Barcelona

by Sophie · 26th April 2016

My mum and I have talked about going to Barcelona for a long time. A few years ago we went interrailing together, so having a few European city stays under our belt, we were pretty sure we would like it.

Well Barcelona certainly did not disappoint. The early spring sunshine was warmer than home, which was welcome as we spent a lot of time on foot, exploring the city. We hit the tourist must-do sites – they are must-dos for a reason!

The Boqueria market on Las Ramblas is a worthwhile visit – we practiced our best Spanish to order a deli selection for lunch which we enjoyed at Plaça Catalunya. There was also a small square off Las Ramblas, Placa Reial, which had a restaurant serving fantastic seafood dishes. Further down the famous street, we attended a flamenco show. Flamenco isn’t traditional in the region, but we couldn’t resist, and the performance was fantastic.

The architecture lived up to the hype. My mother is a former interior designer, and I am a designer too, so we really loved this aspect of the city. Sagrada Familia had the most incredible church interior I have seen, and I loved Casa Batlló.

We managed to fit in a Gelato on the beach and Paella by the sea, as well as an evening at the Montjuïc fountain display and dinner at the old Bullring. Finishing off with some retail therapy at some of the city’s quirky cool shops.

I was a little worried before the trip as I was at the tail end of what turn out to be about 3 months of morning sickness. Luckily I was feeling brave enough to be a little more adventurous with food. It also helped that we stayed in a lovely little Airbnb apartment which meant I could easily retreat for naps, and we were able to prepare some simple meals for the most part.

Overall, Barcelona was just a really easy city to visit and enjoy. I’m not in a rush to return as we managed to see and do so much, but I have a feeling I’ll be back there again…