Weekend Guide to Barcelona

Why Take a Weekend Trip to Barcelona?

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to visit Barcelona. It’s jaw-dropping architecture, mouth-watering tapas, live music scene and the fact you get both city break and beach holiday activities all in one is the perfect combination of a great vacation for me. Also unlike most other trips I go on, I was very sick with a stomach virus for a week or two before we went to Barcelona so with very limited planning I think we did a good job in making the most of our time there to.  Whilst it does get a bad rep for being very busy and overcrowded, I found that by getting up very early to explore the city in it’s quiet state and staying and exploring more local spots allowed us to truly get a good sense of what Barcelona is about.

Experiences and Things to Do

Gaudí Houses – Most all of the houses designed by Antonio Gaudi are now museums and are beautiful examples of modernist architecture to explore and see for those who love architecture and design. I will say that seeing all of them is not cheap, so picking a couple of key ones to see inside and viewing the rest from it’s exterior will be the most economical way to see them. Casa Batllo –  This is of Gaudi’s most infamous building designs with its scaled roof which is tiled to be reminiscent of a dragon. While one of the most popular tourist destinations, we did enjoy the virtual reality aspect with the audio guide which you can use to virtually see what the house looked like back in the day and animations of elements from nature and the sea that inspired Gaudi with his design. La Pedrera Casa Milà – Also known as La Pedrera, as the front of the building looks a bit like the face of a quarry, Casa Milà was completed in 1912 and is another emblematic Gaudí building in the city. For those visiting in summer, there are weekend jazz concerts on the rooftop of this building which sadly we were unable to do because tickets were sold out but something that’s highly recommended from friends who go to Barcelona often. Casa Vicens – Is considered one of the first buildings of Art Nouveau and was the first house designed by Gaudí. He mixed different styles together and incorporating a variety of different materials, such as iron, glass, ceramic tiles and concrete, many of which can be seen both in it’s interior and exterior. This is a house I definitely plan on visiting next time I go back to Barcelona and is one that isn’t as crowded and well visited as the others.

Sagrada Familia – The most infamous works by Antonio Gaudi that’s still in construction, slated to be completed in 2026. The Sagrada Família combines several architectural styles including Catalan Modernism, Art Nouveau and Spanish Late-Gothic, but Gaudí’s masterpiece defies these kinds of definitions when you look up at the ceiling of the nave. Definitely worth a visit especially to see how the light and stained glass hit during the day. Park Guell – Booking tickets in advance is a must to see Gaudi’s famous mosaics. We were not aware of this recent change to see these famous serpentine mosaics that overlook the city so were out of luck this trip. However, you can still walk around the park and explore colonnades, fountains and sculptures, all in Guadi’s distinctive style. Palau de la Música Catalana– The Palau de la Música was built at the height of the modernist era in Barcelona. It epitomises the architectural and artistic features most associated with the movement, such as a preference for curves over straight lines, colourful stained-glass windows and mosaics and the ornate decoration, with natural and symbolic themes. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was designed by Lluís Domènech I Montaner who was a contemporary of Gaudi.  Standing out on the Lluís Millet Balcony is one of the best parts of taking the Palau de la Musica Catalana tour. The balcony feels like stepping out into a colourful and decorative garden. The top of each column are some incredible blooming flowers that flourish out of the carved stone. The colonnades beneath are each covered entirely with mosaics – multicoloured glazed tiles in a variety of floral designs in a tribute to nature. The colours of the tiles are so vibrant which is surprising considering they are located outdoors for over a hundred years. Walks along the boulevard to Ciutadella and La Barceloneta– We did a wonderful walk from Gràcia down to Las Ramblas around the gothic quarter to the Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona, Ciutadella Park, and La Barceloneta. Along the way, we would stop grab some tapas and a drink and continue on. It was a wonderful way to explore the city and take in the sun on a gorgeous summer day Tibidabo – Mount Tibidabo is Barcelona’s tallest peak with its own amusement park, and a beautiful the church at the top of the hill. We’re suckers for good city views so we easily made our way up via metro and bus to the top. As it’s was a gorgeous day out we could see everything all the way out to the Ocean which is a pretty cool sight to see.

EAT

Sabio Infante – This is a great local little breakfast spot that serves coffee, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, smoothie bowls and avocado toast for those looking for a solid and semi-healthy breakfast. This is a good place to stop by in Gracia on your way to either Tibidao or Sagrada Familia. Boqueria Market – There’s been a Boqueria market in Barcelona since medieval times, though this exact spot has only witnessed trade for about 200 years. Quite frankly you can’t really go wrong with getting anything there. There are a couple of great stalls that have bars for drinks and tapas. We decided just to go around and snack as we went picking up Ibérico ham and cheese in a cone, cod croquettes and fritters, and a wonderfully large freshly shucked oyster that was well worth the €2.50. El Nacional – El Nacional Barcelona is a highly acclaimed gastronomic multi-space which offers a tour of the best Iberian cuisine located at the heart of Passeig de Gràcia. This upscale establishment has four culinary spaces and four bars (wine and cured meats bar, beer and preserves bar, cocktail bar, oyster bar) that bring together different options from meat to quick snacks to tapas and rice dishes). Mirablau – We found Mirablau on our way down from Tibidao looking for a lunch spot after a very busy morning of exploring. This place boasts amazing views of the city and good portioned tapas. Some essential tapas items we tried out here were patatas bravas, padrón peppers, Chipones (fried baby squid), croquettes, las Bombas, and grilled octopus. All great to snack on while enjoying the stunning Spanish weather and views. Can Majo – As a big lover of anything seafood, I booked us lunch at Can Majo in Barceloneta to try out the lobster and shellfish paella of the back of a recommendation from a fellow foodie friend in London. Whilst pricey this was absolutely delicious and for someone who doesn’t necessarily like eating a lot of rice was really tasty with a decent amount of seafood vs rice ratio. La Pallaresa Xocolateria Xurreria – My dad’s all-time favourite dessert growing up was churros con chocolate from a Spanish restaurant he used to go to a lot in Manila. Whenever we see it on a menu it’s a must get so I couldn’t go to Barcelona without getting some myself and this is a great little cafe in the gothic quarter to get some yummy dessert. M and I got one each and it was a bit too much so one set is good to share for those who don’t have a massive sweet tooth.

Drink

El Jardi – A hidden courtyard spot in the middle of the Gothic Quarter. Located in the courtyard of a library, it’s a cool and relaxed spot for some al fresco drinks and some snacks. 

23 Robadors – This bar is a small no-frills live music venue that also serves tapas and drinks at the bar. It’s €5 to see the performance but we just enjoyed sitting at the bar eating drinking and listening to the tunes for Spanish guitars and a flamenco dance. 

Stay Gràcia Neighborhood – I’ll be honest to say I had zero input into where abouts we stayed for our Barcelona trip, but I am so happy M picked out this neighbourhood to stay in. Gracia has a village feel with its narrow streets and leafy squeares. Many of the streets in this area are pedestrian-only, which makes it very walkable to get lost in and unlike the busy city centre, it’s uncrowded.  The area itself is full of affordable restaruants and bars and for my vegetarian and vegan friends, we did spot some good veggie and vegan restaurants there!. The local population there is a diverse micture of  young families, cool hipsters and the elderly. This quiet and relaxed neighbourhood is only a 30 minute walk away from the Gothic Quarter via Passeig de Gracia and the beach at Barceloneta is about a 50 minute walk away.