Handmade espadrilles, gastro tapas and sandy walks… How to spend 48 hours in Barcelona
If stunning architecture, tasty food, vintage steals and glorious sunshine sound good to you, this Spanish city is not to be missed
SUN, sand, sea and culture all parceled up in one city break. Sounds too good to be true right?
Barcelona will make you think again...
Get to know Gaudi
Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí reshaped Barcelona in the early 20th century.
If you only see one of his works, make it Sagrada Familia. Entry to the extraordinary, yet still unfinished, cathedral costs £13.
Its elaborate exterior starkly contrasts with the minimalist interior.
Another Gaudí masterpiece is modernist apartment building . Entry is £19, but you can climb to the ornate roof and peer through an arch that frames the distant cathedral.
Finish your day feasting in one of Gaudí’s earliest works, . The restaurant has beautiful tiled interiors and exquisite Mediterranean fare.
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Go Goth
Dodge the crowds as you walk down the city’s most famous promenade – the pedestrianised La Rambla – then detour to the nearby Carrer d’Avinyó, a boutique-filled street, to pick up handmade espadrilles at .
Meander through the Gothic Quarter’s medieval lanes, finishing up at Plaça del Pi – a square lined with cafes, antique shops and the occasional artists’ market.
Soak up the sun
Sip a cerveza at one of the pop-up bars on La Barceloneta beach, 20 minutes walk from La Rambla, as you watch beach volleyball, weightlifting or even a chess competition on the sand.
Or find solace at the in the Montjuïc district. Entry is £10 and you can wander between colourful sculptures by surrealist Catalan artist Miró in the Sculpture Garden.
Later, take the metro to the Gaudi-designed . Entry to the park is £10, with a great city view from its terraces.
Shop the markets
Pick up ingredients for a picnic lunch at .
The city’s most famous food market is open 8am to 8.30pm, Monday to Saturday.
Or stock up at nearby Mercat de Santa Caterina, with vendors selling olives, cheese and bread every day except Sunday from 7.30am.
Then browse 500 stalls with everything from vintage tees to antique cutlery at Els Encants Vells.
This flea market at Carrer de los Castillejos opens from 9am, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Taste the tapas
Focus your tapas-bar crawl on the chic El Born district, adjacent to the Gothic Quarter.
Start at and squeeze in at communal tables for delicious patatas bravas, truffled eggs and calamari.
Then choose from 17 stalls at the Tapas Market at .
Finally, finish up at with gastro tapas at – think smoked anchovies and aubergines with honey. Mmm!
Catch some Zzzs
Perfectly positioned on the border of the Gothic Quarter and the Born District, the white rooms at have leather and gold accents, making them feel more decadent than its three-star price tag might suggest.
Oh, and there’s a rooftop bar and Jacuzzi, too… Doubles cost from £85, room only. cost from £28.
If Spanish sunshine appeals to you, you might be interested in how to spend 48 hours in Seville, too.