Everyone I know who’d been to Barcelona said they just KNEW I would love it. And they were not wrong! This could mean one of two things- my friends really know me and my travel tastes OR everyone who goes to Barcelona loves it. No offense my friends, but in this case I’m leaning towards the latter. What a special city and I'm so thankful you all encouraged me to go!
First of all, I can't wait to go back. You know when you leave a place and you're perfectly satisfied? You know… those times you did what you wanted and while maybe it would have been nice to stay a little longer, you're fulfilled. Let me be clear that I did NOT feel that way when leaving Barcelona this morning. I guess I didn't know what I didn't know I wanted to see and do! In short, it left me wanting more… I hear the city is stealth like that. Barcelona has the upper hand in our relationship, for sure.
So, upon arrival in Barcelona I checked into my accommodations at the Yeah hostel. I never did the whole backpacking through Europe thing (I guess it's happening now, except with a humongous, bright teal roller-board) and I haven’t stayed in many hostels, so wasn’t sure what to expect. The Yeah hostel far surpassed my expectations. It was modern, trendy, clean, and full of friendly staff and fellow adventurers. I would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a cost efficient and fun place to stay, and it's in a fantastic location (if you don’t mind sharing a room with strangers, that is. I realize that’s not everyone’s cuppa tea).
I started my first full day with a walking tour of the Gothic district of Barcelona. The tour began at the Cathedral, which blew me away, and our guide explained the different Roman, Gothic and Neo-Gothic influences to the Cathedral and surrounding basilicas (I clearly hadn't paid attention in some class in high school as this was mostly new to me). We ended the tour in the Born district, which is extremely quaint and is known for consisting of family-owned shops and restaurants. It was one of my favorite neighborhoods. That afternoon I walked a TON around the city-it felt like 600 miles (yes, that's more than the Proclaimers). In my wandering I came across the Arc De Triomphe and many other generally awe-inspiring sites.
Then my awesome friend from the Vespa tour, Kristina, arrived in Barcelona on a post-tour trip with her Dad, John Edwards (not that one). Lucky me that we were there at the same time!! We had a great meal at Cervecería Catalana, that had been recommended by a few people and definitely did not disappoint. (Btw, I've taken my snacking to a new level here in Espana…it's hard to wait until 9-10pm for dinner! Thank goodness for those wasabi peas).
The next day our traveling trio (me, Kristina and not that John Edwards) had a fabulous Day O' Gaudi! We began with a free Gaudi walking tour run by a company called Runnerbeans. Their tours are great and I'm thankful another Vespa tour friend recommended them. I admittedly did not know much about this Gaudi dude before the tour but he's really fascinating, as are his architectural influences throughout the city. Then we jumped right into a self-guided tour of the Basilica of the Sangara Family, which was designed by Gaudi and has been "under construction" for almost 135 years (word on the street is that completion is in the foreseen future). Even incomplete it's almost impossible to describe the grandness of the structure (nevermind the intricate details and symbolism behind the design elements). We then took the elevator to the top of one of the monstrous bell towers (beautiful views!) and he had to walk 400 (tiiiiny, spiral) steps down. I kid you not! We all had vertigo for a lil' bit after that descent.
To top off the day we visited Park Guell, that Gaudi had designed for his biggest/richest client and good friend (named Something Guell). It's a spectacular place with three houses, gardens, and amazing and colorful Gaudi designs throughout (btw, apparently the word "gaudy" may be derived from Gaudi's name). Regardless of the Gaudi/Gaudy-ness, we all loved it! Here's Kristina and not that John Edwards:
I coordinated my outfit with the tourist attraction:
Lastly we had dinner at at a muy bien restaurante called Xativa L'Arrosseria, which was recommended by 'Francis from the Front Desk' at the Yeah hostel. It was located in the Garcia district,which is a non-touristy and authentic part of Barcelona. While the restaurant was comfortably crowded, there wasn't a wait (even at 9pm- the start of prime-time dining!) and it was clear we were among many locals. We shared two types of ridiculously delicious seafood paella (one made with black rice from squid ink) and we pretty much licked the skillets clean. My wish for delicious paella during my last night in Barcelona was more than fulfilled. Muchas gracias Barcelona! I will most definitely be back.
Next blog preview…Mallorca…I'm here!