Barcelona, where do I even begin? This was one of the coolest cities I've ever seen in my life, and hands down my favorite place in Spain (behind Sevilla of course). It is so modern but so old all at the same time, and there was always so much going on. There are so many different parts of Barcelona from the beach, to las Ramblas, to el Born, and the Gothic Quarter, and each had their own feel and unique personality.
The streets are lined with amazing restaurants, lots of stores, and some of the coolest architecture in the world (thanks Guadi). I think I could ramble on about Barcelona for hours, but I'll try to keep this relatively short (mostly because I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow and haven't started packing).
The streets are lined with amazing restaurants, lots of stores, and some of the coolest architecture in the world (thanks Guadi). I think I could ramble on about Barcelona for hours, but I'll try to keep this relatively short (mostly because I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow and haven't started packing).
La Sagrada Familia
My favorite part of Barcelona and my favorite site I've seen abroad (possibly ever). Antonio Gaudi came up with the design and construction began in 1882 and is expected to be finished by 2026. Thats 144 years. It's highest towers haven't even been constructed yet, so I truly can't even imagine how incredible it will look when it's done. I've probably visited almost 25 churches and cathedrals throughout Europe, and though they're all beautiful, La Sagrada Familia is on a completely different level. Travel tip: buy tickets ahead of time online, if you don't you could wait in line for hours.
La Boqueria Market
The Boquria was the first touristy sight we visited in Barcelona and is located in the middle of Las Ramblas (a long street filled with lots of people, stores, and restaurants that leads to the port). Essentially its a huge market filled with all different types of food, and may be best recognized by any Instagram followers by pictures of smoothies. I made sure to get one and it was just as good as I imagined it would be. Definitely worth a visit, go for breakfast like we did and kill two birds with one stone.
Parc Guell
Guell is another influential Barcelonian architect, known for his mosaic designs throughout Parc Guell. Parc Guell is like something from another world that almost seems childlike and animated with its strangely shaped buildings and bright colors. Buy tickets ahead of time online to avoid the lines.
Other Places to Visit
Barcelona is huge, but somehow we saw a huge amount in two full days. Here are some of my other favorite spots.
Arume
While researching for Barcelona I ended up stumbling upon a restaurant recommendation that turned into one of the best dining experiences I've had in Spain. Arume is this little restaurant tucked away in Barcelona, but is extremely popular with the locals. The wait for a table is extremely long, and we luckily made a reservation, but I would wait hours to eat here again! The atmosphere is intimate and my friend and I were seated in a cool little loft. Our waiter was so friendly and brought us each a second free glass of wine! Everything we ate was gourmet-like and ridiculously tasty. It's also decently inexpensive. My friend and I each got a glass of wine (and a second for free), split an appetizer and dessert, and each got a main dish and only paid 24 euros each! If you're heading to Barca anytime soon be sure to go here!
Nightlife
Nightlife in most of Europe is big, but Barca takes it to a whole other level. You go out late, you stay out late (5 am), the clubs and discos are huge, and some are really classy. This picture was taken at a club in a hotel 26 floors above the beach in Barcelona.
Ok, so I guess this post wasn't actually that short, but Barcelona was too cool not to go into detail. Headed off to Rome, Florence, and Tuscany this weekend and feeling so extremely fortunate for all of these experiences!
Cheers to travel and to the weekend!
Ok, so I guess this post wasn't actually that short, but Barcelona was too cool not to go into detail. Headed off to Rome, Florence, and Tuscany this weekend and feeling so extremely fortunate for all of these experiences!
Cheers to travel and to the weekend!