Discover the historic charm of Europe in this amazing Paris Barcelona Lisbon Itinerary.
Europe, one of its own kind, is a magical continent boasting amazing countries, rich diversity, incredible landscapes, natural treasures, and man-made attractions. The diversity of Europe is what attracts visitors from all over the world to explore its varied art, culture, religion, and modernism.
Honestly, you could plan a month’s vacation in Europe and not get tired. The combination of touring multiple countries at once has become so trendy that people often backpack Europe for two or three months. I have my own friends living in Europe, still discovering its many idyllic villages & towns. Sometimes, you feel crazy and say, ‘Oh, how do they even manage to spend such a long vacation?”
But, on the contrary, it’s a wonderful experience. You meet new people, get accustomed to new traditions, learn local languages, get an insight into people’s ordinary life, and sometimes feel there’s a little more sparkle to everything that’s been going around you. In short, compiling multiple countries of Europe and drafting them into a single travel itinerary is a norm of today’s modern travel.
This guide + itinerary takes you on a unique journey to some of Europe’s best locations. In this article, we are covering three iconic places – Paris, Barcelona, and Lisbon. We thought of selecting these countries based on their varied experiential activities, tours, and niche discoveries. For 10 days, you’ll be treated to extravaganza fun, loaded with almost everything that’s coined ‘unmissable’.
This guide comprises all the essential planning tips, accommodation ideas, travel ideas, and much more. You can bookmark this guide for a later read too!
Overview of the Paris Barcelona Lisbon Itinerary
The itinerary designed for Paris, Barcelona, and Lisbon is for 10 days. Throughout the schedule, you’ll be visiting some of the city’s most famous landmarks, historical sites, museums, art galleries, attractions, and much more. We also included our personal suggestions to discover ‘must-do’ guided tours, experiential activities, and experiences.
Paris Barcelona Lisbon Itinerary Schedule
Day 1: Paris: Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre
Day 2: Paris: Versailles Palace and Culinary Tour
Day 3: Paris to Barcelona
Day 4: Barcelona: Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller, Casa Milá and Las Ramblas
Day 5: Barcelona: Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Catalonia Museum, and Gothic Quarter
Day 6: Barcelona: Experiential Activities
Day 7: Barcelona to Lisbon
Day 8: Lisbon: Castelo de São Jorge, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and Oceanário de Lisboa
Day 9: Lisbon: Pena Palace, Cabo da Roca, and Cascais.
Day 10: Depart Lisbon
Map of Paris Barcelona Lisbon Itinerary
Here’s a map of your Europe tour covering three classic cities – Paris, Barcelona, and Lisbon. You could plan a complete road trip starting from Paris and ending in Lisbon for 10-12 days. If you prefer saving time on a trip, you could book flights to travel within cities.
Detailed Itinerary for Paris Barcelona Lisbon
Day 1 | Arrive in Paris
Paris, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, is a lively, bustling city with many niche activities & unique discoveries. From global landmarks and famous attractions to heart-warming boulangeries and cozy cafes, you can literally spend days and days in Paris, exploring its many Parisian activities.
Since this is your first day of our Paris Barcelona Lisbon itinerary, we will be keeping this day as leisure. You are free to explore the city of Paris on your own. There are plenty of highlights to explore in the city, for which you can book dedicated guided tours. In the evening, I highly recommend checking out the below activity:
Seine River Cruise
Honestly, a visit to Paris is incomplete without taking the magical boat ride on the Seine River. There’s a great misconception that this boat ride is only meant for couples who visit Paris for a romantic getaway. However, this is completely untrue – you can plan the Seine River cruise with your family and friends. The duration of the boat ride depends on the package you book. However, most tours often take an hour or two, bypassing many famous Parisian landmarks.
You can check some of the best Seine River tours below:
Day 2 | Highlights of Paris
Eiffel Tower
There’s a reason why the Eiffel Tower is one of the most glorious tourist attractions in the world, ever. The magnificent glimpse of this tower is what travelers get mesmerized by. That being said, no trip to Paris is complete without making a short visit to the Eiffel Tower. It’s one of those typical Parisian activities travelers look forward to achieving during their first-ever trip.
