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.
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
The Montjuïc Cable Cars
H10 Cubik Hotel
Sagrada Familia
Park Güell
