3 days in Barcelona | what to see and do

Well hello to you my reader chums and long time no see! If you read my previous post on travel makeup essentials, you'd know I ventured out on a city break to Barcelona with my best friends. We flew out last Monday and arrived home on Wednesday, a short yet incredible time away, exploring a new city.

Airport selfie Gatwick airport

Whether you're planning a short break away to Barcelona or unsure what there is to see, here is my 3-day guide to the city.

Day 1 - Travelling to Barcelona 

On the first day, we travelled up to Gatwick bright and early on the National Express to catch our 8.50am flight. Unfortunately, our flight then got delayed for 4-5 hours, meaning we arrived in Barcelona a lot later than expected. Despite this, we weren't going to let it put a damper on our holiday and hopped into a taxi to the hotel as soon as we got off the plane. 

Driving through Barcelona, my initial thought was how remarkable the architecture/streets were and how similar it looked to New York - it had that whole artsy vibe about it. The hotel we stayed in was Hostel Ciudad Condal, a tucked-away place that was minutes from the major shopping streets of Barcelona including La Ramblas.

La Ramblas Barcelona

Our room came complete with our own balcony which overlooked the side street ahead and various beautiful buildings. Since we got there in the evening, we immediately got dressed up and ventured out for a little exploration to find a dinner spot. We chose a tucked-away brasserie-style eatery and I opted for the paella dish as did Chloe. 

After that, we had a little browse around and decided to head back to the hotel as we were absolutely exhausted from the long day. There we planned out the next day which would be our only full day in Barcelona and oh my was it a busy but astounding experience.

Balcony view of Barcelona
Sagrada familia Barcelona

Day 2 - Sightseeing around the city of Barcelona

On Tuesday, we woke up bright and early, ate breakfast out ( Nutella crepes all round), then embarked on a city bus tour. For the price of around 30 Euros, we were able to see the entire city using two different bus routes and getting off at whichever stop to explore as you please. 

The first place we visited was Sagrada Familia - a mesmerising cathedral designed by Gaudi, the most popular of his works, soon to be finished. He devoted his entire life to this project which unfortunately didn't get completed by his death, however, through donations it continues. When we initially laid eyes on the vast building, we were blown away.

Sagrada familia park

The cathedral was surrounded by a gorgeous bit of green and forestry. As it was Spring, all the flowers began to bloom so the place looked prettier than ever. At this point, we grabbed an ice cream and soaked up the Spanish sunshine.

Barcelona beach palm trees
Park Güell Barcelona

At the next stop, one of my favourites was Park Güell. The main part you paid to go into which featured all the eccentric, colourful architecture. We, however, visited the nature/park area instead and went on an adventurous hike, embracing the stunning views that lay ahead. This picture was captured from one of the highest points at the park - and overlooks the entire city.
Park Güell Barcelona

We climbed a bit on the rocks and let our inner adventures loose!

Park Güell
Park Güell

Park Güell Barcelona
'Not all those who wander are lost' - Me pointing out to the mind blowing view ahead.
Park Güell Barcelona


The area was filled with rocky shelters, walkways, and surrounded by a lot of beautiful sights and nature to take in.

Park Güell
Park Güell


Arc de Triomf Barcelona

Another area we explored was the Arc De Triomf. This location was surrounded by the most exceptional park space with immaculately kept lawns, pretty flowers, and glorious buildings. It makes for a fab strolling spot to take in all the sights.


Arc de Triomf
Museu Nacional D'art De Catalunya Barcelona

Following on, we headed to Museu Nacional D'art De Catalunya, one of the most popular galleries in the city. Similar to the other locations, we browsed around the grounds and again were taken aback at how astonishing it all was, the waterfall, architecture plus the view were too good for words.

Museu Nacional D'art De Catalunya Barcelona
Museu Nacional D'art De Catalunya Barcelona


Anella Olímpica Barcelona

Another exciting place we visited was the Olympic arena which held the 1992 games. It's a restored building, originally dated back to 1929. It was pretty epic seeing it and knowing the Olympics took place there all those years ago.

Anella Olímpica Barcelona
Chloe and I at the Olympic stadium.
Barcelona shopping streets


Dining in Barcelona

After an incredibly long day of sightseeing the entire city, we got all dressed up for the evening and chose to dine in a traditional Tapas restaurant. For mains we shared the Tapas which was yummy yet rather salty and dessert, I ate the most delicious gelato ever.

Tapas dinner
American breakfast



Day 3 - La Ramblas exploring

On Wednesday, our last day we dined like queens at breakfast time with the finest display of food ( the hot chocolate and waffles were lush!)

La Ramblas, Barcelona

We had a short browse of La Ramblas, a lengthy shopping street in Barcelona on Tuesday night after our dinner but wanted a proper look the next day. The walkway was framed with colourful buildings and trees; a picture-worthy road. It was lined with countless shops, food stalls, and markets - and a must-see if you ever visit!

