A weekend in Barcelona
If you are looking for a mini-break to explore Europe, Spain has a lot to offer – good flight connections from major cities such as London, and an incredible history and diversity of culture to discover. Spain is a good budget mini break option if you’re trying to balance travel desires with your other financial goals.
My pick for a quick trip to Spain would have to be Barcelona.
Barcelona is awash with cultural brilliance – you spend the entire weekend just appreciating the mad genius of iconic architect Gaudi.
However I am not a particularly cultured person, so I always think of Barcelona as a summer destination. The city is on a beach – what more do you need?
Cities that have a beach on their doorstep seem to automatically have a different pace to life – relaxed, casual, no one is in a hurry and there is no point getting excited about anything. I always wonders how anyone holds down an office job in cities like these – as soon as the sun was shining how could your resist stripping down and hitting the water?
Barcelona beach is a long stretch of hot white sand, with waves rolling gently into shore. You will see on the map that different parts of the beach have different names – my favorite stretch is known as San Sebastian, clothing is optional (like most beaches in Spain seem to be) but it has a very relaxed vibe, a real mix of people which is important for people-watching, and it is just a short stroll to a fun beach bar where you can finish the day with a few cocktails while the DJ mixes a few easy beats to create the mood. If you feel like a change of scene, a side trip to nearby Sitges is another great beach option.
Food is also a big thing in Barcelona. This is where you come for tapas – small plates of taste sensations, perfect with drinks. The Boqueria food market (just off the main hub of Las Ramblas) is definitely worth a visit – there’s a couple of busy small cafes here where you can perch on a stool and grab some lunch. If you want something more substantial, Taller de Tapas is quite a famous restaurant in the old town – it’s tapas style but the servings are generous and not crazy expensive.
One of the challenges of Barcelona is that a night out starts and finishes late. Really late. You need to totally adjust your body clock so that you eat dinner late (about 9PM), head out to a bar for a few drinks (about midnight), then you think about going to a club (about 2AM), and then you get home much later than you intended (about 5AM). All of which makes spending the daytime relaxing on the beach even more appealing.
There are lots of accommodation options in Barcelona and your choice will not only be determined by price but also by want you want to focus on during your visit. Being somewhere near Las Ramblas is generally best as it gives you access to the beach and the old town. A lot of the late night bars and nightclubs are in the Eixample neighborhood.
The other thing you need to be conscious of in Barcelona is pickpockets. Everyone warned me about pickpockets and I ignored them, I’m not an idiot – I know how to look after myself. I was pick-pocketed on my first day in Barcelona – I felt very foolish, but I still love Barcelona.
photo credit: Penn Provenance Project via photopin cc
