I can’t really begin to explain how I feel about this city. When I first told Shay that I was going to Barcelona her response was “Oh my god..Barcelona, amazing. I love Barcelona!” And a 2 hour conversation ensued. I didn’t understand where she was coming from (obviously having never been there) but now, after spending 6 days in this vibrant city…I get it. I too, LOVE Barcelona.

Paul described the city as having a particular “vibe” and I agree. Something about this city makes it feel like home. Maybe is the easy subway system which we used a lot, or the food (which was amazing), or the people who always seem to have a smile on their face. I don’t know, but now that we’re leaving, I wish we could have stayed longer.

Magic Fountains

One of Shay’s recommendations was to go see the Magic Fountains, a water, light and music show in a popular square. We decided to do this on our first night. I’ll admit, this was when we were still at our nasty AirBnB so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I could have. Although, it was still beautiful and something I would recommend if you’re visiting BCN. Go early though to get a good spot!

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​​Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Casa Bartllo & Antoni Gaudi

Sagrada Familia

As you are likely aware, Antoni Gaudi was a famous Catalan architect known for his colourful mosaic and gothic work. Barcelona is filled with Gaudi’s incredible pieces, most notably the iconic Gothic Cathedral that has been under construction for the last 134 years (and counting), the Sagrada Familia. Pictures don’t do this structure justice, and neither do words. It’s something you have to see. Fun Fact: The Sagrada Familia is scheduled to be finished in 2026. 144 years total!

Park Guell

Park Guell was originally supposed to be a high class residential area in Barcelona, however, after Gaudi died it was sold to Barcelona city and turned into a public park. It’s also a UNESCO World Hertitge site. 

When Paul and I first went to Park Guell, we just went to walk around. We soon found out that there was a fee to enter the most important part of the park, and we almost didn’t buy tickets. This would have been a BIG mistake. If you find yourself in Barcelona…spend the 7 Euro and go inside. Worth it. Not only do you get up close and personal with Gaudi’s colourful tile mosaic work, you get some pretty beautiful city views.

Casa Bartllo

While we just looked at Casa Bartllo from the ourside, it might be one of my favourite Gaudi designs. The balconies look like masks and the colours are truly spectacular.  

La Rambla, La Boqueria & El Bosc de les Fades – The Fairy Forest

All the blogs I read and people I talked to said to go to La Ramblas. This is a famous, bustling shopping street in the heart of Barcelona. As the night goes on, the busier the street gets and you can find yourself strolling endlessly, unsure of what exactly you’re looking for but enjoying yourself the whole time. Paul and I both loved it. From La Ramblas we headed to El Bosc de les Fades, which loosely translates to the Fairy Forest. We decided to go here on a recommendation from Kendyl, a co-worker of mine who said she loved it. Needless to say, I loved it too. Inside there are fake trees and a water feature with a fairy hanging out by the pond. If you stick around long enough a thunderstorm starts and the lights go out. Besides the atmosphere, the sangria was on another level. As a result, we may or may not have had a little too much to drink, took too many selfies and videos, and had our sunglasses stolen.  Whoops!

Just off La Ramblas is La Boqueria. A market crammed with people buying everything from fruit, to fresh fish, to candy, to bread, and really anything you can think of. Of course, the candy was my favourite. 

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Air Balloon Ride

Day 3: Slighly hungover and a hot air balloon ride. Oy Vey.

Firstly let me say, I wouldn’t recommend drinking the night before you have a Hot Air Balloon Ride scheduled. It was a terribly early morning as we ventured outside the city for our tour. When we first woke up, I wasn’t too bad, but as the morning progressed this changed. I was nervous as it was already, so my stomach was upset. You add being nauseous cause of alcohol, bad combo.

Regardless of my hangover, the experience was still fun! We helped blow up the balloon and got to watch the whole process. While I didn’t get too close to the edge and my phone pretty much remained in my pocket for the majority of our ride. Paul was the photographer for this one. I was just a little too uneasy. We got some pretty spectacular views of Catalonia. Would I do it again? Possibly, but I felt the amount of money we paid was a bit steep. Oh well! All and all it wasn’t a bad way to spend the morning.

The Food & Drinks

If you don’t already know, Barcelona is famous for their tapas, sangria and paella. All three of which, Paul and I really enjoyed. Maybe the sangria a little too much. Tapas essentially are a bunch of small starter dishes that are meant to be shared. We tried the patatas bravas, croquettes and chorizo! All of which I would recommend!

Now the paella. I’m not a seafood fan, so I had the chicken & pork paella, but Paul had the seafood paella (sans shells). DELICIOUS! We both loved it!

We also came across this cute little ice cream place called “Eyescream & Friends” which shaves ice cream for you and you get to choose 2 toppings. It was soooo soooo good. We got it twice in one day :).

   

Espit Chupitos Shot Bar

If you have a chance to go and check out this place, do it. The list of shots is endless and the execution of some of them is crazy! Paul got one called the Boy Scout and you roast a marshmallow with a fire they light on the bar before taking the shot. All shots are 2 euros each so you can get quite a few for relatively cheap! Such fun!

The Beach

Finally, we visited the beach. While it was quite busy, we still enjoyed the sun and the views. The water was cool, but on a hot Spanish day, it was refreshing.

Barcelona was amazing and we loved it! So much so, we could have stayed a bit longer, but it just means we have a reason to go back. If you ever find yourself wondering if you should visit Barcelona, don’t even question it. I guarantee you will love it. I know I’ll be back.

Now we’re off to one of my favourite cities in all of Europe to visit some family, eat currywurst and schnitzel and experience all that Berlin has to offer. 

‘Till later…

Ciao!

Alysha ❤