Barcelona-Sardines in a Cup
💬 First Take
Sagrada de Familia-Spanish translation- “always under construction”
First, I love Spain. It’s the working-class country that has nice people, good food, deep history (remember-I love old stuff), and an easy, friendly vibe, if I was a country, I would be Spain.
Barcelona had always been on my shortlist, and when Covid finally faded, the city didn’t just wake up- it roared back to life. Bravo! The world needed Barcelona.
We stayed in the Gothic District, and after walking the city, it was the best choice for us. Close to everything, felt safe, and surrounded by the best old stuff in the city. Sure, there’s some homelessness like in most big cities, but nothing that ever felt unsafe.
We weren’t there during football season, but as a lifelong soccer fan, seeing Camp Nou (home of FC Barcelona) was still a thrill. The tours were closed, but just standing outside that massive cathedral of football was worth it. And as Arnold says… “I’ll be back.”
Barcelona is BIG. Skip the walking tour and go straight for an e-bike tour (details below). Took us to some hidden corners we’d never reach on foot and gave a good heads-up of what to revisit later. We also did a walking food tour, which was GREAT-but for the full city, the e-bikes win.
🏨 Where We Stayed
We found a perfect spot on the edge of the Gothic District -K+K Hotel Picasso, in El Born. Clean rooms, friendly staff, great breakfast, and you can walk just about everywhere.
There are tons of options, take your pick, but for central location and easy exploring, Gothic District is hard to beat.
I dont know what this cool arch is, but it has a nice park behind it
👉 Come on, we’re doing this together
Barcelona’s cultural energy is off the charts, it goes to 11; you could fill a week and still miss half of it.
E-Bike Tour → My favorite experience of the trip. Emphasis on the “E”. We saw a ton of the city, including some killer viewpoints. One bike battery died mid-ride (it happens), but the guide swapped it fast and kept things moving. Highly recommend for first-time visitors. Big fun.
There is no graceful way to drink from a Porron.
Barcelona Tapas and Wine Experience Small-Group Walking Tour** → A total highlight. Fried sardines from Dixie cups, mystery tapas, and learning how to drink wine from a porrón (think medieval wine funnel). Chaotic, authentic, and way too fun.
Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) → My top pick. Incredible collection, killer art, and free Saturdays after 3 PM (open ’til 6). Great vibe, not too crowded. Definitely top-20 for me, and I’ve seen the Louvre.
Sagrada Família → It’s impossible to miss, and impossible to fully describe. I went inside, if i went back, I wouldn’t pay to go in again. It’s cool, but long lines, not a cheap ticket and honestly, I think the outside is the drug-induced magic part, and that’s enough for me. I do recommend you walk around the outside-it’s architectural insanity in the best way.
Park Güell → A colorful maze of mosaics, curves, and lizards. You feel like you’ve stepped into Dr. Seuss meets Catalonia. I’d give this a 6, it is cool, but the line was long and unless you are a Gaudi fanboy, think twice. The tour is good though(link above)
Picasso Museum (El Born District) → Trace Picasso’s early evolution from sketches to brilliance. It’s a must-see for any art nerd (guilty). Yeah, do this one. I loved it, admittedly, Ima huge Picasso fanboy.
Camp Nou → A mecca for football fans. Even from the outside, it’s iconic. Tours were closed during our visit, but it still gave me chills. Viva BARCA!!!!
La Rambla→We walked La Rambla-fun once, but mostly tourist shirts and keychains. To me, no big deal, but since every big EU city has one, by now, I may be jaded.
Souvenir's and Shopping alternative**→ For something authentic, hit the local weekend flea markets scattered across the city. That’s where you’ll find antiques, art, and genuine local souvenirs -not “I ❤️ Barca” magnets.
Sardine from a dixie cup-tastes like chicken
🍴 The Bite Test
Food in Barcelona is an adventure at times, high in both taste and play value.
🥐 Breakfast / Coffee
So- given the stay up late culture, these are mostly brunch and pastry shops. Sweet breakfast is a tradition here. This is a short list, look around, if you see something fun, do it.
Funky Baker→ Great sweets and interesting take on traditional main stuff. Worth a brunch
Dolceria De La Colmena→ Not diet food. Truly amazing, fresh pastries, sweets etc. You can find many places like this, this one just happened to be in my neighborhood and for that, I’m grateful.
🥪 Lunch
El Xampanyet → Ohhhh- this one is good. Its authentic, locals love it, super good- thank me later.
Els Quatre Gats → Famous café from the Modernista period and one of Picasso’s old haunts. Go for the coffee and dessert, or eat big- BUT-IMHO- the food is only ok, and overpriced, Go for the atmosphere. Service? Eh. Vibe? Perfect.
🍝 Dinner
We ate around town, snacked a lot-mostly neighborhood spots, and never had a bad meal-though nothing beat Bitácora for personality.
Bitacora →Doesnt look like anything special, but it is. Authentic, simple foods done really well. This one is no secret- but believe the hype.
El Xampanyet → Great for dinner too,,,(see above)
🍺 Drinks
Wine everywhere, beer cheap, and gin-tonics served in fishbowls. Great Sangria. Find a terrace, order a drink, and let the night unspool. You cant miss.
🌙 Snacks & Treats
Street churros. Fried sardines in paper cups. Fresh margaritas delivered beachside.
Calories? Irrelevant. Happiness? High.
La Rambla- meh..
🚋 The Getting-Around Bit
Barcelona rewards walking-bring your best shoes. It ain’t easy-the hills are real, take the e-bike tour and thank yourself later. We uber’d into the gothic district and walked for 4 days- lots of shin splints and sore ankles. Other than whining-no issues.
Public transport is solid, taxis easy, but if you’re staying central (Gothic or El Born), you’ll mostly walk.
💎 Hidden Gems – My Favs
Bodegas rock
Barcelona Tapas and Wine Experience Small-Group Walking Tour → Chaotic, delicious, unforgettable.
Els Quatre Gats → Not for the food, but for the feeling. Look around, and imagine the conversations that happened there a century ago-sweet.
Flea Markets** → Skip the tourist traps, find local treasures, There are many of these- check out the link.
Overrated:
Sagrada Família → Yes, it’s iconic, but for me it felt a bit Disney does church. Long lines, expensive tickets. I’d admire it from the street with a coffee and save the euros for tapas.
