BARCELONA, SPAIN

OVERVIEW

• When: 18 October – 22 October, 2025
• Where (accommodations): Sercotel Rosellon and Grand Hotel Central
• Transportation: Iberia (operated by Level) Boston (BOS) to Barcelona (BCN)
• Sights/attractions: Park Güell, Casa Vicens, La Pedrera/Casa Mila, Sagrada Familia, Tibidabo- amusement park and Temple of The Sacred Heart of Jesus, Casa Batllo, Palau Dalmases Flamenco, Palau de la Música Catalana, Park de la Ciutadela, El Born neighborhood, Atelier Madre- Manuel Dreesmann, Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona Cathedral, Carrer del Bisbe, “The World Comes to Life with Each Kiss” mural, La Rambla, Montjuic Cable Car, Poble Espanyol, National Museum of Catalonia, Hospital de la Santa Creu, Arc de Triomf, Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, Sant Joan funicular, El Gat De Botero, Football game (soccer), Barceloneta Beach
• Food/drinks: Sercotel Rosellon Rooftop Terrace, Chromatic coffee shop, Con Gracia, Bloom By Sasha, Vinitus, Tapeo (Born), La Boqueria Mercat, CanBo Restaurant, Tosca Palau, Nudes, Nonna’s Brunch, Coco House Cafe

The first and only time I was in Barcelona was 25 years ago- back in the year 2000! How is this a quarter of century ago?! It was one of my first trips outside of Lithuania, and I vividly remember that I fell in LOVE with Barcelona. Maybe it was the fact that it was December, and warm enough to wear only a sweater. Maybe, the proximity to the beach? But for years when someone asked me about my favorite city, Barcelona would make the top five. So what prompted this four day escape? Sean is turning 40! He’s heard of me mentioning Barcelona, but we never found the time to go, because a) There were no direct flights, b) Spain was not a new country for me, so I always found new places to visit first.

But turning 40 is a big deal. Any ’round’ birthday should be celebrated with a trip (in my opinion). That way you will always remember it. So when Sean chose Barcelona, I put my country chasing on hold and of course said ‘YES!’ (what a great wife she is, I know!). Also, what made this decision much easier was that Iberia has direct flights from Boston (operated by Level airline). I feel like suffering through 7hr overnight flight and waking up in Europe (if you sleep on the plane that is) is always worth it. We didn’t travel on the actual birthday, but made the trip one week earlier. This way we could still celebrate Sean’s favorite holiday- Halloween back in Boston & Salem. Win-win.

Well, who is ready for the action packed, low on sleep, 20k steps per day, birthday bash through Barcelona? Come along!

Before I go into the details, I feel the need to mention the strange treatment that we received in Boston from the Level airline staff. We came to the check-in desk very early, around 3.5 hours prior to the flight, because we planned to use lounge access. I needed to add my Known Traveler number to the boarding pass so that we could skip the line at TSA. Long story short- we only needed a boarding pass printed with a TSA pre-check number on it. But then it took a turn. The agent insisted that because we are in Zone 4 we MUST check our carry -on bags. Nowhere does it say that on our ticket, or on Iberia’s, or Level’s website. Of course, at the time of boarding, when the airline sees that everyone has roller suitcases and there is no more overhead space left, then they usually ask volunteers to check bag first and go from there. But here we are, the only people that arrived early, nobody knows yet if anyone will have many carry- ons and we are demanded that we give up our bags with all our belongings for the 4 day trip. I’ve heard horror stories of items missing in Barcelona airport, so we said, “no, thank you, we do not want to check it.” What can we do to change the Zone from 4 to earlier? Supervisor got involved, ripped up our newly printed boarding passes, was holding on to our passports until we said we will deal with this at the gate- it was incredibly strange. Then, Sean looked up online and saw that to get priority boarding, zone 1 is only 15 USD per person! So he purchased this right away and we enjoyed our dinner at the lounge.

