Living in cold countries, we can’t be blamed for looking for a sunny destination in the boreal winter. From Montreal, you have plenty of non-stop flights, but with the winter holidays, flights are quite expensive.
The costs of lodging in hotels in Barcelona is around 100 € / night with a delicious breakfast included.
Barcelona is a destination coveted by tourists and digital nomads. Therefore, the residents of the city complain about the dramatic increase in accommodation and rents of apartments and rooms.
Walking through the heart of Barcelona, close to the beautiful Boulevard Passeig de Gràcia, just 100 m from Casa Batlló and close to a wide range of shops, restaurants and cultural places, is a fantastic experience.
If you can stay on this boulevard, we recommend you to do so. You will be literally 100 m from the metro station and quite close to Plaça de Catalunya, where you stop the airport bus.
Semblance of Barcelona in a week
As we always do, we did our planning task days in advance, so we were quite prepared for our week in Barcelona. In 7 days we were going to:
- Hanging out at Park Güell
- Stroll through montjuic park
- Visit the Sagrada Familia, the Gothic square and the famous Rambla
- Make sure we go to the beach every day
We’re not going to bore you by listing all the attractions in the city because there are so many : there are tons of websites that do this. But we do want to give useful information, especially if it is your first time in Barcelona.
Climate
First of all, it pleasantly surprises just low of the plane: 17 ° C in the afternoon! This is the sky compared to the Montreal winter.
We love winter and are grateful to live in a four-season country, but it’s always nice to feel warmer temperatures.
Even in winter the temperature is usually 15-20 ° C, with clear skies and perfect weather.
Popular attractions: Parc Güell
Of all the coolest tourist attractions in Barcelona. In the Parc Güell, even if there are many people it is a delight, since the park is so big, that one does not notice the crowd and you could get lost in the lush gardens and find intimacy and excellent places to take pictures.
We recommend you to book your tickets online, so you don’t have to make the boring line to buy tickets at the booth.
Tickets include a 15-minute bus ride, the GÜELL Bus, from Alfonso X metro station to the park entrance.
The entrance costs 10 € / person and offers access to the Casa del Guarda, the Concierge pavilion, the monumental staircase, the Austrian Gardens, the Hypostyle Room, the Portico de la Lavandera and the Plaça de la Natura. Admission does not include a visit to the Gaudí House Museum, which costs €5.5 more.
The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site designed by Antoni Gaudí, the greatest architect of Catalan Modernism.
Cathedral of the Holy Family
Also by Gaudí is the Cathedral of the Sagrada Familia. The unique and imposing cathedral was left unfinished by Gaudí.
This UNESCO Heritage Site is definitely a must for those who visit Barcelona.
The huge basilica was consecrated in 2010 by Benedict XVI.
Gaudí worked at the Sagrada Familia until his death in 1926. The project is still under construction and is expected to be completed by 2026.
Again, if you want to visit it, buy the tickets online. Its price is from 20 €/person.
Montjuic Park
Another great place to escape the bustling city is Montjuic Park.
Montjuïc is one of the green lungs of Barcelona and one of its best viewpoints. This small world of history, gardens, museums, cultural centers and Olympic facilities makes it unique.
The imposing hill that occupies from the neighborhood of Sants faces towards the port and offers you a stunning urban landscape.
This place is full of history and attractions, which will occupy most of the day.
There is a cable car that takes you to the port.
Beaches
If you go in summer, you can not miss the beaches. Although they are crowded, you may be able to see a celebrity.
Even in winter, there were many people, relaxing, playing volleyball and enjoying the sun. Some were brave enough to swim in the sea, because in winter the waters are cold.
The port is very pleasant to walk around, with a variety of restaurants. Here is a cable car that communicates with the Parc Montjuïc.
The city can be overwhelming, so don’t forget to take a walk on the beach to recharge.
Arc de Triomphe, Gothic square
The Arc de Triomphe, Casa Batlló, Gothic Square, Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi and the famous Rambla can be visited on the same day on foot.
I also recommend you take a walk along the beautiful boulevard of Colom until you reach the Mirador de Colom, a monument of 60 m high at the end of La Rambla. The wide boulevard is full of palm trees on both sides with nice views over the harbour.
Gastronomy
Here the problem will be to keep you in shape. You will eat tapas every day!
The price is reasonable, from 3 € – 4 € / tapas and going up to 10 € -15 € if you ordered seafood. If you want to visit one of the famous restaurants, book in advance if you can. If not take a chance, but there will always be people waiting outside.
Be sure to visit the Bubo dessert shop in the Gothic Quarter. My God, the cakes are delicious! You can’t go wrong no matter what you choose.
A tip: you can buy the Restopolitan card, which is perfect for a lunch/dinner for two. The least expensive meal will be deducted from the bill. The card costs €9.99/month and right now can be used in Spain, France, Italy and Luxembourg. It’s worth it.
Transport
Staying in the city center is definitely a plus. You can’t use the subway every day, which, let’s face it, isn’t the greatest joy in such a populous city.
However, you need transportation for certain attractions such as Parc Güell, Montjuic Park or even to go to the beach. If you are staying in the heart of the city and you like to walk we recommend you to take the 10-trip ticket that costs 11,35 €.
From the airport you take the Aerobus for 5,90 € / person.
Conclusions
Barcelona is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Europe, and knowing it all in a week is Mission Impossible. But you can take a good look at what this dynamic metropolis is in 7 days.
But as always, you must plan in advance and carefully choose the sites to visit and the logistics of accommodation and transfer.
Hopefully this note will be useful to you.
