Barcelona: Gaudí, beaches and city life, for families and couples

Who this guide is for

Families and couples who want Barcelona’s big three, Sagrada Família, Park Güell and the Gaudí houses, without losing a day to sold-out tickets or a wallet to the city’s most practised pickpockets. We base you in Eixample, the calmer, grid-planned district that puts you within walking distance of two Gaudí landmarks and a short ride from everything else, and we build in at least one day away from the city, whether that’s a mountain monastery, a medieval old town or a beach.

It’s not the right guide if your trip is built around La Rambla’s nightlife or you’re happy to wing it on tickets at the door. Barcelona’s headline sights sell out days or weeks ahead, and this guide exists partly to stop that from happening to you.

What’s inside

Twelve chapters. We start with when to go and how the city changes by season, then getting in from the airport and around by metro. Next comes the Gaudí landmarks and the old town, a trio of easy day trips, the beaches and parks, and the corners most visitors miss. We finish with hand-picked stays in three neighbourhoods, where to eat, a real week’s budget for a family and for a couple, and the safety habits locals actually use. Every place is also on one map.

The twelve question marks are the places we’d plan a Barcelona trip around. They open, with names and photos, in the full guide, together with a Google map of every place we mention.

Prices checked in September 2026 for the 2027 season.

Want a plan built around your dates, your kids’ ages and your budget? Order a custom trip plan.