But this does not end the strange treatment. I get a call demanding to come to the gate immediately. No explanation as to what is the issue. Of course, we are thinking the worst- are we being thrown out of the flight? What could this be? We arrive and there is a man literally holding a checked bag tag and reaching for my suitcase. Of course I told him we bought Priority boarding, but he looks straight at me and says : “No you did not! You have zone 4 and I am checking your bags!”. It took again a supervisor involvement and reprinting our boarding passes with Zone 1 clearly on them, but no apology of any kind was received. The man just walked away. The best part- people sitting next to us were zone 4, boarded last and had massive carry on suitcases with them! They were not asked or demanded to check them at any point. Nor was there any announcement at the gate asking for volunteers to check bags either. There was plenty of overhead space too. After this strange experience we thought we would not want to travel with Level again, but on the way back the staff was great, GF meal that we paid for was good as well. So hopefully this was just a random incident and it will never happen again. Either way- for a peace of mind, just pay for priority boarding when flying Level.

ACCOMMODATION

Even though it was only four nights in Barcelona, we split the stay between two hotels. The first one was for the view, the second for luxury/pool. I am very glad we did that, because it also allowed us to comfortably explore two different parts of the city.

Sercotel Rosellón

We chose this place purely due to the proximity and the view of Sagrada Familia.

We wanted to wake up and see the famous church and this is exactly what we got!

But the best view for photos are not from the rooms (the windows were a bit dirty and the light is not ideal). The main privilege of being a guest at this hotel is the fact that you can enjoy their rooftop terrace without a reservation. Which is what we did as soon as we dropped our bags. We had a quick tapas lunch with the most magical view!

Besides the view I would say this hotel was a bit overpriced. The room was small (comfortable bed), no pool or spa- I am glad we stayed here, but also after two nights we were ready to move. The area was great for sightseeing this side of Barcelona- Sagrada Familia, Gaudi houses, shopping in Passeig de Gracia.

Grand Hotel Central

The selling point for this hotel was the rooftop pool. We kind of gambled because weather is unpredictable in October, but at the end it paid off. Overall this hotel had a much more luxurious atmosphere, staff was super pleasant, we got a room upgrade and a bottle of wine from the restaurant onsite (for Sean’s birthday).

There are some things to improve too. I don’t like portraying only the positives for full transparency. We went to have lunch at the rooftop terrace and it honestly was a mess. Three different servers took our order, after a significant amount of wait, they told us that the wifi went out and the order was not sent to the kitchen. And when it finally arrived, three out of four items were incorrect. So I would say hotel is great for stay, restaurant downstairs is excellent, but I would be weary to eat at the rooftop.

The pool also is not heated and it was pretty much a cold plunge. But since I swam in the sea and on the last day of our trip the temperature was close to 80F, I braced myself and took a dip.

We also loved the location- close to the historic Gothic Quarter and only 20 min walk from Barceloneta Beach– splitting our stay was 100% a great idea!

MUST SEEs

Barcelona is a big city with a LOT of things to see, do, and eat. In fact, I didn’t expect to be going non stop from morning to night the way we did. Of course, I had a long and detailed itinerary planned, but while exploring we would see yet another beautiful church, another cute boutique, or an inviting cafe to visit. You can’t do it all, especially in a short amount of time, so I will group the activities from the most important ones (that impressed us the most). That way if you have less time, you can skip some of them and not feel like you really missed out.

Sagrada Familia

If there is ONE thing to see in Barcelona it would be this incredible church designed by Antoni Gaudi. The largest unfinished Catholic church in the world and a true masterpiece. Started in 1882 it was only less than a quarter finished when Gaudi died in 1926. With recent technological advancements it was expected to be finished by 2026, but now estimated to go until 2034. Here is a great reason to return!

I wish I had a photo of it back in 2000 when I first visited, but I recall it was all surrounded by cranes and I never went inside back then (not sure if it was even allowed). This time though, it looks incredible inside and out! A few unfinished corners cannot overshadow the majestic view of this building.

I have read that the tickets sell out and did not want to risk it. We purchased access to the church as well as Tower on the Nativity Facade tour with the start of 10.45am about a month prior to the trip. First we sightseed the basilica, then went to the tower, and then admired the church a bit more.

For those doubting if you should do the tour of the tower- DO it. There is an elevator up, so it’s not physically exhausting. You get to walk between the two towers on the enclosed bridge and see the tops of the various towers from a much closer distance. We loved it all.

