Planning a trip to Barcelona?? 

When I went to Barcelona on my round the world trip, I was recovering from a lung infection. Even though I was feeling miserable, I wandered the city in the name of Gaudi and Picasso! I hope to go back so I can write a proper guide but these are the few things that I did and recommend to you, my fellow traveller. 

 

 

While I was in Barcelona I stayed in 2 different hostels. It has been so long I can’t remember their name but I can’t say I recommend them. A lot of the hostels tend to serve a young party crowd. If you’re young and into partying, then go for it. But if you are older or a more mellow traveller, perhaps try Air BNB for a more budget-friendly option. If you’re on a really tight budget, try Couchsurfing. A girl I met in Barcelona got her own room with a local host. There’s a big community there and I went to a meetup and met other travellers but did not couch surf myself. The people I met ended up being my exploration and eating partners over the next few days in Barcelona. 

Barcelona and I need a re-do since I was so sick. But here are some highlights:

After I landed, I ended up in a disco. Not my scene but hilarious

Parc Guell, what a beauty of a park

Even kids love Parc Guell

Gaudi, on some next level

I’m a sucker for markets and La Boqueria is one of the best

I loved picking up some juice and just walking around the market

Seafood is serious in Spain

Read more: The Best Food Markets Around The World

Casa Batilo by Gaudi, right on Passeig de Gracia

Sagrada Familia is a must! It’s mind-boggling even if you’re not into church

More views of Sagrada Familia

Inside a tower at Sagrada

A view of Barcelona from Sagrada Familia

La Rambla

Plaça Catalunya

Arc de Triomf

A gorgeous sunset down by the waterfront

Inside the Picasso Museum

The man himself, Pablo Picasso

Patatas bravas of course. I can’t do a post without local food!

 

Found a tapas bar that was a 1 Euro 50 for wine/beer + a free tapa. Hi!!

A local hole in the wall spot called Romesco. I ordered grilled atun/tuna.

Barcelona highlights I recommend (super touristy but worth the visit):

• Sagrada Familia
• La Boqueria Mercat
• Parc Guell
• Casa Botilo (I didn’t go in, just walked by)
• La Rambla – be careful of super skilled pickpockets!!!!!
• Plaça Catalunya
• Gothic Quarter
• Picasso Museum –  I happen to be in Barcelona at the start of the month and caught the free day for the museum. Check for free admission days or times to save money!
• Head up Montjuic (mountain) for the views. I took a local bus up there and just wandered around
• Visit the Joan Miro Museum while you’re at Parc de Montjuic
• If it’s summertime, go to the beach (but be wary of pickpocketers)

Handy Barcelona travel tips:

• From the airport, I took the Aerobus to get into the city.
• If you are travelling from Barcelona to San Sebastian in the north, the buses leave from Barcelona Nord bus station.
• Get out of the tourist zone and check out local neighbourhoods!
• If you’re a solo traveller check out the Couchsurfing website. They list meetups for travellers. I met some really awesome people when I was there. I went to Parc Guell with a girl from Morocco. At night, I met up with travellers from Mexico, Italy, the USA, Morocco, and Argentina. If it weren’t for them I probably would not have had such a good time.
• Be aware of the really skilled pickpockets in Barcelona. I’ve heard so many horror stories. I was lucky and didn’t have this problem but many friends did.
• There are two tapas bars inside La Boqueria called El Quim and Pinotxo. Eat there!!
• There’s also a restaurant called La Rita on Aragao. At lunch, I had their menu del dia (fixed lunch special). It was 10 Euros and was a 3-course meal plus carafe of wine. I ended up getting day drunk. (Please note these tips are several years out so prices have changed)
• A few ex-pat friends recommended getting on the hop-on, hop-off bus. If you’re trying to pack in the sites and get to some places in a hurry, it might be worth it to get on and off just for the ride. 
• If you’re looking for data for your mobile phone, I bought a sim card from Orange for 30 Euros for 7 Gigs of data and is valid throughout most of Europe (April 2019). Be sure to bring your passport for the initial purchase. 

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Have any tips for Barcelona? Please share in comments!