Eiffel Tower is an architectural masterpiece. It stands out from all the Parisian landmarks you’ll see on this Europe trip. And honestly, nothing beats the experience of simply marveling at the structure for hours and hours. When I first visited Paris, I spent almost 3 hours in the park looking at and admiring the grandeur beauty of this landmark.
To visit the Eiffel Tower, you must take the stairs or an elevator to reach the upper levels. You can also get the elevator, which directly leads you to the top-level floors. However, you’ll need to book your tickets well in advance. I am talking at least 6 to 7 weeks in advance.
Alternatively, the other best option is to book a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower. This is simply the best and the most feasible way of touring the insides of this landmark. These tours have skip-the-line advantages too. So there’s no hassle of queuing up in long lines to wait for your turn. With the help of these passes, you can reach the summit level of the Eiffel Tower too.
Recommended | Want to book a hotel with a view of the Eiffel Tower? Check out these amazing properties to find out more.
Champs-Elysees
From the Eiffel Tower, cross the Pont d’Iéna bridge to visit another beautiful Parisian landmark – Champs-Elysees. You can also take the subway to Alma-Marceau to reach this place.
The highlight of visiting the Champs-Elysees is its vibrant, bright luminous streets that lit up the fashionable & trendy sites of Paris. Walking down the Avenue des Champs-Elysees has to be one of the most beautiful experiences of all time because you see a plethora of shops bustling with their positive energy throughout the street. From boutique shops and luxurious fashion stores to award-winning restaurants and cafes, you could simply adore the striking charm of the evergreen Champs-Elysees.
If you’re a shopaholic person, then Avenue des Champs-Elysees will be nothing but a tiny paradise for you. Most branded retail stores like Montblanc, Guerlain, and Louis Vuitton are set here. So, you can spend an awful amount of time exploring these shops.
In addition to your exploration, you can also find annual eventful occasions happening. Events like the Tour de France cycle race and the 14th July military parade are held here. On Christmas, you’ll find these streets even more charming with decorated Christmas lights.
Arc de Triomphe
Just a short 9-minute walk from Champs-Elysees will take you to one of Paris’s important attractions – Arc de Triomphe. Like the Eiffel Tower, this place is known for its expansive city views stretching out to the far-end horizons. Most travelers often visit Arc de Triomphe for their views and often get listed as one of the best places in the city to soak in a 360-degree view of Paris.
Note: In order to visit the interiors of Arc de Triomphe, you’ll need to pay a small entry fee. But you can get this free with your Paris Pass. With over 80+ attractions, you can get a single access to all places listed in the card. Purchase the card from here.
The Louvre Museum
The Louvre Museum in Paris is one of the country’s finest displays of museums ever seen. The sheer scale of its architectural beauty, the enigma of its interior, and the magnetism of its beautiful gardens are something that will leave you stunned after exploration. The Louvre Museum is an unmissable attraction in Paris. Being one of the top landmarks, the museum should be on your definite list of any Paris itinerary.
When I visited the Louvre Museum, I fell in love with the artworks, displays, magnificent paintings, and historical artifacts. These collections have been curated or drawn by some of the world’s legendary artists. So if you’re a history buff or one who applauds art, you’ll feel super excited to spend some more time.
The Louvre Museum is massive in size. It could take you days to be able to browse through each of the sections, floors, and halls the building holds. However, if this is your first time and you want to fizz pass through the Louvre’s highlights – then check out Michelangelo’s Dying Slave, the Venus de Milo, and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. With more time to spare, you could even find more fascinating sights to see inside the museum.
Day 3 | Historic Paris
Palace of Versailles
Paris is known for its many iconic landmarks, but the one that really stands apart historically – is the Palace of Versailles. This influential site has been a royal chateau to renowned people, including Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. Furthermore, the palace was also known for its political power, which came into force in 1682. Since the phase didn’t last due to French Revolution, France shifted the political power back to the city of Paris.
