My cousins and I took an hour flight from Naples airport over to Barcelona, Spain. We have always wanted to take a trip somewhere, so this was the perfect opportunity since we were together in Italy.
Barcelona is the capital and largest city of the region of Catalonia in Spain. It's a major tourist area and so there is always something to do.
The area is known for its art and architecture so we filled our days by visiting different museums, landmarks, and the cathedral La Sagrada Familia by the famous artist Antoni Gaudí.
Our first day we took a dip at La Barceloneta beach. Keep in mind, during the months of July and August it is high tourist season, so the beach is extremely packed.
We feasted on delicious paella dishes, different tapas, and sweet sangria. But no worries, it was all evened out by the amount of walking we would do each day ;).
I tracked the steps on my phone and was shocked to see that in only one day we had walked over 26,000 steps!
We also became pros at taking el metro, the subway system by the end of the trip. Since Barcelona is such a big area, you will need to take the subway to get from one site to another.
Therefore if you plan on traveling to Barcelona, be prepared to do plenty of walking... it is inevitable!
We had a great time exploring Barcelona... here are my photographs and travel guide to this beautiful city!
Casa Batlló: the beautiful home of famous artist Antoni Gaudí. If you love whimsical, this place is perfect for you. His home reminded me of Dr. Seuss's stories... surprises and colors in every corner.
*Tip: Purchase your tickets online before arriving there to receive a discounted price!
Right across from Casa Batlló, is Tapa Tapa. We had a great lunch here with tons of different tapas to try from. Also, their Sangria was so good! Their prices were also very budget-friendly.
La Rambla: This famous strip is like the Times Square of New York City. It has many restaurants to eat outside or inside, street performers, and cute little markets and stands to buy souvenirs from.
Bar Marsella: Though it was closed when we passed by, this little pub was where Ernest Hemingway would visit along with other famous artists!
La Boqueria: This marketplace is a food lover's paradise. Warning: Do not go when you are hungry because you will end up buying everything you see! (I overestimated how much chocolate I can eat, and it ended up melting along the way as I tried eating it.)
They have fresh fruits, chocolates, bread, peppers, nuts, steaks... and everything else you can imagine.
La Sagrada Familia: When we came out of the subway, as soon as I turned around it was facing us and I was floored by the grand architecture.
Park Güell: Another beautiful artwork/ architecture of Antoni Gaudí. The grounds are so pretty and colorful. The tiles and whimsical shapes reminded me of Candy Land.
*Tip: Time slots fill up very quickly, so be sure to get there early or purchase them online. We had to buy them a few hours before our actual entrance time, so we decided to eat lunch and go to another area before it was our turn to go in.
Montjuïc: This place is a must-visit. We got to ride the telefèric, which is a little cable car that took us up to this majestic mountain. The Castle still resides there from the 17th century, and the grounds with its beautiful fountains and view of the sea and city is absolutely stunning.
The last spontaneous thing we did was see a Barcelona soccer game at Camp Nou. It was so much fun! We saw advertisements for the game all throughout the city and thought what better way to end our last day.
We all bought Barcelona jerseys, did the wave, and sang to the Barcelona chant... Barça! Barça! Baaaaarça!
