I'm already into August having found myself with no summer plans. After a gruelling year at uni and the last long summer holiday of my life, there was only one thing for it - booking a girls trip away! I am a medical student in my clinical years meaning I now will not get the luxury of many weeks off but just a fortnight. With some hasty last minute decisions, I and my friends landed on
Barcelona and got to work planning our 3 days there.
I hadn't really considered Spain as a holiday destination much before even though it is an absolute tourist hotspot. I heard from a lot of friends that they had booked flights to Barcelona and now that I have been there, it is easy to understand why. Barcelona is the perfect cocktail of rustic old charm and young cosmopolitan vibes. With lashings of Sangria thrown in.
Day 1:
We flew in from London Luton to Barcelona - El prat on a 7 am flight. Neither of us was getting much beauty rest.
Upon landing at BCN airport, we bought 3-day (72hr) travel passes called Hola BCN. They could be used on unlimited on the metro, bus and other Barcelona public transport. The pass could also be used to get from the airport to the city via the metro. We took the L9 then changed over to the L5 to get to our accommodation 5 minutes from the
Sagrada Familia.
After dumping our luggage (always overpacked as girls) in our room, we were free to begin exploring the city! We were mere seconds away from the Hospital de Sant Pau i de la Santa Creu, a 15th-century building that used to serve as a hospital and now as a museum and cultural centre.
There was no chance I was going to Spain without sampling the menu, so it was time to get some Patatas Bravas! Just from being outside for an hour or so was enough to experience the laid back attitude in Barcelona. I was enticed by the tables and tables of people enjoying tapas with a drink filling the streets. It's the kind of scene that is so hard to find back home in London.
Now our next stop I was very excited about. We were going to visit the world famous Sagrada Familia. We bought tickets to the Sagrada Familia online in advance to save us from the long queues - I didn't want to take the risk of waiting around. If I thought the outside was spectacular, then I was in for a real treat once we made our way inside!
Colours danced through the stained glass windows and added to the allure of the interior. If I had my way, I could have sat here for hours, gazing at the intricate detail of the architecture. I was surprised to know that construction to the Sagrada Familia has been going on for over 100 years and is set to end in 2026. (An excuse to go visit again?) Even though it was packed with people, it still had a calming quality.
Even though we were pretty jet lagged, we pushed on and made our way into the town centre by bus. I think the bus was one of the best ways to get around, we got where we wanted to be quicker than by foot but could still see all of the sights!
We spent the rest of the evening walking along
Las Ramblas, a vibrant promenade in the centre of Barcelona. I just couldn't get enough of the beautiful buildings, I took picture after picture ... it's times like this where having loads of memory cards to hand helps! The evening sun shone through the trees and cast gorgeous lights and shadows over each unique building. I fell in love with the balconies and couldn't help myself but stop and look - sorry to anyone behind me who had to put up with me stopping every couple of meters!
We ventured into La Boqueria market which was an experience all in itself! It couldn't be more packed but it made the market all the better. We were overwhelmed with stalls selling fresh fruit, juices, meats. Wherever you looked was FOOD. So naturally, I had to buy something. I got myself an avocado and coconut juice to cool down and recharge from all of the walking. I also managed to get some pictures. Obviously.
We walked around the town and squares late into the evening and finally found a spot to grab some dinner.
Day 2:
The whole of the morning was taken up by a free walking tour which was a fantastic way to see the city! We explored the Gothic Quarter and I had the opportunity to learn more about the city I was in and its language.
I ate my first paella in Placa Reial - a picturesque square lined with eateries just off Las Ramblas.
We decided then to take the metro to Placa d'Espanya which was within easy reach from Las Ramblas. I didn't know what to expect from this place but I was not at all disappointed. Far away from the centre, Espanya had a completely different feel. Just by walking up from the steps off the metro, we could see the Venetian Towers and the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC).
We stopped to get drinks at the station. One glance at the menu and I knew what I was going to get.
Horchata! One stop on the metro took us to the funicular for Montjuic where we could get on the Montjuic cable car to get panoramic views of Barcelona and the port. We took the cable car up one way and took a short leisurely walk back down again. Seeing Barcelona from a height really helped give perspective on what we were seeing down on the ground. The Sagrada Familia stood out firmly.
I had a really nice vegan dinner and then we had the evening free to head towards Barceloneta for the famous Barcelona nightlife! This was a girls trip after all and a chance to make use of my over flowing wardrobe back home!
Day 3:
Day 3 began with a bus journey to Park Guell, a public park designed by Gaudi. It was simply beautiful. The clear blue sky contrasted seamlessly with the bright colours in the park. It was a hot day and we were tiring from our trip but that didn't stop us marvelling at the artistry at hand.
As we took the bus back to the centre, we passed Passeig de Gracia - Barcelona's high-end shopping street. My mouth watered looking at the pristine succession of shops that I wished I had more time to visit. One day I will return with an intention to spend, spend, spend.
One of my friends suggested that we visit El Born for lunch. We left the hustle and bustle of tourist traffic behind and entered a calm oasis. Narrow winding streets, rows of tapas bars and men playing Spanish music in the squares all added to the charm of El Born. My eyes were constantly wandering into the shop windows as I looked for props to bring back as gifts - I am a blogger's daughter after all!
With plenty of time until our late evening flight, we walked to the Arc de Triomf (where a jumping photo is a given) then relaxed in the park next to it. We couldn't have asked for better weather as our trip began to draw to a close.
Next, we meandered our way to Barceloneta beach, ice creams in hand. Normally, when I see pictures of crowded beaches, it really puts me off! But walking along the promenade and simply soaking in the atmosphere was enough! Spending some time at the beach rounded this vacay off in style.
Sadly, it was time to make our way back to the Airport to head home. But our love of the city lives on in the memories that we made... and the hundreds of pictures that we took!
Adéu Barcelona!
As I was adding the final pieces to this post, I heard the devastating news of the attacks in Barcelona on the 17th of August. I am shocked and saddened to hear that this has happened to such a beautiful city that is so full of life and energy. Barcelona is in our thoughts.
