Hola Barcelona

I would first like to say, Barcelona will always have my heart. I went to Barcelona at the end of September because my Virgin Voyages cruise left from the Port of Barcelona. I decided to stay three full days to explore Barcelona before the cruise. I had never been to Barcelona before, and didn't know much about the history of it. Barcelona is so beautiful to say it mildly with so much incredible history. 

The Spanish architecture is stunning, and my favorite parts of Barcelona are the Gothic Quarters, Segrada Familia (the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world, designed by architect Antoni Gaudi, whose colorful Modernisme work was far beyond his time), and Park Güel, also built by the famous Antoni Gaudi, who was known as "God's Architect".

I went to Barcelona not really knowing anything much, but I came back learning everything about the city. I got see so much of the city by taking the Metro, and walking instead of taking cars. I love exploring new places around the world, and I've always wanted to go to Barcelona, especially since learning I am 40% Spanish from Spain, (after taking multiple dna tests in my early twenties, I had no idea!)

 I stayed in two totally different hotels this trip. The first hotel was more of a smaller boutique hotel, but it gave me a completely genuine Barcelona experience. (You can see the room in my Barcelona vlog on my YouTune channel.) I had a beautiful large terrace (that I manifested under the full moon on). Dalia Ramblas is tucked away in the Gothic Quarters area. As soon as you step outside, every single corner is just gorgeous and photogenic. There are hundreds of restaurants and shops all around the Gothic Quarters, and it is my favorite part of Barcelona. The metro (which I highly recommend using to see other parts of the city since the city is huge), is also nearby.   

I arrived in Barcelona in the early morning around 8am, after an overnight flight from Miami. It was perfect, because I got to sleep on the plane, and woke up ready to explore Barcelona. After changing at at the hotel, we went out and explored the entire Gothic Quarters, including the Barcelona Cathedral, which was built in 1289. We even went to the roof of the cathedral (photos below), which truly made the whole experience complete. It was just such a serene experience, you could feel the energy of the historic church inside of it. You could even see the enormous Segrada Familia Cathedral in the distance while on the rooftop.

This trip was filled with lots of walking, exploring, adventures, learning, eating, and praying. I had an amazing time. I highly recommend going to Park Güell, a beautiful park    (you need to purchase tickets beforehand), where The Gaudi House Museum sits. (The gorgeous pink house in my photos below, you need tickets for this as well.) Gaudi bought this home and lived there with his family from 1906 until his death in 1926. It is totally worth buying extra tickets to enter the house museum because it is such an intimate learning experience, it was my top three favorite things to do in Barcelona. The end of September/early October is perfect to visit Barcelona because it's warm, but not too hot.

The second hotel I stayed at (for one night and was a collaboration), is called H10 Cubik, and is located in the same historic part of the city, about fifteen minutes away. It is very modern, and totally different than the first hotel, but I loved both experiences very much. 

Other things that are not featured in this blog that I did and highly recommend are: 1.) Going to the public beach (next to the fabulous W Hotel), 2.) Taking a leisurely stroll down the main street at the beach, Passeig De Joan De Borbó, that offers so many restaurants to eat at, 3.) Visiting Cecconis for dinner or drinks, located inside Soho House Barcelona, 4.) Going out dancing after dinner, (I went to the Latin Palace, which was such a fun night if you love latin music from all generations like me), and 5.) A visit to Casa Batilló,a residential building in the center of Barcelona, now a museum, redesigned by Gaudi, making it one of his masterpieces. 

(Read Part I here.)  

 

xx   

 (Click the pink links throughout the post to shop!)

:: Outfit Details ::

All cross necklaces in this post:: Sirena Tosh

White blazer:: Meshki

White bodysuit:: Pacsun

 Shorts:: 7 For All Mankind

Pink Sarong:: VICI

Sunglasses:: Dior

Beige sneakers:: (similar) New Balance

Barcelona Cathedral

The Montjuïc Cable Cars

H10 Cubik Hotel

Sagrada Familia

Park Güell

London & Paris with W Hotels

I finally made my way to Europe last week! I know I am a late bloomer, but I am so happy I finally planned the trip, and I really had the most amazing time. I stayed at the W London - Leicester Square, which is located in Soho, in the heart of London. The W London is a super modern hotel, with a bold contrast of themes, colors, textures and characters in every corner of the hotel. The hotel is located steps away from theatreland, the catwalks of Brewer Street, and Soho’s electric nightlife. I used uber most of the time, because everything was only 10-15 minutes away.  

I left Miami on Thursday night, and arrived in London at 11 am Friday morning. I must say, I highly recommend flying Virgin Atlantic for the most comfortable flight. After a quick drive from Heathrow Airport to the hotel, I checked in and grabbed a light snack at the W Lounge. The W Lounge offers delicious bites, incredible drinks, and afternoon tea. The room itself is vibrant and offers a comfortable setting.

The room I stayed in is called, The Fabulous Room. The room is perfect for one or two people. What I love about all W Hotels, is that they offer a rainforest shower, and Bliss spa products. I didn't get a chance to visit the spa, but I definitely enjoyed using the Bliss Spa products in my room, they smell wonderful!  

