Barcelona Itinerary

Itinerary #2: Barcelona...

There's plenty to see here, and this is only written from time spent during a long weekend. We do try to see as much as possible, so here's a guide for 2-3 days in Barcelona... 

Where to stay:

We stayed at the HCC Regente (there are other HCC hotels throughout the city as well), in the neighborhood of Eixample. It was a great location -- walking distance to Las Ramblas, and around the corner from Cervesería Catalana, the restaurant I raved about in my post about our trip. Anything around that area would be great, Gràcia is similar, or I'd suggest Ciutat Vella to be closer to the Gothic Quarter and nightlife... depends on what you're looking for!

Hop On / Hop Off

Would definitely recommend using the Hop On/Hop Off bus to tour the city. You can walk most places in the city, but there are a couple areas that are a little far, unless you're looking for a hike! The rail system is great too, but the bus provides transportation AND audio commentary. There are a couple different lines to take: red and blue are the best; green is just OK, but is good transportation to Port Olímpic. About €20 for a two-day pass, pick it up in Plaza Catalunya.

What to see:

Las Ramblas -  pedestrian street, filled with street vendors - very cool place to walk through - watch for pickpockets, as it is a touristy area!

Mercat de la Boquería - huge open-air market off La Rambla - explore and grab a bite to eat!

Gaudí works: Casa Milà, Caso Batlló, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Colònia Güell... MUST sees! Park Güell was probably my favorite of our trip. The architecture is so interesting, the park is beautiful, and there are great views of the city from the top.

Port Vella: Las Ramblas ends in Monumento a Colón and Port Vella. Pretty area, has the Museu D'Història De Catalunya.

Barceloneta: neighborhood in Ciutat Vella district - next to the beach, also has a market to check out - good place to stop for lunch or dinner

Barri Gòtic: neighborhood with medieval architecture, narrow pedestrian streets, opening up to little plazas

Montjuïc / Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC): art museum - we actually didn't go in the museum, but the building is gorgeous and the steps of Palau Nacional provide one of the best views of the city

Also, Fuente mágica de Montjuic, "magic fountains," with an impressive lights display at night, and the Olympic village (from 1992 Olympics) are nearby...

Cable car to Montjuïc: We didn't do this and I want to next time!! Take a cable car up to Montjüic to see Castle Montjüic and 360 views of Barcelona

Port Olímpic / Poblenou: redone for the '92 Olympics, now very modern area along the beach with trendy restaurants and clubs 

FC Barcelona: Lastly, I would recommend seeing a Barça game at Camp Nou - they weren't in town while we were there, but it's definitely on the list for next time!

Of course, mix in stops for food to try tapas (huevos fritos, jamón iberico, patatas bravas.. to name a few favorites), black paella, mojitos, sangría, good house wines, etc.... suggestions from the locals are always the best! 

Easter in Barcelona

We returned from our mini moon on a Tuesday, Brandon went in to work on Wednesday and Thursday, then we left for another trip on Friday. Our first trip outside of Ireland... to Barcelona for Semana Santa, or "Holy Week" (last week of lent before Easter). We really hadn't had time to settle down in those 2 days between traveling, but there was a Monday Bank Holiday to be seized. There are 4 or 5 bank holidays throughout the year in Ireland, and we try to take advantage of each and every one of these long weekends to start checking off our extensive "hit list" of travel destinations. With no particular order in mind, we chose Barcelona first...

Panoramic view from Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

We arrived on a Friday evening and, by the time we got to the hotel and freshened up, it was already close to 11pm. Conveniently, people don't eat dinner in Spain until 9 pm or later anyway! We went to Cervecería Catalana, a restaurant recommended by our concierge and put our name in to wait (yes, there was still a wait at 11pm... nuts!) Well, it was worth it! We stayed until 1 am, drinking house Rioja (house wines are actually very good in Spain) and eating a delectable variety of tapas. The meal was so enjoyable that we veered from our typical routine and dined there twice during our trip!

Over the next couple days, we took a Hop on/Hop off bus all around the city to see the various sites. We walked down Las Ramblas, the main promenade inundated with street vendors and crowds passing through.

Las Ramblas

On a side street off La Rambla is Mercat de la Boqueria, an enormous public market filled with fresh meats, fish, cheeses, fruits, spices... you name it! Very cool place to walk around and grab a bite to eat.

Mercat de la Boquería

La Rambla ends at the Monumento a Colón, the tallest Christopher Columbus Monument, located at the site where Columbus returned after his first voyage to the Americas.

Monumento a Colón

We then strolled through Barri Gòtic, the gothic quarter with stunning architecture and a labyrinth of narrow streets opening up to little plazas. 

La Seu Cathedral

 Barri Gòtic

... And into La Barceloneta, an adjacent neighborhood that meets the beach boardwalk.

La Barceloneta

Of course, you can't go to Barcelona without hearing about Gaudí, a famous Spanish Catalan architect. His well-known works consist of Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Sagrada Família, and Park Güell. All are amazingly creative and awe-inspiring.

  

 Casa Milà - or La Pedrera

Casa Batlló

Sagrada Família

Park Güell views

Park Güell

Finally, we visited the modern beach strip near Port Oliímpic. What I love about Barcelona is the juxtaposition of architectural style throughout the city. You can go from the Gothic Quarter with all the historic and intricately designed buildings, to the Catalan Modernism of Gaudí, to the "Miami Beach" type clubs (mojitos are a must).

Port Olímpic

Combine that style with sunny weather and tasty cuisine, and I'm sold! It's just an awesome city, and still one of my favorites of all we've seen. I wouldn't mind living in Barcelona for a while :) Without doubt, I'll be back to visit again!