The first time I visited Barcelona this semester, I saw all the sites, but wasn’t there long enough to really appreciate the culture. The second time I went, I was there for longer, not by choice. My flight back to Paris was actually cancelled because of a French air traffic strike. So my friends went back to where they came from, and I stayed in Barcelona by myself. I thought it would be awful, but it turned out to be great and really made me observe everything around me.
Parc Guell: a must-see in Barcelona. The mosaics and the view over the city is beautiful. There are two parts, one is free, the other is around $10.
Sagrada Familia: church designed by Goudi. It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The unique architecture and colors are amazing. I recommend going online to get a ticket and time slot so you don’t have to wait in line when you get there.
Playa de Sant Sebastià: This beach always has something going on, whether it be shops, restaurants, clubs, or street vendors. I’ve always loved being able to relax by the ocean, it makes a city more appealing to me.
Placa de Catalunya: good shopping, street entertainment, and a lot of pigeons.
Placa Reial: just fun to sit and people watch on a great day. As I was sitting, street performers just started doing acrobatics in front of me which was really cool.
Gothic quarter: narrow streets, architecture, it feels much older than the rest of the city
Arc de Triomf
Mercado de La Boqueria: something you cannot miss if you visit Barcelona is the market. A huge market filled with every food you could ever want. I walked around for a while in awe of everything and ate an array of foods while doing it.
Tapas: there are so many options of tapas everywhere it’s so hard to choose. But you can’t go wrong, because everything is good.
Churros: a delicious snack for any time of day
Sangria: Most sangria is made with red wine, but the best drink I have ever had was the champagne sangria at Piu restaurant. The food there was also amazing. I highly recommend going there.
Jambon Experience: a museum about the beloved jambon of Spain. You go on the journey of the pigs lives, then taste different types of jambon with your choice of drink. One of my favorite museums (probably because I got food with it).
Eyescream & Friends: eating ice cream is fun, but eating this ice cream is even better. I had the mango and it was amazing. This was also the day that I was alone, so I basically ate my only friend that day…
Club Opium: if you’re looking for a good time, go to Club Opium. It gets really crowded, but was one of my favorite nights out. It also helps that it’s right next to the beach.
