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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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We climbed a bit on the rocks and let our inner adventures loose!
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| 'Not all those who wander are lost' - Me pointing out to the mind blowing view ahead. |
The area was filled with rocky shelters, walkways, and surrounded by a lot of beautiful sights and nature to take in.
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| 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. |
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.
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.
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| Chloe and I at the Olympic stadium. |
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.
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!)
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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!
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| 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! |
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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
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8:30 in the morning sounds too early to be catching a flight! Sounds and looks like you had an amazing time!
ReplyDeleteCharlotte // www.charlottespicks.com
Haha it wasn't too bad! Thank you so much lovely xx
DeleteI love Barcelona, I went when I was 14 and I'd really love to go back, I'm glad you enjoyed your trip!
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and great post!
Hayley | writeaboutbeauty.blogspot.co.uk
xx
It's an incredible city! Thank you so much xx
DeleteThis would be a dream come true for me, I want to visit Barcelona so bad it is such a beautiful city, your friend is so rocking that 90's hair do!
ReplyDeleteMeme xx
New Post:
Beneath the Surface by Heidi Perks Book Review
www.thedayinthelifeof.co.uk
I hope you do one day! She is indeed, thank you xx
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