (Because you know, jet lag.)
SEE & DO
Given the amount of time we would be in Barcelona and the fact that our flight got into BCN at 7 am, after browsing Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic, I found that my best option would be a tour. BarcelonaDayTours, a family owned tour company, came highly recommended by both communities and since they offered airport pickup as part of their tour package, it was the best option.
I cannot recommend this company enough. Sure it may not have been the cheapest option, but it was completely worth it. The communication and customer service with the BDT team was impeccable and the tour was perfect. Once we cleared customs and got our luggage, our driver/tour guide was already waiting for us in arrivals. Let the tour begin!
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Our first stop on the tour was the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. The museum was closed at the time (it was after 8 in the morning), but the grounds offered the most incredible views of the city. (Including the famous la Sagrada Familia.) I hear the views of the city from the rooftop are even more incredible and have already included it as a to-do on my return visit.
Estadi Olímpic
The next stop on our tour was the site of the 1992 Olympic games, Estadi Olímpic. This was my first time visiting a host city, and an exciting experience since the Rio games were starting the same day as our arrival. Even though the games took place over 20 years ago, all of the facilities continue to be fully functional (and renovated as needed) and useable by the residents of the city.
La Sagrada Familia
I was not very familiar with Antoni Gaudi, the architect known for his distinctive style, prior to my trip to Barcelona. Learning about him throughout the day was one thing. Seeing his works all throughout the city? Nothing short of remarkable. Of his most notable works, la Sagrada Familia, the unfinished cathedral, is over 100 years in the making. I only wished we had time to explore inside, but even taking it in from outside was breathtaking. The intricacy alone in the stone is something worth marveling over.
Park Güell
Another Gaudi masterpiece, Park Güell is an immense public park complete with spectacular gardens, amazing architectural works and stunning city views. We opted to stay for an hour and it was definitely not enough time to explore the grounds. I would recommend and plan for my next trip a minimum of 2 hours to explore.
SHOPPING
Like any major European city, Barcelona has great shopping. If you are looking for designer goods, then Passeig de Gracia is the place to go. I planned to go back and do some shopping after our tour was done, but jet lag got the better of me. It was a blessing in disguise really. The street is also home to another extraordinary Gaudi masterpiece, Casa Milà.
Another street famous for its shopping is La Rambla. You can find all sorts of shopping there from street vendors, to department stores and malls to my favorite, the European drugstore.
Casa Milà on Passeig de Gracia
Corte Ingles in Plaça de CatulunyaGETTING AROUND
Barcelona is a fairly walkable city with a great metro system, so it's definitely easy to get around. Taxis are also available in abundance.
SLEEP & EAT
Since this was my first time in Barcelona, staying somewhere centrally located was key. Located near Plaça de Catulunya and La Rambla, Hotel Jazz was perfectly located to sightseeing, dining shopping as well as transportation.
I fell in love with Hotel Jazz in my search and booked it immediately. Even though our stay was only for one night, it was perfect. We had a corner suite that was clean, spacious and very modern. I especially loved the floor to ceiling windows that let in a lot of sunlight. The hotel had plenty of amenities (including a rooftop pool and bar with incredible city views) and the staff was incredibly accommodating.
We had a total of three meals in Barcelona, all at places located near Plaça de Catulunya or on La Rambla. Eating in a touristy area can yield some very interesting results on the dining front, but everything we had was delicious.
OVERALL
I had an incredible time and absolutely loved exploring Barcelona. Of course I wish I had more time, but somehow it was just the right amount of time to get a feel for the city and to know that I would be back to visit again.
Plaça de Catulunya
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