Barcelona reminds me of sunny days where it always feels like summer. The sea, the beach, the palm trees and the sun all year round make Barcelona the perfect city! If you are planning a city break in Barcelona on a budget and need some advice, you came to the right place!
Table of contents
- About Barcelona
- Best time to visit Barcelona
- How to get to Barcelona
- Where to stay in Barcelona (Budget friendly)
- Things to see in Barcelona on a budget
- Getting around Barcelona
- Where to eat & drink in Barcelona
- Barcelona daily budget
- Day trips from Barcelona
About Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid and it is the capital of the autonomous community of Catalonia. Barcelona is the biggest city on the Mediterranean Sea with around 2524 hours of sunshine in a year. The city is famous for its stunning architecture. Some of the most famous places are the Sagrada Familia church designed by Antoni Gaudi and Park Güell, a public park composed of gardens and architectural elements situated on the Carmel Hill.
Best time to visit Barcelona
The city is visited all year round because of its amazing temperatures, making each season just as magical. Personally, I have visited Barcelona in summer, winter and spring so I can guarantee that the best time to visit Barcelona is anytime!
Summertime in Barcelona gets pretty hot, so visiting in early summer or end of summer is ideal for exploring the city without getting a heat stroke. September in the perfect month for exploring but also swimming if you are looking for a proper summer vacation.
Early spring in Barcelona means wearing a long sleeved shirt and dipping your toes in the Mediterranean while drinking a beer on the Playa de la Barceloneta. However, the night strolls will require a light jacket which means you will be traveling light! April is great for a weekend getaway before the heat comes in.
If the heat isn’t your thing and you prefer to travel in the winter, January is the month for you. With the temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius, Barcelona is definitely not on the list of the coldest cities in Europe! Bring a lighter jacket for daytime and a bit more layers for the night and you will be alright. Ps. I have never seen as many bare legs in January as in Barcelona! The city in the winter months isn’t as crowded. This means that the lines will be much smaller which will give you more time to visit everything you want.
How to get to Barcelona
Barcelona’s international airport is the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport situated 12km from the city centre. The first time I visited I was flying from Venice with Vueling to this airport. The second largest airport is the Girona Airport where I landed with Ryan Air flying from Thessaloniki. Girona Airport is 75km from Barcelona so you should definitely check which airport you will be landing in. From Girona Airport you can take the bus to Barcelona. This option might be more suitable for the travellers who want to travel to Barcelona on a budget.
Another way of getting to Barcelona is by ferry. Since I was traveling to Barcelona with school, we took a ferry from Civitavecchia to Barcelona which takes about 20h. The ferry is amazing because you have all kinds of things to do on it. There is a bar, a restaurant, another bar on the deck with a small pool a game room…
The third way of getting to Barcelona is the road. Taking the bus is one option. I tried it and it is a pretty long drive, especially from Croatia (16h without stopping). My wish is to make a road trip all the way to Spain but the costs would probably be pretty high in comparison to other types of transport. If you made a road trip from anywhere in Europe to Spain, I would love to hear your experiences so leave them in the comments!
Where to stay in Barcelona on a budget
If you read my blog already you know that expensive accommodation is not in my budget. Since I traveled to Barcelona three times in three different occasions I will give you some insight on where I stayed.
Airbnb is the first option where you can find rooms and apartments in a various range of prices. My first visit was with my family. We stayed in an amazing Airbnb right on Las Ramblas, the main pedestrian street in Barcelona. However, this kind of accommodation is for those who are willing to pay a bit more for a great location. On Booking you can find mostly hotels, but also some great apartments in different price ranges.
If you are looking for a party and beach vacation, I can recommend staying in Lloret de Mar. Lloret de Mar is a town famous for parties so no wonder a lot of young people visit. The town is an hour away from Barcelona, which makes it perfect for a road trip, but still saving money on expensive accommodation in the city. Find accommodation in Lloret de Mar here!
