Spanish novelist Carlos Ruiz Zafron captures the essence of Catalonia’s capitol when he writes “Barcelona is a very old city in which you can feel the weight of its history; it is haunted by history. You cannot walk around it without perceiving it.” Many empires of the past wanted this seaside city on a hill and have each left their mark from the Romans in BC times to the Visigoths in the 3rd Century AD and later the Moors in the 8th Century AD. Yet amongst the remaining historical cathedrals and palaces, a bustling modern city full of tourists and locals alike are out all day and night enjoying the sights, sea, food, drinks, art, and vibrant energy of Barcelona.
Getting Around: Barcelona is a big city and though walking is a great way to experience the different neighborhoods, public transportation will likely be needed to cover all the ground. Most of the popular sites are within Zone 1 which is covered by a T10 card (10 EUR for 10 rides) or Hola Barcelona Travel Card (unlimited for 48 to 120 hour periods for 15 to 35 EUR respectively) and includes all metro, trains, and buses, even to the airport. If you have a ticket for a high-speed AVE train into or out of the city, a local Cercanias train ticket is included for free within a few hours of your departure or arrival time. There are also express buses for a small fee to locations outside Zone 1 such as Tibidabo or more convenient access to the airport. Using Google Maps was very easy in determining which options were quickest and easiest, and very precise in how to navigate the web of transit options throughout Barcelona. Note the metro hours which run 5 am to midnight Sun-Thur, 5 am to 2 am Friday, and 24 hours on Saturday. Taxis are around but pricey; a much cheaper option is a rideshare app called Cabify (sorry no Uber here). And for those who don’t know, to convert Euros to US Dollars, the quick and dirty method is to add 10% so 10 EUR is about 11 USD.
What to Do:
Take a Free Tour: I love starting out in a new city by joining one of the Sandeman’s New Europe free tours. They operate in most major European cities, signing up online is easy, and best of all they are free with the exception of tipping your local guide. In Barcelona, they meet every day at 10, 11, 12, 2, and 4 for a 2.5 hour walking tour of the Old City in English or Spanish. You won’t go into any of the sites, but this tour gives you a great overview of the history, neighborhoods, and information on the places you may want to visit at another time. They also offer more in depth paid tours on their website, and Devour Tours was also highly recommended.
See the Gaudi Sites: Antoni Gaudi was a genius Spanish architect, designing stunningly unique homes, churches, and parks in the late 1800s and early 1900s. His list of accomplishments in this time is endless, but most notably he designed the towering Sagrada Familia church ultimately dying before its completion (though it remains surrounded by construction cranes just as it was during my first visit 20 years ago and likely will for many more). This is a very crowded tourist attraction and advance online ticket purchases are advised, ranging from 17 EUR just to go inside, 25 or 26 EUR to include an audioguide or real life guide, and 32 EUR to climb either the Nativity tower (city views) or the Passion tower (sea views). Gaudi also designed 3 famous houses in the Eixample district all within a short walking distance: Casa Batllo (25 EUR), Casa Amatller (16 EUR), and Casa Mila (22 EUR). With all of these, our limited time and budget kept us only on the outside and missing Park Guell altogether. Though most of it can be seen for free, Park Guell’s most famous area costs 8.5 EUR and is located a little ways from the metro stations in Gracia. A super helpful link in planning these sites as well as others in the city is this 3 Days in Barcelona itinerary by Earth Trekkers.
Explore the Neighborhoods: Each Barcelona neighborhood has its own unique character and story. From the tourist crowded streets of Las Ramblas to the seedy back alleys of El Raval, the deep rooted history of the Gothic Quarter to the beachfront nightclubs of Vila Olimpica, there are no shortages of new areas to checkout. Adventurous Kate and In Pursuit of Adventure share more details about the neighborhoods and where to stay. One of the coolest things to see if your timing is right would be one of the free weeklong neighborhood festivals where they celebrate their culture with street decorations, parades, dancing, concerts, fireworks, food, or the most Catalonian traditional of all—a human tower. Examples include Festa Major de Gracia typically the 3rd week in August and Festa Major de Sants the last week of August (here’s a list of more at Barcelona Life).