The Palace of Versailles is such a beautiful place that it mesmerizes you within its own world of history, ancient past, and royal family timelines. My own visit to this palace left me awe-struck, as I was simply amused by the entire tour around its corridors, grand palaces, halls, and many royal rooms. The interiors and exteriors of the palace showcase a marvelous display of French grandeur. It houses more than 2,300 rooms, including some prominent locations such as Battles Gallery, Hall of Mirrors, Marie-Antoinette’s Bedrooms, and the King’s Apartments.
Likewise, it isn’t only the sprawling fancy rooms that make your tour exciting. Outside the palace, you’ll find yourself in the middle of French-styled gardens and beautifully lined-up bushes. The elegance and the manner in which the gardens have been designed are simply stunning to watch.
If this is your first time exploring the Palace of Versailles, you’ll need to time your schedule well. The place requires a good amount of time to explore everything it houses. However, it’s best to allow two to three hours for the entire tour. As an alternative option, you can also book a guided tour to Versailles. This will help you save time and also ensure you visit notable rooms and locations.
Experiential Activities
If you think Paris is all about its global icons and landmarks, you’re probably wrong. There’s a lot to do, given that you spend some time knowing the city and its rich history. The best way to indulge or partake in such activities is to book experiential tours. Such guided walkthroughs give you the best insight into what’s happening in modern-day Paris. Plus, it’s even more fun to do something niche (apart from touring the city’s classics).
One of the best experiential activities that I personally recommend – is the food tour. The culinary tales of Paris have been a widespread talk for a decade – with many indies & global mixed cuisines coming into action. However, the city hasn’t forgotten its roots and has deeply stayed in touch with its local artisan food, including cheese, wine, pastries, croissants, escargots, macarons, cassoulet, and much more.
To get a glance at the gastronomy world of Paris, take this 3-hour guided tour which takes you to the Montmarte region of Paris. Wander through the windmills and vineyards as you pass beautiful villages across the region. As you venture into the deep alleys of Montmartre, you will find cute little stalls serving the best Parisian food. Relish your hunger by trying some French classics and treat yourself to a good deal to end your trip to Paris.
Day 4 | Paris to Barcelona
Today, we head to our next destination, i.e., Barcelona.
The journey from Paris to Barcelona by road is extensive and can take up to 6hrs to complete. However, this is one of the absolute scenic journeys you could ever partake in in Europe. The route is surrounded by splendid views of the French Alps, the beautiful Mediterranean coastline, gorgeous lakes and rivers, and small quaint villages. If you ignore the travel time, then Paris to Barcelona drive is definitely a highlight of this Europe tour.
We recommend taking Renfe-SNCF trains to reach Barcelona. On a typical day, three trains regularly depart from Paris with an average cost of €25. You need to arrive at Paris Gare De Lyon to catch a direct train for Barcelona. The train will depart at Barcelona-Sants.
Note: You’ll find rates lower on a particular day if you make advance bookings. The early you plan your journey, the cheaper the rates will be.
Day 5 | Landmarks of Barcelona
Hola! The first day of your Barcelona tour focuses on the major tourist attractions found near the city center. From exploring the masterpieces of Anton Gaudí to covering the city’s iconic laneways, we explore some of the best Barcelona highlights on day one.
Casa Batlló
Kick off your day one exploration by visiting the famous Casa Batlló. This is one of Gaudí’s famous architectural houses in Barcelona. You might have already seen some photos of it on the internet, but to look at them, in reality, is something always special.
Casa Batlló beautifully features a spiraling-styled design of its house, with pretty balconies and a façade reminiscing Venetian masks. Just like its exterior, the insides of Casa Batlló feature intriguing designs too. With small rooms at every corner, you can take your time exploring the interiors of this amazing building.
