This 7-day itinerary stitches together three cities with strong personalities: Barcelona, the Catalan capital alive with Gaudí’s curves and Mediterranean light; Buenos Aires, where European boulevards meet Latin rhythm; and Montevideo, the mellow Uruguayan port famed for its mate culture and oceanfront Rambla. You’ll savor Modernisme icons, steak-and-Malbec feasts, and a ferry-breeze day in Uruguay—all paced for a week on the move.

Barcelona’s roots run from Roman Barcino to a 19th-century Modernisme boom that gave the world the Sagrada Família and Park Güell. Across the Atlantic, Buenos Aires blossomed on immigration, tango, and café life, while Montevideo’s Old City and markets show a quieter, equally proud history. Expect tapas, vermouth, and seafood in Catalonia; choripán, asado, and gelato in Argentina; and parrillas plus Tannat wines in Uruguay.

Practical notes: With only 7 days, we focus on two hubs—Barcelona and Buenos Aires—and include Uruguay as an easy day trip. Long-haul flights are substantial; book early and sit aisle on overnight legs. Pickpockets target crowded spots (Las Ramblas, La Boca); use crossbody bags. Reserve Sagrada Família and tango shows ahead. Carry passports for the ferry. Cards are widely accepted; a transit card (TMB in Barcelona) and rideshare (BA) simplify city hops.

Barcelona

Barcelona glows with color—Gaudí’s mosaics, Eixample’s geometric blocks, and the Mediterranean’s silver-blue horizon. Wander Gothic alleys into modernist avenues, then out to Barceloneta for seafood with sea spray. Art, design, and a late dining culture rule here.

• Top sights: Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló and La Pedrera exteriors, the Gothic Quarter, and Santa Maria del Mar.
• Local flavor: Order bombas at La Barceloneta’s old bodegas, sip vermut casero on Sundays, and try pa amb tomàquet with everything.
• Coffee and bites: Nømad Coffee Lab for specialty espresso; Granja Viader for thick xocolata; El Quim de la Boqueria for fried eggs with baby squid.

Where to stay (hand-picked): Beachfront style at Hotel Arts Barcelona; eco-boutique in El Raval at Hostal Grau Barcelona; modern comfort with rooftop views at Novotel Barcelona City; design-forward social vibe at Generator Barcelona; value with a pool near the beach at H10 Marina Barcelona. Browse more stays on VRBO Barcelona or Hotels.com Barcelona.

Getting there: If you’re flying within Europe, compare options on Omio (flights in Europe) or connect by rail via Omio (trains in Europe). From beyond Europe, check Kiwi.com (global flights) or Trip.com (flights).

Day 1: Gothic stones and tapas by the sea

Morning: Travel day. In-flight or en route to Barcelona.

Afternoon: Check in and stretch your legs through the Gothic Quarter: Plaça del Rei to the Barcelona Cathedral cloister with its honking geese. Duck into El Xampanyet for a quick glass of house cava and anchovies, or grab bombas (croquette “bombs”) at La Cova Fumada.

Evening: Settle into dinner at Bar Cañete—made-to-order tortillas, Iberian pork, and a deep Catalan wine list. For a nightcap, slip into Paradiso (award-winning speakeasy behind a pastrami-shop fridge) for inventive, smoke-kissed cocktails.

Day 2: Gaudí’s Barcelona and the Mediterranean golden hour

Morning: Dive straight into Gaudí with a skip-the-line Sagrada Família tour (guides unlock the symbolism and engineering).

Barcelona: Sagrada Familia Skip-the-Line Guided Tour and Tickets

Afternoon: Continue to Park Güell with a guided visit to decode mosaic dragons, sinuous benches, and hilltop city views.

Barcelona: Park Guell Skip the Line Guided Tour

Evening: Board a catamaran for sunset—tapas, open bar, and skyline glow from the water.

Barcelona Unique Sunset Sailing Experience with Tapas & Open Bar

Post-sail dinner: La Paradeta (choose-your-catch seafood cooked to order) or Xiringuito Escribà for paella by the beach.

Day 3: Fly Barcelona → Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Morning: Fly Barcelona (BCN) to Buenos Aires (EZE). Nonstop/one-stop total time ~12.5–14.5 hours; typical one-way fares ~$600–$1,000 in economy. Search on Kiwi.com or Trip.com.

Afternoon: Arrive, transfer to your hotel in Recoleta or Palermo. Shake off jet lag with a cortado at LAB Tostadores de Café or Lattente and a stroll through leaf-draped streets.

Evening: Early parrilla welcome at Parrilla Peña (locals’ favorite lomo, provoleta, papas fritas) or El Preferido de Palermo (classic bodegón revived). Ice cream at Heladería Cadore—dulce de leche is the move.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires mixes Belle Époque facades, jacaranda-lined avenues, and the heartbeat of tango. Neighborhoods are little worlds—colorful La Boca, stately Recoleta, bohemian San Telmo, trendy Palermo.

• Top sights: Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo market, La Boca’s Caminito (go in daylight), Recoleta Cemetery, Teatro Colón.
• Eat and drink: Don Julio for benchmark steak; choripán from Chori; medialunas at Café Tortoni; natural wine at Pain et Vin; cocktails at Florería Atlántico.
• Shop: Palermo Soho’s designers and weekend ferias; San Telmo’s Sunday antiques fair.

