One of Spain’s great cities, Barcelona is renowned for its art and architecture – notably Antoni Gaudi – glorious beaches and a first-class culinary scene. Whilst one day in Barcelona will not be enough time to see everything, it will allow you to see many of its major landmarks and give you a good feel for this Spanish metropolis.
I have visited this vibrant city on multiple occasions, including on a cruise, and am excited to share the best way to spend one day in Barcelona from a cruise ship. My 1-day Barcelona itinerary, framed around a self-guided walk, is specially designed for cruise passengers and will help you make the most of your time ashore.
At the end of the article, you’ll find useful information on getting from the Barcelona cruise terminal to the city centre and how to get around.
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BARCELONA CRUISE PORT AT A GLANCE
Barcelona cruise terminal: Large cruise ships dock at one of the four Moll Adossat terminals Terminal D, the farthest away, is approximately 4 km from La Rambla.
Distance from the cruise terminal to the city centre: 25 – 45 minutes on foot to the southern end of La Rambla. Shuttle buses and taxis are available.
Best time of year to visit Barcelona: May to June or during autumn (fall)
Currency: Euro (€). Cash is widely used and most places accept major credit cards. Check here for live exchange rates.
Tipping: Tips are not expected when ordering a coffee or a drink in Barcelona. Although a 5 -10% service charge is usually added to your restaurant bill, it is common practice to add a small tip (5%) on top of this.
Barcelona Self-Guided Walking Tour
The best way to see Barcelona in one day is on foot and I recommend making the most of your time ashore with my self-guided walking tour. The total distance from start to finish is approximately 4 miles (6 km).
It starts at Port Vell, near the cruise terminal, and finishes at La Sagrada Família, Gaudi’s masterpiece. To save time, and ease your aching feet, you can take the metro back from La Sagrada Familia to Drassanes station at the southern end of La Rambla. From here, you can walk or jump on the Cruise Bus back to your ship.
For step-by-step directions and to send to your phone, click here or on the map.
My Top Tips for Visiting Barcelona on a Cruise
- How much you will be able to see will depend on your time in port. If you have limited time ashore, you will need to sacrifice visiting the inside of one or more of the Gaudí properties on Passeig de Gràcia.
- But don’t be tempted to skip visiting the inside of La Sagrada Família; it is extraordinary. And even if you’re not keen on visiting churches, it’s worth visiting Barcelona Cathedral, if only for the views from its roof.
- A city pass can be an excellent way of saving money, particularly if you are trying to fit as much as possible into your day in Barcelona. The Go City® Barcelona All-Inclusive Pass does pretty much what it says on the tin, granting free access to many of the city’s top attractions and activities. Get the lowdown in my Barcelona Pass review or check current prices and inclusions here.
- If you are disembarking at the port of Barcelona and have an extra day to spare, make the most of your time there by booking a hotel room and exploring the charming Catalan capital over two days.
What to See in Barcelona in One Day from a Cruise Ship
During your day in Barcelona, you will be transported back through the centuries by exploring its enchanting Gothic Quarter, elegant plazas, majestic cathedral and superb Modernista architecture. There will also be time to stop for lunch in one of Europe’s greatest food markets.
Port Vell
Port Vell, the city’s old port, is a brisk stroll from the cruise terminal. This marina, lined with palm trees and public art, is one of the most picturesque parts of the city.
Nearby is a famous Barcelona landmark, the Columbus Monument. Rising 60 meters above the southern end of La Rambla, this monument was built in 1888 to commemorate Christopher Columbus’s first voyage to the Americas.
Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
Strolling around the Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) is one of the best things to do in Barcelona in one day. With its charming squares and a warren of narrow medieval streets, this is one of the oldest districts of Barcelona.
Plaça Reial, the Royal Square, is lined with bars and towering palm trees and features street lamps designed by Gaudi.
The smaller Plaça del Rei is where the Catholic Monarchs are thought to have received Columbus on his return from his first New World voyage.
Barcelona Cathedral
Your next stop is the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia.
Barcelona’s Cathedral was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and has a 14th-century cloister with orange trees, magnolias and resident swans.