Visit Mt Tibidabo: Borrowing again from the Earth Trekkers itinerary above, is a visit to the mountain top cathedral towering over the city. Sagrat Cor (Temple of the Sacred Heart of Jesus) is free to enter with a 2 EUR elevator to the top for spectacular views. Oddly there’s an amusement park here as well where an all access day pass for kids under 120 cm is 10 EUR or 28 EUR otherwise. It’s free to visit and see the panoramic views or pay 2 EUR each for rides at the top which include the Giradabo Ferris Wheel and Talaia Vantage Point where you can get this amazing photo of Sagrat Cor. There are a number of ways to get up here, but as it’s outside of Zone 1 it’s not included on the city passes. We opted for the 6 EUR T2A express bus from Placa Catalunya which departs not from a regular bus stop but rather a small sign just outside of the Desigual store.
Go to a Football Match: We stalked the Team Barca website for weeks before our trip waiting for the La Liga schedule to come out and were overjoyed when a match was going to overlap our time in Barcelona! More waiting for the tickets to go on sale which occurred about 6 weeks prior with the ability to only choose a section, seats were assigned when the tickets were sent out a few days before the game. Our 4th tier goal side seats in one of the cheapest sections were about $80 USD each, but at least they weren’t the visiting team’s seats which are within a small plastic cage at the very top of the 99,354 person stadium for their protection and discomfort. Despite the massive crowd, getting there by metro was easy and entering very organized with specific gates and ‘bocas’ to use. There is no alcohol and very little food sold, but absolutely no one gets up during active play anyways. And cheering for the opposing team is strictly forbidden outside of the designated section not to mention downright life threatening. If you can’t get to a match, Camp Nou offers stadium tours and player experiences as well ranging from 26 to 149 EUR.
Eat All the Food: You will likely spend much of your time in Barcelona eating and drinking as this city offers the best of both worlds! And it can be done cheaply from 2 EUR glasses of house wine to 1 EUR pintxos. What’s a pintxo in Basque or pincho in Spanish you ask? The word means spike and it is food on a stick, but also so much more. Typically served on bread, these few bites of heaven can be veggie, meat, cheese, dessert, or an artfully constructed combination. They are served buffet style so just grab a few and pay based on your number of empty sticks. A little tip I learned the hard way, carry some hand sanitizer as subway pole hands and finger foods do not mix. Tapas are also common whereby you can share (or not) small plates such as the popular patatas bravas, chorizo, or ceviche. You can also sit down to a full meal if you have any room left as Barcelona is home to a few top Michelin rated restaurants with a price tag to match. We were advised that they eat dinner later than the US, typically around 10 pm (but also found places closing at that time particularly on Sundays or away from the city center). Lunches are also a little later and typically feature a 3 course fixed price menu for around 10 EUR. Breakfast is virtually non-existent and consists of espresso and pastry such as the famous churro (most hotels offer a breakfast option). Drink menus will usually include local wines in white, red, rose, or bubbly cava; all delicious and all shockingly inexpensive. Sangria, Tinto de Verano (fizzy flavored soda mixed with red wine), Vermouth, Mojitos, or Caipirinhas round out the cocktail list. Lastly, tipping is not quite the same as in the US since the servers are paid by the establishment, and a smaller percentage for good service is appreciated but not required. Also carry cash for tips if paying with a credit card as there is no additional line to add it. And without further ado, a few of our favorite restaurants:
Carrer de Blai: This is actually an area in the Poble-Sec neighborhood famous for pintxo bars lining the street with tons of small restaurants and shared outdoor seating. Hop from one to the next never spending more than a few euros at each. We greatly enjoyed Vi and Beers as well as Pincho J.
El Nacional: This modern food court in Eixample features 4 unique beautifully designed restaurants around the perimeter and 4 drink and tapas bars in the center as well as a gelato stand. Not the cheapest place in town, but convenient to the Guadi houses and worth the stop for the design aspect alone. We had small bites at La Braseria known for meat but the choice was hard between La Llotja’s seafood, La Taperia’s tapas (there was a line here at lunch time), or one of the bars (the 4th restaurant, deli-style La Parada, was closed when we arrived).
El Pachuco: This was one of our absolute favorites not only for the delicious Mexican food but also for the local dive feel. We were lucky to find it wandering El Raval late on Sunday after the soccer game when we were surprised to find most restaurant kitchens closed except for street food. We had a short wait just after midnight for the tiny cash only spot where you order tacos etc on a sheet of paper (like a sushi restaurant) with your drinks listed below, bring it to the bar, and pick them up when your name is yelled out over the buzzing conversations. The tacos were amazing and the guacamole some of the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve had A LOT)!
