One Day in Barcelona: Park Güell, the Sagrada Família, and Where I'd Actually Spend My Time

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Spain was never really on my list. My then-girlfriend, now wife, was studying in Graz, and we'd been doing long distance for a long time. Graz isn't much fun, so we decided to meet somewhere in the middle, and Spain just felt like a good place to travel. We did Valencia first, then took the train to Barcelona. (September 2022.)

Back then I only went where everyone goes. These days I'd rather wander the areas where people actually live (safe ones, of course). But really local places come with their own problems: hardly any hotels, I hate Airbnbs, and food is harder to find. So this was the famous-places version of me, and this is the one full day we had in Barcelona, in the order we did it. Prices are updated for 2026.

The night before: Arc de Triomf

Our hotel was in El Born, so the first evening was a walk past the Arc de Triomf into the old town. Honestly, I don't remember much from that night apart from the crowds. Around the Arc de Triomf it smelled a lot of weed, but I guess that happens in most big European cities.

10:00 Sagrada Família, outside first

Our ticket to go inside wasn't until 4pm, so we started with the outside. The best photo spot is the little park across the street, where you get the whole thing between the trees. Walk around the back too. It's just as pretty, and even seeing only the outside takes longer than you'd think.

10:45 Park Güell, the part I still think about

I had zero expectations for this place. I went anyway because what else are you going to do all day? Just drink? Haha. The walk up is uphill and you'll wonder if you're going the right way. Keep going.

It turned out to be the most beautiful man-made place I've ever been to.

Yes, the tiles, the lizard and the colours are fascinating. But what got me was the view: the whole city, then the sea, then the horizon. Gaudí looked at this hill and decided he was going to build something here. I sat on the bench for 30 minutes just living it. It was the best time I had in all of Spain, and I still think about it a lot.

• €18, timed slot, online only (parkguell.barcelona). You can get in up to 30 minutes after your slot starts.
• Go in the morning. There's not much shade.
• Plan on about 1.5 hours, or closer to 3 if you take as many bench photos as I did.

13:00 Lunch in Gràcia: menú del día

From Park Güell we walked down into Gràcia and had a menú del día at Cal Boter: a starter, a main and a dessert for €13.50 back then (around €16 now). It wasn't mind-blowing, but the place was packed with locals, and it felt like seeing how people here actually eat lunch. Dessert was the best part. Menú del día is a weekday lunch thing, and most neighbourhood restaurants have one. Walk a block or two away from the big sights and the prices change completely.

16:00 Sagrada Família, inside

Going in the afternoon was the right call. The sun comes through the stained glass, blue and green on one side and orange and red on the other. It's beautiful. But for me, nothing beats the Vatican. In the end it's a tall building with amazing glass art.

If you're Catholic, go in. It's a must. If you're short on time or money, the outside is still very beautiful, and you can skip the hassle of booking early.

• From €26 online (sagradafamilia.org), €36 with a tower. Timed slots, so book 2 to 4 weeks ahead in high season.
• The central Tower of Jesus Christ was finished in 2026, so it looks a lot taller now than in my photos.

20:00 Quimet & Quimet

We finished the day at Quimet & Quimet in Poble-sec. It's tiny and standing only, the walls are covered in bottles, and they pile tinned seafood and everything else onto little pieces of bread. The atmosphere was so good, and everything we ate was tasty.

• Carrer del Poeta Cabanyes 25. It opens at noon and fills up fast, so go early or expect to wait.

Where I stayed: Chic&Basic Born

Pretty nice overall: good service, good rooms. The design is a little unique, so moving around the room felt a bit awkward, but I'd still call it a good stay. The area felt safe, just very crowded.

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