 The concierge at the W London was super helpful in assisting with my London plans. After unpacking (I have an OCD thing about hanging up my clothing and organizing my toiletries and makeup before I can do anything), I decided to go to the first thing on my list. Have lunch at The Ivy Chelsea Garden. I am a huge fan of The Ivy in LA, so I had to visit the London location. If you visit, you have to eat outside, it's so cute out there! 

Sunglasses by Porsche Design, Top by WAYF. 

Lunch at The Ivy Chelsea Garden.

After lunch, I walked around and took typical tourist photos and visited another place on my bucket list- Harrods. I have been obsessed with Harrods for the longest time, and I finally got to visit. I think I brought the Miami sun with me, because the sun was shining all day long.

Top by WAYF, shoes by Miu Miu. 

London is exactly how I had imagined it, minus the rain. I am so happy my first time in London was during the Summertime. It was so warm, I could wear shorts-even at night. All of the buildings have so much history and are so elegant in London. I was actually worried about finding an iconic red telephone booth to take a picture in, but to my surprise, they were on every corner. 

The London Eye.

Big Ben, Elizabeth Tower, Palace of Westminster.

Palace of Westminster, London. 

My next stop was to see Big Ben. Big Ben is the largest clock in the world, located on the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster.  I took most of my photos from the Westminster Bridge, that is located right next to the Palace. Right across from the Palace of Westminster, is the London Eye. The London Eye is a giant ferris wheel on the South Bank of the River Thames in London. Every corner of London is picture perfect, I was so mesmerized. 

Blazer by Missguided, Top by Cami NYC, Shorts by Fashion Nova, Sunglasses by Porsche Design. 

For dinner, I went to Novikov Restaurant and Bar, in the heart of Mayfair, on Berkley Street. I was recommended Novikov by a friend, and I am so happy I decided to go because the food was phenomenal. The restaurant has an Italian side, and an Asian cuisine side. I was in the mood for Asian cuisine. The Asian Restaurant features an open kitchen, displaying an amazing display of seafood and vegetables. Everything on the menu is great, and the desserts are sooo good, it's hard to order just one.

PARIS

Palais Garnier, Paris

My quick two day trip to London (before heading to Dubai), turned into one day in London, and a day trip to Paris via train. I have also never been to Paris, so how could I not visit when it's so close?! You can easily visit Paris, by taking the Eurostar train. The trip is only two and a half hours, and the views of London's country side are beautiful. (Thankfully, the train offers free wifi and has a cafe where you buy snacks and beverages of all kinds.) I answered a few emails on my phone, and before I knew it, I had arrived in Paris!

Shoes are by Valentino, leather jacket by Genetic, and handbag by Christian Louboutin.

My first stop in Paris was, of course, the super gorgeous W Paris - Opéra. I don't know If it's because it's located in a gorgeous part of Paris (It's next to Palais Garnier), but I was so impressed by the W Paris! It is located in the heart of Paris, it's close to a large shopping area, and just across the bridge from the Eiffel Tower. The hotel is Parisian-chic, and has a chic restaurant called, Coquette, on the first floor that offers outdoor seating, with picture-perfect views in every direction.  

The inside of Coquette, W Paris - Opéra.

The BEST truffle, margarita flatbread I've ever had!

After lunch and coffee at Coquette, I headed to Boulevard Haussmann do a little shopping. The streets of Paris are naturally chic and super cute for taking pictures. Although I was only there for a day, I tried to see as many things as possible. I must say, I accomplished a lot in just a few hours! 

The very first Chanel Boutique, 31 Rue Cambon. 

The first thing on my Paris bucket list was to visit the very first Chanel located at 31 Rue Cambon. I have always dreamed of visiting Coco Chanel's former home slash first Chanel boutique ever.

Outside of Chanel on 31 Rue Cambon. 

The next thing on my to-do list, was to finally see the Eiffel Tower. I took an uber there, (Yes, there is uber in Paris), and crossing over the Pont d'léna bridge, approaching Champ de Mars, the Eiffel tower is so stunning! There are so many tourists walking around, and so many historic buildings along the way. The whole area is so magical.

After taking pictures and videos in front of the Eiffel Tower, I only had about 3 hours left before I had to catch the train back to London. The last thing on my list was to eat at L'Avenue. I have heard such great things about this restaurant, I had to try it out.  

Walking to L'Avenue, wearing a dress by Zara. 

Salmon Club Sandwich at L'Avenue. 

  L'Avenue is a very chic upscale restaurant that has an amazing menu. If you eat lunch there, it is best to sit outside on the terrace to people watch, with amazing views of Avenue Montaigne and Rue François 1er. L'Avenue is located in Champ - Élysées, Paris. This area is very upscale with boutique shops from Hermès to Louis Vuitton.

I've always wanted to eat French Fries in France! 

Christian Dior, 30 Avenue Montaigne.

After visiting Balmain Paris and a few other boutiques, I headed back to the train station. Although this trip was short, it was an amazing experience, and I got to see most of what I've always wanted to see in both cities. Thank you again W Hotels for hosting me on my first trip ever to Europe!