” I must be the only Briton to have never been to Spain!”
I joked all the time with my friends… until last winter when one of those friends replied “me too!!! LETS GO!!!!” Neither of us had ever been to Barcelona and we had heard so much about it. Holiday was booked off work immediately and tickets booked within 48 hours. I was READY. I was finally going to see what all the hype was about!
Tickets booked with: Ryan Air
Where we stayed: Air B&B – Gothic Quarter
How many nights: 6
Budget: 200 Euros Spending Money
Barcelona highlights:
La Cathedral + Rooftop View
According to our little Barcelona Guide Book, La Cathedral is one of the top sites to see, so on our first day, we headed out early to take in the beautiful architecture of this huge cathedral.
I’ve always been fascinated by Cathedrals and holy buildings. The detail and time put into both interior and exterior design is breath-taking. Modern buildings that are all windows and ridiculous angles just don’t interest me at all.. sorry guys! Modernism just doesn’t do it for me. Give me gothic architechture, gargoyles and spires any day!
The highlight of course was definitely the view from the rooftop. There is a 3 Euro charge to get in a tiny, little, slightly claustrophobic lift, to the top of the cathedral where you can walk along the rooftop for a gorgeous view of Barcelona. I could have spent hours up there just watching the world go by, but alas there were so many more sites to see!!
Casa Battlo
We decided it would be really cool to see some of the famous painter Gaudi’s work, being in his home town and all. My mum had always raved on about his painting and how amazing Barcelona is because of his architectural influence, so after our morning cycling around the city, we headed towards Casa Battlo. We bought tickets on our phones while we waited in the queue as it was a little bit cheaper that way.
As you enter into the building you are handed an audio tour guide which also provides an interactive video of how each room would have looked when Gaudi himself actually lived there! It was absolutely amazing. Everything had been thought out and designed to mimic or replicate an underwater world, right down to the radiator covers! The building was designed in 1877 and the only plan of the building was a 3D plaster model that Gaudi made himself. The architechts had no other blue prints or plans to go from!
La Ramblas + Market
La Ramblas is probably at the top of everybody’s list if they’re planning a trip to Barcelona. The range of cafes, restaurants, stalls and attractions along this strip is unbelievable and you are absolutely spoilt for choice. Every morning we headed down to the market to pick up a cup of fresh fruit for breakfast. 1 Euro a pot! Not bad at all I’d say. A few of my favourite spots on La Ramblas would be the flower stalls selling phallic flowers (how do they grow like that?!) and the little cacti fridge magnets! I wanted to take them all home but there was no way they would make it in our shared suitcase!
Flamenco Show
No trip to Spain would be complete without a night at a Flamenco Show. We bought tickets around lunchtime from a stall on La Ramblas, and prepared ourselves for a night of entertainment. Neither of us had ever seen a Flamenco Show before so we had no idea what to expect. The extent of my knowledge was the emoticon of the dancing lady in the red dress.
What followed was a super intense show full of passionate dance and acoustic song, along with drums and the occasional ‘Olay!’ It was absolutely fantastic. The electricity between the dancers was incredible and it was wonderful to have an insight into this traditional Spanish dance.
Erotica Museum
Now, lets not be shy! Our very first stop happened to be the Erotica Museum which we only half went into as a joke. I wasn’t expecting much, however I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I doubt this was anything as crude as the Amsterdam museums, however some parts were a little uncomfortable. I actually learn’t quite a lot from this museum and it was a couple of hours out of the rain and a good giggle for the afternoon so I would definitely recommend you go visit. There are hundreds of ancient artefacts that show the human fixation on sex and pleasure, and that it is not something we should be embarrassed to talk about or to be ashamed of.
The highlight would be the old cartoons that were classed as porn when they were made, out on the patio. They were actually quite funny rather than sexual.. more in the style of tom and jerry! Who ever would have thought where porn would lead to since then!
Montjuic Park + Castle
Montjuic is a perfect spot for an afternoon picnic. The sun came out for the first time that morning as we got off the cable cars at the top of the hill. Again we bought tickets online as they were cheaper, and I used my extra euros to get myself a coffee from the weird coffee vending machine. I needed it after partying a little too hard the night before! The gardens are beautiful and I fully recommend taking the cable cars up to the top, and then walking all the way back down to take it all in. We actually got into the castle grounds for free as it was the first Sunday of the month, but usually tickets are around 5 Euros each. There isn’t a whole lot to see in the castle itself but the views totally make up for it.
The Food!!
Of course, the food! Barcelona has so much to offer. The market is crammed with stalls selling everything from fresh fruit, to nuts, to chocolate, to fresh fish and cheeses of all kinds. You are literally spoilt for choice here.
There are deals all over the place for lunch options where you can have tapas, a drink and desert for an average of 11 Euros, which means more money to spend on sangria later!
From tapas, to Seafood Paella, to Bubble Waffles and Nachos. We really let ourselves go and didn’t break the bank doing it! We maybe gained a few extra lbs by the time we left but it was worth every bite!
Top Tips!!
- Check opening times and public holidays to check when certain attractions are free entry. Usually these are Sundays or the first Sunday or every month.
- Most of the time you get a cheaper deal if you book your tickets online! Don’t miss this trick as those extra pennies add up!
- Look for tapas deals. They’re everywhere and can save you a whole lotta dolla when it comes to eating out! They’re also DELICIOUS! Usually you get a choice of a starter, main, dessert and a drink for an average of 11Euros! Who doesn’t love a bargain?!
- If you’re staying at an Air B&B like we did, head down to your local corner shop and get supplies to cook for the week. We made our own dinners and packed lunches most days to keep spending costs down.
- Don’t respond to anyone on the street asking if you want a “coffee shop” . This is code for Marijuana or other drugs;
” Yes actually I do want coffee!! ” .. No Sara.. No you don’t . Keep walking!” – I was slightly naive for a few minutes there… lets be honest.
Have you been to Barcelona before? What were your favourite bits? Where else in Spain would you recommend for my next visit? Let me know in the comments!