Discovering the World with D

To finish off the summer holidays, me and some friends decided to go to Barcelona for 4 and a half days. The flights were cheap, the Airbnb too and the food and drinks obviously convinced us. Just thinking of all the tapas and paellas we could savour and the sangrias we could down made our mouth water. In hindsight, I do have to admit that the price of the Airbnb should have been a warning sign, as it was quite a lot cheaper than all the others. It was ok, but it definitely didn’t look like on the pictures (a lot more rundown) and far to small for 5 people. But oh well, we survived. Now let’s get to the fun stuff!

Things I wish I knew before going

First up, sadly Barcelona is not a very walkable city. The main sights are pretty far apart and as the layout of the city resembles that of a chess board, the walks seem never ending.

On the plus side, their public transport system is impeccable. They have a fairly new metro connected straight to the airport that brings you to the city centre. The metros are quite clean compared to other large cities and the air conditioner was a nice touch in the blazing heat. My Top Tip: Don’t pay as you go. It comes out cheaper if you buy a 10-way ticket. Just make sure to buy an extra ticket when travelling to and from the airport. Another option is to buy the 48h, 72h, 96h or even the 120h ticket (airport ticket is included for this type). Tickets can be bought online or at any station and can be used for different modes of transport.

Another thing I realised is that the locals love if you make an effort by speaking Spanish, even if you don’t know a word of Catalan. I have been learning Spanish for a while now and was eager to try it out. I was a little worried about offending them. It is well known that they want to be independent from Spain, and I didn’t want to be disrespectful. However, after only a short period of time, it became very clear that they really appreciate you speaking Spanish and they will even help you out if you are struggling.

Top Sights to visit

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way and start by talking about the Sagrada Familia, the very famous, yet still unfinished cathedral. In my opinion, it is worth every penny. It is such an impressive building and you will feel tiny while marvelling at it’s decorated facades. The inside is unlike anything I have ever seen from a church – the walls are not decorated at all and all in all it’s very bland, but this is counteracted by the light coming through the colourful windows and the enormous pillars reaching to the ceiling. I truly felt like getting lost in a forest. You will be given an audioguide which really helps to understand the intricate decorations adorning the facade. My Top Tip: Buy tickets online here – and make sure to do this well in advance. I know numerous people who didn’t and missed out on visiting the cathedral as it was fully booked all the days they were there.

Parc Güell should be next on your list. This beautiful parc perched on top of a hill will transport you straight into a fairytale. It’s composed of windy paths, unusually grown trees and colourful mosaics. Getting there can be a little trickier though. We opted to walk there, but please keep in mind that you will have to climb up quite a steep hill and this will involve stairs. If you are not able to do that, you can take bus 24 which will drop you off right outside (the transport tickets I mentioned above will be valid on busses too). I suggest you do the same as with the Sagrada Familia and book your tickets in advance – especially during high season.

Up next, you have to make a stop at the Boquería market. Granted, it’s a little touristy and you will definitely find cheaper produce elsewhere, but i truly loved the atmosphere and I wouldn’t want to miss it. We actually combined this with a picnic. We bought some ham, cheese, fruits and a bottle of wine from different vendors and headed to the Bunkers – a Tiktok famous sight from where you have a view of the city. Due to it’s fame, it was a little crowded and we chose to have our picnic a little further down and only head up to the top for a quick view – it is truly quite breathtaking.

Lastly, I would recommend just heading into the gothic quarter and have a wander. I loved the fact that they have a lot of unique little shops that you won’t necessarily find elsewhere. One of my favourites was a shop called MUK that allowed you to personalise your phone case in many different ways – even with your own photos. We also came across this Xurrería that had the most delicious Churros for only 2€!

Best Places for Food and Drinks

When someone mentions Barcelona my mind automatically wanders to Tapas, Sangria and Churros. While I have mentioned my favourite place for Churros above, below you will find all my other recommendations.

The best Tapas we had during our whole stay were from Cerveceria Catalana. We were extremely lucky to get a table, so I suggest you book in advance. The staff was very friendly and prices were more than reasonable. They have all the classics as well as some of their own creations.

If you are craving a Paella, I suggest you head over to Marina Bay. As the name says, the restaurant is right by the sea and you can order a Paella for the amount of people that you want (it doesn’t have to be the whole table). They bring it out in a huge dish and will serve you from there. It is simply delicious and you probably can’t get much fresher than that.

If you are looking for something a little different head to Parodia. They are situated in the vibrant Eixample neighbourhood and specialise in Argentinian cuisine. We tried their Milanesas (a type of meat that you can top the way you want). Vegeterian options are also available. Prices are mostly below 15€ and portions are quite big. A part from the Milanesas, they also serve Empanadas which looked delicious but I didn’t get to try them.

Finally, if you are sick of tapas and are looking for something else that still fits the vibe, check out Bar Tomate. It is located in a courtyard lined with bars and restaurants all around it. We originally wanted to go to a place called Brunch & Cake, but the line outside was too long and we didn’t feel like waiting. So when we came across this little gem, we were pleasantly surprised. They specialise in mediterranean cuisine while also serving tapas for those who simply can’t get enough of it.

My Top Tip: During your time in Barcelona, don’t forget to try a Cola Cao. It’s the Spanish hot chocolate and they serve it in almost every Café. Most of the time they also ask you if you want it served hot or cold. If you are only used to the Nestlé hot chocolate, trust me that this will make you never want to drink it again.

That’s all for this week! Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss another post and contact me if you need any information about Barcelona. Another post, about possible day trips you can do while there, will be up shortly. Until then, don’t forget to “Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Mark Twain)

D.x