I'd appreciate advice on the following rough itinerary for two late-60s travelers to Barcelona. We are prioritizing Modernista sites and the historic district. While we usually like art museums, we have been to many great ones in Paris, London, Florence, and many major US cities, so this is less of a priority than usual. Two years ago we arrived Rome in the late afternoon one day and were able to see and do a lot (Pompeii and drive to Amalfi Coast) our first day, so I think we will be able to function despite jet lag.
My current thinking is to focus on sites that require advance tickets in the earlier part of the day, so that we can be more flexible roaming around in the afternoons and evenings, but I am open to suggestions to do this differently. Our tentative plan follows. Please comment on whether it is too ambitious, and if so, how to rearrange or what to delete.
Arrive Friday, May 24, 4 pm
Taxi to apartment in Poble Sec neighborhood, near the Paral-lel station, check in
Evening: Walk around Poble Sec and Old City, dinner, possibly see Magic Fountains at 9 pm if not too tired
Saturday, May 25
9 am: Sagrada Familia (advance tickets, be in line 8:30ish), allowing 2 hours without towers plus 1/2 hour to rest and walk to next stop
11:30: Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau: allowing 2 hours, more if needed and we aren't too hungry
1:30: Metro to Barri Gotic
2:00: Lunch
3:30: Barri Gotic walk, Barcelona Cathedral
Flexible re dinner and evening depending how tired we are
Possibly see Magic Fountains if did not see on Friday, eat dinner in Bari Gotic or near Poble Sec/El Raval
Sunday, May 26
9:00 La Padrera timed advance ticket (be in line by 8:45) 2 hours
11:30: Casa Batllo timed ticket 2 hours
1:30: RS Eixample walk including tapas lunch stop
4:30 or whenever: El Born walk and explore Church of Santa Maria del Mar
9 pm: Restaurant dinner in El Born, El Raval, or our Poble Sec neighborhood
Monday, May 27: Day trip to Tarragona
Sleep a little later
around 11 am train to Tarragona station
noon: Walk around Tarragona for 2 hours to get a sense of it
2 pm: lunch with colleagues from Universitat Rovira y Virgili
4 pm: Walk around some more, perhaps see cathedral (not prioritizing significant time in Roman sites because we have been to Rome and will be going to Provence after Barcelona)
7 pm: Return train to Barcelona
9 pm or 10 pm; light dinner or just take some food to apartment
Tuesday, May 28
8:30 am: Park Guell advance ticket
11:15: Taxi to Palace of Catalan Music
noon: Palace of Catalan Music advance ticket
1:00 early light lunch
around 3:00: Funicular to Mont Juic and walk around, visit Fondacio Joan Miro
5:00 Continue walking around, possibly visit Catalan Art Museum if we have the energy
8 pm: Back to our Poble Sec neighborhood for a rest and dinner
Wednesday, May 29
Leave on mid-morning train for Provence and French Riviera