To get down you do need to use the winding staircase, but there is nobody coming up, so there were no crowds or bottlenecks. As we walked out we also happened to witness the tower building competition- THAT was scary to watch. Little kids that are the lightest go to the very top, while the base is shaking- we were holding our breath. All ended well, nobody fell.

Sagrada Familia should be for sure on your Barcelona list, and tickets can be purchased many different ways, but I used their official site here.

Park Güell

We went to this beautiful park (also designed by Gaudi) on the first day of our arrival. I also bought tickets online, but only a couple of days in advance. The entry is timed on the ticket, but nobody seemed to really look at the hour. It saved time to have the ticket ready instead of standing in line at the ticket booth.

We did not book any tour and walked around on our own. I remember loving this park 25 years ago and it did not disappoint now either. I don’t recall it being this busy, but we came at 3pm on a Saturday, so could not expect it to be empty.

Alongside with Sagrada Familia- Park Güell should not be missed.

Gaudi Houses

There are many buildings designed by the famous architect, but the most visited and often sold as a package are the tree houses- Casa Vicens, Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and Casa Batlló.

We went to the first two right after visiting Park Güel, because it was not a far walk and they are located in close proximity. Our favorite though was Casa Batlló which we toured the following day. We loved them all, but if you are strapped on time, I would make sure to at least visit Casa Batlló.

Casa Vicens

The oldest of the three and considered Gaudi’s first major project this house is especially beautiful from the outside.

Even if you don’t have time to go inside, it’s worth stopping by. It started raining when we arrived, so we were happy to do the inside self guided tour.

The work belongs to Gaudí’s orientalist period, but also has a lot of Islamic art- it reminded me both of Japan and Morocco at the same time.

Casa Milà (La Pedrera)

Light rain ended, we got a quick snack and coffee to keep us going and managed to visit one more UNESCO heritage site- Casa Milà. It was on the day of our arrival, after overnight flight, so at this point we are a bit delirious and running on fumes.

However, tiredness it did not impact our ability to appreciate the beauty of this building.

There are several floors and the artifacts of the people that used to live here. We didn’t spend a lot of time in the rooms, because sun was setting and I wanted to make it to the roof before it got dark.

We both agreed that the chimneys/rooftop was the most impressive part of this house.

The way the building is shaped, massive ‘soldiers’/chimneys – it took our breath away. I believe building closes at 8.30pm, but I would recommend getting there in the daylight or before sunset to fully appreciate it.

Casa Batlló

We left the most impressive house for last. It is open until late and there is a night show, but on the day of arrival we simply could not physically do any more sightseeing. I am glad we didn’t push it, because when we went the following day and had more energy we appreciated it even more.

It is incredible- every room, every detail- a MUST visit in Barcelona for sure.

There are a few different tickets (we bought it online, but while being right outside the building). Because we wanted to see the most of it, we got Gold access, which allowed us to visit the apartment with the original furniture and also the rooftop terrace.

At the start there is a digital exhibition, and then you go through floors of the house with an audio guide.

The rooftop was less impressive (in our humble opinion) than Casa Mila, but overall this house by far was our favorite!

Palau de la Música Catalana

One of the most beautiful (if not THE MOST beautiful) music halls that I have ever seen. Palau del la Música Catalana was designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner- Gaudi’s mentor! The style is definitely very different from Gaudi’s work but no less majestic.

We booked a guided 10am tour on a Monday, but you can also visit without a tour. I don’t think tour added that much more to the experience, but it was interesting to hear some facts and history.

The most impressive is of course the building- inside and out. We almost booked a concert there, but with a short stay in Barcelona, and many things already planned, we decided not to. Here is another reason to come back!

El Born and Gothic Quarter

Both El Born and Gothic Quarter are walking distance from each other. Luckily our second hotel was in a close proximity so we easily explored this area without having to take a taxi.

Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar

Built between 1329 and 1383 this Gothic Catalan style church is a sight to behold. It does not take a long time to visit and you don’t need to book it in advance. We walked in and got the tickets on the spot. It is in the charming El Born district.

