Our trip to Barcelona was relatively short; five days, four nights. Could we have stayed longer? Definitely. Would we go back? Of course!
We researched quite carefully in which area of the city we wanted to stay. We booked last minute so our choices were limited. Initially, we had wanted to stay in an AirBnB but, as it turned out, we ended up in a hotel. The location was important to us and so we decided to choose Gracia.
Until the 1800s Gracia was actually a separate town until it was subsumed by Barcelona and it definitely has the atmosphere of a village. There are plenty of local people, of all types and ages, and we loved wandering through the narrow streets and leafy squares.
It feels safe and there are a wide range of cafés and restaurants to try. There are lots of interesting, individual shops and I would be more than happy to stay there again.
As well as Gaudí, another famous son of Barcelona is the artist Joan Miró. We decided to visit his foundation which is located in Montjuïc Park. We took the funicular which is the fast way up! What struck me most, as we wandered around the exhibits, was the variety. There were paintings, collages, tapestries, ceramics and more. I was so intrigued by Joan Miró’s work, I didn’t take any photos.
We very briefly visited the beach when we hopped off the sightseeing bus but it was mainly so get a snack! We only managed to catch a glimpse of Port Vell and the yachts that were moored there. It looked as if it would be worth further investigation when we return to Barcelona.
The one thing I haven’t mentioned is food and drink in Barcelona. We did have tapas, of course, and my particular favourites: patas bravas, tortilla, bombas.
Pan con tomate is a ‘must-have’, Catalan speciality, el pa amb tomàquet!” (bread rubbed with tomato). It is exactly what it says; toasted bread rubbed with garlic, tomato and a drizzle of oil. Tasty!
I can also recommend white sangria! This was another new experience for me and I found it delicious. There are many variations and ‘recipes’ that can be found on the internet. I had intended to take a photo of our jug of white sangria but I was so busy enjoying the flavour that I got distracted!
One final and very random thought after my visit; how people love their dogs in Barcelona! The two most popular breeds appeared to be greyhounds and golden retrievers. But the greatest surprise was the lack of dog poop on the streets. In fact, I didn’t see any. A vast difference to France.
After my first post on Barcelona, many readers commented on their own visits to this exciting city. Others have Barcelona on their bucket list. Either way, I’d love to read your thoughts!
Fancying France 
I love Barcelona and have been there many times. However, it’s the only place in the world (and I have traveled–I had to get extra pages put into my passport–even though I lived in Schengen where so much travel was stamp-free) where somebody tried to snatch my purse. Friends also have talked about scams on the autoroute, where people throw tacks to flatten your tires, then rob you when you pull over. I got bumped by somebody at a red light; my husband was in the car ahead (long story about dropping people off at the airport), but I just kept driving. All that said, I have been back time and again because of the amazing culture, architecture, food and zest for life in Barcelona.
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We were warned about the amount of pickpockets etc and tried to be as careful and vigilant as we could. Although we met up with some other tourists who had been robbed despite being seasoned travellers. It does make one very wary but, as you say, there is so much to appreciate about Barcelona.
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I certainly never stopped visiting Barcelona!!!! But since this incident, many years ago, I am far more vigilant (and more vigilant than in other countries, and let me tell you, I get around), and probably because of being on guard, I’ve had no problems since.
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I’d love to revisit Barcelona. I adore tapas, especially patatas bravas and tuna empanadas. I once did a tapas evening for friends. There were 7 of us and we had Alburino (Spanish white wine) and played lots of flamenco music. It was wonderful but hard work. We like Cadiz too and saw some fabulous flamenco there.
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I haven’t tried tuna empanadas but I will next time I get the opportunity. A little bit of research, makes me think they will be delicious!
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They are yummy. And easy to make should you feel inclined. I used a tin of tuna (of course), a jar of tuna fish paste (great for binding together) and some tiny diced fried onion. Then cut out little circles of shortcrust pastry and made them look like tiny pasties. I love prawn pil pil too – King prawns in oil, garlic and chilli. There is a Mediterranean restaurant that does amazing tapas in Worcester. We use it for celebrations and birthdays and sometimes for no reason at all !
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I’m feeling really hungry now!
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