On our way to Mallorca in May of 2024, my family and I had a layover in Barcelona, Spain. I’d argue that it’s possible to see the city’s major sites even without an overnight stay. Read on to find out what we got up to and what I recommend!
The hotel we stayed at is called Seventy Barcelona. It’s of course possible to find cheaper accommodations, but we were really drawn to this place and wanted to experience it for ourselves. It’s common for European hotel rooms to only fit 2 people, so we booked two rooms for the four of us.
Once we were checked in we headed to brunch at a spot called Cremat 11 – my mom had discovered this on Instagram and saw that they had passionfruit pancakes. Passionfruit is my favorite fruit, and I am very happy to say that these pancakes fully delivered.
We walked around the Gothic Quarter for a bit before heading to one of Barcelona’s most popular sites, Park Guell. Designed by Antoni Gaudi, the space is a complex of parks and gardens that was originally meant to be a residential development. You might recognize it as the site of the steps from Cheetah Girls 2.
Fully exploring the park involves a lot of walking, so you’ll definitely want comfortable shoes. There are a limited number of tickets each day that operate on a timed-entry system, so it’s important to purchase them in advance. Tickets are quite pricey at 40 euros (~$47) per person, but it’s worth it if you give yourself adequate time to explore.
Next, we took the bus to visit Barcelona’s most famous landmark, La Sagrada Familia. It’s hard to put into words just how massive this building is. The basilica was also designed by Gaudi and has been under construction since 1882 (and it’s *still* not finished)!! We did not go inside in the interest of time/money, but I have heard that the stained glass inside is gorgeous and worth seeing. Tickets to go inside are incredibly pricey at 70 euros (~$82) per person and should also be purchased in advance. If you can manage to get a reservation for the rooftop bar at Sercotel Rossellon, you will have the most incredible view of the basilica from eye-level.
For dinner we shared a bunch of appetizers at Restaurant La Taverna del Coure in the Gothic Quarter. There are a lot of incredible restaurants in this area, so you can always walk around until you find one you like. For more of a breezy, coastal dining experience, Restaurante Julieta’s looks fantastic. We just didn’t have the energy to stay out this night, but if we had we would have gone for drinks at Paradiso, Orient Express, or Dow Jones.
The next morning we had an incredible breakfast at our hotel. We also explored the rooftop pool and lounge area – on a warmer day, this would be an incredible spot to hang out! After breakfast we collected our things and headed to the airport to fly on to Mallorca.
Barcelona is an incredible city, but it does get extremely busy particularly during tourist seasons. It’s important to book in advance if you want to see any of the major sites. The public transit system is very well-connected, so it’s easy to get around the city and explore even on a shorter layover, although the airport is quite a way from the city center.
I hope these recommendations are helpful! If you are looking for a travel advisor to help you book your own trip, please reach out to courtney.brooks@fora.travel.
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