5 days in Barcelona, Spain
- jackie.jay
- Mar 15, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 17, 2020
WHEN:
July and August are considered peak season in Barcelona and can be very humid as these are their summer months. Summer draws the most crowds to the city and therefore is the most expensive time to travel to Barcelona. In my opinion, the best months to travel for warm weather are May, June, September and October. Average temperatures around this time range between high 60's to low 70's degrees Fahrenheit. Although these temperatures are not hot enough to enjoy the beaches, it is however perfect weather to explore the city! I traveled to Barcelona in October and it felt just like spring time, warm during the day and a cool breeze at night.
KNOW:
Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya, a region in Spain that has been seeking independence for many years. Locals feel very strongly about this movement, so be mindful of the things you say if politics happens to be brought up into conversation.
Barcelona has two official languages, Catalan & Spanish. And although many people speak Spanish, Catalan is widely spoken as well. (Bon Dia = Good morning/ Hello)
You will notice many flags hanging from balconies that you may not be familiar with. This is the flag of Catalunya.
Although Barcelona may be big, it is definitely a walkable city. Consider this your friendly reminder to pack your comfy sneakers and get lost wandering around.
Purchase any tours online and in advance (depending on what month you go, tours sell out fast). We used getyourguide.com to purchase all of our tours and they were super easy and efficient.
Utilize the metro: It's really not that complicated and the trains take you to all the necessary tourist attractions. We purchased the T-10 ticket which offers you 10 rides for about 11 Euros. GREAT DEAL!
Be aware of pick-pocketers, especially in crowded areas such as Las Ramblas and La Boqueria Market. I recommend wearing a cross-body bag and wearing it in-front of you. Also, do not walk around with all your cash, take only what you need and leave the rest at your hotel. Disclaimer: we had no issues with pick pocketing; but it's always good to be alert and aware of your surroundings.
Tipping is not expected like it is in U.S restaurants, however; if service was good we would leave a 10% tip and the waiters were very grateful!
SEE:
Barcelona is a city full of so many exciting things to do and see. Your natural instinct on your trip might be to try and see as many things as humanely possible, but I recommend not to do that. The reason I say this is because there's just way too much to do in one trip. If you try and jam pack too much in one day you're going to be overwhelmed and not get the full experience of this amazing city. In the 5 days that I spent in Barcelona I didn't even get to cover everything that I wanted. But the good thing is that there's always next time, and I most definitely will be back. I've listed below some of the things I did on each day, so that you guys can have a better perspective of roughly how much can get done in a day.
Day 1:
Las Ramblas
La Boqueria Market
Gothic Quarter- neighborhood
Cerveceria catalán (dinner)
Day 2:
Casa Vicen - Guadi
Park Guell- Guadi
Aji restaurant (dinner)
El Born- neighborhood
Crepes Al Born (bar/dessert)
Day 3:
Placa espana
Arenas de Barcelona
Park de Montjuic
Obama Gastropub
Day 4:
Passeig de Gracia
Casa Batllo- Guadi
Kissing Mural
Barceloneta beach
Gallito (dinner)
Day 5:
La Sagrada Familia- Guadi
Arc de triomf
Citadel Park
Rosa Negra (dinner)
STAY:
*It's important to keep in mind many hotel rooms/ airbnbs within Europe are much smaller in size compared to those in the U.S.*
Room Mate Carla is a boutique-like hotel located in the town of Eixample. This hotel is just a short walk from the popular "Passeig de Gracia". This rather busy street reminded me a lot of 5th avenue in New York City. Here you can find stores such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Nike, Adidas, H&M, Bershka, Zara and more. You'll also find two of Guadi's famous works, Casa Mila and Casa Batllo. They are not hard to miss as the architecture of the buildings stand out a lot from its surroundings. We only got to visit Casa Batllo on this trip, but if you have time be sure to check out both. This hotel is also about a 15 minute walk to the famous strip known as "Las Ramblas". On this long road you can find anything from stores, restaurants, bars and even souvenirs. If you take this road all the way down you will find yourself at the beautiful piers of Barcelona.
Overall, the size of our room was not that big but we didn't mind it because our priority was to explore the city. We also had a cute little balcony with the view of La Sagrada Familia. We liked this hotel especially for its location as it was in walking distance to many of the places we wanted to visit.
H10 Marina Hotel was the second hotel that we stayed in. This hotel is located on the other side of the city closer to the ocean. Although located in a more secluded area of the city, there were still a few things to check out nearby. Somethings include the Arc de Triomf, Citadel park, Barceloneta beach and many other eateries and clubs along the water. In this part of the city I would recommend taking a cab to these locations because although they may not appear far on the map, they can be pretty far by foot. (I learned this the hard way, man were we exhausted from walking so much!)
Usually, If I'm staying enough days in a city i'll try and stay at two different hotels in two different parts of the city. I know most people prefer to stay at the same place for the duration of their trip, but I particularly like staying in different areas and I feel like you get the full experience by doing it this way.
EAT, DRINK, PLAY:
Cerveceria Catalana: simply the best Tapas restaurant in Barcelona. Their homemade pitcher of sangria is a must have and don't forget to try the native dish of Spain; patatas bravas. They also have amazing dessert options, so make sure to leave room for some churros or mini ice cream sandwiches. Remember to make reservations; otherwise prepare to wait a while for a table. This place is always packed but I promise the wait is worth it. $$
La Boqueria Market: is a large public market near Las Ramblas. They are open Monday-Saturday from 8 am to 8:30 pm except for Sundays when they are closed. Everything from produce, spices, fruit smoothies, poultry, fish and gelato is sold here. The best time to visit is around 12 noon when its not yet overly crowded. $$
Rosa Negra: is a vibrant Mexican restaurant located in the heart of Barcelona. The passion fruit margarita, steak quesadilla and fish tacos were my top picks. We thought the food was so amazing we even came back a second time on our last day in Spain. What made our experience even more memorable was the gracious hospitality we received from our waitress and for me that's always a check plus. There's nothing better than having good food and great service. $
Crepes al Born: Do not forget to stop into this cocktail bar when you're in the El Born neighborhood. They specialize in delicious drinks and French Crepes, not sure if it gets any better than that! If you have a sweet tooth like me, make sure to try their mouth watering crepes before the kitchen closes! This place is a complete Barcelona experience that you don't want to miss out on, from the swinging light fixtures to the flaming drinks. Its a party atmosphere all around, so remember to get there early to reserve a table because it does fill up quick. $$
Obama Gastropub: is an English pub in the neighborhood of Eixample. This 3 level bar has a combination of live music and sports viewing on wall- mounted TVs throughout the pub. They have an extensive and delicious food and drink menu to chose from. The live music turns into a karaoke dance party every night of the week from 11pm to 2am. Make sure to check out Obama bar on your next trip to Barcelona! $$
Thanks for reading XOXO!
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