Barcelona market

Positioned in La Ramblas was a brilliant food market that showcases the finest chocolates, fruit, fish, meat cuts, and more; a whole sea of colour to feast your eyes on!

Flying in an aeroplane

There you have it, a fab Barcelona adventure in 3 days! The overall trip was completely eye-opening with its architecture, stunning scenery, landmarks, artsy streets, unusual foods, and city life experience - I loved it.

Seeing a new place is exciting enough but having that opportunity to do it with your best friends is even better. The world is such a beautiful place and I can't wait to see more of it - here's to my next travels!


I hope you enjoyed this diary-style, picture-heavy post of my Barcelona adventure. Have you ever visited?

Thank you for reading <3



Travel makeup bag essentials

Well hello to you my reader chums! Whether you're an avid traveller or new to the travel scene, knowing what to pack can be a bit daunting. It all depends on if you're only bringing hand luggage or have checked-in luggage to see how much you can bring in your makeup bag.

I've based this on hand luggage only and those short city break style trips - and here are my travel makeup bag essentials.

Travel makeup bag essentials
Travel makeup bag essentials - what to bring
Travel makeup bag essentials

Base products:

L'oreal's Infallible primer - The primer I certainly had to pack was my favourite L'oreal one. It's the only primer I've tried which not only keeps my makeup lasting all day long but also reduces shine completely, leaving a matte finish. For those who find your skin appearing shiny in certain areas after a few hours of makeup wear, I'd really recommend this as it fully helps combat that issue.

L'oreal's Infallible foundation - As I absolutely adored the Infallible primer, I decided to pick up the matching foundation the other day. I've used it a few times now and have throughout been enjoying it on a daily basis! The coverage is medium, yet can be built up and like the primer, it really sticks to the mattifying name keeping the shine at bay all day long.

Urban Decay's Naked concealer - The concealer I opted for was my beloved Urban Decay Naked one. The coverage, consistency, blendability and lasting power is utterly incredible, completely worth the hype!

Rimmel's Stay Matte powder - For powder, I'm taking along my holy grail Rimmel one because it gives that extra bit of coverage and alongside the L'oreal primer, helps hold my makeup in place for the duration of the day.

Cheek products:

Benefit's Hoola Bronzer - Without a doubt Hoola has become my favourite bronzer, it contours exceptionally well and gives the perfect overall bronze look. I absolutely love it and there's no better time to use your favourite products than on holiday!

Revlon's shimmer brick - As I wanted to keep my makeup condensed down as possible, I thought bringing a product which can double up as a blush and highlighter was probably the way to go! This palette when swirled together gives the most gorgeous glow.

Eye brows and shadow:

L'oreal shadow and Rimmel clear brow gel - For eye brows, I've always been quite simple, filling them in with L'oreal's individual shadow '106' and setting using a clear brow gel. I find this works for me, holding it's shape incredibly well.

Kiko's eye shadow stick in '07' and Urban Decay's primer potion- I brought two eye bases, the first being the famous UD primer potion to help ensure the shadows last and the other a Kiko shadow stick. I've chosen to bring the gold toned base because it's a gorgeous colour that when creating a gold smoky eye, helps bring out the gold tones even more.

Naked 1 palette - I thought when it came to eye shadow, it was best to bring a versatile palette I could use for a variety of looks and therefore chose my favourite, the Naked 1! There's a range of more natural to smoky options, great for day and night makeup.

Kiko's single eye shadow in '102' - Gold eye shadows/ eye looks are my favourite ones to wear and even though the Naked 1 comes with 'half baked', a shade I adore, I wanted to bring something a bit warmer. I'd describe this shade as similar to Mac's amber lights', yet more gold than orange toned.

Eye liner and mascara -

L'oreal's super liner - If you've been following my blog for a while you'd know my go to liner is this the famous super liner! It's easy to apply, coats well, long lasting and creates the best wings; I love it!

Maybelline's Lash sensational - Just like the L'oreal liner, this mascara is my holy grail! It completely lifts my lashes and holds that curl all day long ( perfect if you have stubby lashes like me). The wand shape makes it easy to coat the lashes and not clump them up like various other mascaras. There's no wonder I'm taking both of these on holiday with me!

Lips:

Kiko lip liners in '313' & '315' - For the trip I wanted to bring a nude and bold option with me and these lip liners match with this perfectly. '313' is a berry toned purple and '315' a dusky pink, which I love!

Mac lipsticks in 'Faux' and 'Diva' - Lipsticks are my favourite thing to change up with my makeup so only picking two was quite tricky ( I may chuck in a third.) I went for my favourite pink toned, slightly brown nude 'Faux' as I can wear this in the day time and for evening wear 'Diva'. 'Diva' is my top dark lip colour so I had to bring it along. I may bring a red or orange shade too, I'm undecided.

