The Perfect Weekend In Barcelona On a Budget!

Outline of the Intinerary:

  • Day one: Breakfast at ‘The Coffee House”, Gothic Quarter, Cathedral, Ciutadella Park, Parc Guell,
  • Day Two: Picnic at the beach day, MOCO museum, Bunkers
  • Day Three: Flea Market, Walking Tour, La Sagrada Familia, Speakeasy

Barcelona, the vibrant capital of Catalonia, is the perfect destination for budget travellers who want to visit a major city for a weekend or as part of a longer trip! The city offers a treasure trove of attractions which cater to every taste and interest. It has everything to offer; from high rise city life with luxurious roof-top pools and bars, to beautiful historical architecture (‘La Sagrada Familia!’), amazing designer and vintage shopping and even a beach escape on those days where it’s just too hot to sight-see!

Barcelonas culinary scene boats an array of tantalising yet highly affordable dinner options, from traditional tapas bars to cozy cafes serving up hearty Catalan food. Budget airlines provide easy access from across Europe and even over the Atlantic – my flight only cost £20! Hotels can often be more on the expensive side, but don’t be too put off if you’re trying not to break the bank – you can find a bargain on Airbnb (keep reading for some examples) and even stay in a hostel that can give you the opportunity to meet like-minded travellers to explore Barcelona with if you are taking a solo-trip!

Here I have laid out the perfect itinerary for a budget weekend in Barcelona that allows you to make the absolute most of everything within a limited time frame and budget…..


DAY ONE:

Your first day in Barcelona has to begin with the best value breakfast combo to really set you up for the day. At ‘The Coffee House’, which has two locations (quite close together just incase the first one you go to is full), you can get the ‘Fitness’ meal for only €8! This price includes Avocado Toast, yogurt with fruits and granola, fresh juice and coffee, and it’s the perfect size for one person. 

Breakfast at ‘The Coffee House’

Now that you have some energy, I would head straight to explore Barcelona’s iconic Gothic Quarter. Here, you can visit Cetedral de Barcelona (which is 9 Euros per adult). However, if you visit ‘for worship’ (between 8:30am – 12:30pm, and then 5:45pm – 7:30pm on weekdays and 8:30am – 12:30pm and 5:15pm – 8:00pm on Saturdays), then admission is completely free!

  • Alternatively, you can walk under Bishop’s Bridge, visit Plaça de Rei, stroll around Plaça Reial and visit Agustus Temple’s Roman Ruins (all of which are totally free to do!).
The Gothic Quarter

By mid-afternnon, you might be exhausted from walking around in the hot sun and be ready for some food. You could grab some food at a restaurant like ‘La Fabrica del Taco’, and then venture down to ‘Ciutadella’ Park, grab an ice cream for dessert and take in the beautiful setting. It’s a great experience to rent a rowing boat in the bright blue water – these cost 6 Euros for two people (so only 3 Euros each) for thirty minutes, which is a perfect amount of time and totally worth the cost.

Fountains at Ciutadella Park

On your way back to your hotel for some much-needed rest, pay ‘Parc Guell’ a visit. Antoni Gaudi is an iconic architect in Barcelona and seeing his work is a must-do activity.  Children under 6 are free, but a general ticket costs 10 Euros. It’s quite a big walk up a steep hill to get there, so make sure you bring water and comfortable shoes, if you have mobility issues then it may be best to take a taxi.

Parc Guell – Gaudi

By the end of an amazing first day, you’re inevitably going to be excited to take advantage of Barcelona’s bustling food scene…

  • ‘ De Nani’ has amazing oven-fired pizza starting at only 3.5 Euros!
  • ‘Bar Lobo’ offers afforable and delicious tapas in the centre of Barcelona, only 5 minutes from La Ramblas.  

DAY TWO:

I have always believed that the second day of a weekend trip simply must be relaxed, the last thing you want is to be so exhausted that you miss things off on your last day and come home from the trip needing another holiday to recover!

One of my favourite things I did in Barcelona was to head to Lidl or any other supermarket, pick up some bread, cheese, cured meat, fruit and drinks and take my picnic down to the beach! Barcelona is typically viewed as a city break but is also a fantastic coastal city. Most people head down to Barceloneta beach, which is a great option, but I would recommend Placa del Catalunya as a quieter, scenic alternative. Take some time to sun bathe, swim in the sea, listen to some music and take in what an amazing time you’re having. 

