First day in Barcelona-what do you think of this Itinerary?

Arriving from where? Day 1 when you land is jet lag day. Walk around outside in the fresh air. I would never do those museums, historic sites on arrival day. If you are coming from West Coast even more so.Jet lag hits me around 4pm and I do not lay down or nap, push through.
Maybe go up to Montjuic, great views, walk around, see Olympic sites etc.
Have your kids been to Europe before?

Is day one the day of arrival, I hope not? Day one should be your business day i.e., withdrawing euros if needed, settling into your hotel, etc. Download Rick Steves app on your phone before leaving home and take his Barcelona City Walk. I wouldn’t do more than two activities a day, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
Make sure you buy tickets for the Dali Theatre-Museum before going. If you don’t, you’ll spend the day waiting in line. This museum is popular and well worth a visit.
You can’t squeeze in Guell Palace if you have breakfast followed by this self-guided walk. This stroll takes time and you have to be at the Picasso Museum by noon. The Barcelona City Walk is an excellent walk through Barcelona’s Bari Gotic that’s nearby the Picasso Museum. You probably won't have time to finish it either. This stroll is well worth it and is one of the best old towns you'll ever set foot in. There is tons of charm around every corner.

4:30? Casa Batlo??? Mila? Would this be too much to squeeze in one day?

Yes! Enjoy a sangria and decide where you’re going to eat dinner instead. This is a busy day and you’ll be on your feet all day and now it’s time to let your hair down and rest.

To make it clear, we arrive the afternoon the day before. This itinerary is for the first full day.

What to do after? Hop on hop off bus to see rest of city in a nutshell?

Be sure not to miss the Christmas markets! Our Christmas market tradition is a little know part of our culture and since we mainly celebrate the Three Kings Day (Jan 6) in Spain, you will find most of our Christmas Markets are still up into early Jan.

In Barcelona there are many Christmas markets, but I'd recommend visiting Feria de Santa Llucia, right in front of the main cathedral, it's the oldest one dating back to the 1700s.

Thank you Suki and Marypat for your responses.
I ended up booking Casa Battlo because I we are limited with time because the other days are NYE/NYD so limited with museum times. I hope this isn't too much in one day.

How does this look?

Fly in day before
Day 1
Breakfast at hotel

9:00 Self-guided walk around Gothic/El Born neighborhood
12:00-1:30 Guided tour of Picasso museum Viator (Booked)
2:30-3:20 Tour the Palace of Catalan Music (booked)
4:45 Casa Batllo (booked)

Back to hotel to rest
Dinner-still need reservations

I too am a fast-paced traveler but I’ve learned to slow down when traveling with others. There’s a lot to absorb in a museum and if you cram in too much you stop listening. Furthermore, you’re going to be on your feet after breakfast until 6p. Museums should be visited after a good night’s sleep and first thing in the morning when you have the most energy. If there are multiple museums you want to see in a day then I would add one in the afternoon but not three.
One of the problems with jet lag is you might wake up at 1a and not be able to fall asleep until 6a and then you’ll want to sleep until 11a. You really need two days in Barcelona to complete day one. I have a feeling you’re going to miss seeing Barcelona’s spectacular old town because you’re going to be in museums all day.

I’d have a plan, and an understanding you may be groggy or lagging a bit that first day. So…

Fly in day before
Day 1
Breakfast at hotel
10am “ish” Self-guided walk around Gothic/El Born neighborhood

12:00-1:30 Guided tour of Picasso museum Viator (Booked)

grab a snack or food on way to…

2:30-3:20 Tour the Palace of Catalan Music (booked)

4:45 Casa Batllo (booked)

Relax, take a stroll, or just grab a quick early dinner depending on energy and mood.

