The best of España.

START IN THE CENTRAL.

MADRID.

HEAD NORTH.

GALICIA.

TAKE A DRIVE.

Pass through Salamanca/Asturias and/or Ribera del Duero

EXPLORE RIOJA.

SAN SEBASTIAN.

FLY TO CATALUNYA.

BARCELONA.

CADAQUES/COSTA BRAVA.

EL PENEDES & PRIORAT WINE REGIONS.

FINISH WITH THE BEST OF THE SOUTH.

SEVILLE.

NERJA.

GRANADA.

HELVA.

JEREZ.

YOUR PERFECT WEEK IN BCN.

Explore the classic sights and local favorites with this guide by THINK LESS. TRAVEL MORE'S expert on all things Spain, Jackie B.

WHERE TO STAY.

Rent an apartment in the Poblenou neighborhood, preferably close to the Rambla (not to be confused with it’s famous cousin in the city center).

Poblenou is a thriving, local neighborhood that is reinventing itself as a more cosmopolitan destination while still retaining it’s strong roots and family-centric vibe. It’s close to the water and has all the restaurants you could ask for. Nightlife is a little sleepy, but you’re not far from the city center, making it the perfect jump off for your week in Barcelona.

DAY-BY-DAY.

Day 1: Gaudi & The Gracia Neighborhood

• Get up early, and walk to the Sagrada Familia, visible from many vantage points in the city. Depending on the route you take, you’ll pass the national theater (Teatre Nacional de Catalunya). Buy your tickets in advance, so you can waltz right in.
• Afterwards, walk up to Parc Guell through the Gracia neighborhood. Make sure you cut through Plaça de la Revolución, where you can stop to grab a coffee, pastry, and cigarette, if that’s your thing, just as the Spaniards do.
• At the top of the square is Carrer Verdi, in the heart of Gracia and lined with cute bars and shops, which you’ll take all the way up(hill!) to Parc Guell.
• After taking in the inspired park sights and sprawling Barcelona vistas, walk back down the way you came and make your way to the main drag in Gracia, the Passeig de Gracia, where two more famous Gaudi buildings lie: Casa Battlo and La Pedrera.
• Find El Nacional, an old train station turned bar and restaurant art deco funhouse, and unwind with some tapas and your drink of choice.
• Take the nearby yellow line back to Poblenou and enjoy your first dinner at Can Recasens, a Catalan staple that specializes in local cured meats, cheeses and with a great salad menu to balance it all out.

Day 2: BEACH MIXER.

• Take the yellow line back towards the center and get out at Barceloneta where you can spend some time walking along the beach and stopping for drinks as the spirit moves you.
• Once lunch time rolls around, head to Kaiku and enjoy the beach view. Get the rice!
• Take the funicular to Montjuic to admire the beach from a different perspective and take in spectacular views of the city.
• Head to Barceloneta where you can roam the backstreets until it's time to start the tapas crawl at Bar L’Electricitat for conservas and vermouth. Next, make sure you hit La Cova Fumada and then continue on wherever else is signless and dimly lit but has a throng of old Spanish men chain smoking outside.
• If you’re into clubbing and want to drop some cash, you can stay on the beach to do so at spots like Opium or the W Hotel, but it’s probably a better idea to head back towards the center to check out some bars in the Raval or Born neighborhoods.

Day 3: EXPLORE SITGES.

When in Barcelona during the warmer months, make sure you go to Sitges, a beautiful, historical town on the sea 30 minutes to the south on the inexpensive tram line. You can relax on the beach, eat in one of the great restaurants, and check out the booming nightlife - especially if you’re LGBT.

Many locals skip town to hang out here once summer hits.  Stay to go out until sunrise or just go for the day - you can make it back for dinner or to go out. The commuter rail stops running around 11:45 PM (in the summer, there’s a late bus). Sitges is VERY worth the trip beginning in about April or May until October, so keep that in mind.

DAY 4: EXPLORE BARCELONA'S PUBLIC SPACES.

