Hola Barcelona

Hot Paella, Cava sangria, football madness and loads of sunshine - yes, we are in Barcelona. This is where the Sun is always kind and the sea is oh-so-blue. Be an FCB fan or not, you cannot simple ignore the charm of the city. I never had to think twice to book my tickets, if I had a valid Schengen visa.

Best time to visit:

You can plan a trip to the Catalan capital at any time of the year. However Spring and Autumn are the best time, as weather is really pleasant during these seasons.

Staying in the city:

There are many good affordable apartments in the city that you can rent. Please read all the details and reviews before booking one. Additionally don’t forget to check if it’s near a metro station.

Getting around the city:

The city is well-commuted by metro, FGC, tram, bus and even taxi. Hence if you have not rented a car, you can make use of the pocket friendly public transport. I would highly recommend getting a Hola BCN travel card, depending on your no of days in the city, as you get to avail unlimited travel on almost all public transport. You can buy the voucher online and pick up your travel card at any metro station.

2 days in the city:

Day 1:

Monteserrat -> Park Güell -> Picasso Museum -> Gothic quarters -> La Rambla

It is a shame if you have only 2 days in Barcelona, as there's so much to do in and around the city. However, if you cannot spare more than 2 days, might as well make the most of it. Start early if you wish to visit Monteserrat (which you must), as it is outside the city. Take the R5 line (FGC) to Monistrol de Monteserrat, followed by a cable car ride to get to the monastery. The travel card does not cover any of these rides, as it is outside zone 1.

The monastery is a calm and peaceful place with the holy statue of black Madonna inside. You must take the cable car ride to the top to enjoy the view of the monastery amidst the mighty mountains. Walk around the monastery and its surrounding area and stay as long as possible, as this place is divinely beautiful.

A visit to the city of Gaudi cannot be complete without a visit to his house at Park Güell.

You would want to book the tickets online well in advance, as it is one of the most-visited places in the city. It has a garden inside, along with enchanting artwork and architecture.

The park also provides a great view of the city.

If you happen to appreciate and admire art, you can visit Picasso Museum. We were quite amateur to understand all the pieces of art and ended up liking the architecture of the museum more.

 You can then visit the iconic Gothic quarter. The surrounding area is also quite charming. Walk around the medieval streets. Enjoy the street performances. You can also visit the Barcelona Cathedral, which is a Gothic cathedral.

La Rambla, probably the most happening street of Barcelona, is at a walking distance from here. After a long tiring day, you can enjoy the rest of your evening here. Have tapas at one of the open top restaurants and enjoy a Flamenco show. You can search on the internet and book some cheap and good shows (don't forget to read the reviews) beforehand. I have been to Tarantos and El Patio Andaluz (a little far from La Rambla). Even though I liked both the performances, I seemed to enjoy the latter more.

Tarantos

El Patio Andaluz

I had captured the following sloppy video at El Patio Andaluz and you will find a little clip of Tarantos in the video posted at the end of this blog.

Don't consume too much of Sangria, as Day 2 is going to be even more eventful.

Day 2:

Sagrada Familia -> Casa Milà -> Casa Batlló -> Tibidabo -> Camp Nou -> Marbella beach -> Port Olímpic ->  Barceloneta beach -> Barcelona port -> Magic fountain

Sagrada Familia is definitely the most popular work of Antoni Gaudi. The church is still unfinished and expected to be built completely by 2026. You definitely need to prebook the tickets online to avoid any disappoint.

Let's move on to the next creation of Gaudi - Casa Milà. Book the tickets online if you want to go inside.

Cross the road and you will see the famous block of discord - Casa Lleó-Morera, Casa Mulleras, Casa Amatller and last but not the least Casa Batlló. Even for Casa Batlló, you need to prebook the tickets if you wish to enter.

Barcelona has many places to enjoy a nice view of the city, but my favourite is the one from Tibidabo. If you keep reading, you will know why. There is a direct funicular rail to reach Tibidabo. However that is not covered in Hola BCN. Therefore, alternatively you can take the FGC train (lines S1 and S2) to Peu de Funicular and from there board the Funicular de Vallvidrera. The stop name for Tibidabo is Vallvidrera Superior, which is also the terminal station. However, if you have some time, get down at Carretera de les Aigües. It is long stretch to walk and cycle around and it also offers a great view of the city.

Once you are done with clicking photos, come back to the station and board the same train to Vallvidrera Superior.  From here you will get bus 111 to Tibidabo. It has a church and an amusement park. Take the elevator inside the church and then climb the stairs up to the top that offers a spectacular view of the city.

Now you know why it's my favourite!

Our next stop is Camp Nou. Depending on your interest in football, you need to allot time to visit the home stadium of FC Barcelona. Book the tickets online for stadium tours. If your dates are flexible, you can plan your travel around an FCB match, as nothing matches that experience of watching your favourite players play for your favourite team on their home ground, whilst you cheer for them. However you can skip this, if you have absolute no interest in football.

After a hectic day, spent visiting so many places, you might need some vitamin sea to bounce back. Head to the Marbella beach. It seems to turn into a nudist beach in Summer. If you are here before sunset, you can enjoy a nice walk to the Port Olímpic, followed by Barceloneta beach.

I have experienced one of the best sunsets here. The following pictures might be able to express, what my words cannot.

There are lots of bars and restaurants near Barceloneta to chill out. If you have time (and energy left) you can visit the nearby port of Barcelona as well.

The last stop is the magic fountain or Font màgica. The show timings are fixed and you must check online if you plan to visit. Reach the place a bit early so that you can manage to get a place to sit down and enjoy the show. This is located in front of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, which also offers a great view of the city. The surrounding area comes to life at night. If you have more days in hand, you can visit the nearby Montjuïc castle, that is built on top of Montjuïc hill.

This itinerary is more hectic than it sounds and that is because the city has so much to offer. It is an  institution of art and architecture.

Pals, a medieval dream:

Pals is a medieval village-town on the Costa Brave in Catalonia. This place looks straight out of a Game of Thrones set. This is one of those places that make me fall short of words. Therefore, I shall let my pictures do the talking.

Cobbled streets, cosy cafes, quirky craft shops- the picturesque place makes for a great day trip from Barcelona. You can easily book the bus tickets online or rent a car. The journey to this place is equally beautiful, whilst you cross some of the pretty coastal villages by the Mediterranean sea.

You don't need a map to roam around this village. It's small and all the lanes will lead you to somewhere beautiful. You can also explore the nearby beach - Platja de Pals.

Be it the city centre or nearby places like Monteserrat and Pals - there is an aesthetic touch to everything.

The following video is a futile attempt to capture its unparalleled charm.