Barcelona, Spain Travel Guide
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June 17, 2019
I finally made it to Spain last month on a family trip with my mom and sister. We had the most amazing time and I can’t recommend Barcelona enough! One important thing to note is that a lot of the people here actually speak Catalan, not Spanish. I found that most people did understand me when I spoke to them in Spanish, though. Anyway, here are my top tips for visiting Barcelona, Spain:
Where to Stay
I think the best way to really see a city for what it is is to stay like a local. That means renting an apartment on Airbnb. I have done this on all my trips to places I felt were safe enough to and Barcelona certainly is. We stayed in two different apartments while in the city, both near Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is a long street full of shops, vendors, restaurants and more. It is so much fun to stroll, shop and stop for a bite or drink. There’s lots of action here, and plenty of chances to catch a cab, which is always great when you’re traveling.
*Get a $35 credit to Airbnb with this link.
Must See
Barcelona was basically built by one extremely talented man: Antoni Gaudí. I got to see two of his beautiful works while I was in town, La Sagrada Familia Basilica and Casa Batlló. The details of these two buildings are incredibly breathtaking. It’s unlike anything I could ever imagine. Photos do not even come close to doing these places justice. Both are an absolute must if you’re in Barcelona.
What to Eat
The food in Barcelona is really yummy, of course. The most popular style of food is tapas, which is basically just when you order a bunch of appetizers and share with the – totally my favorite way to eat! As a vegetarian, it was really easy to find plenty of food to eat. One popular dish is fried peppers. They’re at every restaurant and I finally ordered them one night. Not that great. The wine, on the other hand, is so freaking delicious. And cheap. And that’s all you really need anyway, right?
Another popular dish is patatas bravas, which is potatoes (super thick fries pretty much) with an aoili sauce. We also got the tortilla española or tortilla de patatas, which is an omelette made with eggs and potato, fried in oil. Obviously potatoes are popular in Spain! We didn’t see as much cheese as we had hoped, but definitely ordered it when we could. There were lots of pizza shops, but sadly we didn’t go to any.
What to Wear
Barcelona generally has a pretty warm climate, but they’re about a month behind us as far as the seasons go. When we went in March, it felt like February here and the hottest month there is September, as opposed to our August. There are lots of fashion and arts schools in Barcelona, so there are lots of stylish people. I felt comfortable wearing my usual clothes (I posted an outfit here and have another post planned for later this week!).
If you’ve been to Barcelona, is there anything you’d add? If not, is there anything else you’d like to know?
Photos by Lix Hewett.
April 11, 2016 @ 7:22 am
I love Las Ramblas. I think Parc Guell is my favourite thing in Barcelona!
April 11, 2016 @ 10:31 am
I would have guessed August would be hottest – maybe I just had… some kind of luck when I went there last September, because it was definitely veering towards autumn in terms of heat. Definitely a good thing for me (I hate Spanish summers), except for the ridiculous downpour I had to endure the first day I was there.
For now Catalunya is bilingual, so everyone can speak Spanish, they just sometimes choose not to, haha. You should definitely go to Parc Güell next time you’re here, it’s really pretty. And steep. Wear comfy shoes.
April 11, 2016 @ 2:23 pm
I haven’t made it to Barcelona but it’s been on my list for years! I’m jealous, looks like an amazing trip!
xo Bree || http://bree-west.com
April 11, 2016 @ 7:20 pm
Barcelona looks beautiful!
April 11, 2016 @ 9:12 pm
The architecture in Barcelona is incredible! I was only there for a couple of days so I didn’t get to see many of the things I would have wished to see, but was thankful I got to spend time in such a beautiful city. I will say, I didn’t enjoy the food. I was expecting incredible Spanish cuisine and was underwhelmed. However, I was only there for 2 days so we might have just not chosen the right places to eat!
Brittany | thechicette.com
April 13, 2016 @ 9:50 am
I’m from Barcelona. I’d like to recommend visiting the Gothic area, it’s really special and many films and videoclips have been shot there as it’s really photogenic :), for example, Evanescence’s video was made in Plaça Sant Felip Neri.
¡Besos!
Marta
May 13, 2016 @ 1:49 pm
Hi Marta
We are planning a 7 night trip to Spain in 2-9 August 16.. We are not much of history and museum lovers. Barcelona, Majorca is on the list to visit.. can u plz help us plan out our trip.. We would like to know the country it’s culture and even attend any festive during that time
June 28, 2016 @ 10:12 am
I absolutely loved Barcelona! We did a bike tour on our first day there, and that helped us to get a good feel of where everything was. In regards to the food, I would highly recommend doing EatWith! Anyone who loves the idea of AirBnb should also experience EatWith. Just like you would stay in someone’s home with AirBnb, with EatWith you are cooking and eating with locals in their home. It was the greatest experience! We snacked on cheese while we made fresh gazpacho and tapas. We were truly able to connect with the locals as we discussed what day to day life was like for them there in the city. Other travelers from around the world were there with us. It was the coolest thing we have ever done.