Cera 23 and Arume: Sister restaurants located nearby in El Raval, these both came highly recommended and for good reason reservations are advised. With a little time before ours at Cera 23, we stopped into Arume and were lucky to get two of the very few bar seats to try the amazing tuna tataki in strawberry gazpacho. At Cera 23, we were greeted warmly and seated promptly in their cozy dining room. Choices were hard but we were delighted by the ceviche, tuna tartare, and waiter suggested seafood black rice volcano dripping with saffron lava while tuna flakes danced flame-like on top. Wine lists and service at both were impressive, and I’d imagine their partner restaurants Louro, Viana, and Gran Viana are just as excellent.
Casa Lolea: Famous for their 5 types of sangria, this tapas restaurant squeezed us in without a reservation. With too many options to try them all, we loved the fish stuffed pepper special and whole small potato bravas. We also shared the guacamole with mushroom and hummus with cod toasts, smoked salmon over small pancakes, giant fried sardine, and freshly sliced chorizo--all delicious. And how do I remember all these food details? I don’t, I took a picture of every single thing we ate in Spain because they were all so beautiful!
Take a Trip to Montserrat: About an hour northwest of Barcelona by train lies a “serrated mountain” with a monastery, museum, hillside chapel, hiking trails, and incredible views. To get there, take the R5 train from Placa Espana station (leaves hourly at 36 min after) then get to the top via cable car, funicular, or hike. We chose the combination roundtrip train and cable car ticket for 22 EUR per person, which exits the train one stop before the funicular. The cable car was quick and fun, but in hindsight we got on the return train after it was full from the funicular stop and had to stand for an hour in the hot stagnant air. The basilica line was very long by the time we arrived around 1 pm, so we headed straight for the hiking trail to the Santa Cova Chapel. The information booth provided a trail map with a detailed description of 5 hiking itineraries on the back of which we took #2. Note the Santa Cova funicular is closed at this time so there is a little extra walking. The pathway is lined with statues and scenes depicting Jesus’s life as it leads to the cave where the Virgin of Montserrat was hidden during Moorish invasion (now housed in the basilica). The chapel built on that spot is small and peaceful, and like any religious space should be respected with silence and proper attire. Additional views and hikes can be reached from the Sant Joan funicular’s upper station. There are also restaurants and hotels up here for those wishing to spend more time. The last train to Barcelona leaves the cable car station at 7:45 pm in the summer, and note the train schedule is reduced on weekends, holidays, and the month of August.
Explore the Costa Brava: Another fun day trip had us renting a car (booked in advance) and driving north up the coast known as the Costa Brava. Hoping to avoid a Griswald roundabout debacle, we did some research on how to properly drive in Spain which fortunately the Brits have provided finding it quite confusing themselves with the whole right side of the road thing. We followed Google Maps with no problem but were surprised and confused by the toll booths on the coastal C-32 highway, possibly overpaying in lanes labeled with a “3+” meant for trucks (cash and cards accepted). There were gorgeous views of the oceanfront towns and a winding mountain road to reach our first destination of Tossa de Mar an hour and a half outside of Barcelona. You can also take a bus from Barcelona to Blanes then a ferry to Tossa de Mar. The beaches here were exceptionally beautiful with bright blue water dotted with shiny white boats against a mountainous backdrop. A highlight of the town is the remains of the medieval Vila Vella castle at the end of the beach with incredible views. Outside of the castle is the charming old town area with tiny winding pathways leading to small restaurants, hotels, and apartments. Also on this back side is a rocky area where people jump from great heights into the sea or soak up the sun away from the crowds of the main beach. After a 3 course paella lunch at the beachfront Restaurante Can Kalav overlooking the castle, we drove back towards Barcelona to Lloret de Mar about 20 minutes away. Here we learned a helpful parking hint in that the blue lines mean paid parking (not handicapped as we’d assumed) and the white lines mean free (which will be a number of blocks off the beach and usually full). Not only does Lloret also have lovely albeit crowded beaches, there are many walking trails leading between them and up to a hilltop castle. This town was seemingly more mainstream (and truthfully less charming) than Tossa and more of a party scene including a casino and nightclubs. After enjoying the beach, we continued south to Blanes a few minutes away taking a cruise down the beachfront road then an hour back to Barcelona. It was a beautiful but more expensive day with the car rental which we upgraded to a convertible (because why not), about 15 EUR in tolls, and 25 EUR in gas. YOLO.
