After dropping off our stuff at the airBnB, we went out into the city to explore and find a sport for dinner. We came across Tapa Tapa, which is probably a more touristy place but all the food was great. I found it to be a great transition into Spanish food because it is all Spanish tapas (little plates) all around 5€ each. So you can share or have to yourself for dinner or probably lunch too. I had great fresh squid and the best calamari I have ever eaten.

 We then accidentally came across the miraculous fountain show infront of the National Catalan Museum. It was a gorgeous view overlooking the city at the top of the hill, with the colorful fountain show that played Spanish music synchronized with the water show.

Saturday morning we took the metro to La Sagrada Familia which is an extremely famous cathedral in Barcelona. I can say, hands down that it is my favorite church I have ever been to. I have been to Notre Dame in Paris and several churches in Italy but this topped them all. My pictures will definitely not do it justice. It’s really hard to explain what it’s like at La Sagrada Familia because it is nothing I have ever seen before. The best way I can explain it is as something that belongs in It’s a Bug’s Life. The interior of the church is made of these columns of marble but look like they belong underground kind of like a cave. They also have a nice little spot in the back that plays a short documentary about the church in Spanish and in English that was very informative. It is very hard to get into, and I HIGHLY suggest booking tickets several days in advance for this. My friend and I booked La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell as one package and saved money that way – total price for 2 places per person was 17.50 euros.

We read restaurant reviews on TripAdvisor and found this fun place called Chill Bar a block or two away from La Sagrada Familia. I highly suggest going there. It’s this hidden away restaurant that has this cool eclectic feel. It’s like a lounge inside where the tables have either couches or cool comfy seats to sit in. They had amazing sangria and some of the best nachos I have ever had. When you go, get the nachos machos or something that’s 8€ and the option with carne chili, you won’t regret it.

Park Guell has the famous mosaic animals and structures as well as the house, now a museum, of the architect of La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudi. It is a pretty cool place that is free to enter but tickets are required for the museum of his house if you are interested in that. I found it interesting, but his house is really small so you could go through the whole thing and watch their documentary there in under half an hour. So not a big deal if you aren’t able to do it in my opinion.

The place we went for dinner was on the beach and made both my friend and myself sick after, so I will not give you the name of that as a recommendation.

For breakfast we tried this place called El Taller de Supan, a block away from La Sagrada Familia. It is a café that has every baked good you could want. I was quite pleased with their quiche and coffee, they also  sandwiches. If in the nieghborhood, I recommend going there for breakfast.

The Picasso museum was nothing like I had expected. This single man, Picasso, produced over 4,000 works of art in his life time, and seeing his large variety was incredible. From drawings of farm life and country side, bronze casting of statue heads, paintings water colors and oil pantings of Madrid and Barcelona in they early 1900s, portraits of his family friends, and himself, and probably the most famous abstract art.

It was in the high 50s and a really beautiful sunny day. So after the Picasso Museum, my friend and I walked to the beach that is close by. On the way there, we stopped in a chocolate shop and I got this lemon cake dipped in chocolate fudge icing that was amazing. And then we grabbed BLT sandwiches to go , not very Spanish I am aware, and hit the beach. We sat on the beach eating french fries, BLTs, lemon chocolate cake, and drinking Coke. It was one of the best feelings. Italy is alot coolder than I had anticipated before coming here, and going to a beach with somewhat warm weather was exactly what I needed 2 months into winter.

For dinner we met up with other girls in our study abroad program that were also traveling in Barcelona that day. They took us to this tiny and from what I understood, authentic Spanish restaurant. It was a pretty generic place from what I could see. I ordered seafood paella which is this famous Spanish dish of rice and lots of seafood all cooked together. It’s very common to find in Barcelona and I’m sure there are a hundred other restaurants there just like it. There was nothing that really stood out at this place, so I wouldn’t really recommend it.

That night we went salsa dancing at this Latin Dance Club called Antilla. They have salsa dancing lessons during the day and only Latin music club at night on Sundays (other days too, check per season). It was really fun and I would recommend going with a large group of friends or significant other if you plan on trying it out without previous Latin dance experience. I felt out of place and had lots of people help and teach me some moves, but I would recommend doing some lessons before your trip to Spain if going out dancing is something that you would enjoy.

Monday

1. Las rambas street – boqueria market

*get a bag of fruit to munch on for the rest of your day’s or week’s adventures with a refreshing snack

 2. Bus tour – blue turistica don’t recommend

We went to La Boqueria Market on La Ramba Street on Monday morning and it was my favorite place in Barcelona other than La Sagrada Familia. It has every type of food you could ask for: a butcher shop, a fish stand, lots and lots of fruit stands, lots of smoothie and fresh fruit juice stands, chocolate stands, candy stands that are separate from chocolate stands, and so much more. I got a strawberry and banana smoothie which was amazing. At a fruit stand I got a cup of strawberries that was the most freshing thing I have had in awhile. In Italy they eat very few fruits and vegetables – salads are unheard of and never seen here. So I am definitely deprived of fiber and lots of other nutrients due to my constant pizza/pasta and gelato only consumption. I also had a banana and avocado the next day for breakfast from one of these stands and they were the best pieces of fruit I have ever had. My two cents:

 Do not get churros or eat at a restaurant that has a list of and pictures of their plates advertised outside.

Barcelona was very touristy and not nearly as Spanish in style as I had expected. Only when I was in alleys and hidden away side streets did I feel like I was actually in Spain. The main city centers looked like places in Philly and D.C I have been to which was actually disappointing, looking for something new across the ocean. I would like to go back with a significant other and possibly my own family. It is pretty kid friendly but a great deal of references to marijuana and the largest distribution of condoms sold at little souvenir shops that I have ever seen. I was also not too pleased about the amount of extremely R or plus rated postcards that I didn’t find amusing at all – wanted to hide from little eyes.

Barcelona was a nice city, but definitely did not top Paris as my favorite place in Europe so far.

Onto my next post about London!