Weekend Barcelona

Barcelona is a cosmopolitan and the second largest city in Spain, popular with tourists all year round. 

Weekend in Barcelona is a perfect travel package, a weekend getaway for groups that can only allow a limited time in Spain. This package allows you to discover most of Barcelona and its beautiful surroundings within a short timeframe. In four days, you will see the best highlights of the city, including mesmerizing Park Guell and Poble Espanyol (''Spanish Village'' – country in miniature, a museum under the open sky) - both with entrances, as well as Basilica of Sagrada Familia from outside.

You will also visit the main symbol of Catalonia - the Montserrat Monastery hidden deep and high in the mountains just 45 min outside of Barcelona. 

And of course there will be enough time for you to explore the city on your own. 

Duration: 4 days, 3 nights. 

Hotel samples: AB Viladomat*** or Zenit Borrell****

The whole program is just a sample and can be customized upon your request. 

Day 1

Meet 'n' Greet in the airport by our representative.

Transfer from the airport to the hotel. Check-in.

Some free time in the evening.

Day 2

Breakfast in the hotel. Full day (8 hours) private city tour. Main highlights:

• Sagrada Família: one of the most popular attractions in Spain, the Sagrada Família is a Catholic basilica designed by the Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudí, who was famous for championing the architectural style known as Catalan modernism. It has been under construction for over 100 years and isn’t expected to be completed for at least another twenty. The originality and grandeur of its design, despite its unfinished state, attracts over 3 million visitors each year. 
• Park Güell is a very popular outdoor attractions in Barcelona. Few people know that it was initially conceived to be a revolutionary housing estate. Antoni Gaudí and his patron and friend, Eusebi Güell, originally acquired the area and began construction on a model home. When no one invested in the project, they eventually abandoned it and it was later donated to the local council and transformed into a public park. Tickets are included.
• Plaza Catalunya: Plaza Catalunya is where the prime tourist spots of Barcelona intersect, namely the Gothic Quarter, Raval and Eixample districts. This 50,000 sqm public space is one of the largest in Spain, and is known for its intricately made and positioned neo-classic and avant-garde sculptures. Plaza Catalunya is considered the center of Barcelona.
• Passeig de Gracia: this broad elegant avenue was built by and for the wealthy residents of Barcelona, who never left. Here you will find luxury designer shops alongside  major banks and the stock exchange. Architectural details include modernist lamp posts, Gaudi’s tiles for the pavement and a myriad of grand buildings including two of Gaudi’s houses: Casa Batllo and Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera.
• Casa Batlló: another Modernist marvel designed by Antoni Gaudí, the Casa Batlló is a former townhouse constructed for the Batlló family in the 19th century. Its unusual appearance rich in curves, natural forms and a quasi reptile-like tile façade have earned it the nickname of Casa del Drac, or ''House of the Dragon''.
• Mirador de Colom: standing on the pier at the very end of La Rambla, the Mirador de Colom is a homage to the explorer, Christopher Columbus, who paid a visit to the Catalan capital before setting sail to America. The monument is also a viewing tower which can be accessed via an elevator and offers magnificent panoramic views of the city and sea.
• Agbar Tower: a recent addition to the urban landscape of Barcelona, the Agbar Tower is a modern office tower housing the Aigües de Barcelona, the city’s water company. Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the tower is covered in some 4,500 LED lights which illuminate the façade at night, as well as boasting an intelligent temperature control system utilising automatic sensors to control the blinds.
• Arc de Triomf: the triumphal arch of the city was built as the main access gate for the 1888 Barcelona World Fair. 
• The Old Port (Port Vell): is separated from the Olympic port by long beaches and the old fisherman's quarter - Barceloneta. The Old Port has been remodeled to extend to the city center, down the Rambla and into the harbor. This is an attractive, popular area with restaurants, shops, nightclubs and frequent open-air entertainment.
• Montjuic Hill: a hill in Barcelona, with its spectacular views over the harbor, the port and the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy stunning views from the panoramic viewpoint, located near the hill top.
• Olympic Rings: the Olympic rings from the 1992 games should not be missed. The complex includes the stadium, the St. Jordi sports pavilion and the Calatrava Communications Tower.
• Plaza Espana: is one of the most important squares of the city, and the second largest in Barcelona. It was built and decorated for the 1929 International Exhibition.

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Optional entrances and activities for this day:

- tickets and tour inside Sagrada Familia (subject to availability)

- tour inside Camp Nou football stadium (home of FC Barcelona)

- magnificent flamenco show, with or without dinner

- Lunch is typical Spanish/Catalan cuisine

 A free evening to enjoy Barcelona at your leisure.

Day 3

Breakfast in the hotel. 

Six-hour bus tour to Montserrat Mountain. After the Barcelona visit, a tour to Monserrat is the second most popular tour among tourists that visit Barcelona, and it’s no surprise.

• The Mountain:  Montserrat is a multi-peaked mountain, located just 40km outside of the city of Barcelona.''Montserrat'' literally means ''saw mountain'' (serrated, like the common handsaw) - in Catalan. It describes this peculiar aspect with its multitude of rock formations, visible from a great distance. The mountain is composed of strikingly pink conglomerate, a type of sedimentary rock. Montserrat is also Spain's first National Park.
• Benedictian Monastery: Santa Maria de Montserrat is a Benedictine abbey, located on the mountain of Montserrat, at a height of 1236 meters. The monastery was founded in the 10th century and still functions to this day, housing over 150 monks. The Escolania, or Montserrat’s Boys’ Choir, is one of the oldest in Europe, and performs during religious ceremonies and communal prayers in the basilica. Also Basilica houses a museum with works of art by many prominent painters and sculptors, including works by El Greco, Dalí, Picasso and others. The “Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat” is a publishing house, located near the monastery. It is famous for having one of the oldest presses in the world, not downplaying the amazing fact that the press is still operating! It’s first book was published in 1499.
• Black Madonna: Our Lady of Montserrat, or the Virgin of Montserrat, is a statue of the  Madonna and Child venerated at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery on the Montserrat Mountain. She is the Patron Saint of Catalonia, an honor she shares with Saint George (Sant Jordi in Catalan). La Moreneta, or the little dark one is due to the dark color of the statue's face. It is a common belief that if you touch her hand, your wishes will come true. 
• There is a small market near the Monserrat Abbey where you can buy local products produced by locals themselves. These include liquors, cheeses, and honey – many of which are produced by the monks that live nearby.

The remainder of the day is free once you arrive back in Barcelona.

Day 4

Breakfast in the hotel. A free time before the transfer to the airport.