The third time I visited I stayed at a friend’s house. If I hadn’t had this opportunity I would definitely stay in a hostel! Hostels are the perfect places to meet new people. Not only that, but you can go on bar crawls, take a free tour and just hang out with people from around the world. If you are traveling on a budget but you would still like to stay in the city, hostels are the perfect choice! Two hostels I would love to stay in are St Christopher’s Inn and Generator Barcelona. Here is a list of all Barcelona hostels!
Things to see in Barcelona on a budget
Barcelona has so much to offer! I still have so many things I want to visit and do, even after visiting 3 times. Some of my favourite spots that you have to visit in Barcelona are Jardins del Mirador with amazing views over the city, Parc Guell, Playa de la Barceloneta or Barceloneta beach, Ciutadella Park, La Rambla, Font Màgica de Montjuïc and Mercado de La Boqueria which is a must while there!
If you are staying more than just a few days, I would recommend visiting the mountain monastery Abadia de Montserrat. The monastery is an hour drive from the city, but it’s definitely worth visiting. The mountains above it are just spectacular!
If you’re a fan of marine life, I would recommend visiting the Aquarium Barcelona situated in the harbour. This is a great place if you are visiting with children as well.
The Magic Fountains are a free attraction in Barcelona that you should definitely visit. They come to life from April 1st until October 31st and they are spectacular! The colours of the Barcelona fountains change with the music and attract a great number of people every year.
To really feel the vibe of the city, find one of many parks the city has to offer or simply go to the beach. This is definitely one of my favourite things to do after a lot of walking. You can grab a snack and a soda and just admire the place and imagine yourself living there (at least for a moment).
La Sagrada Familia is a famous church in Barcelona that I admired so many times and yet never actually entered. Hopefully the 4th time will be the lucky one! I imagine it to be even more beautiful from the inside so please make sure to visit it and to check the Sagrada Familia tickets in advance so you don’t miss the opportunity like I did!
Park Güell is another must while visiting the city. The unique architecture, mosaic covered buildings and sculptures with panoramic views are in fact the soul of the city.
If you are looking for a chill place in Barcelona with great views, bunkers at Turó de la Rovira is the place for you. The panoramic views from this place had me in love! The place was full of young people chilling, drinking and some even had pizzas. This is also the place to enjoy the sunset!
Camp Nou is a must for all the soccer fans, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it even if you don’t watch soccer!
Barcelona has many tourist attractions and old streets that need to be explored. Choose a different district each day and get lost in the beauty! If you need a longer list of attractions you can find them on GetYourGuide Barcelona.
Getting around Barcelona
If you have time, the best way to explore the city is to walk. Walking will sometimes get you lost, but you will see the streets a tourist never would!
A faster way of getting around is the metro. The 12 lines of the metro can get you pretty much anywhere in the city. The price for one metro ticket is around 2.50 euro, but it will be cheaper if you buy more trips at once. Ten tickets cost around 11.50 euro. Another way of getting around is the bus, but if you are going out at night the fastest transport is the taxi. The taxi prices in Barcelona differ depending on the time of day, weekdays and weekends. If you are going to the airport or outside of the city the prices will get higher.
Great way to get around the city without too much walking is taking a bike. You can rent a bike for yourself or you can go on a tour and explore the city as a group. Bornbike offers both of those options.
Barcelona offers many Free Walking Tours in the daytime and nighttime. Led by local people you will get the best insights on the hidden gems of the city. These tours are not paid, but a tip at the end is welcome. You can tip as much as you feel like judging by the quality of the experience. Free tours are a great way of meeting new people, mostly like-minded people, who came to explore Barcelona on a budget just like you!
Where to eat and drink in Barcelona
One of the most famous spots in the city is Mercado de La Boqueria. Even though this place gets pretty crowded, trust me, you don’t want to miss it! La Boqueria is an indoor public market that offers meat, cheese, fruits and vegetables, candy and much more. If you are looking to get something to eat between meals, this is the place for it. It is a great place to just grab a fresh smoothie before heading out in the morning.