Casa Amatller
Situated right next to Casa Batlló is one of Antoni Gaudí’s visual-looking masterpieces, Casa Amatller. Just like his other works, you will be in awe of the fascinating design Gaudi pulled off. The interiors of the Cada Amatller are as beautiful as its exterior and are simply one of Barcelona’s best places to visit.
Antoni Gaudí designed this building for a famous Spanish chocolatier, Antoni Amatller Costa. If you make an inside tour, you’d see a store completely specializing in selling delicious Amatller chocolate. We highly recommend you try them, as they are sinfully crave-worthy.
Casa Milá
Also known as La Pedrera, Casa Milá was Antoni Gaudi’s last civil work. As proudly as it stands today, the building is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Similar to Casa Amatller and Casa Batlló, the work done by Gaudi is at its best. The intricate details on the insides of Casa Milá are far superior to any other designs you might have seen in Barcelona. It just gets better if you allow some time to explore the rooms at each level. In particular, tourists are fascinated by its rooftop terrace. From there, you almost get an expansive view of Barcelona city.
Las Ramblas
After you explore Gaudi’s masterpieces, it’s time to cool down and spend some leisure time at Las Ramblas. Head past the central Plaça de Catalunya and find yourself amidst the bustling sellers that call out for a visit. From local souvenir shops and stalls to street-side cafes and meat stores, you can almost find anything and everything here in Las Ramblas.
The only downside of visiting Las Ramblas is its crowd. Many tourists and travelers jam this place in the evening as they head out to stroll across these streets. It’s an even more nightmare to visit during the peak season. Nonetheless, if the crowd doesn’t bother you, then Las Ramblas is a definite experience.
Day 6 | Barcelona Classics
La Sagrada Familia
If there’s anything in Spain that you can marvel at for hours and hours (literally) – then it’s La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Designed by Antonio Gaudi, this massive architectural beauty was his dream project. His vision to create something extraordinary halted right after his tragic death. But, to continue what became the country’s dream after that – the reconstruction of La Sagrada began late in 1882. Even today, the church is under construction and is slated for completion in 2026.
Even with its reconstruction progress, La Sagrada Familia still invites people to venture into the interiors of the building. Most sections are open to the public, and tickets need to be booked in advance to visit them. The basic pass (€26) allows you to tour the insides without a guide. You can also book a guided tour of the same.
Park Guell
Park Guell, again one of Gaudi’s inspirational works, is a beautiful large, spaced park featuring art installations and stone displays. It is one of the city’s most colorful and vibrant spots, also boasting gingerbread houses, colonnaded pathways, tiled units, and a serpentine bench. The design of the entire park differentiates well from the previous Gaudi pieces you might have seen on tour.
Earlier, visiting Park Guell was absolutely free. However, with an increasing demand of tourists to visit the place and the ever-growing traction it receives – the park has become a paid-to-visit spot. Just like any other attraction in Barcelona, you’ll need to book your entry tickets in advance. The lines to enter the park are ridiculously long and might take hours to get in an entry. If you need to book tickets, you can visit the official website or GetYourGuide.
Gothic Quarter
In the late afternoon, you can spend time wandering the Gothic Quarter’s narrow alleys. This locality of Barcelona is considered to be one of the oldest portions of the country. With numerous cafes & restaurants lining up the quarters, you can find some of the city’s most premier and traditional shops tucked in.
Visiting the Gothic Quarter always takes you back in time. The essence of the place always fills up the positive vibes in you. During your exploration, you will be in love with the region’s many boutique shops, street-side vendors, and luxury shopping stores. You can also visit the insides of the two popular churches – anta Maria del Mar and the Barcelona Cathedral.
No matter how you spend your time here, ensure that you always carry a pocket map to explore the Gothic Quarter. The GPS in the location is inaccurate and can misguide you.
Day 7 | Barcelona to Lisbon
Today, we end our journey in Barcelona to proceed to our next stop – Lisbon.