Do not leave without climbing a spiral staircase to the roof. The views from the top are spectacular!

Barcelona Cathedral

Official name is Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, but it’s know as Barcelona Cathedral and we almost missed it! I don’t know how I didn’t mark it on the map when planning the trip, but we sort of stumbled upon it while walking though the Gothic Quarter.

It is absolutely beautiful, another perfect example of Gothic architecture. It also has a Sky Walk- another rooftop view.

For this one you take the elevator up (and down). The downside of no stairs is that you HAVE to wait for the elevator. And it only fits 8 people at the time. To get up there was no line, but once we arrived to the roof we saw a long line of people waiting to go down. So we took turns sightseeing- I walked around first while Sean stood in line and then we switched. If I had to choose between the two- I think Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar’s roof was better. No crowds, easy stair access without waiting for anyone and still incredible views of Barcelona.

Carrer del Bisbe

One of the most photographed spots in Barcelona this foot bridge is from 1928. In comparison with the rest of the architecture in the city, this is not even that old. But it is impressive and therefore deserves my photograph too!

Shop till you drop

I have to pivot a bit from sightseeing, because El Born neighborhood (one of my favorites) will definitely suck you into some charming boutiques.

I have to mention one for sure- Atelier Madre- Manuel Dreesmann.

We walked in, I saw croissant looking bag and I was instantly in love. Everything is made there, I could have just bought the bag that was on display, but since I wanted the dark green color they offered to make it fresh! In 24 hours my beautiful leather bag was ready to be picked up. They do ship as well, but the cost ended up being cheaper on site. They also did an instant tax return- basically a discount instead of having to go do VAT tax returns at the airport.

Another great shopping area is in Passeig de Gracia street, but that is more designer, famous fashion brand stores. I prefer little boutiques and for that El Born/Gothic Quarter is where it’s at!

Tibidabo

There are several viewpoints of Barcelona, but I liked Tibidabo the most. We took a taxi to save time (there are public transportation options as well). Not only there are views, but also there is an amusement park too! Check the schedule because when we went in October it was only open on the weekends.

There are not that many rides and most of them are catered to little kids, but there is at least one decent roller coaster, as well as the ferris wheel. Yes, we went on both. Yes, I screamed on the roller coaster, but more because it was fun and not really scary.

If the amusement park is not open, still visit Tibidabo viewpoint area and the Temple of The Sacred Heart of Jesus church. You can go up all the way near the Jesus statue for more incredible views below.

I think this was more worth it than the amusement park to be completely honest.

Palau Dalmases Flamenco

Yes, for sure a touristy activity, but hey- we never said that we live in Barcelona! There are several places to see flamenco shows in the city, I’ve read good reviews about Palau Dalmases Flamenco, so this was the spot we picked. We booked it kind of last minute- in the afternoon of the day of the show.

Maybe during the busy season it sells out, but when we went to 9pm (last show of the evening) there were still some seats available.

We paid a bit extra for the VIP tickets- front row seats with a drink included and it was well worth it! Nobody obstructed the view and an hour went by very fast. We probably would not watch flamenco every time visiting Spain, but I’d recommend it for at least one time experience. What I would NOT recommend is wearing heels to a show (or in general in Barcelona). I thought it went well with my outfit (and it did!), but the walk on these cobble stone streets was not my favorite. People in Barcelona dress up, but next time I would not pack heels for sure.

Olé Olé Olé

If you are visiting Barcelona during the “futbol” (soccer) season, do not pass the opportunity to see the FC Barcelona (Barça) game live. We have never seen a soccer game live, and this was a super fun experience! It also was sort of spontaneous decision. Only a couple days before the trip we were going over the plan (that I prepared) for Barcelona, so that Sean would have an idea of the areas we will be visiting. And in passing he said: “Maybe we see the soccer game while we are there”. THAT was not in my Google doc itinerary, but I kept it in the back of my mind. The following day my sister asked what would Sean want as a gift for his 40th birthday? Ding ding ding!!! Well, apparently there is one UEFA Champions League game with Olympiacos while we are visiting!

Thank you, Agne and Cosimo for the tickets- it was a gift that both Sean and I really enjoyed! Since Camp Nou stadium is being renovated the game was at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys fitting around 56 000 people.