Some of the most loved restaurants in Barcelona are Maitea Taberna, Bar Ramón, Els Sortidors del Parlament, LomoAlto, Martínez, Flax&Kale, Fismuler, Bar La Plata, El Chigre 1769 and many more. Paella, Pa amb tomàquet, Crema Catalana, Cava and Sangria are things you have to put on your menu while visiting Barcelona.
Ps. If you have visited Barcelona and have a place to recommend, leave it in the comments, I would love to try new places on my next visit!
Some of the places mentioned above offer wine and vermouth (Morro Fi) which are also a must try!
Barcelona is a great place for night life. I went to Sala Apolo which holds weekly DJ parties, musical performances & events. Some other night clubs the city has to offer are Pacha Barcelona, Opium Barcelona, Jamboree, Moog. Besides the night clubs, the city offers a variety of cocktail bars. Cocktail bars in Barcelona are great if you are looking for an amazing atmosphere while sipping some of the most delicious drinks. However, don’t forget to drink responsibly because you don’t want to spend the rest of your Barcelona trip above a toilette! Many hostels offer different Pub crawls which will make your night in Barcelona on a budget.
Barcelona on a daily budget
Barcelona is not cheap (at least from a Croatian perspective), so it can’t really be called a budget friendly city. However, if you are really looking to save money you can always rent a room in a hostel. This way you can buy some groceries and cook there. Since we were a group of friends staying in a flat, we cooked some meals at home. As a result, it saved us a lot of money. If you want to try local food, this may not be the option for you. The best thing to do is to stay away from the busy tourist streets. Find places to eat in less crowded neighbourhoods. The prices will be much lower there and the taste probably even better!
Some estimates, calculated by spendings of past travelers, state that you can expect an average daily cost of around 50 euro for a budget friendly trip in Barcelona. The mid range daily average cost climbs up to 120 euro, while the cost of a luxurious day in the city will cost you above 300 euro per day. Barcelona on a budget is very doable, you just have to spend wisely!
It is very difficult to state exactly how much money each person will spend. While some would rather spend more money on accommodation, others would like to spend it on activities, museums, food, going out… My advice is to spend it on whatever makes you happy and comfortable! That way you will be able to enjoy your trip to the fullest and make the best memories.
Barcelona Tourist Card
Barcelona Tourist Card is another great way to save some money on attractions and transport in the city. They offer over 70 discounts for the famous attractions, shopping, nightlife, sightseeing tours, transport… This card will be a life saviour for visiting Barcelona on a budget. Check for more info.
Best day trips from Barcelona
If you want to make a day trip from Barcelona and explore the smaller towns in the vicinity, I would recommend Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar. Both of these towns have a beach to enjoy the summer days. Lloret de Mar is more famous for the nightlife and maybe more suitable for young people. If you would like to have more freedom on your day trips, you can rent a car in Barcelona.
Tossa de Mar is definitely the place to be if you want to enjoy the beach and its stunning coast. Make sure to check out the pics of Castell de Tossa de Mar and you’ll see what I’m talking about! These towns are around 1:30h car drive from Barcelona. If you have the time, trust me, you won’t regret putting them on your Barcelona itinerary! If you are planning to spend a night, check out the accommodation here.
Explore more
Barcelona is one of my favourite cities ever! If I had to move somewhere, Barcelona would be pretty high on the list! I love its vibe, the cute old streets, the beach, the sea, the parks… Also Barcelona feels like endless summer and chilling, but also full of life and movement.
I hope you liked my Barcelona on a budget travel guide! If you haven’t visited this amazing city, I would highly recommend it! I have never heard anyone say that they don’t like Barcelona, so I’m sure you’ll love it as well! Remember that visiting Barcelona is always a great idea!
If you have already visited and have a suggestion or Barcelona tips for anything, from a place to stay, where to eat or just hidden gems of the city, feel free to leave it in the comments. That way we can all add it on our list for our next visit. I would love to hear your Barcelona experiences and see who else fell in love with it the way I have!
In conclusion, I wish you many cheap travels, local trips, great health and a lot of happiness! Feel free to check out some of my other travel stories for more inspo!
Btw, I would love to connect with you on social media so feel free to find me there so that we can share even more travel stories!
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