Gracias, Barcelona
Barcelona is full of culture, art, and amazing food. It will always hold a special place in my heart because it was our first "double date" trip with my favorite couple - my mom and dad. I was so happy to experience this beautiful city with 3 of my favorite people. Enjoy!
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed in the EIXAMPLE district which is central Barcelona. Lots of great local bakeries and cafes. Most places were either walking distance or a quick subway ride away from our Airbnb. (Subway system is very convenient!)
WHERE TO EAT
9NINE - 3 course prix fixe steak dinner for less than 40 euro. What a steal! The food is amazing and the vibe is warm and welcoming. We were so happy to celebrate my mom's birthday here. I recommend making reservations through their Facebook site ahead of time.
Casa Lolea - I'm sure you've seen Lolea's famous red/white polka dot sangria bottles. Make reservations because the restaurant is very small and always busy. Menu is tapas style. Order the patatas bravas, octopus ceviche, truffle risotto, and of course the sangria. Definitely worth a visit if you have time, but I wouldn't say it is an absolute must.
El Quim de la Boqueria - Wow. The food was excellent and the seating is very limited/first come first serve SO try to come before they open so you can snag the first available seats. We did this and it worked out great for our party of 4. I highly recommend the baby squid, razor clams, foie gras, and hamburger - but everything was delicious.
Quimet & Quimet - You MUST eat at Quimet & Quimet. It's a standing tapas bar - everything is made quickly from canned ingredients. I know that doesn't sound appealing but my goodness everything was SO good. We must have ordered everything on the menu. I asked our server to just keep 'em coming and she was happy to serve her recommendations. They're not open on Saturday or Sunday so make sure you save one of your weekday lunches for Quimet & Quimet.
Arume - My husband and I had a lovely date night at Arume. We came for the duck paella and blackberry mojitos but also fell in love with the crispy octopus and the breaded clams. The service was excellent. Make a reservation for sure. Otherwise you'll be waiting forever.
Xurros de Xocolata - Chocolate churros!!! Cash only. YOU HAVE TO GO. That's all you really need to know!
360 Terrace, Barcelo Raval - Sunset/happy hour! Beautiful view of Barcelona and delicious and affordable mixology bar.
Nacional BCN - A bougie foodcourt with amazing restaurants specializing in seafood or meat - and of course dessert. It’s a beautiful venue with amazing interior design. Definitely worth a visit.
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Mercat la Boqueria - We went here everyday to enjoy fresh fruit juice and jamon cones. We also bought seafood to cook at our Airbnb. My favorite home cooked meal from la Boqueria was razor clams and squid ink pasta. Delicious!
Paella Cooking Class - My dad loves cooking so we thought this would be the perfect gift for him while in Barcelona. It was my first time booking an Airbnb experience and it was excellent. It was a little awkward at first because it's a group activity with a bunch of other tourists/strangers, but the instructor (and sangria) did a really great job bringing everyone together. We met at la Boqueria where we walked around together to buy the ingredients needed for sangria and paella then we went to her apartment to cook and drink. We had so much fun!
Catedral de Barcelona - We attended mass in Catalan and it was a beautiful experience.
Basilica de la Sagrada Familia - You will never see anything like it. Gaudi started building it in 1882 and it's still not done. It's constantly changing. I've been told by friends who have been to Barcelona multiple times that it looks different every time they visit. Every piece of it is stunning and 100% worth it. Buy tickets ahead of time on their website. I recommend reserving a time slot around 9AM - it's less crowded.
Casa Batlló - While we wanted to visit all of the Gaudi museums, we didn't have enough time. It was a difficult choice, but luckily all of our new friends from the paella cooking class highly recommended Casa Batlló. Such a beautiful place and I would definitely say it's a MUST. I usually don't care for audio guided tours, but I highly recommend reserving it for this one. Awesome experience. Reserve tickets on their website ahead of time.
Park Güell - Wow. Another stunning Gaudi . We regrettably went during a cloudy day and crowded time so (1) try to go on a sunny day so you don't miss out on the beautiful view of Barcelona and (2) go right when they open. The experience was still great, nonetheless. Reserve tickets here.
Flamenco Show - Flamenco is a Spanish dance with lots of hand clapping, footwork, and beautiful movements. It's an art! We didn't plan ahead of time and ended up booking a show at Tarantos last minute. It was fun and different, but not worth the price. I would plan ahead and look around for more options. A show at Gaudi's Palau de la Música Catalana looks amazing.
Castell de Montjuic - We unfortunately didn't make it to this beautiful castle and I regret it so much! It's free to visit and the views are spectacular. Try to go on a nice, sunny day.