Barcelona, Spain is one of the most attractive cities in Europe, known for its art and architecture. Tourists flock from all around the world to explore its vibrant streets and iconic landmarks! The city is divided into many different districts, all unique in flavor. From the Gothic Quarters to the laid-back Barceloneta beach. Barcelona is easy to get around as both the metro and buses have routes all over the city! However, you can save some money and get some fresh air by walking, as the city is very accessible by foot. Last but not least, Spain is known for their fantastic food from traditional seafood paella to tapas, I recommend you try it all!
Best Western Premier - Hotel Dante:
On my trip to Barcelona, I stayed at the Hotel Dante. This hotel is in a safe area of Barcelona and includes a delicious continental breakfast every morning! Very hospitable staff and clean! However, it is a bit far from the hustle and bustle of the city. If you do not mind traveling by bus to get to specific areas of the city like Barceloneta Beach and Parc Güell, this hotel is perfect!
Traveler Tip: Beware of pick pocketing and bag snatching in Barcelona! It is important to use basic street smarts & try not to stand out but don't let that stop you from exploring the beautiful city!
Day 1:
Arrive in Barcelona & travel to the hotel to check in and drop off our luggage! We arrived quite late in the day and had time to freshen up and grab dinner at a local restaurant. Here we tried our first Spanish paella! After dinner, we headed back to the hotel to get a fresh start for tomorrow.
Day 2:
After enjoying a lovely complimentary breakfast at our hotel, we headed to Placa de la Sagrada Familia! Unfortunately, the tours for the day were full, however we were able to book a tour on the last day of our trip! We then walked to the Arc de Triomf, which lead to a vibrant park where tourists and locals alike could lay down blankets and picnic! After, we explored the El Born district which is a trendy area characterized by narrow medieval streets filled with boutiques and cafes by day, and cocktail bars and samba at night! In the ‘El Born’ district, lies the Picasso Museum, which houses the most extensive collections of artwork by Pablo Picasso. Following our museum visit, we checked out the Cathedral of Barcelona, another iconic landmark known for its gothic architecture. Finally, we ended the night with dinner at a restaurant in the La Rambla area.
Traveler Tip: Be sure to book tours in advance for La Sagrada Familia & Parc Güell, as all of these tours get booked very quickly!
Day 3:
On our third day, we explored La Rambla, which is a tree-lined pedestrian street with many stores and restaurants! La Rambla connects Plaça de Catalunya in the centre with the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell and forms the boundary between the quarters of Barri Gòtic, to the east, and El Raval, to the west. While exploring, we stopped at La Boqueria, a famous market, for a morning smoothie! Following our stroll through La Rambla, we decided to head to Port Vell, where we crossed the bridge to the Mall of Spain (Marmagnum). This retail mall offers a variety of affordable and trendy clothing shops, where I did most of my shopping! For lunch we headed to La Barceloneta, a seaside neighborhood with traditional tapas bars and seafood restaurants. This is also the perfect location to take in the Spanish sun and stroll down the boardwalk! After a long day in the sun, we had made a reservation for a restaurant called Mont Bar, that is known as one of the most popular bars among the city’s gastronomy lovers.
Day 4:
On our last day, we went back to tour La Sagrada Familia, a magnificent church that you should definitely tour, if the budget allows. After the tour, we headed to Parc Güell, a public park composed of gardens and architectural elements. The “Monumental Zone” should be booked in advance, if interested. Before we left Barcelona, we decided to head back to Barceloneta Beach one last time to enjoy a pitcher of sangria, some tapas & paella to end our fantastic trip in this beautiful city!
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