“Barcelona, I still long to hold her once more.” – George Ezra, on repeat
The months and days and hours leading up to our move to Barcelona, this song was played over and over in our apartment in Shoreditch.
Since before we arrived, I already missed Barcelona. She was so romantic, magical, and hard to hold on to. Our 35 days there went by extremely fast; I blinked and it was over.
This was what our month in Barcelona looked like with her and here are our top recommendations of where to go, what to do and where to eat:
LIVED
Gothic Quarter + Èl Born
Barcelona’s old city is split into two neighborhoods: Èl Born and Gothic Quarter. They are separated by a main street, but from photos, they look very similar.
We quickly learned the different personalities of these twins. Gothic Quarter sits next to La Rambla, the most famous, lively street in Barcelona. This naturally causes this neighborhood to be more crowded with tourists and global shops – Zara, H&M, Starbucks, etc. It’s still a maze of alleyways, hidden cafes, and beauty, but it’s definitely the more well known, louder neighborhood of the two.
Èl Born is the quieter, hipster twin sister. Her hidden alleyways and streets are home to many local, boutique shops and restaurants. Here is where you can shop up-and-coming local designers and artists. Famous street art line the walls and the crowds are a little smaller and more local.
We plotted ourselves in Gothic Quarter in a beautiful Spanish-styled apartment. Every time we walked out the door we were in awe that we actually lived there. It didn’t feel real. When we wanted to eat and shop, we often found ourselves wandering to Èl Born.
Gracia + Barceloneta + Eixample
Although we didn’t live in these neighborhoods, these were three we ventured to and really enjoyed. Gracia and Eixample are bit inland, and Barceloneta is right on the water.
SAW
Casa Batllo
This is the home designed by the legendary architect Antoni Gaudí. They offer an audio virtual reality tour that’s the perfect length and forces you to fall in love with his eccentric architectural style.
Piscina Municipal
This was the pool built for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona sitting pretty atop Montjuïc. Today it’s open to the public for €5/day and boasts incredible views of the city. Bring your own picnic (and booze, if you want) and rent plastic lounge chairs for €1 or walk to the top of the stadium steps to indulge at the snack bar.
Camp Nou
If you’re into fútbol, this stadium is a must see.; it’s vibrating with energy. We witnessed Messi score Camp Nou’s 6,000th goal here.
Tip: Party before, they only serve non-alcoholic beer in the stadium.
Bunkers
I’m not sure this can be considered a local’s secret anymore considering the signs that yell “TOURISTS, GO HOME”, but it’s definitely a hidden gem. Don’t be intimidated.
Make it a top priority to hike to the “Bunkers”. They are actual bunkers that were used to guard the city during the Spanish Civil War. Here you can see the sky and the sea turn into a rainbow as the sun sets over Barcelona. Bring a blanket, cards, beer, wine, whatever you want. Stay as long as you please.
Tip: If you put ‘Bunkers’ into your Google Maps, it will show you exactly how to get there.
Sagrada Familia
This is another iconic structure designed by Gaudí. Sagrada Familia is an unfinished Roman Catholic church sitting in the heart of Barcelona. The church is still being worked on to this day and is set to be completed in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death.
Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
This is a giant fountain sitting on the hilltop of Montjuïc and our second favorite place in the city to see sunset aside from the Bunkers. The water fountain show turns off at a certain time every evening, but walk to the top of the stairs to see the the sun set over the city. There are numerous cafes to grab a a drink at too.
Other places we wandered to, not mentioned above, but worth seeing: Arc de Triomf, Barcelona Cathedral, Park Güell
ATE + DRANK
Federal Cafe
Location: Gothic Quarter
Go for: Great brunch, fresh ingredients, co-working space. We worked here many days a week.
Bar Cañete
Location: Gothic Quarter
Go for: Dinner. This is a Spanish tapas restaurant with a very lively ambiance and incredible food. Share everything – the burrata with homemade pesto and the plate of shaved jamon is a must. Make a reservation.
Santagustina
Location: Born
Go for: Wine and dinner. This is a tiny wine bar with big windows, big wines, and big food. Come here on a warm evening and sit outside with a glass of frosty albariño and a mushroom risotto.
Mercat de Santa Caterina
Location: Born
Go for: Lunch. This is a local market in El Born that has a tapas restaurant attached to it serving food straight from the garden out front.
Arume
Location: Gothic Quarter
Go for: Dinner and the duck risotto. That’s all you need to know. It changed my life. Make a reservation beforehand.
Taquerias Tamarindo
Location: Eixample
Go for: Your Mexican food cravings. We had them big-time. Their tacos are authentic and their salsa is fresh. They have homemade margaritas too.
Mosquito
Location: Born
Go for: Dim Sum. We went here five times. It’s a tiny, dimly lit joint with paper lanterns hanging everywhere. You circle what you want on the menu with a pencil, hand it to the chef, and they roll fresh dumplings for you in the kitchen by hand – if you strain your neck you can see for yourself. They also have a lot of beers available from all over the world. Walk-ins only.
Hotel Praktik Bakery
Location: Eixample
Go for: Breakfast, lunch, coffee, or all of the above. This is one of the locations of Baluard Bakery. You can watch bakers roll homemade dough as you eat a warm homemade croissant. I’m talking the most fresh, most beautiful pastries, bocadillos and flatbreads you’ve ever seen. Food is art.
Quick Greek Dionisos
Location: Gothic Quarter
Go for: Quick, good quality Greek food wrapped in a burning hot pita. Skip the sit down restaurant version of Dionisos and go to this quick hole-in-the-wall across the square.
LOVED
That sums up our one month in Barcelona. As most people do, we fell in love with this city, this culture, this country. We will be back, someday.
