3 Days in Barcelona
The stunning architecture and rich culture and fabulous food is why we recently spent 3 days in Barcelona, Spain, staying at the Casa Camper Barcelona hotel. The Mediterranean waters, strolls on the wide boulevards, and elegant buildings by the native architect Antoni Gaudí, adorns the city with whimsy and flare. A walk through his colossal masterpiece, the towering La Sagrada Família cathedral, was a highlight for us.
Our recent trip to Barcelona, we spent 3 days walking the city, eating amazing Spanish food, shopping, sightseeing, and then taking a cooking class, where we met the Chef for a Boqueria Market Tour. We stayed at the Casa Camper Barcelona hotel and enjoyed the local life and traditions of Barcelona.
3 Days in Barcelona
We arrived in Barcelona 3 days before embarking on a Viking Cruise: Trade Routes Of The Middle Ages
Barcelona to Bergen, so we stayed in the city, about 5 miles from the port. There is so much to do in 3 days in Barcelona, but the weather was perfect (first week of April), and besides walking miles and miles of the city-center, we took a cooking class that we highly recommend!
We learned to make Paella–one of our most favorite Spanish meals. We do love Spanish foods, like our Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Spanish Rice and Spanish-inspired Shakshuka (egg poached in tomato).
With so many things to do, I’m including our favorite must-see attractions the city has to offer. For 3 Days in Barcelona, this post has you covererd where to stay, eat, and what to do! As you can see, the weather was perfect and we work short sleeves (and carried a light sweater). We walked almost everywhere, except an Uber to where the ship was.
Stay at the Casa Camper Barcelona
We stayed at the Casa Camper Barcelona hotel, a 40-room boutique hotel is in a converted 19th-century building near the MACBA, the bustling Boqueria market, and a 5-minute walk from Plaza Cataluña. It’s located just off La Rambla, in the city centre’s vibrant, diverse and historic Raval quarter.
We totally recommend this hotel. It was the perfect location to shopping, to get to the tours we took, plus so many restaurants and sight-seeing and historial buildings. It was also just a taxi ride to the port where our cruise ship was waiting for us on day three! Oh, the rooftop view (above) it out of this world.
Camper Garden King room
This hotel is known for “rooms with a vibe.” We couldn’t agree more. We stayed in a charming Camper Garden King room. From the window, where you can admire the serenity and beauty of a vertical garden, to the bathroom, illuminated with natural light, the shower is part of their ecological commitment: the water used is purified without using chemical substances and is recycled for the cisterns, which contributes to a notable decrease in water consumption, up to 50%. And then, just across the hall, we hadour own private living room. The space is designed for relaxation and entertainment in mind, with a TV, sofa, and a Brazilian hammock. Amazing! But it’s also a great work space if you happen to bring your laptop.
Location
Casa Camper Barcelona is located in the heart of the city, between La Rambla and the Museum of Contemporary Art, within easy walking distance to Plaza de Cataluña, La Boquería, the opera, the cathedral, and major shopping areas.
Tentempié – snack service
Casa Camper offers a 24-7 snack service, giving you hot or cold food and drinks round the clock. It’s free of charge to all guests. We couldn’t believe the generosity!
Honesty Bar
There’s an “honesty bar” up top the building, with spectacular views of the city of Barcelona with a 24/7 self-service bar. You just throw some Euros in the basket if you enjoy a cocktail or a glass of wine.
Cooking class “Make Seafood Paella and Sangria with a Top Chef”
Our cooking class, “Make Seafood Paella and Sangria with a Top Chef” existed of a hands-on cooking experience from the Barcelona Cooking School, and a 4-course traditional Spanish meal in a unique venue in the city historical centre (Barri Gòtic). We first shopped at the Boqueria Market to buy fresh produce for our experience.
