Barcelona: a how to guide

Where did this trip take you and why?
One thing you should know about my family and me is that when we find something we like, we stick to it! Which is how it happened that we have been spending our summer holidays on a little Spanish island, Menorca, for the past 30 years (lastminute.com.au sell a great hotel there).
To get to the island you can just fly in and out but I prefer to add a weekend in Barcelona every time! I lived in Barcelona for a few months when I was 20, and I love going back there. My husband was equally keen for some sunshine so joined me on this lovely break from the crappy Dutch summer weather.

Arriving in Barcelona on the ferry from Menorca

What are the best things about Barcelona? Why should travellers go there?
Because summer in The Netherlands is pretty…..how do I put this…..unstable, escaping to beautiful warm Barcelona is just the thing these summer months. I love sipping cava (the local sparkling wine) and trying great food after a day of admiring beautiful architecture and hitting the fab shops!

Where did you stay?
I always stay at Hotel Husa Oriente. The rooms are simple but clean and modern, and the breakfast buffet is excellent value. But best of all is of course the hotel’s fantastic location: smack bang in the middle of the Ramblas, Barcelona’s famous tree-lined pedestrian street.

Our room was on the first floor right above this busy street (and it is as busy at 5am as it is during the day) but the room has been soundproofed very well so noise was not really an issue. Staff are friendly and speak English very well.

Any insider tips to share?
As with all big city trips I recommend the hop on hop off bus if you want to see the sights. It is simply the most efficient way to get a lot crammed into one weekend! For one day you pay about 24 Euros, for two days 32. The company we went with drive two big loops, so you could do one loop one day, the other the next.

We decided to dedicate this weekend’s sightseeing to the wonderful work of Antoni Gaudi, the man responsible for so many of Barcelona’s star attractions. You don’t need to venture far from the hotel to see his work by the way, right around the corner you will find the newly reopened Palau Güell!

Sagrada Familia

After a quick progress check on the Sagrada Familia (Gaudi’s masterpiece currently scheduled to be completed in 2026 – SPOILER ALERT it’s still nowhere near finished) we spent some time in beautiful Park Güell. This beautiful municipal garden is free to enter and the perfect place to take some great photos – of the weird and wonderful architecture, the lovely mosaics that are everywhere and of course the magnificent views of the city.

Casa Batlló is another of Gaudi’s buildings that’s worth a visit. The entrance fee of 18 Euros is quite steep but the building does not receive any government funding, so I think it is money well spent to preserve this great place. Standing in the living room overlooking the glamorous shops in Passeig de Gracia, you can just imagine what it would be like to live there.

Casa Batlló

Inside Casa Batlló

Speaking of shops, you must drop into Vinçon across the street, a huge store selling really cool designer homewares. Department store El Corte Inglés on the Plaça de Catalunya (a 10 minute walk from the hotel) is always worth a visit as well, especially during the sales. Beauty products and leather handbags can be found here cheaper than in other European cities.

If you’re feeling a bit peckish around lunchtime nothing beats a visit to La Boqueria, Barcelona’s famous food market located on the Ramblas. Just pick one of the little corner eateries located between the market stalls, order some cava and a few tapas, and eat lunch like the locals do.

La Boqueria market

Once you get a taste for cava (and believe me, you will) there is one famous bar well worth a visit around aperitif time (so between 7-9 PM): Can Paixano, not far from the Ramblas near Barceloneta beach. Just order a glass of cava and point at a few of the tapas that look appetizing. The bill will be surprisingly low as cava is only charged at one Euro per glass!

Can Paixano cava bar – just point at what you want!

For dinner I recommend the 4Gats restaurant, which some review sites will have you believe is “too touristy”. Don’t be put off by that, OF COURSE a restaurant open since 1897 and frequented by Gaudi and Picasso (who even drew the menu) is going to be popular! The food was great and rather good value, I had the lobster with paella rice, which was beautiful and reasonably priced at EUR24.

4Gats Restaurant

Exploring the old city

Another restaurant I recommend has been my steady favourite since the 90’s: La Fonda, just off the Plaça Reial (just across the street from the hotel). This restaurant is a firm favourite with the locals (if you arrive very late you will have to queue), the food is cheap and the atmosphere is great. Try it!

Plaça Reial

For dessert stroll along the old harbour front (Port Vell) and enjoy an ice cream at Vioko, the Crema Catalana flavoured icecream is divine!

For a drink late at night I recommend one drink by the seaside at Barceloneta Beach. I said ONE drink because the prices here are ridiculous, however the vibe is cool and people watching is a blast. We were at Opium which was definitely buzzing that night. There were quite a few Brits on stag do’s there, I dread to think what their bill would have looked like at the end of the night!

Drinks at Opium

The people of Barcelona are very proud to be Catalan and the main language spoken here is Catalan, not Spanish. Make some friends by trying out a few phrases!