Barcelona, Spain

Where: Barcelona

Time of Year Visited: November 2019

Weather: Dry, warm during the day (light jacket weather) with winds. Cold/ windy at night.

Flights: Easyjet Luton to Barcelona- Package deal through EasyJet holidays £151.20 pp (flight and hotel)

Accommodation: Barcelona Princess 4*- 3nights in a Quadruple superior room only for 4 adults with ensuite. Barcelona Princess is set on Avenida Diagonal strip next to Diagonal Mar Shopping centre. The 4-star hotel is located about 50 metres from the Nova Mar Bella beach, across the road from the Museum of Natural Sciences of Barcelona (which is free entry the first Sunday of the month all day and every other Sunday after 3pm) and about a 2-3 minute walk from the metro station.

Our room was split in two and consisted with a bedroom with ensuite and balcony and then what would have been a living space was turned into another room with two beds added. All classic amenities were included (shampoos, toothbrushes, toothpaste etc). The hotel itself boasts outdoor swimming pools, a sauna room, spa suite, a gym (all included in the price of our stay) and onsite restaurant (extra cost). 

Views from the balcony

Currency: Euro (£1= €1.14/ €100= £87.38)

Getting Around: Getting around Barcelona was so easy! Coming from London I’m used to an underground system, so the Metro was very easy and got us to all tourist spots. We opted to buy a Metro card which allowed 10 separate trips across the metro zones for €10.00- it also does not expire so can used over a few days/weeks. This can be bought from the machines in all Metro stations (they have English as an option). There is also the option of tram, bus and cabs (Kapten works in Spain).

Excursions: Barcelona is such a beautiful city, so much to see and do that you just cannot be bored. On our first day we dropped our bags and got ready to explore! We ended up at the Arc de Triunfo de Barcelona in 1888 was used as the main access gate for the Universal Exhibition.

Arch selfie

There are tours for the Arch and honestly, I do not know why. We got off the Metro (use L1- getting off at Arc de Triomf) and walked about 5 minutes and we found it (single Metro trip 2€). If you can, it is worth trying to get there for golden hour- Instagram will thank you!  Through the Arch you will find loads of street vendors selling all sorts of trinkets and souvenirs, musicians and street performers for children (and big kids alike). If you have time, I would highly recommend taking a stroll down there and into the parks as well.

The aforementioned big kids enjoying a child's bubble show lol

After walking around the parks, we decided to visit the Montjuïc Castle which is an old military fortress dating back to 1640. It is built onto of Montjuïc hill, there are a few ways to get up the hill, but we opted for the cable cars. The cable cars are €8.40 for a single and €12.70 return (adult) and €9.20 return (child), cars are secure and go at a very slow pace, but the views are just exquisite- you can see the whole of Barcelona.

If you are not one for heights, the hill can be walked or there is a bus that goes up and down the hill every 15 minutes. The bus is €2.20; however, my aunty used two of her journeys off her Metro card. The castle is open all week 10am- 8pm and is free Sundays after 3pm; we went quite late in the day and by the time we got to the castle the ticket office was closing (7:30pm) so we did not get to go in the castle but we did a walk of the grounds.

I wanted to visit the famous La Familia Sagrada; however, I missed out on que jump tickets but thought I would be able to deal with the ques. I have the patience of a child so that quickly changed when one of our cab drivers told us that ques can be up to 4+ hours, I was only in Barcelona for 3 days and did not want to waste my time queuing; additionally, I was the only one in my group with a religious building fetish, (hahah) so while my aunties and cousin went on a walk around Barcelona I opted to go to Cathedral of Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter (La Seu).

This picture does it no justice

I love a selfie

The Cathedral was built over the span of 2 centuries beginning in 1298 and was completed 150 years later- sanctified in 1339. I was not disappointed; the Cathedral is still open for worship, so it is kept in impeccable conditions and it was just so beautiful. It only cost me €7 entry; the roof was closed but when it is open it costs an additional €3. There is also GEESE!! The 13 geese living in the cathedral are to symbolise the fact that Saint Eulalia (co-Patron Saint of Barcelona) was only 13 when she died. If you love gothic architecture, this is one for you!!

The Cathedral is 3-5-minute walk to the famous The World Begins With Every Kiss mosaic created by Joan Fontcuberta in 2014. This is an eye-catching piece of art and each piece of the mosaic tells its own story. Although, tucked away on Plaza Isidre Nonell, away from the busy streets, by the time I had caught up with the rest of my group the que to take pictures with the mural was ridiculous. We even ate at the Bar El Roure and even after finishing our food and cocktails the que did not look any shorter. My patience levels just would not allow me to wait in that que. Pretty though :D

Lastly, I would recommend a small place just out of the city centre of Barcelona, Dr Resin social club (Carrer de Guitard, 57). 

It’s one of the oldest and biggest private smoking clubs in Barcelona and honestly as a non-smoker I still really enjoyed myself, possibly from a contact high lol but the place had 2 bars (glass of rose €2, radlers €2.50, beers €3), so I did not feel left out, as I was busy getting drunk! They take a €30 donation for the membership and you just top up a pre-paid card, so no money is exchanged. Also, they play good music which makes for a chill and cosy atmosphere.

Food: Most notable place we ate at was Artespañol, Paellas and Tapas. Located on Calle Provenca 271, it is very easy to find, straight out of the Metro station and across the road. We went specifically for Paella and was not disappointed. They had so many options and catered for a wide range of eaters (we had one vegan in our group). The range of paellas can be overwhelming as there is quite a few but if you know what you like you can request a ‘make your own’ type.

Seafood Paella at Artespañol, Paellas and Tapas

I opted for a chicken and prawn paella with 2x sangria and mixed breads/ olives- altogether cost me €30. Overall, I had no complaints, our waiter was lovely, the sangria was strong, the paella was exactly what I wanted, and we did not spend an arm and a leg. Would recommend.

There are a few little cafés (in Avinguda Diagonal 1) which for some reason always look closed, but they’re not! And you can get the tastiest pastries, fresh fruit and sandwiches. Great if you’re on a budget as pastries start from as cheap as €0.60 and they do 2-4-1 across baked goods.

Overall: I loved the city, for the time we were there I feel we got a lot of sightseeing in but there is so much more to see. In the summer it would be a great little break as it is very romantic for couples. I really enjoyed going as a group the first time and would opt to go as a group again if I'm to return.

3 out of 5

★★★✩✩