Lisbon, Portugal’s charming capital city, is one of my favorite European cities. The narrow lanes, winding streets, cozy little cafes, and wine-centric villages always fascinate me to visit this place. If this is your first-time exploring Lisbon, then you’ll be overwhelmed by the abundance of things to see & do here. From incredible museums and historic buildings to award-winning restaurants and energetic nightlife scenes – you could spend an entire week in Lisbon and not get bored.
There are multiple ways to reach Lisbon from Barcelona. You could fly, drive, take a bus or opt for a train to journey to Portugal’s capital city. If you wish to drive (non-stop), it will take approximately 11hr 44mins (1245kms). With additional layover and rest-stops, you could easily consider 15hrs or more for Barcelona to Lisbon journey.
We won’t recommend a drive-through for our itinerary since you’ll already be exhausted from your previous travel. We rather suggest taking a train or bus to reach Lisbon. Both these transport modes regularly operate between Barcelona-Sants and Lisboa – Santa Apolonia. This is also one of the cheapest ways to reach Lisbon, with an average travel cost of $54-$75. The fastest mode to reach Lisbon is flying, which only takes 3hrs.
Day 8 | Lisbon
After a hearty breakfast meal, leave your hotel to explore some of Lisbon’s finest attractions.
Castelo de São Jorge
If there’s one thing you can’t afford to miss in Lisbon, then it’s the iconic Castelo de São Jorge. Known for its location, St. George’s Castle sits nicely amongst the hilltops of the Alfama, overlooking the beautiful capital city. The castle is regarded as one of Portugal’s most prestigious tourist attractions. Its incredible sightings, impressive architecture, battlements, museums and outer castle grounds make the place noteworthy and super family-friendly.
There’s plenty of exploration you can do at St. George’s Castle. You can visit the Tower of Ulysses to gain a panoramic-degree view of the entire Lisbon city. You can also tour the galleries located near the castle to learn more about the Moorish neighborhood. The Archaeological Site gets as impressive as it can with impressive ruins depicting past timelines.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos is a 16th-century built monastery that popularly attracts tourists from all over the world. If you’re in Portugal, especially in Lisbon, visiting Mosteiro dos Jerónimos should be on your touring bucket list. The monastery has been highly praised for its grandeur and beauty and is still known as one of the great monuments showcasing its rich history and cultural significance.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos i also listed under the UNESOC World Hertage sites. The highlights of this monastery include visiting the South Portal (known for Manueline architecture), Cloisters (impressive stonework display), tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões, Upper Choir (incredible church interior), and Chapel of Senhor dos Passos.
Oceanário de Lisboa
One of the fun, family-friendly activities to do in Lisbon is to visit Oceanário de Lisboa (The Lisbon Oceanarium). If you have kids traveling along with you, then the aquarium is the best place in Lisbon to go for. You and your kids will absolutely treasure every minute spent here. The Lisbon Oceanarium is also one of the world’s largest aquariums.
The highlight of touring the Lisbon Oceanarium is its different ecosystems within. For example, the section of Antarctic habitat features playful penguins and sea otters in a playful Pacific tank. This way, there are other sections too, which you can tour during your visit.
The Oceanário de Lisboa highly promotes the biodiversity and conservation of the marine species found across the oceans. Multiple campaigns are held to promote engagement in actively taking part in conserving aquatic life found underwater.
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian
Lisbon is home to some of the finest cultural attractions, including many museums and art galleries. One such place that stands really apart from the rest is the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian. It’s one of Portugal’s most celebrated museums, boasting a grandeur display of Western and Eastern Art.
The facility was named after the wealthy businessman Gulbenkian, who bequeathed his very own private art collection to the country after his death. Since then, the facility has been home to some of his priceless displays. Most collections come from different parts of the world and span different civilizations and eras. You could almost spend entire half-day browsing through his collections and marveling at each piece as you go back in time. Visit this page to book a skip-to-line entry ticket for Museu Calouste Gulbenkian.