For panoramic views over Barcelona, take the lift to the cathedral’s roof.
Address: Pl. de la Seu
Opening hours: Barcelona Cathedral is open to tourists between 9.30 am and 6.30 pm on weekdays, between 9.30 and 5.15 on Saturdays and from 2 pm until 5 pm on Sundays. It is open for prayer and worship outside of these hours. Further information is here.
Admission fee applies
Lunch at Mercat de la Boqueria
Are you feeling peckish?
Barcelona’s famous Boqueria Market, officially known as Mercat de San Josep, is located on the opposite side of La Rambla from the Gothic Quarter. This maze of more than 300 stalls sells delicious products that typify Barcelona’s cuisine and is the perfect place to stop for lunch.
La Rambla
La Rambla (also known as Las Ramblas) is synonymous with Barcelona. Stretching for almost a mile through the heart of the city centre, this pedestrianised boulevard links Port Vell to Plaça de Catalunya.
Plaça de Catalunya
You have now reached Plaça de Catalunya, located at the northern end of La Rambla.
Separating the old town and Eixample district, this is Barcelona’s beating heart and is a favourite meeting place for locals and visitors alike.
No Barcelona itinerary would be complete without a smattering of Gaudí’s extraordinary properties.
Two of these –Casa Batlló andCasa Milà – are onPasseig de Gràcia, close toPlaça de Catalunya. Our final stop is the world-famous Sagrada Família, which is a 15-20 minute walk fromCasa Milà.
Casa Batlló
Antoni Gaudi’s one-of-a-kind architectural creations partly define Barcelona and are not to be missed. Casa Batlló is the first of his two great buildings on Passeig de Gràcia.
Taking his inspiration from the shapes and colours found in marine life, Gaudi created this whimsical building between 1904 and 1906.
Even if you don’t have time to take a peek inside, it is well worth stopping by to admire its façade, which is covered with mosaics reminiscent of fish scales.
The wavy and curvy design – no sharp angles here – is continued inside with exceptional details, including beautiful stained glass windows and colourful tiles.
Address: Pg. de Gràcia, 43
>>> CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR SKIP-THE-LINE TICKET WITH AUDIOGUIDE
La Pedrera (Casa Milà)
La Pedrera, or Casa Milà, is the second Gaudi building on Passeig de Gràcia.
This is an atypical Gaudi building. It has a colourless, stone-like appearance and looks like it has been carved from a massive rock, softened with wavy lines and iron ornaments.
From its rooftop, there is a bird’s eye view over Barcelona and of Casa Milà’s chimneys and ventilation towers, which are artworks in themselves.
Address: Pg. de Gràcia, 92
>>> CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR SKIP-THE-LINE TICKET WITH AUDIOGUIDE
La Sagrada Família
End your day in Barcelona at the city’s most iconic landmark, La Sagrada Família.
La Sagrada Família has been a work in progress since 1882. Gaudí was still working on it before he died in 1926, aged 73.
The outside of this masterpiece of Modernista architecture features symbolic carvings and is crowned by honeycomb Gothic towers.
Inside, it’s an explosion of colour amongst columns shaped like tree trunks, underneath the canopy of a psychedelic forest.
Get the lowdown on visiting this extraordinary site with my tips for Visiting Sagrada Família.
Opening hours: The Basilica of the Sagrada Família has seasonal opening hours. Check here for current information.
Admission fee applies
Getting there: Sagrada Família is served by the L2 and L5 lines of the Barcelona Metro system.
>>> BUY YOUR SKIP-THE-LINE TICKET FOR SAGRADA FAMÍLIA WITH AUDIOGUIDE HERE, OR WITH A GUIDED TOUR HERE.
How to get to Sagrada Família from Barcelona cruise port
But what if you just want to concentrate on La Sagrada Família when you are in port? The quickest way of getting there from the cruise port is by taxi. This journey should take about 15 minutes.
To travel between Barcelona cruise terminal and the Sagrada Família by public transport, take the cruise shuttle bus to the Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla. This is close to Drassanes metro station where you should catch the green line to Diagonal.
At Diagonal, change onto the blue line and alight at the stop Sagrada Família.