I hope you enjoyed a peak into my travel makeup essentials. What are your must have beauty products when going away?

Thank you for reading <3

London day out: Cadbury's Creme Egg Cafe

Well hello to you my reader chums! Last weekend was pretty jam-packed, I went to see the Swan Lake ballet, celebrated Mothers Day with a delicious meal out to Carluccios, and got the chance of visiting the exclusive Cadbury's Crème Egg Café in London! This ultra-unique café is open for a limited time only where all proceeds go to charity. The tickets sold out quite quickly, so I was lucky to grab a pair of them. Maria (my twin and I) went together and were really excited to try out the delicious treats!

If you're a big Creme Egg fan or love a London day out, here is my experience at the Cadbury's Creme Egg Cafe.

Cadbury's creme egg cafe
Cadbury's Creme Egg Cafe

Cadbury's Creme Egg Cafe

Cadbury's creme egg cafe

As we were ticket holders, upon arrival they took us upstairs to the eating area and gave us the option of picking one thing off the menu. I opted for the traybake and Maria chose the toastie; both were scrummy indeed. The seating zone was smaller than expected, yet rather cosy. It was decorated with Crème egg-themed everything in an inventive way from sculptures to the colour scheme; I loved it!

Cadbury's creme egg cafe

After eating, we were brought up to the ball pit (as you can imagine we got very excited!) It was quite big given the size of the place and contained a few interactive games. Maria and I had such a laugh and felt like kids again, throwing plastic balls all the place.

Cadbury's Creme Egg Cafe

Cadbury's creme egg cafe

Cadbury's creme egg cafe

When I first walked into the café, one of the things I was intrigued by was the design. From the creative egg art up the stairs to the 'press for a cream egg' button and various ornaments made out of the wrappers, it all captured the true essence of Cadburys!

Cadbury's creme egg cafe

Cadbury's creme egg cafe

Covent Garden

After our Cadbury Café experience, we decided to make the most of London and headed over to Covent Garden. I love it there, with a range of fab shops, restaurants, the sweetest market, and picture-worthy scenery, you can't beat it. We had a browse around all the makeup shops ( I finally went into a Charlotte Tilbury store) and picked up a few bits in Kiko! Then, we trekked over to M&M as we've both never actually been! It was a pretty crazy place with an even crazier amount of M&Ms!

I hope you enjoyed this day-out style post. What's your favourite London spot?

Thank you for reading <3



February favourites

Well hello to you my reader chums! With March truly underway, it's time to share with you the products I've been loving throughout February. For the past few weeks I've found a couple of new beauties I've enjoyed and rediscovered an old favourite, here's an overview of my top products.

February beauty favourites

Maybelline's Colour Tattoo in 'Creamy Beige'

 I like to use this as an eye shadow base and set it with a couple of matte shades, to achieve a quick and easy, natural look. As the shade is rather subtle, it's perfect for everyday wear. The consistency is creamy, coats well and clings the shadows on, to ensure they're long-lasting. I absolutely love it and will certainly be using it more on days I want to tone down eye makeup.

Maybelline's colour tattoo eye shadow in 'Creamy beige'

Revlon's Shimmer Brick in '030'

I bought this a couple of months back in a makeup bundle, yet never really gave it a go till the past few weeks. You can either swirl your brush around the pan for an overall bronze glow or what I've been liking to do is using the top two shades as a cheekbone highlight. The mixture of dusky pink and whitewashed cream combines to create a gorgeous shimmer on the tops of the cheeks - I love it!

Revlon's shimmer brick in 030

L'oreal's Infallible Primer

I'm completely and utterly obsessed with this product, it does everything a primer can do plus more. It smooths out the skin for foundation, reduces oil, keeps my makeup in place all day long and even ensures the oily areas ( mainly my T zone) stay matte throughout. I've written a more in-depth review about it - however, to sum it up, the primer amazing and if you need something to hold your makeup in place, this is for you.

L'oreal's Infallible primer

Real Techniques 200 Brush

 I picked this up halfway through February I would say, as you can therefore imagine it's quite a new favourite. I've been using this to blend out eye shadows, yet due to its denseness, I reckon it'll be perfect for concealer too. I love the design of these brushes, they look incredibly high end. The quality like all Real Techniques brushes is amazing, the bristles are so soft, despite being packed together quite densely. I love it and can't wait to experiment more!

Real Techniques bold metal 200 brush
Real Techniques bold metal 200 brush

Eco Tools Concealer Brush

I received the starter set of these brushes for Christmas and have been completely impressed with the range. This one, in particular, I've loved for packing on eye shadows as I find it clings to the shadow well and applies it efficiently, minimising the fall down. The brush is incredibly soft, it feels like higher-end quality and I love the entire natural styling of these!

Eco tools concealer brush

I hope you enjoyed my February favourites post. Which products have you been loving over the past few weeks?

Thank you for reading <3