Barcelona Cable Cars, Paella and Flamenco with Hotel Freshen-Up

Arrival from Manchester

For the 11:45 flight from Manchester Airport, around two hours before departure, especially if you have checked bags. After landing at Barcelona–El Prat, buy your Hola Barcelona Travel Card from the airport’s official TMB/transport machines or information desk; it covers the airport metro and most TMB public transport, but not the Aerobús. The simplest option is the Aerobús to Plaça Espanya—roughly 30 minutes—then take a taxi for the final short hop to Hotel Viladomat Eixample, or use the metro onward if you prefer. Door to door, allowing for immigration and waiting, the journey will probably take four to five hours.

Late afternoon and early evening

Check in at Hotel Viladomat Eixample, unpack and refresh for about an hour. Then stroll north through the pleasant grid of Eixample to Mercat del Ninot—around 15 minutes from the hotel. It is a genuine neighbourhood market rather than a tourist attraction, with produce stalls, small food counters and a good sense of everyday Barcelona; most stalls generally wind down by around 8pm, so arriving before 7pm is sensible. From there, continue along Passeig de Gràcia to see Casa Batlló lit up in the evening. You do not need to pay for the interior visit tonight—the colourful façade and dragon-like roof are particularly atmospheric after dark—and the walk takes roughly 15 minutes.

Dinner

Finish at La Flauta, a relaxed tapas restaurant on Carrer d’Aribau, about a 10–15-minute walk back towards the hotel. It is popular, so arriving around 8pm or putting your name down on arrival helps; dinner is usually about €20–35 per person depending on drinks and how generously you order. Try sharing a few tapas, a tortilla and one of the restaurant’s namesake flautas, then walk back through the quieter Eixample streets to Hotel Viladomat Eixample. Expect the full evening to remain easy and local, with no need to use the travel card unless you would rather take a short bus or metro ride home.

Morning: Barcelona Bus Turístic and Park Güell

Have breakfast near the hotel, then walk or take the metro towards a convenient Barcelona Bus Turístic stop—allow roughly 20–30 minutes from Hotel Viladomat Eixample. Use the bus for the city overview, but do not try to complete every loop: around three hours is enough for a relaxed introduction, with the open-top upper deck giving the best sense of Barcelona’s layout. The 24-hour ticket is usually about €33–€35 and is separate from the Hola Barcelona card, which generally covers TMB public transport but not the sightseeing bus. Get off near Park Güell and allow 15–20 minutes for the uphill approach; reserve the Monumental Core time slot in advance, as the ticketed area can sell out. Spend about 1½ hours among Gaudí’s mosaics and the viewpoints, wearing comfortable shoes and carrying water.

Afternoon: Montjuïc Cable Car and Montjuïc Castle

From Park Güell, return towards the centre by bus or metro and continue to Paral·lel, where the included Montjuïc funicular takes you uphill to Parc de Montjuïc. The Hola card is useful here, although it does not cover the separate Montjuïc Cable Car fare. Allow around 30–40 minutes for the connection and buy a return cable-car ticket—roughly €17–€19—unless you plan to walk back down. Ride up over the harbour and hillside, then continue to Montjuïc Castle, allowing about an hour for the ramparts and enormous sea views; the castle is normally open until early evening and entry is around €12. Keep an eye on the time: you need to leave Montjuïc by about 16:45–17:00 to reach Bacaro comfortably, allowing for queues and the journey back into central Barcelona.

Evening: Paella cookery at Bacaro

Use the cable car and funicular back to Paral·lel, then take the metro or walk depending on the confirmed Bacaro address—central locations are often 10–20 minutes away by metro and usually walkable in 20–30 minutes. Arrive by 18:45 for your booked 19:00–21:00 paella cookery course; the class includes food, so there is no need to plan a separate dinner. Afterward, the Hola Barcelona card should cover the TMB journey back towards Eixample—check the last metro connection in the TMB app, though Barcelona metro normally runs well into the evening. Keep the booking address handy, as “Bacaro” can refer to more than one venue and the final route depends on the exact location.

