Viva Barcelona!

We did a week along Disney Mediterranean cruise a few years ago - and the port of departure was Barcelona. We got there a few days earlier to soak in some Spanish culture before the cruise - when you think of Barcelona, Gaudi comes to mind - but there are these hidden gems in and around the city that makes you want to come back for more! As soon as we landed from Toronto on the red eye, we were famished - and we were determined to find a local tapas joint. On the way to Taller de Tapas, we were caught some of the gorgeous architecture that Barcelona is so known for.

The sights of Barcelona

 

The next item that HAD to be ticked off the list was Parc Guell. This park is a public park that contains some of the finest works of Gaudi. The actual park itself is on top of a hill, allowing amazing views once you make the trek - making the trek is the hard bit! But, don't worry there are tons of little cafes and gelato shops along the way to give you the much needed energy boost. It can get crowded, but really the people watching is part of the charm of heading out to this little park.

 

 Classic Gaudi - the architecture reminded me of real life gingerbread houses!

 

We were tired out from the excursions of the day and the trans Atlantic flight - so decided to call it a day and start afresh to visit Sagrada Familia - another Gaudi landmark. The church was undergoing extensive renovation - and though the church was open to the public, we decided to skip the long line up and instead spend more time people watching along the Ramblas.

 

Sagrada Familia

 

My favourite spot in Barcelona was the Gothic Quarter which is old Barcelona. The Barcelona Cathedral is in this area and it has gorgeous stained glass windows. In the area, there are also quiet courtyards and old bookstores which can provide a convenient venue to get lost in :-)

 

No trip to Barcelona can be considered complete without a pitcher of sangria and a bowl of olives at hotel Murmuri. This is a chic boutique hotel - best known for their décor and oh-so-yum sangria. It is a little bit hard to locate - but locate it we did.

 

 

What made the stay in Barcelona that much yummier was the fabulous W - I will admit I am a bit of a hotel snob - and one of the items on my bucket list is to stay in every W in the world - that is going to make for some interesting travel budgeting :). W Hotels are trendy and fresh and really a nice place to come "home" to after a day of hard sightseeing :)

 

 

Viva Barcelona!