Day 9 | Lisbon
Today, choose to do any of the below-recommended activities for your Lisbon exploration. Alternatively, you can keep this day as leisure to explore the capital city on your own. You can also browse some of the best walking tours in Lisbon. For more ideas on how to explore Lisbon, visit this page.
Discovering Sintra
This full-day guided tour takes you away from the hustle & bustle of Lisbon. Join this adventurous escapade as you venture to discover some of Portugal’s most historic sites, attractions and experiences. The visit includes touring the Pena Palace in Sintra, Cabo da Roca’s high-rise cliffs, and Cascais’s coastal side town.
The journey will start from Sintra, where you are free to roam the city’s most inspiring historic estates, villas, and royal palaces. Visit the Pena Palace with an expert to gain insights into the place’s beautiful history. Continue your exploration in Sintra and discover cute narrow laneways that always take you to hideous spots, offering great panoramic lookouts of the Atlantic Ocean.
After your time in Sintra, you will head to Cabo da Roca – which is regarded as the westernmost point of Europe. Due to its location, Cabo da Roca offers splendid ocean views across the hilltops. Later, check out the romantic seaside town of Cascais, located on the Portuguese Riviera. This lovely town features energetic markets, a fishing port, and many luxury marinas. A visit to the town is one of the highlights of our Paris Barcelona Lisbon itinerary.
For more details on this tour, visit this page.
Sailboating in Lisbon
Want to try something fun? Something quirky, distinctive and quite adventurous at the same time? Hop onto this amazing 2-hour Lisbon boat ride through the River Tagus. As you sail past the capital city, explore beautiful waterfront scenery, marinas, and port harbors. You will also pass through various Lisbon attractions, including Basilica da Estrela, Castle of Sao Jorge, Torre de Belém, Commerce Square, and MAAT Museum.
Day 10 | Depart Lisbon
This marks the end of your Paris Barcelona Lisbon Itinerary for 10 days.
Accommodation Overview for Paris Barcelona Lisbon
Choosing the right pair of accommodations for the entire Europe trip is one of the most crucial planning stages. You’d want to ensure that the hotels you choose match perfectly with our Paris Barcelona Lisbon itinerary. Although Europe has a wide range of accommodation options, it tends to overwhelm first-time travellers.
In the above itinerary, you might have already seen some of the suggestions based on each European city. In addition to them, you can also refer to the below links to browse some more options –
Hotels in Paris: Check out the best hotels in Paris here.
Hotels in Barcelona: Find hotels, rental apartments, and homes here.
Hotels in Lisbon: Check out these amazing hotels in Lisbon.
Make sure to check Booking.com as well to compare rates offered by different booking partners. This way, you can ensure that you’re paying the lowest for the same hotel & its amenities.
Lonely Planet for Europe
Lonely Planet is a leading pioneer in curating travel guides for various destinations. There’s nothing quite like using their own book to get excellent travel tips & advice. I personally use them to get recommendations on all my travel-rated essentials. It comes in really handy for someone to delve deeper into the nitty-gritty of a place.
Further Readings & Resources
London Paris Amsterdam – London Paris Amsterdam Itinerary: Epic 10 Days in Europe
London Paris Barcelona – London Paris Barcelona Itinerary: Ultimate 10 Days in Europe
Paris Itinerary – 3 Days in Paris: The Perfect Paris Itinerary for First-Time Travelers
Experiential Europe – 10 Day Europe Trip: Germany, Belgium & France to Ireland
Ireland – 7 Day Ireland Itinerary: Epic Road Trip Plan [2022]
Explore Road Trips in Australia:
Byron Bay to the Gold Coast – The Ultimate Byron Bay to Gold Coast Itinerary (+Map, Tips)
Melbourne to the Gold Coast – 7 Ultimate Melbourne to Gold Coast Road Trip Spots
Melbourne to Coober Pedy – 9 Sensational Melbourne to Coober Pedy Road Trip Stops
Bordertown to Port Augusta – 5 Classic Things to See from Bordertown to Port Augusta
