i love Barcelona.
With all the unfortunate events that I had so far experienced this year and the situation with my knee* I didn’t think I would get to go on an adventure, let alone go on a holiday with one of my best friends in a new city. But as physical health, finances and an open window would have it, I was on a plane heading to Barcelona with my film camera in tow and fully prepared to adjust my eating hours to the middle of the night.
This is the 3-night, 4-day adventure of two ladies in a city with the best balconies, food at no matter what hour, and a lot of vino tinto.
*if you don’t follow me on instagram and weren’t aware, i had a traumatic knee injury back in february that has put my life at a bit of a standstill.
STAY: Lemon Boutique Hotel
Centrally located, well-priced but you get what you pay for (not exactly luxurious), does the job.
day one. Our first day we ended up at Doga Wine Bar (image, right) that had seating for us with no reservation and at 11pm. Maleducat was a joint that we walked past and would have loved to check out, but we’ll save that for next time.
day two.
touristy Much of the day was spent in the world of Gaudí. Ever since my dad came back from a work trip to Barcelona when I was just a little girl, and bringing back a Gaudí book he probably just bought at the airport, I’ve been infatuated by the imagination and extraordinary structures that he created - and finally it was my turn to go see them up front. Casa Milà (La Pedrera) displayeed his obvious influence of nature through the shapes, the facade, the “bones” of the building, and down the road is Casa Batlló flaunting all of Gaudí’s creative muscles. Even today as I write up this blog post I shudder at the curves, the edges, and the sensory overload that I experienced - except I was yet to discover on this trip what that truly looks like…. (see day four).
lunch Cuines of Mercat Santa Caterina.
a stroll Parc de la Ciutadella and the Arc de Triomf
shop Gimaguas
dinner Bar Alegria
drinky drinks Lucky Schmuck
day three
beachy time Platja de Castelldefels
45-minutes by train out of the city centre. much less ‘touristy’ feel and more ‘local tourist’ vibe compared to Barceloneta beach.
sunset spot El mirador del Carmelo, aka The Bunkers
there’s lots of miradors (high up viewing spots) but She picked this one based on our friend’s reco, and it did not disappoint. was very crowded but i love those environments where you’re surrounded by people from all over the world and everyone is enjoying pleasant conversations between with their lover, their hostel mates, their gal pals, and watching the spread of the city before them.
dinner Carrer de Blai
between Parallel and Poble Sec stations, the street is lined from top to bottom with small tapas joints. a famous option for cheap eats late into the night no matter how large your party. wasn’t quite the atmosphere we were hoping or expecting, and felt a bit too touristy for us, but it was almost midnight and we hadn’t had dinner yet so there you have it.
drinky drinks Candy Darling
day four
coffee La Papa
popular brunch-coffee joint, very grammable. we didn’t wait to sit and eat but the coffee and pastry to-go were delicious.
touristy La Sagrada Familia
an absolute must when you’re in Barcelona. the pinnacle (quite literally) of Gaudì’s genius. take note that you can book a tour to go up one of the towers, and the crypt/basement shows the museum and the making-of the Sagrada. i’ll definitely be going back when i’m in town again.
lunch Casa Delfin
strolls El Born, Gothic Quarter
a trendy neighbourhood with quintessential euro streets lined with boutiques in the day and bars at night. a pleasant place to walk around and be a main character getting lost in the little streets.