And all the things we didn’t do in our 5 night stay: explore a market, visit wine country, discover a museum, experience Flamenco dancing, hang out on the beach, catch a sunset from Montjuic, take a cooking class, picnic at the Bunkers del Carmel, relax in one of the many parks, shop til you drop, and much much more!
Where We Stayed: I can’t tell you where to stay as my experience is limited to the 2 hotels we stayed at in Barcelona (yes 2 different ones to checkout different areas of the city). We all have different needs when it comes to hotels from budget to amenities, but our guidelines were simple: around $100 to $150 USD/night, rooftop pool, easy access to metro stations or other forms of transport, and free cancelation in case our needs changed (I used Expedia for all bookings in Spain).
Hotel Expo Barcelona: This was our budget hotel at around $100/night and well exceeded our expectations! Conveniently located near the Barcelona Sants rail station as well as a number of close metro stations and the busy Placa d’Espanya, the unimpressive exterior opened up to a hip urban lobby. Though the hallways were inexplicably dark, the rooms were bright with balconies overlooking the city. There is a rooftop terrace restaurant and pool with large sundeck and 360 degree views. We were lucky enough to be there during the Festa Major de Sants and weren’t even too bothered by the screaming fair rides just below our balcony all night. There’s a lovely Parc de l’Espanya next door, a large market on the corner, and a lovely breakfast spot Restaurante Solric around the block.
Hotel Barcelona Princess: After two nights, we moved uptown to the high rise hotels at the north end of the beach surrounding the large Diagonal Mar shopping mall. Choosing the least expensive option at $150/night this was meant to be our splurge so expectations were high. Lucky to get a room on the 24th floor, we had incredible views of the city at sunset including Sagrada Familia and Mt Tibidabo. The room was modern and fancy with electric shades, glass wall separating the bathroom, multi-function shower, and even a cell phone provided you could take into the city for calls and information. But the glimmer soon faded when we realized the king bed was two twin beds poorly shoved together and the rooftop pool was tiny and shaded with only a few chairs messy with discarded towels. Elevator waits could be long for the large hotel and noisy neighbors are a risk such as ours who banged in at 5 am and partied until 6 am when I finally told them to be quiet. There’s a nice pool and restaurant on the third floor as well and a very close metro station which is good because we weren’t particularly impressed with the food options around here.
Our Itinerary: Though it only vaguely resembles the highly organized and overly strategized original version, this is what we did over our 8 days in Spain. We left much of it amenable to change by not booking too may specific tickets and opting to just view the touristy sites from the outside. For the rest of the visit to Malaga and the Costa del Sol, checkout my next blog!
Saturday: morning arrival in Madrid, afternoon train to Barcelona
Sunday: Gaudi houses, Free Sandeman’s Tour, Barca Football Match
Monday: Montserrat day trip
Tuesday: Barceloneta Beach, Sagrada Familia, Tibidabo
Wednesday: Costa Brava road trip
Thursday: fly to Malaga, Malagueta Beach
Friday: hike Caminito del Rey, Roman Theater and Alcazaba
Satruday: Gibralfaro, drive to Marbella, train to Madrid
Sunday: depart from Madrid
And finally, a brief note on Madrid, which we ultimately only used as our transit point which is one of the city’s greatest assets. In planning a tightly packed short trip, we opted to minimize our time here, but in that short time, we agreed it paled in comparison to Barcelona’s history, character, coastline, and mountain views. We did stroll through the local tapas area of Cava Baja and La Latina, but found the food was not as good as Barcelona. The modern San Miguel Market was impressive, but lacked the authenticity of Barcelona’s many markets, resembling more of a high end food court than local produce and goods shopping. I know many would disagree with me, but with so much else to do and see in Spain, don’t feel obligated to spend too much of your limited time in Spain’s capitol. Barcelona on the other hand has it all: a big city both old and new, the beach and port, mountains to climb and coasts to drive, as well as the deeply rooted yet at the same time very progressive Catalonian spirit. And Lionel Messi ;)