Thank you Mary,

My friend said I should take off the Picasso tour and try to move it to another day. Do you think it's doable for all three tours that day Picasso, Catalan Music, and Casa Batllo? They are only 1-130 hrs each. How is walking to each of them? I did schedule an hour between each one. Hotel is near all of it (H10 Metropolitan)

Opps Mary I just read your first message about not cramming. I think I'll change it up

Cloversmom, one other thing to keep in mind, Barcelona's old town is an open-air museum in its own right. You're planning on visiting four museums on your first full day when you should not cram in more than two; there’s way too much to be absorbed. The two museums you want to visit are the Picasso Museum located in the old town and the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figures.
The Palau de la Música Catalana is inside an ornate building but it’s hard to see the exterior even if you stand across the street because the street is too narrow.
Furthermore, Rick Steves self-guided walk in the old town allows you to sit down al fresco style and enjoy a quaint view where you can order food and beverage. I suggest Rick Steves self-guided walk and the Picasso Museum on day one only; this way no one will get cranky.
As far as walking from the Picasso Museum to Palau de la Música Catalana I hope you can download Google maps because that’s what you need. Streets aren’t always marked so you may need to talk to your internet provider to learn more. I’m with T-Mobile that doesn’t charge for international service. This will help with your self-guided walk and Casa Batlló will be more difficult on foot so take a taxi.

Thank you Marypat this is sound advice that I will heed. I wish I didn't jump the gun and order tickets online through the museums. I am hoping they will let me change the day/time for both Battlo and Musica. Have you been to Casa Batllo for the night tour? Maybe we can go back to hotel for a rest then make it an evening event before dinner.

9:00 Self-guided Walk around Gothic/El Born neighborhood

12:00-1:30 Guided tour of Picasso museum Viator (Booked)

Lunch then back to hotel for siesta

MOVE -PERHAPS NEW YEARS DAY 2:30-3:30 Tour the Palace of Catalan Music (booked)

MOVE TO LATER 4:45 Casa Batllo-MOVE TO THE NIGHT TOUR?

UPDATE I emailed the Palace of Catalan Music center and they moved my tour to a different day. Easy button! I have this big sense of relief.

We visited the Picasso museum on our own, no tour. Do a couple searches to see what activities are taking places in town such as Christmas markets, 3 Kings parade, concerts, New Year’s Eve, etc. There should be/are a number of holiday activities going on while you are there, so see if any might interest you.

Perhaps what I am suggesting is influenced by being an architect, but you might consider visiting the Torre Agbar in the evening. It is the "pickle" shape high rise that changes color at night It is near the Glories Metro station. Admission tickets can be purchased on line, I believe they are 15 Euro pp. After the visit, you might make reservations at a roof-top restaurant for dinner. One evening we dined at one of the restaurants at the top of the Arenas de Barcelona overlooking the city. We were there in the spring and watched the Magic Fountain light show during dinner. I checked and it appears there are fountain shows 1 November to 6 January, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 8pm to 9pm, shows start at 8pm and 8:30pm. If you are interested in Gaudi, you might want to visit Casa Vicens considered to be the first building Antoni Gaudi designed and built in 1883. When we were there four years ago we went early just after opening and we almost had the place to ourselves, it did get a bit crowded later in the morning. Also on Gaudi, when you visit Sagrada Familia, book tickets to go up in a tower. The views out over the roofscape are marvelous.

During your day at the Dali Museum allow time on the return trip to stop at Girona for several hours, perhaps have dinner there before heading back to Barcelona.

Your younger family members would like to visit Bruumruum in the evening, it is near the Torre Agbar.

Happy travels.
Jon

Thank you Jon for these amazing suggestions... especially coming from an architect. Must really be eye candy for you to see these buildings. My mouth is watering just looking at the photos of Guidi's masterpieces.

Hi Cloversmom, I’ve never been inside Casa Batllo but if I went back to Barcelona I probably would go inside. Seeing the interior at night is fine and if you want to see the exterior during the day it’s an easy walk from Sagrada Familia.

During your day at the Dali Museum allow time on the return trip to stop at Girona for several hours, perhaps have dinner there before heading back to Barcelona.

This is a long day that takes the fun out of it. A direct train from Barcelona to Figures (don’t go to the Vilafant station because it’s further away from the Dali museum) takes 2h and then you have to follow the crowd (there are signs too) to the Dali Theatre-Museum that’s a 15m walk. Once there you have to wait until you’re allowed in. Expect to stay at least 2h.
Girona would be best as a day trip from Barcelona and not combined with a day trip to the Dali Theatre-Museum. You need time to explore not be in a hurry. Slow down so you can appreciate the “wow” moments with your kids and not have to rush to the next place. Assume you'll return; I've been to Barcelona three times and always see something new each time I go.