Once you’re ready to head back into the city, I would head on down to the MOCO Museum. It’s such a fun activity which allows you to take a break from the sun and see some awe-inspiring art. You don’t need to book in advance, but tickets cost 18.95 Euros for adults and 14.95 Euros for under 17s, they can be slightly cheaper if you do book online. Although it isn’t the cheapest activity in Barcelona, I would say it’s totally worth it. However, for a more budget friendly alternative, the Design Museum and the National Art Museum of Catalonia are completely free to explore.

For dinner, you have endless options. ‘Gonzalez and co’ serves casual and affordable Mexican food, or, if you’re looking for something slightly more upmarket, La Pita Bonita is a mid-range restaurant with delicious Mediterranean food that I can personally attest is worth every penny.

Depending on whether you want to adopt the Spanish late-eating style or prefer to have dinner earlier, either after or before your meal you should indulge in the favourite activity for Locals and tourists alike – watching the sun set over this beautiful city at ‘Bunkers del Carmel’. I would recommend you arrive about 30 minutes before the sun is due to set so that you can secure a good viewing spot before it gets too busy. Bear in mind that reaching this destination requires some relatively heavy walking. 


DAY THREE:

The first thing I would do on my last morning in Barcelona would be to have a relaxed, traditional breakfast after a good lie in. Take a stroll around your hotel/hostel and you will be sure to find a quaint café with friendly staff and great food and coffee in no time.

I am personally a sucker for vintage shopping and finding a hidden gem. The Flea Market in Barcelona is massive, iconic and has everything you could ever want! It’s honestly so fun just to browse if you’re limited on luggage space or just don’t fancy making any purchases, be sure to haggle and you can score some antiques, clothes, sunglasses etc for great prices. It can look slightly overwhelming overwhelming at first but get stuck in and have a good root around! They also have some great seafood on offer in the same building which is a great shout for lunch or an afternoon snack. 

However, if you’re not quite sure on what you want to eat, I would continue with the market theme and head over to ‘La Boqueria’ – which is a great food market with fresh fruit, smoothies, desserts, tapas, oysters, croquettes, and everything else you can possibly imagine. They have loads of things in ‘mini’ version so you can try out a bit of everything!

After you’ve had lunch, there’s plenty of time left in the day to get some culture in, so join in a “free” walking tour so that a local can show you the highlights. The tour isn’t necessarily “free”, it comes with the expectation of tipping the tour guide 5-10 Euros, which is a really reasonable price for their hard work and insider knowledge. These often need to be booked in advance online but they are always happening throughout the day so you won’t struggle to find one!

We’ve saved the best and most iconic activity for last. A trip to Barcelona would not be complete without a visit to ‘La Sagrada Familia’, another one of Gaudi’s masterpieces. Construction work remains ongoing but is expected to be finished by 2026 and does not even remotely detract from the beauty of the building. Be sure to bring headphones so that you can download the app which has a deeply insightful audio guide, it is quite difficult to navigate without this. It is really important to book tickets in advance – this is probably the most popular experience in Barcelona. The base price for a ticket is 26 Euros, but is truly one of the best experiences I have ever had.

Afterwards, visit another amazing restaurant such as: ‘Can Vilaro’, ‘Senyor Vermut’ or Bocatini (where you can get a decisions meal and a drink for only 11 Euros).

You can reflect on your weekend by spending your final night in Barcelona in one of it’s iconic speakeasy bars. I recommend ‘L’Ovella Negra’ or ‘Bar Manchester’ if you’re looking for a cheap, student-like vibe, but there are some really interesting bars such as ‘Paradiso’ or ‘Bankers Bar’ if you’re looking for something more interesting.

  • Try not to drink too much, you wouldn’t want to spend your flight home hungover!
Bar 33/45 – A great Speakeasy
La Boqueria Market

Be mindful of these facts during your time:

  • The metro is so easy to navigate, although Ubers can be cheap, don’t waste money on taxis when everywhere is so easily accessible via public transport.
  • If you have more time than just a weekend, doing a day trip to Girona or Costa Brava would be an amazing way to make your trip extra exciting.
  • It’s always okay to leave something to come back for! The city has so much to do.