If you’re just beginning your international solo travel journey, Barcelona is an amazing place to start. The city offers a vibrant mix of cultures, languages, food, and architecture. It maintains a familiar atmosphere. This is not too overwhelming for first-time solo travelers, especially if you’re from the US. Most people I encountered spoke English, which made navigating the city pretty easy.
What I love most about Barcelona is the wide range of things to do. Whether you’re exploring stunning parks like Park Güell, visiting museums and art galleries, or spending a relaxing afternoon at the beach, there’s always something to explore. Barcelona is a truly beautiful city, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to experience it on my own.
Accommodations
This was hands down one of my favorite hostel experiences! As a solo female traveler, I felt extremely safe. I also met quite a few other solo female travelers during my stay. The hostel was in a central location with lots of public transportation options. They offered tip-based walking tours every day. This was a very affordable way to learn some Barcelona history. It was also a great way to experience the city with a local. There was a 3-course dinner available daily, which was quite good and offered an additional opportunity to meet new people. Whether you are a solo traveler looking for a quiet place to stay, or you want to make connections with people all across the world, this hostel is perfect. It gives you the best of both worlds!
Things to Do
Park Güell (18€)
This solo trip to Barcelona seriously healed my inner child. I was OBSESSED with the Cheetah Girls growing up, so standing in the exact spot where they filmed parts of the movie felt surreal. But what made it even more magical was seeing the jaw-dropping work of Gaudí up close. Between the architecture, the colors, and the views, it was like stepping into a dream. I took my time wandering and soaking it all in—and yes, the uphill climb from the metro station? 100% worth it.
Parc de la Ciutadella (free)
You should check out this place if you’re looking to take a stroll in nature during your Barcelona trip. I would totally recommend it. The Cascada Monumental was unreal, and the ducks were so cute. This was a great place to take a break from the city scene. I started one of my mornings here. Walking around this place with my cup of coffee was a great way to start my day.
Experience Barcelona Night Life (varies)
The hostel I stayed at offered a bar crawl almost every night. This was my first time going out alone, let alone on a solo trip in another country. Going with the hostel group made me feel more comfortable being out in the Barcelona nightlife, and having this group of people to experience the night with made it more fun. The hostel started the bar crawl with a free shot. We all took the metro together. We stopped by 3 different bars and clubs where we had free entry and got to skip the lines. Many people who went to the bar crawl were familiar faces from the hostel. During the journey to different destinations, you are bound to make connections with people in the group. If you want to get a taste of a new city’s nightlife without feeling alone, I suggest joining a bar crawl provided by your accommodation. You can also find one on sites like Tripadvisor.
Museu Picasso (12.50€)
Going to museums is hands down one of the easiest activities to do solo. It might be something I even prefer doing solo. I’m the type of person who likes to take my time at museums. I love reading all the descriptions. I enjoy taking part in all the random activities. I also like watching all the videos and short films available. The Museu Picasso was a wonderful experience, and with Picasso’s history in Barcelona, it is definitely a must-see.
Basílica de la Sagrada Familia (free)
Pictures can’t even capture the work of art that is the Basílica de la Sagrada Familia. I just admired this beautiful structure from the outside since I had a limited amount of time, but I can only imagine what it must be like to step inside and experience it all in person.
Roam Around the City (free)
Barcelona is a very walkable city for the most part. I would recommend saving one day to just roam around and soak everything in. Take some time to appreciate the architecture, eat some tapas, and of course, do some shopping (Zara girls IYKYK). I dedicated my arrival and departure days to just roaming around with a few destinations in mind while leaving enough time for me to explore without a strict itinerary. If you are an art person, I suggest visiting a few free art galleries. They are scattered around the city!
Total cost
So how much does it cost to take a solo trip to Barcelona for 3 days? Here is the breakdown…
Accommodation: $103.16
Local Transportation: $40.60
Food: $149.06
Entertainment: $55.88
Grand total: $348.70
shopping and flights not included
I’m all about making travel feel more attainable, especially for first-time travelers. I hope this blog gives some insight into what it is like to solo travel in a place like Barcelona. It also shows that traveling doesn’t have to be super expensive.
Live mo life and safe travels ❤
Morgan elaine 
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