SPAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1384

Today'sBarcelona isasvibrantasever.Locals still joinhandsanddancetheeveryone's-
welcome sardana in front of the cathedral every weekend. Neighborhood festivals jam the
events calendar. The cafés are filled by day, and people crowd the streets at night, pausing
to fortify themselves with a perfectly composed bite of seafood and a drink at a tapas bar.
Every hidden back lane provides shelter for an array of inviting shops. If you're in the mood
to surrender to a city's charms, let it be in Barcelona.
Planning Your Time
Barcelona is easily worth two days, and no one would regret having a third day (or more).
If you can spare only one full day for the city, it can be a scramble but a day you'll never
forget.
Whenplanningyourtime,beawarethatmanytopsightsareclosedonMonday—making
themespeciallycrowdedonTuesdayandSunday(forarundownofhours,see“AtaGlance”
on here ) . Some of Barcelona's major sights can have long lines; it's smart to make advance
reservations. If you're here on a weekend, dance the sardana .
Barcelona in 1 Day
For a relaxing day, stroll the Ramblas, see the Sagrada Família, add the Picasso Museum if
you're a fan, and have dinner in the trendy El Born district.
To cram in much more, try the following ambitious but doable plan. You'll have to rush
through the big sights (cathedral, Picasso Museum, Sagrada Família), having just enough
time to visit each one but not to linger.
9:00 From Plaça de Catalunya (with its handy TI), follow my “Barri Gòtic Walk” and tour the cathedral.
11:00 Circle back to Plaça de Catalunya and follow my self-guided “Ramblas Ramble” to the harborfront.
12:30 Walk along the harborfront to El Born, grabbing a quick lunch and doing a little shopping.
14:00 Tour the Picasso Museum.
16:00 Take a taxi or the Metro to the Sagrada Família.
18:00 Taxi, bus, or walk to Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample to see the exteriors of Gaudí's Casa Milà and the
Block of Discord. Stroll back down toward Plaça de Catalunya.
19:00 If your energy is holding out, wander down the Ramblas again, at prime paseo time. Enjoy an early tapas
dinner in the Eixample or a restaurant dinner later in the Old City.
Barcelona in 2 or 3 Days
To better sample the city's ample charm, spread your visit over several days. With at
least two days, divide and conquer the town geographically: Spend one day in the Old
City (Ramblas, Barri Gòtic/cathedral area, Picasso Museum/El Born) and another on the