barcelona day 1

I’m writing this post on the plane back to Madrid.  After 2 weeks of almost non-stop traveling, it feels nice to have a few days of rest ahead of me.  Traveling is amazing and rewarding- even more so, I think, doing it independently- but it also takes a lot of energy.  Who wants to sleep in or go to bed early when you have a new city right outside of the door waiting to be explored?!? 

barcelona overview   

I was in Barcelona for barely 48 hours.  I carefully planned literally every hour of my trip- when and where to arrive, what subways to take from which stations at what times… I had my itinerary perfectly laid out so I would be sure to maximize my time  I searched lots of blogs and lists of the best things to do in Barcelona so I wouldn't leave, see a picture later, and think why did I not go there?!  Having a perfectly formulated plan allowed for flexibility when I did have a little extra time… “Plan and prepare so you can be flexible” describes how I do pretty much everything, actually.

All in all, I would say I was a little bit disappointed with Barcelona.  It’s a massive city, and maybe if I’d been there at a different time, for a longer time, or with more people, I would have enjoyed it more.  Maybe I did and saw all the wrong things- I don't know.  And this is not to say that I regret going, that I don’t think it’s worth the trip, or that I didn’t think it’s a beautiful city- Barcelona is beautiful, luxurious, and a perfect mix of Mediterranean and European.  However, after all I’ve heard and anticipated from the city, I felt like it’s a bit overrated.  Pilar was proud of me feeling this way- evidently there’s a big citizenship rivalry between people who live in Madrid and those who are from Barcelona. 

A side note: Barcelona is a city in the autonomous community of "Catalonia" (Cataluña in Spanish or Catalunya in Catalan).  Catalonia basically thinks they're their own country and repeatedly threatens to succeed/be independent from Spain- from what I've heard, this is a very empty threat.  Nonetheless, the Catalonians have a very strong "national" identity, and they even speak their own language: Catalan.  Catalan is very similar to Castellano, or Spanish, but it's also an interesting mix of French because of its geographical closeness to France.  I could understand most names and street signs because I know Spanish and have enough awareness of how French works.  Also, everyone speaks both languages.  However, airport signs and such list things in Catalan first, English second, and Spanish first.  

where I stayed and how I got there...

I stayed at Alexandra Barcelona which is in the perfect location for accessing any of the city’s highlights- close to 2 major metro stations that connect to every major site and to the airport.  I’d highly recommend it if you ever need a good place to stay in Barcelona!  Speaking of the metro station, I bought a 10-trip public transport pass for 10 euros when I arrived on Wednesday.  I could use the pass on the metro and the bus, and it made each trip less than a euro.  Individual trips would’ve likely cost much more, and I only had 2 trips that I didn’t use before leaving.  I planned to use one last one to take the metro to the airport, but I ended up just getting a taxi because I was short on time- plus the airport metro line requires a special fare so it wouldn’t have counted.  Definitely worth it to simplify subway travel, to save money, and to save walking and travel time because most of the major city sites are reasonably far from each other.

parc montjuic

After I arrived to my hotel and checked in, I quickly started in on seeing the city.  I bought my metro pass, took the green line to Placa de Espanya (spelled like this because they speak Catalan, not Castellano/Spanish in Barcelona- everyone speaks both and they’re very similar, but Catalan is the official language), switched to a bus, and took the bus to the Montjuic Castle.  I’d preordered my tickets, and I noted online that you must have purchased your tickets by 5:30 pm.  I figured I’d arrived just before that time, but I didn’t think I’d have any problem getting in since I’d already purchased tickets.  But, I got to the Castle and couldn’t get in because they were closing.  I was disappointed, but it was also just something I’d added on because I had time, and at least I got to see it from the outside!  I also ventured out to the Montjuic Park and the Royal Palace and Montjuic Fountains, which I probably wouldn’t have done otherwise because it’s all far from the main area of the city.  One thing that I didn't do that I would love to do if I'm ever back in Barcelona is watch the Montjuic Fountains- on certain days of the week at specific times, they create a light/water/music show for spectators.

Shoutout to the guards who at least opened the door to let me look inside... -

_- 

passeig de gracia

My hotel was located around the corner from Barcelona’s most luxurious street, Passeig de Grecia (again, in Catalan).  Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabanna, and Burberry were just outside the door of my hotel, which made finding an affordable place to eat basically impossible.  I ended up spending almost 30 euros on supper that night just because I was tired and wanted something close- it was a great meal!  However, I was one of the only people in the restaurant, so I sort of made friends with two of the bartenders.  

Be nice- you'll get 50% off desserts (regularly priced at 7 euros, but okay).

Barcelona’s bourgeoisie families built their homes on this street when the city was doubling in size and rapidly growing.  Many of the apartments and buildings were commissioned by famous families in Cataluña and were designed by Antonio Gaudi, and many of these residences are still privately owned and inhabited today.

More to come- La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Gaudi houses, and more.