Barcelona is a perfect travel destination that can suit most tastes. The city is rich with culture, sunny beaches, fantastic food, and not to mention beautiful views. I spent 5 nights in this glorious city which was enough time to see most sights, however I could easily have spent more time to explore a more local side of the city.
Barcelona's iconic, still unfinished church La Sagrada Familia is one of the most impressive sites in the city. The outside is embellished with an intricate depiction of the birth of christ, along with angles playing various musical instruments. When I walked through the door, I was speechless. The stain glass windows glow with firey reds and oranges, and bold green and blues, and these colours flow throughout the entire church. I recommend setting aside a whole morning to visit this magnificent site, but make sure you have reserved your tickets in advance. If you arrive without a ticket, you may face hours of wait before you can enter the church. I feel it is important to book entrance to all major tourist sites in the city, for example Gaudi's Park Güell, Casa Mila and Casa Batlló.
The Casa Mila and Casa Batlló are unlike any houses you've ever seen. While the Casa Mila is a UNESCO world heritage site, it is still a functioning residential building. The architecture on the roof is very impressive, and in addition the views down the centre of the building are certainly enough to make those scared of heights a little wobbly! The Casa Batlló appears to be taken directly out of the set of The Hobbit! The windows are stain glass and the walls are mosaic. These stunning houses deserve at least two hours each to explore.
Gaudi's Park Güell may be one of your top sights to visit in Barcelona. However it certainly did not live up to expectations for me. There are two sections of the park, a section with free admission, and a much smaller ticketed area which contains most of the impressive architecture. The ticketed area of the park is absolutely jam packed with visitors. It is impossible to enjoy the beauty with so many selfie-stick wielding tourists! Travelling in the peak summer season means that many areas in the city will be busy like this. In my opinion, the free admission area is the most beautiful. On a sunny day from the top of the park, the views to the coast are spectacular.
For fantastic views over the city, take the Montjuic Cable Car up Montjuic Hill . The cable car airlifts guests from just outside Montjuic Park to Montjuïc Castle. Views from the castle are spectacular, you can see aeroplanes approaching BCN El Prat airport, the endless colourful containers being loaded in the docks and the city centre. It is certainly a beautiful view.
I visited Barcelona in September 2015 and stayed in the Hotel 1898 on Las Ramblas. The hotel is beautifully clean, and the black and white colour scheme is very classy. The roof-top bar / restaurant has wonderful views over the city, and the relaxed atmosphere is second to none- be sure to try one of the huge, (quite expensive...) cocktails! If you plan to spend an evening on the roof, bring a jacket or jumper, since it can become quite windy and cold later on in the evening.
Being located on Las Ramblas, the hotel is fantastically located to many sights within walking distance, for example the markets and the harbour (which is also home to the Maremagnum shopping centre).
The market (La Boqueria) located on Las Ramblas is a 2 minute walk from Hotel 1898. The market is packed with luscious fresh food from fruit and vegetables to massive fish and steaks. It is definitely worth spending a good half an hour exploring the endless isles of food.
If you plan to travel to Barcelona in peak season, make sure you book transport and accommodation far in advance to ensure availability and low prices. I travelled on the train from London Ebbsfleet station to Barcelona via Paris. Direct air tickets are available from many carriers including Norweigan Air, Easyjet and British Airways.
I hope to hear about your Spanish adventures!
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