Day 1

Barcelona

Barcelona is such a unique and beautiful city with a Mediterranean vibe. There is so much history, art, interesting architecture and of course the sandy beach and boardwalk.

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Afternoon

Checked into Hotel Sixty Two. This is a really nice, modern hotel on the beautiful Passeig de Gracia. Excellent location. This hotel did not include breakfast but there were several little bakeries nearby where we could grab a small bite.

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We went for a walk to La Ramblas - which is the main shopping street. It's very crowded and after a short time we got off this boulevard and wandered along the small streets which were much more pleasant.

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On our way back to the hotel we stopped to admire some of the Gaudi buildings along the street of our hotel.

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Evening

We had dinner at La Rita Restaurant which was delicious food, very close to the hotel. Highly recommended. Keep in mind that restaurants in Spain open late so we couldn't get in before 8 pm.

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Day 2

 

Morning

This morning we took a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, Barcelona's most historic neighbourhood. The beautiful winding streets, grand squares, small stores, antique shops, cafes with outdoor seating, and residential apartments are all centred around the cathedral. This neighbourhood is also home of the old Jewish Quarter. 

 

At night this area transforms into a hub for street musicians and the young-at-heart, filled with bars and restaurants.

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The tour also covered the El Born district, a charming shopping district, home to the Picasso Museum (see details on Day 3), the gorgeous Palace of Catalan Music (more about that below), the Santa Caterina Market and the Santa Maria del Mar Church.  

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This tour was a free Sandeman's walking tour. The guide was a young, charming Australian expat and while he did a reasonable job explaining the history, the group was very large (mainly young backpackers) and it was little disorganized. I think I would have preferred a private or smaller group tour. Having said that, it was a good basic introduction to the city.

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Afternoon

After grabbing a quick lunch, we went to Monjuic which is a beautiful park on a hill in the city. It literally translates to Jewish Mountain as this is where the Jewish cemeteries used to be. There are several museums in the park and it was the centre of the Barcelona olympics. We took a funicular up the hill and went to the Miro Museum which was incredible. We are big fans of Miro's work and they had some amazing pieces.

 

We then walked around the park and went to the National Museum of Catalan Art. We walked down the hill passing the spectacular fountains.

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Evening

We booked a Spanish guitar concert at the Palace of Catalan Music. This is definitely worth a visit even if you don't go to a concert. The Hall is spectacular. They offer tours throughout the day. We were lucky to be in Barcelona when there was a beautiful concert taking place. If you can get tickets, you should attend. Highly recommended.

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Day 3

 

Morning

After breakfast took a four-hour, private Gaudi walking tour. Our tour guide, booked through Pepito Tours, was very pleasant and extremely knowledgeable.

 

We started the tour along the Passeig de Gracia (the street of our hotel) which has two Gaudi buildings - Casa Batlo and and La Pedrera. We toured inside one of them and learnt about the architecture that is so unique. We then took a taxi to Park Guell, the residential development that Gaudi was commissioned to build. This was so unique and interesting.

 

From there we went to the Sagrada Familia which was the highlight of our trip to Barcelona. The interior of this chapel is breathtaking. We were there at the perfect time of day, when the sunlight hit the stained glass in a way that made the colours shine through. Spectacular. I highly recommend taking a private Gaudi tour.

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Afternoon

We had lunch with friends at Cervecerria Catalana - which serves delicious, modern tapas and a refreshing jug of sangria which really hit the spot. There was a line outside but we decided to wait and it was worth it!

 

After lunch we went to the Picasso Museum. It was good, but was more about his formative years and growing up in Barcelona, with lots of prints. It's an interesting museum but I've seen better Picasso exhibits elsewhere. 

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Afterward we wandered through the lively and crowded market on La Ramblas.

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Evening

We had dinner at a restaurant in the Gothic Quarter.

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Day 4

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Morning and Afternoon

We had a relaxing morning, exploring Barcelonetta and the area around the beach. We stopped in a small market in Bacelonetta and picked up some picnic food which we ate on a bench along the beach boardwalk.

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Evening

We took an evening tapas and wine tour with Spanish Trails. It was fun and Danny, our guide, was entertaining. We wandered through the different neighbourhoods in the city, while having delicious tastings.

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Day 5

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Morning

We decided to take a train ride out of the city to the beach town of Sitge. This is a lovely but busy town. We rented beach chairs and had a relaxing time. It was a 45 minute train ride which was very convenient from our hotel.

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Afternoon

We walked around the different neighbourhoods and had lunch at Allium in the Gothic Quarter which is known for its Paella.

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Evening

We went to a concert on the roof of the Casa Mila - one of Gaudi's buildings very close to our hotel. It was lovely. We heard the Sabina Witt Quartet. It was a warm, clear evening and it was like being at a friends cocktail party, where drinks were served and everyone sat on the ledges or stood to watch and listen to the beautiful music under the stars. Highly recommended if there is a concert at one of the Gaudi rooftops when you're there. The concerts take place at either La Pedrera or Casa Mila.

 

Day 6

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Morning

Check out of hotel and head to the airport to come home.