I did a quick research on the best seating location and many mentioned 2nd Corner (hotel concierge confirmed this as well). Expect it to be loud! We were fairly close to where the opposing team’s (Greece Olympiacos) fans were seated, and we were blown away by their passion. Greece was losing BADLY. But the cheering, singing, and chanting never stopped! Even with a loss 6-1, they were drowning out the Barcelona fans until the very end of the game. It was for sure a super fun experience to witness!

After the game prepare to walk a bit- streets are closed and taxis were hard to come by, but it is within walking distance to major metro stations, and eventually, we were able to grab a cab.

Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey

Also known as Motserrat Monastery Santa Maria de Motserrat is located in the mountains about 45km from Barcelona. I remember visiting it 25yrs ago, but at that time, the host family drove us up there. I also recall not feeling well from going up the mountain on a very curvy road.

Initially, we didn’t plan on leaving Barcelona, but then I thought about it more, and felt like Sean would be missing out. We are already here, it is not THAT far away, so lets do it. Once I found out that it can easily be reached by train, the decision was made.

I booked the tickets from the official website here. There are a few different options- some include the boy’s choir concert in the Basilica (it was sold out for the day that we were able to go), some have rack railway access or aerial tram etc. We booked the ticket with round trip Rack Railway ride, access to the Basilica, and the timed entry to see the Throne of Our Lady (The Virgin of Montserrat).

From Barcelona’s Pl Espanya train station, we took R5 train with destination to Manresa, getting at the stop called Monistrol de Montserrat (about 1 hour train ride). From there we boarded the Rack Railway train which was only 15 min ride, and took us up the mountain to the monastery. You could also get off one stop earlier and take the cable car up, but since we had Rack Railway ticket included with our purchase, we went with that. R5 trains and Rack railway train schedules are perfectly synced up, so that you don’t waste time waiting. We took 10.26am R5 train from Barcelona (it goes every hour), followed by Rack Railway that arrived a few minutes later.

First, we got our Audio guides included with the ticket, checked out visual center, and then decided to take Sant Joan funicular up for even more spectacular views.

Ticket for the funicular was extra cost, but well worth it. Also, I have to mention that hours to visit Basilica are limited to Mass and the Boys Choir performance. So based our arrival time, we could not enter until 1.15pm, after the choir was done. Since we had 2.30pm visit to see Lady of Our Throne, we figured there is no need to rush to the Basilica. It worked out perfectly.

After enjoying the views from the top of the funicular and walking around for a few minutes we descended, and the Basilica was open for visitors.

If you do not want to go close up to the statue (or if the tickets are sold out), you can still see it from the Basilica, it’s just a bit far up, right above the altar. The visit is short- there is a person monitoring the queue- you can take photos and videos, have a quick prayer and then have to move on for the next person in line. We arrived a bit earlier than scheduled and were done by 2.30pm.

This left us time to visit the museum, grab quick lunch to go from the caffe, and make the train back (we had the game to go to that same evening).

On the way back we took 3.15pm Rack Railway train and 3.41pm R5 back to Barcelona. Essentially, with the round trip travel time, visit to Basilica, Museum, Virgin Mary AND San Joan funicular you need about 6 hours in total of time to see Montserrat from Barcelona. It is not a very relaxed pace, but very doable.

Montjuic Cable Car and Poble Espanyol

Always chasing those views, especially the sunset ones! I bought tickets to Montjuic cable car combined with Poble Espanyol entrance and I think here was a bit of a mistake. Well, I guess you decide if it was or not.

We got to the cable car a bit before sunset and I thought that there will be a viewpoint up top to take nice sunset photos. It’s not a long ride up, views were good, but you are in the enclosed gondola with a bit scratched up and dirty windows. So the photo quality is not ideal.

Once we reached the top, we got off and walked around. We saw that here is a castle, which required additional ticket. However, we are now torn between Poble Espanyol and going to this castle. With the last entrance to village fast approaching, we were torn between the two.

