BARCELONA, Spain.
Our trip to Barcelona was part two of our Spain trip! We spent less time in Barcelona than we did in Madrid. And while we aren't upset by the time spent in Barcelona, we did in fact enjoy Madrid more. For us, Madrid felt safer, cleaner, more relaxed and more authentic. The Madrid vibe definitely fit our personalities a bit more and the busyness Barcelona seemed to exude!
We stayed at the Via Sants Hotel during the visit, which was recently updated and gorgeous! We loved how close it was to the Sants Estació metro stop and the train station!
All photos were taken on my Google Pixel 6 and were not edited.
DAY ONE.
We took the train from Madrid to Barcelona, arriving to the midday sun and heat! We also arrived in Barcelona while one of Jason's coworkers was there! So we made some time to visit different attractions and get some delicious food with her! Here are some of the sights and adventures we had our first day in Barcelona...
Arc de Triomf
Plaça de Sonia Rescalvo Zafra in Parc de la Ciutadella
Arc de Triomphe
View from the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
We knew we had to see La Sagrada Familia! So we purchased tickets to go inside and to ascend the passion tower at sunset. The cathedral is beautiful inside and out- the attention to detail and the symbolism throughout is truly stunning! Shortly after we returned home from this trip, we learned that the contractors completed the Evangelists Matthew and John towers! Now they have only the central Jesus Christ tower to complete!
DAY two.
This was our final full day in Spain! We were feeling a bit drained by the Barcelona heat, but had some must-see items on our touristy list for the day!
- First, we had tickets to see Casa Batlló in the morning - and we learned that Gaudí is basically the hit of the city!
- After seeing Casa Batlló we enjoyed a quick breakfast at Il Caffe di Francesco and enjoyed walking and taking in the sights, like seeing Casa Milà from the outside.
- We shopped around Mercado de La Boqueria, and enjoyed some baked treats and fresh squeezed juice- which was super refreshing.
- A major item on Jason's list was swimming in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time! So we made our way to the beach!
- Dinner was at a little seafood restaurant near the sea, and we made our way back slowly to the hotel, and loved seeing the city at dusk!
Our Spain trip was truly a blessing! It was relatively impromptu, which gave a sort of challenge for the planner within me to create the best itinerary I could! I love getting to experience a new country with Jason, and especially having been there for his first time in Europe!
