Barcelona was our first stop into Spain, the capital of Catalonia Country. The thought of sipping on sangria and eating tapas got us almost as excited as listening to the song ” Despacito”. We couldn’t wait to explore the city full of dancing in the streets, unique architecture and topless sunbaking.
How we got there
We flew into Barcelona from Paris with Vueling Airlines, a short 1 ½ hour flight. We previously researched the best way to get from the airport to our accommodation beforehand so we wouldn't be forking out money for overpriced taxi rides again. We decided to take the cheaper option and purchased a two-day metro pass instead. We attempted to catch four connections from the airport to get to our accommodation. After getting to our third stop, our phones had gone flat so we were forced to ask for help, which proved difficult as the guy we asked also didn’t know where the next stop was. So we decided to take a gamble and grab a taxi for the rest of the way, luckily enough we weren’t far from the hotel which only cost us 8 euros.
Where we stayed
Like most of our trip, we hadn't booked much accommodation in advance, so prices for accommodation weren't cheap, especially in Barcelona. However, we managed to get a good deal for two nights through Trivago at the Gran Hotel Bracino, located perfectly in the Gothic Quarter, near La Rambla street and the beach. Gran Hotel Bracino offered us a private room with own bathroom and a buffet breakfast for an extra 11 euro per person.
After our first day, we decided to stay an extra night in Barcelona and booked a cheap hostel down the road through Booking.com. (book through this link to earn $30 off your next adventure with booking.com)
What we did
Wandered through the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla street.
On our first night in Barcelona we wandered through the stoney alley ways and took in the eerie yet eye-catching buildings and lamp posts of the Gothic Quarter.
As we neared closer to La Rambla street, where the atmosphere was vibrant and full of people and cute bohemian shops, we strolled into a square lined with restaurants and bars and stopped for a drink of sangria and patatas bravas!
See Gaudi's Artwork
Whilst the Gothic Quarter took us back in time with the historic buildings and walk ways, we realised Barcelona is also a supersized museum filled with the unique artistic architecture of Gaudi.
The metro line L3 took the perfect route past most of Gaudi's creations on route to Park Guell. There is much of his magnificent work to see, but we began with Casa Mila and Casa Batllo.
The real masterpiece was that of Park Guell. We took the metro most of the way and then walked up to the top of the hill for the most spectacular views of the city. However, if you are not eager to climb the hill to the top, you can take the bus lines that go straight there.
We stayed a while to take in the view of the city and to capture some photos, and then made our way down to see the other impressive masterpieces of Gaudi. However, the park was fully booked out and as we didn't book a scheduled booking before-hand, we weren't able to venture into the popular photographed area of Gaudi's work, but instead wandered through the museum and garden nearby.
Bake on the Beach
Let's be honest, most of our time in Barcelona was spent basking in the Mediterranean sun and sneaking our way onto the crowded Barcelona beach. This was our first chance to experience the sun so far away from the equator, and soon learnt how easy it was to build a European tan. Growing up near the beach in Australia meant we had high expectations for beaches. It is hard to beat the long, sandy, clean and empty beaches that rule the coasts of South Aus. However, besides the rocky ocean floor and the single line of rubbish a few metres from the shore, it was a pleasant way to relax and take in the Barcelona vibes.
La Boqueria Market
After searching for juices and smoothies throughout Paris, we were eager to start our first morning in Boqueria Market with a cheap fresh juice (and a churro or two) for breakfast! The market was full of fresh seafood, colourful fruit and veg stalls and exotic aromas.
Nightlife
Okay, so we didn't go "all out" in Barcelona but instead enjoyed the boutique cocktail bars that lined the Gothic Quarter. It was exciting to choose from the never-ending menus of fruit infused gin and tonics, mojitos and sangrias. Our three favourite bars were My First Cocktail Bar, Ultramarinos and El Pacifico. The Irish also seem to get around Spain a lot, and many Irish bars popped up around the streets. We ventured into a bar called Flaherty's for a cheaper drinks menu, vibrant atmosphere and watched the soccer.
What we ate
When in Spain you eat tapas. It was hard to stroll through the streets and not be tempted to walk into a buffet tapas bar. However, tapas aside, there were many meals in Barcelona that kept popping up and that we had time and time again. Here is a list of our favourite Barcelona dishes.
Spanish tortilla (or vegetable omelette) is a dish made with eggs and potatoes, and sometimes with other vegetables, onions or garlic, and fried in oil and served cold as an appetizer. It was the best dish for breakfast, or even served between bread as a sandwich.
Patatas bravas was our first dish in Barcelona and is simply fried potato cubes, served with aioli and a spicy red sauce made of red pepper, paprika, olive oil, vinegar and chili.
La bombas are a type of Spanish potato bomb or giant croquettes of mashed potato filled with a meat or vegetable.
Spanish chorizo and potato stew was literally that, a stew of fried chorizo and potatoes in an oily, spicy stew.
Final note
Although accommodation was expensive and the beaches were crowded, Barcelona ticked all our boxes for our first stop in Spain. We were content with just roaming and exploring the impressive streets, relaxing on the beach, trying new foods and sipping juices and sangria all day long.
https://www.booking.com/s/f00fa726 earn $30 off your next accommodation anywhere in the world with booking.com by using this link.