Ah, Barcelona. You beautiful, lovely, warm, vibrant, colorful, quaint place. I didn’t expect to leave with such a fondness for this city, but after a great weekend taking in its sights, there’s no denying how special a city it is.
Not making it to Spain was my biggest regret when I returned home from my semester abroad in London. My determination to get there, plus the fact that in the craziness of moving abroad we did not make it to the ocean once this summer, made Barcelona the obvious choice for our first city break. We booked quickly after we arrived in the U.K., since we wanted to visit when it was still warm enough to enjoy some time at the beach!
Turns out October is a fabulous time to visit Barcelona. The weather is still warm, but cool enough for touring comfortably. We did a lot of walking, so this was definitely appreciated. On the warmest day of our stay, the beach was absolutely packed and many people were swimming. I had originally envisioned our trip being more of a beach weekend, but I am so glad we spent more time exploring – there is so much to see!
A weekend in Barcelona is enough time to get a feel for this unique place and get your fill of Gaudí’s unique works. We took in the sights at a fast pace and did a LOT of walking. We could have easily spent more time in Barcelona exploring more of the city, the surrounding countryside (outside our accidental trip out to Signes on our way to the airport…) and the Barcelona food scene!
Here are some snaps from our trip. I talk more about travel specifics in my Barcelona in a Weekend post here.
That way to the beach!
Gaudí everywhere.
Colorful Barcelona.
Wandering though the Boqueria
When in Spain, have cava with lunch!
Wandering through the beautiful streets of Barcelona.
The stables at Palau Guell.
The incredible dome of Palau Guell. This was one of Gaudí’s earlier works and marks the start of his relationship with the Guell family.
Mosaic columns at the top of Palau Guell.
Kicked off our Saturday with the incredibly stunning Sagrada Familia. This is a must see.
Park Guell.
Enjoying mojitos and people watching on Barceloneta beach!
Paella on the beach! It was okay, but the location couldn’t be beat.
A super moon and a super trip!
Jenn is an American expat living in London, spending her time freelancing, traveling and writing on this here blog. Thank you for reading. Are you planning a trip here? Tell me your plans in the comments!
