Hola from Barcelona!
- Sneha Keni
- Jun 25, 2018
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 27, 2018
Quick Tips
- Buy the entry ticket to Sagrada Família Church online, before you start your trip.
- Choose from the 48 hour/72 hour pass at the metro station to roam the city. It is valid for trains, metros and buses.
- If you see something illegal happening... walk away and move on!
- Don't miss the tiny tapas and sangria restaurants in non touristy areas. They serve the best food.
- Check out the 'Chor Bazar' of Barcelona in Port Vell post 5 pm. You will get this only if you are lucky.
- Do not carry your money in a wallet or bag. Hide them in your shoes or inner pockets of your clothes.
I recently visited Spain. The first city I went to was Barcelona. Like most of my trips, I did not research about the city as I like to visit places without having any preconceived notions about it.
Day 1 - Shop till you drop.
I entered Barcelona late in the evening and decided to indulge in some shopping instead of going sight seeing. After all, I was staying next to one of the biggest malls 'L'illa Diagonal.' I spent the whole evening shopping and exploring the mall. For dinner, I chose to stay in my beautiful airbnb and just relax with some wine and pizza!
Day 2 - Adventures await!
I started my first day in the city with some hot Starbucks (it was 5 degrees) in one hand and Google maps in the other. The first place to visit had to be Sagrada Familia! After buying a 48 hour pass for 15 euros from a vending machine at the metro station, I headed straight to the station named 'Sagrada Familia'.
The moment I got off the metro and looked up, I was taken aback with the beauty of this large unfinished Roman Catholic church. Unfortunately, I am one of those who does not understand art, hence I did not pre-book the Sagrada Familia entry tickets (lesson learnt). This forced me to settle for a pass which only allowed me an entry inside the main church (one can get a pass to see the tower as well). I was quite sad about this but one has to pay for being over-confident.
The beauty of this place cannot be explained in words and no camera can ever capture its allure. One has to see it to believe it.
The church is as beautiful from the inside as it is from the outside. With an extremely fascinating history and mesmerising details, visiting this church is truly worth every cent!
It takes about 4 to 5 hours to see the whole church and soak in its beauty.
Post Sagrada Familia I went to visit the Gothic Quarter. On a cold February evening, strolling down the narrow lanes of this place which holds a rich history was serene. Here you can not only visit the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia, Church of Santa Maria del Pi, Basilica of La Mercè and the Remains of the Roman Temple but also shop in the small shops and stores which sell everything from artifacts to branded products. It takes about another 2 - 3 hours to see this place and explore every street. If you love shopping, add on a few more hours.
There are some restaurants around this area as well. However, since this place is frequently visited by tourists, you will end up spending extra euros if you choose to eat here.
When you walk straight from Gothic Quarters, you reach one of the most famous, rather notorious places in Barcelona - 'Las Ramblas'. Las Ramblas is a street full of stores, restaurants and of course pickpockets (you have to be extra careful in this city and this area). If you pay enough attention you will definitely witness one pickpocket in action here. All your Barcelona shopping can be done at this one place which offers everything from jerseys to magnets to football merchandise to small knick-knacks!
Day 3 - Getting high in Barcelona!
For me today was all about exploring the rest of the city, the food and of course.. my favourite, Sangria! I decided to check out a few more 'must see' places like Park Güell, Catalonia Square and Passeig de Gràcia. After all the walking, I was craving Sangria! I spotted this really huge Tapas and Sangria restaurant named 'Txapela'. The whole setup of this place was quite unique with people sitting around in a circle on high chairs, eating and drinking.
This place serves Sangria Pitchers (10 euros) and a large variety of Tapas (price starting from 2 euros each). One can pick and chose which ever Tapas they want and enjoy it with their Sangria. And I did just that. I ended up being pretty tipsy and finding my way back to my airbnb became quite a task!
I nursed my hangover for the rest of the evening. This was my last day in Barcelona. I chose to spend the late evening watching Barcelona vs Getafe with my Host David and a glass of wine!
It was the perfect end to my trip to Barcelona.
Next up... Valencia!
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