Bienvenidos a Barcelona!

I’ve been to Barcelona before, but this time, I brought my husband along for the adventure. Along with Florence, Barcelona is one of my favourite European cities to pop into a spend some quality time exploring. Its rich culture, imposing architecture and delicious food scene are all part of its charm.

I’ve included a small selection of photos from my journey. You can view all the pictures in the dedicated album which you can also find in my website Gallery.

After a recent cruise (read the post on the cruise), we spent three days exploring all this amazing city and surrounding hills have to offer.

Our hotel, the H10 Madison has a fantastic rooftop bar and pool with an incredible view of the Barcelona Cathedral and the surrounding area. Its location afforded us access to great restaurants and tours of the city. Barcelona is very walkable, but it is very widespread. Sometimes, those taxi rides and transfer services are very much appreciated!

Since we were disembarking from a cruise, we didn’t have to worry about jet lag – a welcome change from some of my other European city stays and a definite perk of coming off a cruise!

Day 1 – Las Ramblas, Tuk Tuk Tour and Tapas and Wine

First things first – lunch! And when in Barcelona – look for markets! We discovered, not far from our hotel, the Mercat de la Boqueria with a delicious selection to choose from – a difficult decision for sure!

I often recommend a tuk tuk tour – an experience I really invite everyone to consider. Your local driver is always excited to share his or her city with you and welcomes your questions with a lively and enthusiastic answer just waiting! Their small tuk tuks can maneuver through the narrow streets and take you into places you just can’t get to on a large bus. If you feel some of your tours “double up” on what you may see on a tour, remember that the tuk tuk tours don’t take you “inside”, and you are sure to have an informational and fun-filled journey through the city with your guide. It’s very personal and a lot of fun.

Before our evening tapas and wine tour, we had the chance to walk along Barcelona’s main street – Las Ramblas. It’s a 1.2 km walk from end to end. Unfortunately, they were doing a lot of street work, so some of its charm was lost. But don’t miss this walk – the street is bustling with a lively atmosphere, street performers, markets and stores to meander through. Be prepared though – it’s very busy with locals and tourists alike. The walk begins at Placa de Catalunya with beautiful fountains and green space to enjoy. You’ll encounter Gaudi-designed lampposts – they really do stand out! Other artist’s works such as Joan Miro are also presented – the tile mosaic is beautiful. A maritime museum and a wax museum are also part of the experience. On the far end of Las Ramblas is the Columbus Monument dedicated to this historic explorer. You can climb to its viewing platform for a panoramic view of the city and the harbour.

If you are a bit of a foodie – always take advantage of a food walking tour. You won’t dine in fancy restaurants, but you will dine “like a local” enjoying the foods of city in smaller establishments. Come hungry! You’d think that stopping at 4 or 5 places wouldn’t fill you up, but the restaurants you visit ensure you do not leave hungry. Ours was a tapas and wine tour, so each place we stopped at had a wine pairing. Our guide for this tour was a chef herself, and she brought her love of creating dishes and enjoying them, blending them together into a wonderful food tour experience.

Day 2 – Barcelona Cathedral and All Things Gaudi!

Just a few steps from our hotel is the beautiful and Barcelona Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. It was constructed from the thirteenth to fourteenth centuries and took the opportunity to walk in and check it out. Since it’s located in a main square, there’s lots of activities taking place around it, especially as evening approaches. My advice – get out and explore – your adventure becomes part of the experience!

To meet up with our tour guide for our Gaudi tour, we once again got to enjoy our stroll down Las Ramblas, albeit it was very hot! This tour brought us outside and inside the avant guard creations of Antoni Gaudi, a Catalan architect and sought after designer. His creations represented his personal style and were sought after by the rich and famous. His designs were not only restricted to buildings, but were found in garden designs, sculptures and pieces of art, including the lampposts! There are seven buildings located in Barcelona and its surrounding areas. We visited Casa Batlló, Casa Mila, Casa Vicens, the Palacio Guell and Parque Guell before witnessing his genius at the La Sagrada Familia, where he personally worked on the Nativity façade and the Crypt in La Sagrada Familia. Because of distance and heat, we had a private transfer between to Parque Guell and La Sagrada Familia. At the end of our full day tour, instead of walking the 35 minutes back, we opted for a taxi ride from La Sagrada Familia to our hotel. I think it was an excellent decision!

Of course, La Familia Sagrada is Barcelona’s crown. I asked our tour guide how I could possibly explain this incredible basilica. She responded: “just tell them it’s the most beautiful sandcastle they will ever see”. That’s a perfect description. Once visited, you just can’t forget its impact on you. It’s beautiful. The construction began on March 19, 1882, and continues today with a completion date somewhere around 2035. Remarkably, today’s buildings are still following the plans and designs set forth by Anton Gaudi. My advice to you is go first with a tour guide. First of all, you will skip those VERY long lines, but they will also offer incredible insights that you will miss on your own. Once inside, after the tour, you can stay as long as you like and make your own way back to your hotel. This practice will allow you the extra time you may want to really enjoy the inside of the basilica. Take note though, that you will be limited to a small part of the outside grounds, although you can still go back inside the church.

Day 3 – Montserrat

There’s no doubt at all the Montserrat is a must see while visiting Barcelona!

There’s nothing like getting picked up from your hotel! This was a semi-private tour, and the 8 of us were a bit “squeezed” in our transfer van. Nevertheless, our guide was very professional and a delight to travel with, corny jokes and all. He was a great fount of information. It’s around a 40-minute drive to Montserrat (the serrated mountain). It’s aptly named and certainly stands out in stark contrast to the flat lands that surround it. Every turn opens up to a different view of this incredible mountain. There’s a museum, restaurants and many hiking trails.

If you are lucky, you will be able to witness a performance by the Escolania de Montserrat, the school choir. Approximately 40-50 students ranging from 9-14 years of age attend the school. We were not so lucky.

Most people who visit here come to see the Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria and to see the statue of the Black Madonna, the patron saint of Catalonia. It’s carved from wood from Jerusalem and was found in 880 AD by shepherd boys who were led by a mysterious light and music to the cave of its discovery. Once onboard the funicular, you’re treated to the short ride up and then the incredible views of Catalonia and hiking really becomes part of the adventure of the ascent.

Another amazing day behind us, we opted to stay close to home for dinner, and we’re so happy we did – a tremendous storm descended on the city – thank goodness we opted to eat INSIDE the restaurant! We stayed happily dry until the rain subsided.

Day 4 – Heading Home

Thank you, Barcelona! You were indeed amazing!

I’ve included a small selection of photos from my journey. You can view all the pictures in the dedicated album which you can also find in my website Gallery.