We chose to go back down and visit Poble Espanyol. My best views of Montjuic were from the gondola. I think the fact that there was no viewpoint without visiting the caste was a let down. Also, after seeing views from Tibidabo hill, this felt a lot less impressive. So if you are short on time, skip this and go to Tibidabo instead.

Now about Poble Espanyol. I read that this is a charming makeshift Spanish village, very cute, etc. Maybe we just didn’t come at the right time, but we didn’t find it very special. First of all, the person working at the ticket counter at Montjuic cable car told us that it’s 10 min walk down the hill. No sir. We walked and walked and finally grabbed a cab, because we would not have made it by this strange 6.30pm last entrance time. The place is open until 8pm, why would the last entrance be at 6.30?

Anyway- it may be cute when it’s lively and all the shops are open. We found it pretty deserted, and literally nothing to write home about. They were setting up for Halloween, so I am sure it is adorable once finished decorating, but do not go there before last entrance, unless you like wandering all by yourself.

The one thing I liked was the viewpoint. The city rooftops in the golden hour sun made this somewhat worth it.

We walked around, it started getting dark, and remaining shops closed- short visit and not a must in Barcelona.

National Museum of Catalonia

If you already in Montjuic area, check out this museum and the Magic Fountain. We walked by, but the fountain is on only during certain times, so it was more just a ‘quick look’ in passing.

Museum is very impressive, unfortunately we didn’t have time to go inside.

Arc de Triomf and Park de la Ciutadela

These two are not exactly next to each other, but in a close walking distance. For the sake of logistics and to not run around Barcelona, I would combine Park de la Ciutadela and Arc de Triomf into the same visit.

I was especially excited to see the fountain, but sadly it was drained and being worked on…Regardless, the park was very nice and peaceful to walk around. Great place to escape the busy city.

“The World Comes to Life with Each Kiss” mural

Mosaic mural created in 2014 is a popular spot for photos, so if you want to take a picture in front of it, prepare to wait in line.

I managed to snap a pic in between people waiting in line and we left. The cool thing about this mural is that from afar it looks like a kiss, but it’s made out of thousands of images submitted by local residents and printed on the ceramic tiles.

El Gat De Botero

This massive fat cat sculpture is located in Rambla del Raval neighborhood and has been in Barcelona since 1987 (was moved around a bit). I did not love the area and local police told us to come here during the day (initially we planned to walk in the dark).

It is a cool sculpture for sure, hard to describe through a photo how massive it really is!

Hospital de la Santa Creu and La Rambla

We came to the Old Hospital de la Santa Creu in the evening and didn’t get to explore it because we got a bit scared. The little park near it was dark and empty and for the first time in Barcelona I felt uneasy. We just finished shopping at Onitsuka Tiger store on Passeig de Gracia and I had the bag with two pairs of expensive sneakers in it. We have heard enough about robberies and pick pocketers in Barcelona, but up until this moment never felt unsafe.

It just so happened that two police officers were walking by, so I asked them if we are safe here and is it ok to walk over to El Gat de Botero sculpture (short walk from this hospital). They both looked at each other and told me: ” Barcelona is a beautiful city, but we have a lot of thieves. Watch your bags, glasses, phones and it is better to walk around during the day”. Say no more officer, we got back on a well lit street and went back to the hotel. I am not about to get robbed over a cat statue!

Now La Rambla. Another popular and busy street, but it was my least favorite. Lots of beggars, many people with questionable intentions- I just did not like the vibes.

There are so many great areas in Barcelona, La Rambla is just not one of them. We even talked to some Greek soccer fans who said they got offered every drug and pills on La Rambla. That says enough of who hangs out there.

Barceloneta Beach

Last but NOT least- the beach! Whenever possible we try to end the trip on the beach, even if it’s for a couple of hours. Weather was on our side, too! When we arrived Saturday it was around 72F, then progressively got warmer. On the day that we were leaving it was 78F, but felt even warmer in the sun.

Since our second hotel was less than 20 min walk to the beach, we went straight there. It was pretty empty when we arrived, but got much busier by mid day.

For Sean the water was too cold to swim, I of course went in. It was similar to what we get in New England end of summer! Chilly, but not freezing.

