With Michelin-starred restaurants, nine World Heritage sites, some of the world’s most beautiful Gothic and modernist architecture and more than two miles of beaches in one European city, Spain’s Barcelona is like a cross between L.A. and Paris. This charming Mediterranean port city offers visitors a mix of history, fashion, relaxed rhythms and a vibrant, creative energy. Here you can walk from a palm-lined beach to the Barri Gòtic neighborhood and onward to an Art Nouveau–era avenue, all in the course of an afternoon.

  • Perfect for
    Families | Foodies | Romantics | Art Lovers
  • When to go
    December-February | June-August | March-May | September-November
  • Ideal length of stay
    3-5 Nights

Designing Your Journey

Work with Indagare to design the perfect itinerary for an immersive journey. Our travel experts know the destination inside and out, and they can make recommendations based on your travel needs and preferences.

  • 1 Week: Essential Barcelona-LP

    1 Week: Essential Barcelona

    While Barcelona may seem like a laid-back city by the sea, the Catalan capital offers such a range of attractions that travelers can easily fill their trip with an endless array of architecture, art and history. Indagare members can book private guides for exploring the city with insider access from any perspective you might desire – art, architecture, cuisine, design, history, family-friendly, or a combination. Contact our Bookings Team to begin planning a trip to Barcelona.

    • Outdoor pool area at dusk Mandarin Oriental Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

      Day One: Old City

      Take a walking tour that starts at Plaça de Catalunya and the tree-lined central sidewalk Las Ramblas and passes the covered food market Mercat de la Boqueria and the historic opera house, Gran Teatre del Licieu, Plaça Reial, a lively and picturesque plaza and Palau Güell, a private mansion designed by Gaudi. Stroll into the Barri Gotic (Gothic quarter) and get lost in the windy streets, stopping at Santa Maria del Mar, a beautiful 14th-century church. Wander down the trendy Calle Flassaders alleyway on your way to Museu Picasso.

    • Food at Disfrutar Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

      Days Two and Three: Gaudí

      Barcelona is home to so much phenomenal Gaudí architecture, it is best to split up the visits between two days, and punctuate visits to buildings with shopping and stops for tapas. The Gaudí musts include Parc Güell, the hilltop estate designed by Gaudí for the Count Eusebi Güell, which was turned into a public park and boasts extraordinary city views; Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s masterpiece cathedral that remains unfinished to this day; and along the Passeig de Gràcia, Casa Milà (also known as La Pedrera) and Casa Batlló.

    • Day Four: Up & Away

      Head to Montjuïc, the mountain that was the centerpiece of the 1992 Olympic Games and home to the Fundació Joan Miró. Here you can also stroll through the lovely gardens or head to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya to see the outstanding collection of Romanesque and Gothic art. A cable car connects the mountain with the city, making the trip up as fun as the site itself. For more amazing views catch the city’s last surviving tram, Tramvia Blau (the blue tram), from Plaça Kennedy to a funicular that will bring you up to Mount Tibidabo, home to the popular 1901 amusement park Parc d’Atracciones.

Where To Stay

We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand. At many of them, Indagare members receive special perks, including upgrades, early check-in, spa credits, and more. Look for the Indagare Plus logo in the reviews.

  • Member Stories

    “The Majestic Hotel was fantastic. The rooms were perfect: spacious and very well done. Wonderful buffet breakfast! We loved the location and would definitely stay there again. We did a bike tour, which was great fun. Boca Grande was excellent and one of our favorite spots. We had a wonderful guide who took us to the Sagrada Familia, Cathedral and the Olympic site."
    B.K., member since 2016
Indagare's Amelia Osborne Scott
“A bit of magic pervades Barcelona. Some is obvious – this is the city of Gaudí after all – but most is subtle. And as in many layered, centuries-old capitals, the more time you spend in Barcelona, the more it enchants.”

What To See & Do

Ready to go and in need of expert trip planning? Contact us today.

What To Read

Everything we recommend is sourced first-hand by our well-traveled team and incredible network of insiders and resources around the world. Here are some the latest articles, interviews, and book and film recommendations not to be missed.

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