There was a time, a very long time ago, when Jennifer and I didn't have any kids yet, that we would occasionally go back and forth to Barcelona for a day. I know what you're thinking now, but in our defense; flying was still very cheap back then and we did everything in the context of 'yolo' (you only live once) 😂. Oh well, who wouldn't want to spend a whole day eating delicious tapas and shopping at Zara?
Grand Hotel Central
Highlights⚡️
- Park Güell; This beautiful park, designed by the famous architect Gaudí, is a must see for your visit to Barcelona 🌳. You can buy a ticket here!
- Sagrada Familia; This church, also designed by Gaudí, makes quite a statement in the city. You can admire it from the outside, but if you want to go inside, buy your ticket in advance 🔔
- Beach Playa de la Barceloneta; Want to cool down after a whole day of exploring? Or just enjoy a day at the beach? This beach is easy to reach by metro and you can spend the whole day there. Come early during holiday periods, otherwise it will take some time to find a spot 🏖️
- Football match at Camp Nou; As far as I'm concerned, one of the coolest things you can do! This stadium is easily accessible by metro and tickets for a 'normal' match are not very expensive. For example, we paid 40 euros per ticket for a Barca-Malaga match. If there is no match, you can also visit the museum in the stadium ⚽️
- La Boqueria market; If you walk along the Ramblas, you will automatically come across this indoor market. Get a fresh smoothie here for a few euros! Super tasty on a hot day🥤
- Shopping; Okay, this one is for the Zara lovers among us. The Spanish brands are cheaper in Spain, so you can enjoy shopping here! Because there are several chains within walking distance, it is also easy to manage in terms of crowds 🛍️
Lowlights 😵💫
- I can only think of one lowlight, and that is that it is, like other world cities, Barcelona is very busy and super touristy. The beach is really packed during the holiday periods or weekends and the same goes for public transport 😫
La Boqueria
Match FC Barca in Camp Nou
Accommodation and transportation 🚗
From the airport to the city ✈️
The best way is to take the Aeropuerto bus from the airport. You pay about €6 for a single journey and you can easily buy a ticket via the machine at the bus stop. The bus drops you off at Placa de Catalunya, which is in the middle of the center. From here you can continue to your hotel by public transport or taxi. If you are not traveling alone, you can also check how much it costs to take an Uber from the airport. I personally find that more comfortable.
You can also take the Aeropeurto bus back to the airport. It has several stops, but Placa de Catalunya is easy because it is centrally located.
The tip above applies to Barcelona airport (BCN) by the way! Tip number 2; When booking your ticket, make sure you book to the correct airport! I once booked an affordable ticket to Reus with a low-cost company (to save money), but then I still had to buy bus tickets from there to Barcelona. Ultimately, I would have spent the same amount on a direct flight to Barcelona 😒.
Transportation 🚕
Barcelona is very accessible by public transport. Of course it depends on where you stay, but if your base is good, you can do a lot on foot. If you are going to travel a lot by public transport, it is probably worth buying a ticket that allows you unlimited travel. Do you really want to go full on tourist mode? Then you can take the well-known hop-on-hop-off bus.
Do you have a little more to spend? Take an Uber or a taxi. Is the weather nice? Rent a bike!
Location📍
I have stayed in different neighborhoods, but the nicest neighborhood is El Born. In this district you will find boutiques and restaurants and the sights are within walking distance! Eixample is also a good base to explore most of the highlights on foot. Pay close attention to the conditions before booking a hotel or apartment; I once had to pick up the keys in a neighborhood that was 20 minutes further from the apartment where we were staying and that really sucks if you use public transport, I can tell you.
Centre of Barcelona
Playa de la Barceloneta
Dinner with Nathalie (& Luca) 🍛
Oh, you know those Spanish evenings, relaxing on a terrace, the sun shining in your face and a table full of tapas with a carafe of sangría. You can't make me happier!
10x Tapas & Sangria hotspots 🫒🍷
Luca and tapas!
Barcelona; a wonderful city trip for a few days. Super touristy, but that's not surprising for such a cosmopolitan city!
Adíos!
Nathalie
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