City Post: Barcelona

Barcelona was our first modern city in Spain. All of the trains were full, and all of the busses were sold out, so we got a BlaBlaCar from Pamplona. It took us 4.5 hours and a ridiculous number of roundabouts to get there in a sedan with five people in it. Needless to say, we were ready stretch our legs once we got there! We were exhausted from the run and ride, so we grabbed some kebabs on a boardwalk near our AirBnB and called it an early night.

Our first morning there, we decided to relax on the beach. It was a short walk from our AirBnB, and we took a dip in the Mediterranean. It was hard to believe that not even a week prior we were in the sea on the opposite side of the country! Jack took off to get coffee at one point while Jo took a snooze in the sun. After that, we explored the Gothic Quarter a bit. We tried to get the Barcelona City Card that afternoon, but the tourism offices were closed (it was a Monday). Even so, we both enjoyed the scenes of the old city, but we both noted how many storefronts had been converted to look modern on the old buildings. That evening, though, we made it to La Segrada Familia, and WOW, that was an AMAZING experience. Absolutely worth the 26 euros we paid for it, and even then we were rushed at the end from the closing mass. For those that don't know, La Sagrada Familia is a cathedral that has been under construction for over 100 years! It is an elaborate architectural tale of Jesus's life, with multiple facades each telling a different part of the story. There are (or will be) 18 towers when it is finished: one for each apostle (12), one each for the Gospel Saints (4), 1 to the Virgin Mary (1), and one to Jesus himself (1). If you ever have the change to spend 3 hours there, we HIGHLY recommend it. Just know that there is a dress code (albeit not an overly conservative one), tickets are timed entry, and you can only buy tickets online at the official website.

The second day, we sought our Barcelona City Cards, which was an adventure in itself. The first tourism office was closed and the second two didn't exist, but we finally found one that was open. We then hit the ground running to get our money's worth. We hit the Museu Frederic Mares first (mainly because it was close and air conditioned). This museum showcases Christian-themed sculptures. We both agreed that if you are of the Christian faith, and especially if you are Catholic, you should check this museum out if you are in Barcelona. Then we hit the Museu Historia Barcelona, which showcases Barcelona's Roman origins. There are underground ruins of the original Roman city, and exhibits explaining Barcelona's growth. No rest for the weary, we headed off to the Museu Olímpic i de l'Esport Joan Antoni Samarahch. While this wasn't Barcelona-specific, it was a really well done tribute to both the Olympic Games and individual athletes.

That night, we ate at Con Gracia, a fancy restaurant that only serves a nine-course chef's tasting menu. That's all we'll say about that (check out the YouTube video when it comes out), but you should definitely check it out. Oh, and Jo recommends trying out the wine pairing option.

The third day, we knew we wanted to hit two museums: Museu Picasso and Museu de la Xocolata. But first, we went up to Tabidabo, the cathedral on the hill. This was something Jack wanted to do. It took a while to get there, and there was a school group there we when arrived, so it was a bit of an initial let down, but it was cool to see up close.

We did the Xocolata museum first (and had Arepas on the way!). It was included with the City Card, but it was only 6 euro if you want to try it out. It only takes about an hour max to get through, but it was an interesting history of how chocolate came to the Europe (and it comes with a free chocolate as your ticket!). The Picasso museum, well, we were both a bit disappointed. There were lots of paintings, but not a lot of history surrounding them, which is what we were hoping for. We capped the day (and Barcelona as a whole) off with dinner overlooking the beach.

We didn't do much of anything our last day. We woke up late, so we really just packed and went on our way.

Something that affected us a lot while we were in Barcelona: the air quality was terrible. Jo's weather app listed it as "unhealthy," and you could see the dust / pollution in the sky. If you're feeling sick, maybe postpone Barcelona until you're feeling better.

Where we stayed: AirBdB just outside of town

Jo's Favourite: La Segrada Familia

Jack's Favourite: Tibidabo

Top Lesson Learned: Find a good balance between accommodations cost and the time it takes to get to the main part of the city

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