It is a nice beach, but sadly not the most relaxing. Masseuses and vendors approached us periodically. Some were more insistent than others. We saw masseuse basically start massaging the person who initially said ‘no’, but eventually gave in. And that is not all. You cannot leave your things unattended and go swimming together. We spoke to a girl at a nearby cafe, who said tourists get stuff stolen all the time. It’s not a blatant robbery- it’s smart. Someone starts talking to you, the other comes from behind and swipes your valuables. I don’t like feeling uneasy on the beach. It’s a place where I want to disconnect, read, and take a nap if I feel like it. It was nice to feel the sun and the salty water, but after a couple hours we returned to hotel pool so that we could relax before our flight home.

Food, so much food!

You will not go hungry in Barcelona, that is for sure. The amount of incredible restaurants this city has is overwhelming. My friend gave me at least 60 recommendations for various cafes, tapas restaurants, and bars. All extremely well rated too. So I think you really can’t go wrong. I’ll mention the ones we ate at- we did not have a bad meal on this trip!

Breakfast and coffee shops

We had four days to have breakfast since we arrived at noon on Saturday. First one was at Bloom By Sasha– amazing GF meals, close to Sagrada Familia as well as Sercotel Rosellon hotel.

The second one was close to Palau del la Música Catalana where we had a 10am tour. INDO Brunch prepared food fast and it was also delicious!

Before going to Montserrat Monastery we had breakfast at Nonna’s Brunch– again a very satisfying experience!

On our last day we wanted to maximize our day at the beach, so brought home protein packed breakfasts that were also super tasty from the Nudes shop (no nudity involved whatsoever!) and had those with the coffee in our hotel room.

There are endless, literally endless coffee shops in Barcelona. We had a snack at Chromatic coffee, lunch at Coco House Cafe near the beach, and a few others that I cannot recall the names. Spain does not mess around with coffee and sweets, and won’t leave you disappointed.

Tapas

You can’t come to Barcelona and not have tapas. We ate at the tapas restaurants for lunches and dinner. You simply cannot go wrong either way. Many places are open super late, so you never have to worry about not being able to get food.

Sercotel Rosellon Rooftop Terrace was our first quick tapas experience when we just arrived. It was good, but we ate there mainly for the view. Next, was Vinitus, which had excellent options, but we were so full after this lunch we barely needed dinner.

Tapeo (El Born) is right near Palau Dalmases Flamenco show and is open late, so we enjoyed it after 10pm when the show ended.

Absolutely delicious!

Tosca Palau was another tapas place and we went there after the soccer game.

We enjoyed every bite.

For various food options in one place you could try La Boqueria Mercat. We checked it out one day, but did not love it. The market seemed very touristy, crowded and overpriced. I would go to an actual restaurant instead.

Dinner

Two of the dinners we ate at the tapas places mentioned before, but two were more upscale experience. The most memorable is Con Gracia– multi course (12 to be exact!) surprise menu dinner that I managed to book for the first evening after our arrival.

The funny thing is that I completely forgot that I booked a multi course meal. And it started at 9pm. By the time it finished at midnight, we were about 30+ hours without sleep. We were delirious, but powered through!

It was a dinner I would recommend for everyone visiting Barcelona. From the service, to the exquisite dishes, to accommodating gluten free requirement- all was perfect. And the price was reasonable as well!

Another somewhat more upscale dinner was right at the hotel, at the CanBo Restaurant. We were too tired to go out and hotel gave a 50 Euro credit, plus a bottle of wine which I shared with a nice woman at the nearby table- it was a very pleasant evening.

CONCLUSION

A whirlwind adventure through Barcelona. Every time I write a blog post, I am amazed of the amount of activities, sites, and food we manage to fit in a short amount of time. Barcelona was always one of my favorite cities and I am glad that 25 years later it is as beautiful as ever! If anything, there is so much more to see, do, and eat now. I did not love the safety issue. Luckily, we did not experience any crime, but to constantly be on guard is not super enjoyable. Especially on the beach- my favorite place to end the trip. Regardless, it was a wonderful trip. Sean loved it, and will hopefully always remember what he did for his 40th. Barcelona, Ojalá, we will see you again. Hopefully, by then, Sagrada Familia is finally finished 🙂 !