Barcelona

Hello Wonderful People

When it comes to travel, I usually like to stick to one rule: don't revisit the same places as there are so many new destinations to be discovered and explored. However, rules are there to be bent and broken and last weekend I went back to Barcelona for the first time in 12 years. Now, 12 years is a long time (nearly half of my life to be precise), so I think I can be forgiven for revisiting this wonderful city.  

 

After catching an early flight from London, we arrived at our hotel by 12pm and set off straight away to do some exploring. The Sagrada Familia was just round the corner from our hotel, so this was our first stop. The architecture of this building is just magnificent, with its imposing spires and beautiful details. We sadly didn't go in, as the queue was HUGE, but admiring Gaudi's masterpiece from the outside was good enough for me. We then proceeded to get thoroughly ripped off while having lunch at a street-side café. Yes, we were in a touristy area but I nearly choked on my beer when the bill (for 1 beer, 1 sangria and 2 warmed up slices of ciabatta) came to 46 Euros. Ouch.

 

 

The rest of the afternoon was spend wandering around the streets off La Ramblas. I'm not a massive fan of the street itself; it's too tacky and touristy for my liking. However, about half way down La Ramblas is a lovely little food market called La Boqueria Mercat. You can buy everything from sweets, to meats, to fruit here and it's a great little place to explore, soak up the sights and smells or grab a snack. After leaving the busy La Ramblas we attempted to get our bearings by exploring the maze of small streets that branch away from the main thoroughfare. This area is by far my favourite in Barcelona. There are dozens of small squares, little shops and an abundance of restaurants, cafes and bars. If you're looking to get a little lost, and have an afternoon to spare, I'd recommend wandering these streets and stopping off every now and then in a bar to refuel with a bottle of beer.

 

 

For our first evening we had booked to go to a highly recommended vegetarian restaurant, Sesamo, and it was amazing. We went for the 8 course tasting menu and each course was unusual and delicious. The restaurant itself was lovely yet simple and was bursting with people. Meat eaters shouldn't dismiss this place either, just because it's a meat free venue. I went with a non-veggie and he loved it!

 

Our first full day in Barcelona was, again, spent wandering and exploring. We joined a walking tour in the late morning that lasted around 3 hours. We took in many of the major sights and learnt a great deal about the history of the city and the Catalan culture. We saw the main Cathedral, several Catalan Gothic churches, the harbour and the old royal palace. As you all may know, I love walking tours, not only do you get to explore the city but you also learn so much about the culture and history from a local guide. This tour was no different and had a specific focus on Catalonian culture; something I previously knew very little about. If you're in Barcelona, definitely take part in one of the many free walking tours, they're well worth it! The rest of our afternoon was spent in a tapas bar, eating far too much and drinking one too many sangrias.  

 

 

 

 

My final evening in Barcelona was spent at Camp Nou, the home of FC Barcelona. To say I was excited for this game would have been a huge understatement. As a massive football fan, watching a game at Camp Nou has been on my bucket list for years, and now I've finally ticked it off! The stadium itself was extremely impressive, but it didn't even compare to the game itself. I don't think I've seen a more exciting football game; Barcelona were pure class. Before the match had even begun, Messi was presented with the Ballon D'or, which was awesome to witness. The game itself was a thriller; 1 red card, 1 penalty, 1 hat-trick and 6 goals. Not a bad first trip to Camp Nou! I now want to go back to watch an El Clasico game.. it might take me a while to save though. Watch this space.

Have you been to Barcelona? Do you have any recommendations?