Other Things to Do During a Barcelona Cruise Stop
We all have different tastes and preferences. If these places don’t rock your boat (ahem), here are a few further suggestions for what to do in Barcelona in one day.
Walk amongst the sharks at Barcelona Aquarium
The Barcelona Aquarium in Port Vell is one of the best of its kind. Its enormous Oceanarium – a transparent 80-meter-long tunnel – allows you to walk among the sharks, ocean sunfish and many other species.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR SKIP-THE-LINE TICKET FOR BARCELONA AQUARIUM
Tour Camp Nou
All you footie lovers out there can take a tour of Camp Nou, home to FC Barcelona and the largest-capacity stadium in Europe.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR CAMP NOU TOUR
Take a cable car to Montjuïc
For panoramic views of Barcelona,use the hop-on-hop-off bus or take the cable car to visitMontjuïc, home of the 1992 Summer Olympics.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR CABLE CAR RETURN TICKET
Getting to Barcelona City Centre from the Cruise Terminal
As Barcelona’s cruise terminal is the starting and arrival point for many Western Mediterranean cruise itineraries, it is important to check which operating terminal your ship will berth.
Large cruise ships dock at the Moll Adossat terminals (Terminals A, B, C and D). Terminal D is the farthest away of the four quays and is approximately 4 km from La Rambla.
Walking to the southern end of La Rambla will take 25 minutes from Terminal A and 45 minutes from Terminal D.
The Cruise Bus is a shuttle bus between the Moll Adossat cruise ship terminals and the Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla. In 2024, the fare is €3 euro one-way or €4.50 return.
Getting Around Barcelona
The best way to visit Barcelona in one day is on foot. However, to return from La Sagrada Familia to the cruise port, your best bet is to take a metro service to Drassanes station, close to the Columbus Monument.
If you don’t fancy tackling the city’s metro system, Barcelona’s hop-on-hop-off bus is another option. A one-day ticket gives you access to two routes that include stops in this Barcelona itinerary and more. An audio commentary is also available.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR BARCELONA HOHO BUS TICKET
Barcelona Shore Excursions
But perhaps you prefer someone else to take care of all of the arrangements, you want to benefit from the knowledge of a local guide or you’re looking for something a little different? Then why not explore Barcelona’s highlights on an organised activity?
Although your cruise line will gladly provide a shore excursion, you can often do better using an independent tour operator. Just make sure that you have enough time to make it back on board before your cruise ship sails.
Paella Cooking Experience + Boqueria Market Tour
This is an ideal experience for any foodies. In this 2.5-hour tour, you’ll make sangria and learn how to rustle up an authentic paella, one of the things for which Spain is most famous.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACTIVITY
Tapas and Wine Walking Tour
Combine wine tasting and grazing on tapas with a 3-hour walking tour through the Gothic Quarter and El Born neighbourhood of Barcelona.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR WALKING TOUR
Barcelona Boat Tour
Explore Barcelona from a different perspective on this one-hour boat tour around the city’s coastline.
>>> CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR BARCELONA BOAT TOUR
Take a Barcelona bike or segway tour
Lastly, explore Barcelona on two wheels with this selection of bike tours.
This 3-hour guided tour takes you through the Gothic Quarter, Olympic Port, and Gaudi sites like the iconic Sagrada Familia.
Alternatively, get up close to the city’s famous monuments on this segway tour.
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT SPAIN!
- What is Spain Famous For? 20 Reasons to Visit Spain
- 2 Days in Barcelona: Itinerary & Best Things to Do
- One Day in Barcelona from a Cruise Ship: Itinerary & Best Things to Do
- Top 10 Things to Do in Tarragona: Spain’s Roman City by the Sea
- Tips for Visiting Sagrada Família: Things You Should Know Before You Go
- One Day in Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- 15 Fabulous Reasons for Visiting Valencia, Spain
- Solo Travel in Portugal and Spain: 10 Unmissable Places to Visit
- The Ultimate One-Week Tenerife Itinerary & Guide
- 10 Best Things to do in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife
- Exploring Tenerife by Bus: TITSA Buses Made Easy in 2022
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.