• Head up to Tibidabo, the amusement park at the very tip top of the city that you can see from almost anywhere.
• Afterwards, check out the Labyrinth park in the Horta neighborhood.
• You can also hit some of the great museums - our favorites are the Fundacion Joan Miro and the Palau Nacional. Visiting both of those will mean you get to visit Montjuic in more depth, which is well worth it.
• For dinner you can cruise Carrer de Blai for tapas, in the Poble Sec neighborhood just under Montjuic. Hit Quimet i Quimet for sure, and whatever else strikes your fancy.
• Afterwards, head back towards Montjuic to the open air Terrazza dance club, where you can party your face off til dawn (and probably well after).

DAY 5: THE HEART OF BARCELONA.

You’ve already had the pleasures of walking up and down the beautiful and peaceful Rambla in Poblenou, so now you’ll have to experience the real deal. Watch your pockets and bags, and head into the city center to stroll down the famous La Rambla.

Off to the side is the famous La Boqueria market, where you can roam through, buying whatever snacks you like. Big sights in the area include the Placa de Catalunya, the National Cathedral, and the winding backstreets of the Barri Gotic, El Born, and El Raval neighborhoods.

There are countless little boutiques and restaurants to explore - just make sure you don’t eat on La Rambla, whatever you do. To go out, you should check out Marula rock club, which is nestled among tons of other bars you can bounce between.

Consider a road trip.

Spain is so diverse in every way, and the best way to see the whole country is to drive through it. It’s small enough that you could tackle it in a few weeks, but large enough that you’ll see a wealth of different things.

EXPLORE THE BASQUE COUNTRYSIDE.

Trek or bike through the Basque countryside, end in San Sebastian, and replenish your energy with a pintxos crawl.

CATALUNYA FORAGING.

Go mushroom hunting during the fall in Catalunya. Explore more itineraries for the foodie in our "Spain By Interest" guide.

SPANISH BULLFIGHT.

If you can stomach it, go to a bullfight. Deep Spain is on full display at these events, and the fights themselves can be strangely mesmerizing. Seats in the shade are more comfortable, but the sun is where the real old school characters hang out. Sevilla is the best city to take in the tradition, but Madrid is good too.

GO HIKING.

• If you’re a hiker, considering skipping the border to the Catalan principality of Andorra. The city doesn’t have much to show for itself, but the hiking in the Pyrenees is unparalleled.

• The Camino de Santiago is another famous trek that’s well worth it. To get off the main (read: crowded) track, head west on the northern route, which is much more rugged, isolated, and will bring you to the sea.

VISIT WINE COUNTRY.

You can visit the beautiful and famous Rioja wine region, but consider going to smaller, less visited regions instead. Our favorite is the rugged, high-altitude Priorat in Catalunya. It’s close to the beach, too.

TRADE "LA RAMBLA" FOR "THAT OTHER RAMBLA".

Rather than cruising famous La Rambla in the center of Barcelona, check out the Rambla in the Poblenou neighborhood, just a few metro stops to the east. It’s just as old, just as beautiful, 100% more local and less crowded with tourists, and has a glut of incredible restaurants. Explore our Travel More. Guide to Barcelona for more things to do in our favorite Spanish cit.

GO SURFING.

Do you surf? Go to Asturias, and afterwards wind down with a glass of local sidra. Check out our "Best of Spain: Beaches" Itinerary for more ideas.

SKIP MARBELLA & HEAD TO NERJA.

Do not go to Marbella. Almost any other city on the Costa del Sol can be worth it, but do not go to the over-developed playground of Saudi oil magnates. The Costa del Sol, in general, is pretty overdeveloped and can represent the ugliest of Spain’s rapid modernization. The weather is consistently the best in the country, though. Try the whitewashed, smaller city of Nerja instead.

DON'T OVERLOOK GRANADA.

Granada, its tapas crawls, and the Alhambra are famous for a reason. If you like history, food, and stunning views, this is a must-do.

MADRID'S MUSEUMS.

If you’re into museums, Madrid is the place to go. The Prado and the Reina Sofia are musts for any art buffs.

THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLY.

For hardcore nightlife, Madrid edges out Barcelona. Barcelona has a reputation as a party city that’s completely undeserved - in a good way. There are plenty of options to go out, but really, Catalans are more about hanging out at neighborhood bars and avant garde parties. The clubs are for tourists and abroad students. If you’re into clubbing, local style, Madrid is a better option.

Explore our "Best of Spain: Nightlife" Itinerary for more suggestions to stay social in España.