24 Hours Exploring Barcelona, Spain

After disembarking from our cruise ship, we checked into our hotel—The Cotton House Hotel—and dropped off our luggage before wandering over to La Rambla for a cup of coffee and a meander to the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Arc de Triomf. We loved drinking our to-go coffee while wandering this beautiful city. After walking to the Arc de Triomf, we started our journey over to Basílica de la Sagrada Família, arriving an hour before our tour. We grabbed lunch at Tuscania Mediterranean Food & Wine - Sagrada Familia, where we had a delicious meal and sangria!

Cathedral of Barcelona

Arc de Triomf in Barcelona

Our tour of Sagrada Família was fantastic—the guide was extremely knowledgeable and the church is beautiful! It is not finished yet, and no one knows when it will be finished, but it is so incredibly beautiful. We loved hearing the history of the various architects and Antoni Gaudí, who has a fascinating history.

Inside the Sagrada Família

We walked from Sagrada Família to Park Güell, which was not for the faint of heart. I highly recommend taking public transportation or a taxi between the two sites, however we did not heed my own advice. Once we arrived at Park Güell, we met our guide with our audio systems so we could learn about Antoni Gaudí and the development of the park. It is beautiful and I recommend spending at least an hour or two exploring the various buildings (some buildings have an additional cost to enter).

Inside Park Güell

Park Güell

View of Sagrada Família from Park Güell

We had reservations at one of my favorite paella restaurants; however, after a long day and lots of walking, we cancelled the reservation and ate at our hotel instead. The Cotton House Hotel, a historic cotton manufacturer, has a great virtual tour you can scan once you enter to learn about the history behind the hotel—everything from the library to the art displayed to the location of the hotel. They have a great rooftop pool and view of Sagrada Família, and the Batuar Restaurant was delicious. The Batuar Restaurant offers local specialities (delicious sangria) and a variety of dietary allergy-friendly options. The restaurant’s bartender and bar made the best old fashioned and chocolate martini we have experienced.

At the Batuar Restaurant, on the patio

Some of the best sangria we had was at the Cotton House Hotel

• We visited in April and it was hot, but if you bring a personal fan and sun protection, it is doable.

• Ensure you have great walking shoes as you will be on your feet a lot if exploring the Sagrada Família and Park Güell.

• If you are staying on La Rambla, confirm construction is complete; it can get very noisy and chaotic with the amount of construction.

• Get tickets early for Sagrada Família and Park Güell. Ensure you have enough time to get from one to the other in time to meet your tour (they will leave without you). It was about a 45-minute walk or a quick taxi–I definitely recommend the taxi as you will be walking outside at Park Güell and on your feet at Sagrada Família.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Barcelona page.