Best things to do in Barcelona

Dear Reader,

So another adventure of mine. During my semester in Spain, I managed to get in a weekend trip on Barcelona. Here are some of the things I did, the place I stayed and so much more.

So we flew with Vueling, the Spanish budget airline. My friend and I traveled together, but she was there to see her boyfriend, and I, to explore the city. We did manage to do a few things together, which I will tell you about later. So to our surprise, the flight wasn’t delayed and we arrived in Barcelona around midnight. The airline was acceptable, especially for that we paid less than 100 Euros return. Our flight back was on Monday morning, so it gave us two full days to see as much as possible of Barcelona.

The Gothic Quater

I was staying in this Hostel I found on Hostelbookers called 360 Hostel Arts and Culture (link here). That was one of the best hostels I have stayed in so far. The location is amazing. It takes you no more than five minutes to reach the Gothic quarter, which is the historical center of the city. They also offer free walking tours of the gothic quarter every day around noon and twice a week of the bunkers. It is a great opportunity to meet other peoples from the hostel and see some of this beautiful city. You will love the people you meet on this tour or generally in the hostel. The community is amazing and very open. Everybody is talking and engaging with the new arrivals. They have an indoor and an outdoor space to sit and chat with others.

This hostel also organize different free “let’s cook dinner together” events. They are designed to bring the hostel community closer together and it works. Funny story! My first night (Saturday) we were all sitting around waiting for the free dinner. Turns out that night instead of the dinner they were organizing a Sangria night. Now that’s all good, but none of us have eaten anything and now playing drinking games on an empty stomach. Not a good combination! They also organize nightly pub crawls. The good thing about these is, that you pay once and you can go as often as you want. They will take you to two or three pubs and maybe a club. It is super fun and the people are great. I am sure you will enjoy your time here.

Barcelona offers many adventures and many of them are free. Here are some of the cool things I have done during my weekend there.

Gothic center

Visit the Gothic center. My hostel was located 5 minutes walk from this part of the city, which was ideal. You could walk out the door and get lost in the little alleyways of the old quarter. We spent a lot of time just roaming the streets and checking out the small stores in this area. We also took a free walking tour, where the guide spent much time explaining particularities of different building and squares. You will find cheap places to eat here as well if you look a little. There are also many bars for the evening. Probably one of the most famous features of the Gothic Quarter is Las Ramblas. This busy street is a must-see when in Barcelona. Be aware of pickpockets though.

La Sagrada Familia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Las Ramblas

For Las Ramblas, you can easily head to another famous part, Barcelonate, the most well-known beach of Barcelona. Here you can stroll around, go for a swim or sit in one of the many cafes and restaurants. It is a great place to enjoy some of Spains most famous drink, Sangria. This mixture of wine, fermented fruits and lots of sugar is delicious and will ensure that time passes faster than it should at such a lovely place. Barcelonate is one of the most popular places among the local on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I had lunch here with my friend and some of her friends. It was a lovely afternoon.

Gaudi in Barcelona

One of the best-known monuments in Barcelona is La Sagrada Familia. This church was started by Gaudi in 1882 and is not finished until this day. It is perfectly operational and amazing from the inside. Even after traveling around Europe, and having seen hundreds of churches, this one is worth your visit. Being designed by Gaudi, it will not resemble any of the other churches you have seen on your trip. For La Sagrada Familia, you can head to the Gaudi park. This is located on top of the hill and gives you an amazing view of the city and the ocean. The Gaudi structures are also somehow blending in and standing out from the park around it. For both these attractions, you will have to reserve tickets ahead of time. They tend to sell out quite quickly, so make sure you book them well in advance. You don’t want to miss out because the tickets have sold out.

Arc de Triumph

 

One last thing worth checking out is the park close to the Arc de Triumph. Every Saturday and Sunday late afternoon the artists of the city get together there. There are dance groups, acrobats, musicians or just people enjoying the amazing weather and atmosphere. If you love performing arts, it is definitely worth a look. Very relaxing way to finish a maybe more busy day. I dragged a bunch of my friends from the hostel to see this, and we had a blast.

There is it. The things I have done during my weekend getaway to Barcelona. This city is amazing and definitely worth a visit. Have you been there? Did you like it? Share your experiences with me, here in the comments or on Instagram @lettersfromatravelinggirl

Kisses,

Juli