Romantic Things to Do in Barcelona as a Couple

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Barcelona was the beginning and the end of our Spain trip, and it turned out to be one of the most romantic cities we've visited together. These are the romantic things to do in Barcelona as a couple that we loved most, from Eixample to the Gothic Quarter and El Born, with the exact spots and how to book them.

1. Sangria on a rooftop facing the Sagrada Família

Our first drink in Spain was a sangria on the roof of the Sercotel Rosellón in Eixample, with Gaudí's spires right behind the glass. The terrace looks straight at the basilica, and at golden hour it's the most romantic seat in the neighbourhood.

Our tip: save on the view room. The rooftop has the view, and that's where you'll want to be anyway. Sercotel Rosellón website

2. See the Sagrada Família together, with a guide

Inside, pale stone columns branch like trees into a ceiling of carved stars, and the stained glass fills the nave with green and gold light. We went in on a guided tour, and hearing the story behind Gaudí's symbols made it so much more moving than wandering in alone.

3. Take a rowboat out in Ciutadella Park

Ciutadella Park is Barcelona's big green park on the edge of the old town. It's free to walk in, and there's a lake where you can rent a rowboat. We took one out after a travel day, and it was exactly the slow, sweet pace we wanted. One of the most romantic things you can do in Barcelona costs almost nothing.

4. Steak for two on Enric Granados: Carnal

Carnal Steak House is on Carrer d'Enric Granados, one of the prettiest streets in Eixample. The menu sums it up: "Time to savor both food and friendship." The steak comes sliced, with a hot stone at the table so you can sear each piece the way you like it.

Carnal website · @carnal.steakhouse

5. Cocktails in a secret garden: Alice Secret Garden

On Carrer de Pau Claris in Eixample, walk through Alice Secret Garden and you come out onto a leafy terrace under the trees, with a menu of "Secret Cocktails" straight out of Alice in Wonderland. It feels like a hidden garden in the middle of the city.

Alice Secret Garden website · @alicesecretgardenbcn

6. Get lost in the Gothic Quarter

The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) is the Barcelona of narrow stone lanes and little squares, and the Barcelona Cathedral is its centrepiece, with Gothic spires rising above the old town. Wander with no plan, hand in hand, and let the lanes lead you towards El Born for dinner.

7. A candlelit last dinner in El Born: Carmina

For our last dinner we booked Carmina, on Carrer de l'Argenteria in El Born. It's an Italian-Mediterranean restaurant in a 19th-century house, lit by candlelight. You walk in under a canopy of pink and red flowers, past a red neon sign, onto a checkerboard floor. A lovely way to end a trip.

Carmina website · @carmina.bcn

Couple tips for a romantic Barcelona

• Pick a hotel with a roof, not a view room. A rooftop facing the Sagrada Família turned a travel day into the most memorable drink of the trip.
• Book the Sagrada Família ahead. A small-group tour with skip-the-line entry means more time inside and less time in the queue.
• Leave an afternoon loose. A rowboat in Ciutadella Park is the perfect reset after a flight.
• Pre-book the airport ride. We booked transfers for arrival and departure, so we never had to think about it.

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