Many people say that Barcelona is the city of love. I say it’s the city of art and fantasy. Everywhere you look: vivid colours, blossoming flowers hanging from buildings, stunningly picturesque sights… I can confidently rate it one of my favourite cities, by far.
Casa Batlló, image from @khonsus on Pinterest
I’m incredibly lucky, because my parents live a couple of hours away from the metropolis, so I actually grew up having casual day trips to Barcelona all the time. I only came to appreciate how blessed I was until recently though, so now, every time I go, I make sure to take advantage of the trip and make the most of the experience.
Sitting at a terrace table on the sunny street, having lunch while watching the busy city life, is an unparalleled feeling that I crave every time I think of Barcelona. It sounds cliché, but all of your worries simply fade away, and your thoughts are taken over by the calm but overwhelming feeling of serenity.
When in a big city, fitting in a bit of shopping is mandatory- I don’t make the rules. But after that, I wander the streets, taking it all in. The breathtaking city sights, sounds and smells: vespas, street food, music, language varieties… One can never get bored in Barcelona.
A few months ago, my friend and I took the train down to the city. We improvised the whole day, we basically just got a last minute train ticket without any plans of what we’d do. Then again, no plans needed in this city.
We got there in time for breakfast, so we strolled until we found the cutest breakfast café (I can't recall the name, but it was on Las Ramblas). It was very busy, full of students writing papers while sipping their coffees, business people running in and out with their take-away croissants, and tourists having three-course breakfasts. The place had three floors, so we sat at the top, right by the indoor balcony, watching newcomers from above, and also observing life pass by through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows. The food was great, just expensive- as was expected.
Soon after, we shopped. A lot. Like, I’m surprised our banks didn’t call us to check if our cards had been stolen. The walks from each store to the next were enchanting, because, as we were right in the city centre, we could see most of the famous landmark buildings. Honestly, I felt like Carrie Bradshaw with all my shopping bags.
When we decided to finally stop damaging our bank accounts, it was lunch time. My friend took me to this Italian place, the Macchina Pasta Bar in Eixample, almost hidden in the labyrinth-like streets. It was first-come-first-serve with the tables, so no reservations. Luckily, we managed to get the best spot in the house: a sunny windowsill overlooking the busy streets. It was floor level, so we could eavesdrop on the passing people.
The menu worked like so: you choose the kind of pasta you want (they had them all), then the sauce, then the toppings, then I believe there were extras. The food was to die for, honestly, the best pasta ever. On top of that, I think it was something like 10€ each. If you get the chance, GO THERE!
After our lunch break, we decided to go and check out the thrift shops, and we also looked through the crystal stores. I bought a few awesome crystals and t-shirts. I had never been to this part of the city before, and I can say that I will definitely be going there again. There was a whole street filled with thrift store after thrift store, each one with a different theme and different items. It’s called El Raval, and every street is different from the last. My favourite was an alleyway that could’ve been mistaken for someplace from a fairytale. A truly magical feeling. The sun rays shine just enough though the tall buildings to make dust in the air glisten, and the leaves hanging from the buildings radiate with life. A hidden treasure.
Our final trip of the day, before catching the train back home, was to the port. As the sun was setting, we strolled along the boat-filled harbour, experiencing the night lights turn on and shimmer on the sea. It’s truly a magnificent port. I have been there during the day, and having lunch right on the seafront is incredible- 100% recommended. (Unfortunately I didn't take any photos, but you can find thousands online, just so you can get an idea of what it was like)
As we brought our day to an end at the train station, we promised to relive this wonderful day. If you ever get the chance to do even one of these things, do! I hope you enjoy them as much as I did, and don’t forget to tell me all about your experience!
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Thank you so much for reading! See you next time and much love x