At the end of February, my Mum, Sister and I boarded a flight and jetted off in easyJet luxury to Barcelona. As usual I took a million and one snaps (and also nicked a few of my sister’s too) and have put together a little tour to share with you.
Stay
We stayed at the Splendom Suites in a fabulous one bed apartment. The apartment was very well equipped with all you need for a short trip, including a stash of Molton Brown goodies, a snazzy coffee machine and a set of my favourite Philippe Starck Ghost Chairs.
See
We started off on day one heading down Las Ramblas (#3) though with less street performers and pavement cafes than my previous trip, stopping off at Plaça Reial (#1). This is a great square to visit at night as it’s bustling with restaurants.
Heading out of the Gothic Quarter, across the Via Laietana and into El Born, the tiny narrow streets envelope you and reveal stunning shop windows including this beautiful macaroon display (#4).
If you only have a short time in Barcelona, I would suggest you definitely make Sagrada Famila top of your must-see list – it will literally take your breath away! (#5 & #6). The unfinished masterpiece is set for completion around 2026 and the cathedral’s construction is funded by the tourist entrance fee.
Eat
After all the sightseeing, we definitely worked up an appetite.
#10 (if it was numbered!) - Lexington (Muntaner 108 08036) – In the L’eixample district, this bar was a stone’s throw away from our hotel. Despite the big screens on the back wall, the bar was atmospheric kitted out with dark walls, tolix stools and Eames chairs (I seem to be obsessed with chairs!). Our waiter was very accomodating and we spent a great Friday night over a bottle of wine and tapas.
#11 – L’Antic Bocoi del Gòtic (Baixada Viladecols, 3 08002) – This place is a bit of a pain to find but well worth the trouble as you weave your way through the secret passageways of the Gothic Quarter. The industrial style is very popular in Barcelona, and the stunning Roman wall running through the restaurant is a little more impressive than you average exposed brick wall! We all opted for coques de recapte (a Catalan style pizza) with some really lovely toppings.
#12 – Cafe Kafka (Carrer de la Fusina, 7 08003) – Anything but a cafe, this stunning bar and restaurant is a visual delight. We particularly liked the offer of ‘some Cava to start’ straight after we sat down. It’s not your standard menu with some more unique offerings, however we dined on the set lunch menu with three courses and wine for less than 15 euros.
Drink
We were pleasantly surprised by the cost of drinks on this trip, maybe it was because we travelled out of season or due to the economy – one night we managed to get three glasses of white rioja for under five euros!
Also on our list but we didn’t get round to visiting was the Dry Martini Speakeasy (Carrer d’Aribau, 162, 08036) – very Madmen style apparently, and the Xixibar (Carrer Rocafort, 19 08015) famed for serving over 131 types of gin!
I hope you’ve enjoyed the tour. A somewhat epic post and a nice departure from the usual interior stuff. I haven’t got any more trips planned for a while so normal service shall resume shortly!
L x
P.S All snaps edited using Instagram (I’m lolo_laurie)