Itineraries for Your Trip to Barcelona
3 Days in Barcelona for Foodies
The first thing you notice about Barcelona’s foodie places is their abundance. This city loves its tapas, and if you’re looking for traditional Catalonian fare, you’ll find it, too. But there’s another, trendier side to Barcelona’s cornucopia. It takes just a bit of planning to uncover hidden gems.
I love exploring the city on foot. I find new-to-me architectural gems and bars and restaurants every time I visit, just by aimlessly wandering the picturesque streets. To go further and faster, the local public transport is easy to use—including the buses. From international cuisine to fresh local seafood, rare natural wines to Aperol spritzes by the Barcelona Cathedral, here’s how I would spend three days eating my way around the city.
Barcelona is mostly warm and sunny, with late summer downpours and cool winters.
If you only have time for one thing, make it tapas at El Xampanyet.
Head straight to what is the center of Barcelona’s food universe—La Boqueria market. Located off La Rambla, it’s filled with traditional foods and tiny bars for a vermut. Take in the atmosphere and see where restaurants get their produce—or take a cooking class.
After lunch, walk the short distance to the Gothic Quarter for even more foodie delights at Santa Caterina market. Take a tour and visit trendy El Born neighborhood to see some market-to-table action. While there, nibble tapas at El Xampanyet. Then, stop at bars around the Gothic Quarter, starting with Perikete, Bar del Pla, and Bar Pinotxo.
Sort out your fuzzy head with breakfast—Granja Viader is a great spot for traditional pastries, pan con tomate, and coffee, but if you’re after trendier coffeehouse vibes, Satan’s Coffee Corner makes the best brew in town. Then, head to the sea and grab a natural gelato from Dino.
Barcelona boasts an incredible craft beer scene, so hop on a guided bar crawl and find the best beer spots—some you'd be unlikely to find on your own. If wine’s more your thing, sample local wine and cheese, or take a tour from Barcelona to a local vineyard—tapas and wine included, obviously.
It’s time for some culture. Seek out Barcelona’s unique street art, and see Gaudi’s famous architecture along everyday streets. I always try to squeeze in a traditional flamenco show—upgrade to a tapas ticket for the full experience.
Hungry? I recommend visiting Can Culleretes. An authentic Catalan dining experience, this restaurant has been open since 1786, with the traditional local cuisine to prove it. Just as traditional is Los Caracoles, a typical Catalan restaurant specializing in snails or caragols.