Morning: Gothic Quarter walking tour

Arrive at Plaça Nova by about 10:15 for your booked 10:30 tour. From Hotel Viladomat Eixample, the simplest route is Entença to Plaça Catalunya on L5, then a 10-minute walk through the old centre; allow 25–30 minutes overall. Alternatively, it is a pleasant 25-minute walk down Carrer de Mallorca and across Passeig de Gràcia. Meet beside the Barcelona Cathedral and the Roman aqueduct remains, and keep valuables well secured in the busy lanes. Your tour finishes at the Roman Walls around 12:45, so go straight on afterwards rather than trying to fit in lunch first.

Early afternoon: Sagrada Família

From the Roman Walls, walk to Urquinaona and take L5 to Sagrada Família, allowing about 20 minutes including the walk and interchange time. Be at the entrance for your booked 13:00 visit—security queues can be slow, and large bags are restricted. The interior is at its best when the light catches the coloured windows, so give yourself the full 90 minutes rather than rushing through. Afterward, grab something quick near Avinguda de Gaudí—Buenas Migas is convenient for sandwiches, salads and coffee—or use the cafés around Carrer de Mallorca.

Afternoon: hotel break

Return to Hotel Viladomat Eixample by taking L5 from Sagrada Família to Entença, then walking about five minutes; allow 20–25 minutes. A taxi is usually around €10–15 and may be worthwhile if you are tired. Use roughly 15:00–17:00 to eat, shower and rest before the show. Leave by 17:15: walk to Entença, take L5 to Sants Estació, change to L3 for Liceu, and walk a few minutes along La Rambla to Tablao Flamenco Cordobes. The whole journey is about 25–30 minutes; arrive by 17:40 for your 18:00 booking and refreshments.

Evening: flamenco and return

Enjoy the booked performance at Tablao Flamenco Cordobes, which should finish around 20:00. For the return to the hotel, take L3 from Liceu to Sants Estació, then L5 to Entença, followed by the short walk to Hotel Viladomat Eixample—roughly 25–30 minutes, depending on the connection. Check the final metro departures in the TMB app; if you linger on La Rambla, a taxi back is generally the easiest option and should cost about €12–18.

Morning

Start with a relaxed breakfast at Granja M. Viader in the Raval, a traditional dairy café on Carrer d’en Xuclà. Order coffee with a pastry or the thick, old-fashioned hot chocolate; allow about €8–15 per person and roughly an hour. It is a good final taste of old Barcelona, but check the day’s opening time before setting out, as morning hours can vary. From Hotel Viladomat Eixample, it is around 20–25 minutes on foot, or take the metro towards Liceu and walk from there.

After breakfast, visit Palau Güell, just a few minutes away near La Rambla. This early Gaudí townhouse is compact but wonderfully detailed, with an impressive rooftop and chimneys; allow 1–1½ hours. Advance tickets are advisable, usually around €12–15, and the building commonly opens from 10:00, though confirm the specific October timetable. Continue to La Boqueria for a final wander among the fruit stalls, cured meats and snack counters. Keep this brief—30–45 minutes—and pick up something easy to carry for the airport rather than planning a full meal.

Midday and departure

Return to Hotel Viladomat Eixample by walking in about 25–30 minutes, or use the metro from Catalunya towards Urgell and continue on foot. Check out by 12:00, leaving your rucksacks with the hotel if its luggage room is available; allow about half an hour for this and keep passports, valuables and flight essentials with you. Aim to leave the hotel around 1:30–2:00pm. The simplest airport option is the Aerobús from Plaça Espanya, reached from the hotel by a short walk or metro connection; it takes roughly 30–40 minutes to Barcelona–El Prat Airport and costs about €7 one way. Your Hola Barcelona card may cover the airport train or regular TMB transport, but not the Aerobús, so check the card’s terms before boarding. For a 16:50 flight, arriving around 2:45–3:00pm leaves useful time for bag drop and security—especially if the flight is from Terminal 1.