The places I send friends to, pinned by neighbourhood. Tap a pin or a name for the details, and open anything in Google Maps for directions.
Neighbourhoods
Pick a neighbourhood, spend the day there
Barcelona is a city of villages. Take it one area at a time: each of these is a half day to a full day, with the metro and your feet doing the rest.
Barcelona
Barcelona, the way I’d show a friend
Tell me how long you have and what you like. You get a day-by-day plan built from the places I send my friends to, with hidden gems mixed in.
Day trips
Leave the city for a day
Plotted by direction from Plaça Catalunya and by travel time. Tap one to read more, then add it to your plan.
Where to stay
Pick a base near the metro and the neighbourhood you like
Most areas below are within 20 minutes of the Gothic Quarter. Choose by the kind of evenings you want and how much you mind hills.
Must-try food
What to actually order
My own shortlist, by kind of dish. Not a directory of restaurants — pair it with the Explore tab and the Eat and Coffee categories for where to find them.
Run Barcelona
Don’t just run in Barcelona. Run Barcelona.
A running menu for the city: beachfront miles, hill climbs in Montjuïc and Collserola, and neighbourhood loops that end at a coffee, a bakery or a swim. Say how far, what kind of run and where, then pick one.
Practical tips
What I wish someone had told me
Rules and prices change, so double-check anything important (metro fares, opening hours, train timetables) on official sites before you go.
Opening times change. Check Google Maps before you go, especially for small bars and cafés. · Guide version 16 Oct 2026