Where to stay (curated): Grande-dame glam at Alvear Palace Hotel; leafy eco-design at Palo Santo Hotel; budget-chic and social at Circus Hostel & Hotel or Milhouse Hostel Avenue. Explore more options via VRBO Buenos Aires or Hotels.com Buenos Aires.

Day 4: Classic BA—plazas, barrios, and a tango night

Morning: See the city with context on a private highlights tour—Plaza de Mayo, La Boca murals, San Telmo cobbles, and Puerto Madero’s docks.

Buenos Aires City Private Tour with Local Guide

Afternoon: Pay respects to Evita at Recoleta Cemetery, then café time under ancient gomeros at La Biela. If architecture calls, book a guided entry for Palacio Barolo—an allegory of Dante’s Divine Comedy with a lighthouse on top.

Palacio Barolo Entry Ticket with Guide

Evening: Dress up for a tango dinner show in a historic mansion: orchestra, dancers, and a multi-course Argentine menu.

Executive Dinner Show at Mansion Tango

Day 5: Day trip to Montevideo (Uruguay) — plazas, markets, and the Rambla

Morning: Take the fast ferry Buenos Aires → Montevideo (approx. 2–3 hours; typical round-trip $70–$120; carry passport). On arrival, join a city overview—Ciudad Vieja, Plaza Independencia, Palacio Salvo, and leafy neighborhoods.

Montevideo Highlights: Shared City Tour for Cruise Passengers

Afternoon: Lunch at Mercado del Puerto—El Palenque or Estancia del Puerto for asado, morcilla dulce, and grilled provolone. Optional winery escape (if you prefer vines to city sights):

Pizzorno Winery with Lunch and Wine Tasting

Evening: Stroll the Rambla at sunset, then ferry back to Buenos Aires. Nightcap at Florería Atlántico (hidden behind a florist’s fridge) or Presidente Bar for classic cocktails.

Montevideo

Laid-back and friendly, Montevideo feels like a cousin to Buenos Aires—more intimate, with Art Deco flourishes and a seaside soul. The Old City blends museums and parrillas; neighborhoods spill onto a 14-mile waterfront promenade perfect for golden-hour walks.

• Don’t miss: Mercado del Puerto at lunchtime, Plaza Independencia’s gateway between old and new, and the sunset glow from the Rambla of Pocitos.
• Eat and sip: Jacinto for seasonal plates, La Pulpería for wood-fired steaks, Bar Fun Fun for candombe and history, and Tannat wines from nearby bodegas.
• Great cafés: Escaramuza (bookstore-café garden) and La Madriguera for specialty coffee.

Where to stay (if you linger): Belle Époque grandeur by the sea at Sofitel Montevideo Casino Carrasco & Spa; riverside design at Hyatt Centric Montevideo; excellent value downtown at Hotel Iberia. Browse more on VRBO Montevideo or Hotels.com Montevideo.

Day 6: Palermo parks, BA food crawl, and neighborhood nights

Morning: Slow start in Palermo Soho: espresso at Lattente or Cuervo, medialunas at Ninina. Stroll the Bosques de Palermo (rose garden and lakes) and MALBA for Latin American art if you’re a museum lover.

Afternoon: Join a small-group foodie tour through Palermo’s delis and bodegones—empanadas, fugazzeta, milanesa, and a sweet finish.

Local Foodie Adventure in Buenos Aires with Sherpa Food Tours

Evening: Steak night at Don Julio (reserve ahead) or Parrilla Don Niceto for a more low-key feast—order ojo de bife, mollejas, and a bottle of Malbec. If you’re tango-curious, finish at a neighborhood milonga to see locals dance.

Day 7: Last sips and departure

Morning: If it’s Sunday, browse San Telmo’s fair for antiques and street tango; otherwise tour the Teatro Colón or pop into the El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookstore-theater. Coffee at Felix Felicis & Co. and one last alfajor.

Afternoon: Transfer to EZE for your flight. Check fares on Kiwi.com or Trip.com.

Evening: In transit—raise a final toast to tango, Tannat, and tiled mosaics.

Optional extra day(s): Add Chile (Santiago + Valparaíso)

If you can extend 2–3 days, fly to Santiago (2 hours from Buenos Aires; compare fares on Trip.com). Ride the funicular and cable car over San Cristóbal Hill, then take a day trip to street-art-splashed Valparaíso with a Viña del Mar stop and Casablanca Valley wines.

Full day Vina del Mar and Valparaiso experience

Santiago Skyline: Cable Cars & San Cristobal Private Adventure

Logistics at a glance:

• Barcelona → Buenos Aires flight: ~12.5–14.5 hours; morning departure recommended; book via Kiwi.com or Trip.com.
• Buenos Aires ↔ Montevideo ferry: ~2–3 hours each way; budget ~$70–$120 round-trip; passport required.
• Local transport: Barcelona TMB cards for metro; Buenos Aires SUBE for buses/subway; rideshare widely used.

In a week you’ll have traced an elegant arc—from Gaudí’s fantastical basilica to a velvet tango night and a breezy Uruguayan lunch beneath iron market trusses. Keep this plan handy: it’s a tight itinerary that still leaves space for a spontaneous café, a new bottle of Malbec, and a sunset walk you’ll remember.