As we approach the end of 2024, I need to get myself together and recap the Barcelona leg of our summer vacation before I forget everything! While it wasn’t too long ago that we did a long weekend in Barcelona, we decided to go back and enjoy the city and beach scene during the summer. Our trip began and ended in Madrid, with the middle in Barcelona with friends. We took the train between Madrid and Barcelona and it was very simple, on-time and comfortable according to Rhys.
Before we left, anyone who heard where we were headed gave us warning. “Have you heard about what they are doing to tourists??” Not what you want to hear before a big trip! Apparently a few locals had a water gun war with tourists which honestly, in that heat, I would welcome! Regardless, we didn’t encounter the water gun mob while we were there.
WHERE TO EAT:
When selecting an Airbnb, Steve was VERY excited to find a place near his favorite coffee shop, La Papa. They have the best avocado toast and pistachio latte I’ve ever had. I know that is an oddly specific latte, but it left me dreaming of more and on a hunt for pistachio cream. Lo and behold, I found a huge jar at Costco right after our trip. So I will be having pistachio lattes for the next 3 years now. Anyway, it was so good we went back again for said lattes. I am sad to say this place may be ruined for me now as I used the bathroom and giant, I mean truly massive, cockroach was staring at me on the toilet paper roll. Imagine if I had already committed to using the bathroom and blindly grabbed the TP!
Can Boneta: We went here because they took reservations. August in Europe with a group of 5 seemed to warrant reservations, but it wasn’t crowded when we arrived at the American early bird hour. More traditional Spanish food and good wine.
Billy Brunch: Our Airbnb host recommended this spot nearby and it did not disappoint. We came across another location near Sagrada Familia and popped in for a quick bite before our tour and with the intention of cooling off after a long, hot walk. There as no A/C…. or it was broken, or something. We nearly melted.
Bistrot Levante: We went here on our last trip and had to come back. Steve thought ahead and made reservations. Great Mediterranean dishes and natural wine with a nice courtyard. They didn’t have a wine list but rather took our ask for a summery red and found the perfect fit.
Roast Club: A little coffee shop with acai bowls, good if you are nearby but no need to go out of your way
Compartir: fancy schmancy make a reservation far out kind of place. We went for lunch and it was quite an experience! Now here’s a moment I should’ve taken better notes. I laughed at this wine description and i *think* it was at Compartir but not sure. A wine we enjoyed was described as having “toilet herbs”. Tell me how that translation got through! I know wine snobs have some…unique… descriptors but what is this?! Also, I forgot my phone and Steve thinks pics of your food are stupid so this is the only photo I have from the meal.
Sips: Top 50 best cocktail bars in the world. They don’t allow babies but the rest of the crew said the drinks were super unique!
Jansana: gluten free bakery near our Airbnb that we visited more than once for baguettes and other tasty treats. Why don’t we have all these options in the U.S.??
Xuba Tacos: so good we got them as takeout too!
WHAT TO DO:
You’d think all we did was eat based on the above, but we did a lot more than feast.
Sagrada Familia: We went back again and did another tour. Well worth it even the second time. Get tickets far in advance for your preferred day and time so you don’t miss it.
Barceloneta Beach: Stay in the city but get the convenience of a beach too! We rented an umbrella and the entrepreneurs out there take credit card now. No missed opportunities! The beach is walkable to restaurants and the water was very pleasant during our stay.
Montjuic: We climbed to the top for a view of the city on our last trip, but this time we took the funicular up (Rhys getting top notch service up the steps). After some googling, we found out the pool from the 1992 summer Olympics may be open to the public. We took a chance and packed our swimwear. Sure enough, the diving well and lap pool were open! The view from the pool is stunning- you can see the whole city from up there. It was a bit different being in a pool where you can’t touch the bottom anywhere, but there was a large ledge around the perimeter to sit on. It was a mix of locals and some tourists with a very low entry fee. You could rent umbrellas or chairs, but by the late afternoon when we arrived they were already all rented out. Definitely one of the more memorable and unique experiences while traveling.
We skipped Park Guell but our friends went. As we vaguely remembered, it was hot with no shade or place to get water on the grounds. Not ideal with a baby, but still nice to see more of Gaudi’s work if you haven’t been before.
Sitges: We took the Renfe train to this cute little beach town for the day. There are numerous beaches easily accessible from the train that all seemed pretty similar. The town itself had a great selection of boutique shops and restaurants. We got snacks from the grocery store and hit the beach in rented chairs and umbrellas. The water was pleasant and refreshing. We headed back in the afternoon to get Rhys some rest, but our friends stayed and explored the other beaches and had dinner. It was a great little side trip and easy to get to via train in about 40 minutes.
WHERE TO STAY:
Maybe not our Airbnb! The location was great and the place was perfect for 2 couples (and a baby). We had the penthouse with 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, our own elevator (except the time strangers accidentally arrived in our living room), 2 patios, washer & dryer plus full kitchen. All was well until the second to last day. The owner said the other shower was leaking, so to only use our shower and the other would be re-caulked. Ok, not a huge deal. Fast forward to 4 people showering, using the sink, etc. and the next day someone nearly pounded the door down while Steve was showering. Turns out it was far more than a caulk issue and the problem was actually our bathroom. The one everyone had been using to avoid the supposed leaky one. Some pipe was backing up into another Airbnb every time we used the water…and that dirty water was going ON THEIR BED! What a terribly unpleasant surprise especially as it took awhile for them to locate the leak. We’ve stayed in a lot of Airbnbs with no big issues (although I didn’t love Mr. Mouse in Amsterdam) so we got lucky again not having the exploding pipes over our bedroom!
That’s all for now. Next up: Aruba! A bit different than our “normal” travel, but looking forward to some relaxation..or as much as you can get with 2 little kids.