Included in the cooking class fee:
- Selected red and white wines from distinguished Spanish wine regions paired with the menu
- Unlimited water
- Use of aprons
- Booklet of recipes
- Market/shopping experience and tour around the market
- Most amazing meal after shopping and cooking, where everyone eats together
Here we learned how to cook Spanish paella, Pan Con Tomate, and Sangria together with about 13 guests in our cooking class. At the end, Chef & Founder of the Paella Barcelona Cooking School, Helina Sanchez, sent us all the recipes so we could make them at home–a very nice surprise!
NOTE: if you plan to take a cooking class, the Boqueria Market is only available from Tuesday to Saturday morning, and the evening of Friday. Though the market is officially open from Monday to Saturday to 8am to 8pm, the reality is that most of the stalls (specially the best ones!) begin closing after 2pm exept for Fridays. We also paid about $111 per ticket/per person for this class, but it was well worth the money.
Book your own tour of the Sagrada Familia
The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona will leave you speechless, a church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Construction started in 1982, and it finally opened in 2010. This temple is the result of the work of genius architect Antoni Gaudí. The first interruption was Gaudí’s accidental death in 1926, when he was hit by a tram. This sudden shock halted the church’s progress for 10 years. After Gaudi’s death, seven other architects have worked on the project.
Here is the tour that we signed up for: Sagrada Familia: Skip the Line Guided Tour. We waited outside at a meeting point, and our guide took us right in. We totally recommend this kind of tour, otherwise you will be standing in line for hours.
Also get tickets for:
Park Güell: If you want to do both this and the Sagrada Família, or the other Gaudí homes, you can get a bundle with this tour, or the Barcelona City Pass.
Tibidabo: A prominent hill located on the outskirts of Barcelona. Its stunning panoramic views of the city and surrounding landscape make it a perfect place to catch the sunset. There is also the Tibidabo Amusement Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.
Casa Milà: This house exhibits Gaudí’s penchant for organic shapes and innovative structural solutions.
Casa Batlló: Only 500m away from Casa Milà. Casa Batlló is a residential building designed by Gaudí and built between 1904 and 1906. It’s also known as the “house of bones.” It’s stunning and we did not get tickets, but walked by and gazed at the charm & design for a long time. You’ll see other tourists doing this as well.
Walk and visit:
La Rambla: At the end of the pedestrian walkway is Plaça de Catalunya, a central square that serves as a hub for both locals and tourists. It marks the boundary between the old city center and the modern area. It has street performers, artists, musicians, and living statues, creating a vibrant and interactive environment, and then the La Boqueria Market.
La Boqueria: One of the oldest markets in Barcelona (started in 1217), is a historic public market that CNN named the best fresh produce market in the world. This is where we shopped for the “paella cooking class” ingredienets.
Where to eat in Barcelona
The options of restaurants in Barcelona are plentiful. You really can’t go wrong with any of the place to enjoy a Spanish meal, with a glass of wine or Sangria. There are over 9,000 restaurants in Barcelona, but here are a few of our favorites.
- Tosca: Tappas all day (see my photos)
- Dos Palillos: Michelin star restaurant, Dos Palillos, blends creative cuisine with Asian gastronomy from Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.
- Dos Pebrots: Mediterranean food in an uncomplicated way.
- Bodega Biarritz
- La Patsa Lab Laboratorio So Pasta
- Caminito Grill Steak House
- Le Romane
- BelleBuon
- Zenith Brunch & Cocktails
- Paisano Bistro
- Bella Italy
- Sips: 3rd best bar in the world in 2022.
This is what we did in 3 days. If we had stayed longer, we would have for gone to the Barceloneta Beach. The sandy shores for swimming are gorgeous, and you can rent a bike to explore the waterfront area. For sure eating ‘paella” on the beach is highly recommended.
More places in Europe you may want to travel to:
We paid for our 3 days in Barcelona, pre-adventure, before jumping on the Viking cruise ship for the Trader Routes of the Middle Ages cruise (Barcelona to Bergen). All opinions are our own.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
