I've visited Barcelona once before, a couple of years ago, but that didn't stop my excitement for my return visit. We managed to cram a lot into our three days there, but the city is so beautiful that even walking around the rambling streets is an activity in itself. Whether you're planning a trip to this amazing city or not, I hope you enjoy the photos and some of my tips for getting the most out of your time there if a visit is on the cards.
Travel: We got a taxi to our hostel the night we arrived, as it was late and splitting the cost between several of us meant it wasn't too pricey. For a cheaper option though, there are aerobuses situated right outside the airport, which you can hop onto for a mere 6 euros each. From then on we used a mixture of the metro and taxis to get back when it was late at night. Metro cards are easy to pick-up in the station for specified time periods and they run nearly everywhere.
Hostel: Our first port of call was to check into our hostel, the Kabul Backpackers Hostel. We were moved into a dorm of 22 beds, which was a bit daunting at first, but actually ended up working out really well. Each bed had curtains round it, so there was enough privacy, and massive lockers as well to keep all your belongings safe. Sharing rooms not only made the experience cheaper, but was also a good way to meet other similar people and have proper conversations with them, if you're up for the experience, I'd definitely recommend it! Location was also amazing, right in the Placa Reial, just off Las Ramblas we were surrounded by a lot of restaurants, clubs and bars, perfect for the evening time - and the rooftop terrace and bar was bliss in the sun.
Clubs: There are plenty of clubs in the Placa Reial, but the one that we decided to go to was Otto Zutz, a little further out. Tickets are available for all the clubs in the Night Tourist Information Centre which get you in quicker and entitle you to a free drink and shot inside. I think Barcelona night-life was probably my least favorite of all the cities in terms of clubbing, but the bars looked really nice for a more chilled evening. You have to be prepared for constant harassment by reps trying to get you into their places and it's all just a bit more overwhelming. Saying that though, we did have some really great nights out and crashing a party is a story I won't forget.
Sights: One could easily spend a couple of days exploring Las Ramblas alone, but we decided to try and explore further afield to get the most out of our stay. Extremely kindly, a school friend of ours from the city offered to take us round for one of the days so we ventured out to Tibidabo, the big hill with Jesus on top which overlooks the city. The view was breathtaking and well worth the travel if you're thinking about doing it. If the weather is good, we also enjoyed our trip to the beach, however, it isn't the most relaxing place as you are constantly being asked to buy things.
Other places to visit: Picasso exhibition, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Fountain Show on Catalunya Square
Food: If you're looking for the authentic spanish experience in terms of food, Tapas is probably the way to go. I'd recommend trying to pick restaurants a bit off the beaten track though, because the food seemed to be a lot better in these places. For the evening, we loved Ocana (found in the Placa Reial) which mainly did a mixture of meat and seafood plus amazing cocktails. Unfortunately for me, I did have to break my veganism in Barcelona as there weren't really any vegetarian options without dairy. Being intolerant I didn't want to risk it so opted for the fish. Despite the fact I wouldn't have ordered it given other choices, the scallops and jewelled couscous was delicious, and I'd definitely recommend it to anybody that does eat fish. If you're still a bit peckish after that, one of the many gelato shops in the area is sure to have the answer.
Do you want to visit Barcelona? Any things you would have done differently?
