By Andrea Two and a half weeks after returning home from Bali, I was ready for my next trip: Barcelona. Shoulder season is my favorite time to visit Europe as it usually means fewer crowds and better deals, without sacrificing good weather. I had been to Madrid and San Sebastian in Spain, but this would be my first time in Barcelona and I was looking forward to experiencing a new city.
My friend Erica from Chicago was going to meet me and I was also excited about my first trip with a new travel buddy. (Full disclosure, Erica and I had only met a couple months beforehand when a group of us got a house in the Hamptons for the 4th of July. We had a great time and I told Erica I was planning a trip to Barcelona in September, but didn’t have anyone to join me yet. Fast forward several weeks, she had booked her flight and we were planning our itinerary. I instantly knew that anyone who would follow through on a casual discussion over drinks by the pool in the Hamptons would make a solid partner for travel!)
Day 1: Soho House, Tapas Tour
I arrived in Barcelona about three and a half hours before Erica, so I headed straight to our hotel after the frustratingly long wait in the immigration line at BCN. While I do love that the flight to Europe from New York is relatively short, I really detest the red eye from New York to Europe. The flight is just not long enough to get a good night’s sleep and it always makes for a very dazed, confused and impatient first day. Oh well, the best thing to do is power through off the adrenaline that the first day in a new city abroad brings.
On the plus side, the weather was perfect. Pure sun, clear blue skies, slight breeze. No, I was not in cloudy New York anymore. After a relatively quick taxi ride, I attempted to check in early to my room at the Soho House. I am in fact not a member of the private club, but that is fortunately not a requirement to stay in their cozy-yet-luxe hotel rooms (which also affords access to all of the club amenities, including a large, fully outfitted gym, a spa, restaurants, and – my favorite – a beautifully designed rooftop pool). The service is always friendly, the clientele is exclusive but not obnoxious, the design is very comfortable, but it also feels upscale.
I was not able to get into my room right away, but Adrian at reception assured me it would be ready very soon (I was almost four hours early for check-in, so I could deal). I headed upstairs to the huge ladies’ changing room in the gym to change and freshen up. By the time I made it back downstairs to store my luggage, my room was ready! Adrian wasn’t kidding when he said very soon. Oh, and we were upgraded to a small corner room. Off to a great start.
After enjoying a cold-pressed green juice on the roof, a nap (in my room), and a shower, I received a text from Erica that she was on her way. Yay! Adrian brought her up to the room upon arrival and we had a quick catch-up session, then launched into our plans for the long weekend. “My brother gave me a bunch of bar recommendations that I just added to the gsheet,” I told her (yes, I like to track all of my travel lists in spreadsheets). We only had a couple hours until our 5pm tapas tour and we wanted to explore a little bit, so we started to focus on getting ready.
I was in the bathroom and heard Erica say something to me. “What? I can’t hear you,” I said as I walked out toward the bedroom. “So, I have some news. I recently found out that I’m pregnant,” she repeated. Well, guess those bar recommendations wouldn’t be necessary. “Oh my god, congratulations!” I told her. It was going to change the agenda for our trip, but only slightly, and I was very, very happy for Erica and David since this was clearly something that they had been wanting for awhile.
Some more detailed catching up ensued and finally we were ready to head out. I will admit that I have not usually been a fan of group tours, but recently I’ve come around in certain cases (small groups being one requirement). I’ve found them to be a great way to get your bearings in a new city, and to keep yourself awake and engaged when battling jet lag/sleep deprivation (see above comments on my hatred for NYC>Europe red eye flights).
Erica and I had decided to try a tapas and wine tour to keep ourselves going our first evening. We met our group, consisting of a family originally from Venezuela (most now live in Houston), a man from Dallas and a couple from Florida. Our tour guide was a bubbly girl in her late 20s originally from Seattle. Over the course of the tour we learned that she had gone to the University of Oregon for undergrad, which included a semester abroad in Seville. There, she met the guy that was going to become her husband in just two short months. I loved that story!
The tour started with a glass of cava while we all made small talk, and then we were off. We wandered through the Gothic Quarter and started at La Boqueria, a famous indoor market. We sampled some cheese (manchego and something else that I really wish I remembered), then moved on to jamon iberico. No thank you!
We took a bit of a flavor detour to sample some nougat and gelato, then headed to a restaurant to enjoy some wine and tapas. One of the benefits of traveling with a pregnant friend was that while she was eating for two, I was drinking for two (we thought we were being funny with that joke at least). So, I got to try both the white and red wines with the tapas, including classic dishes such as patatas bravas, padron peppers, Spanish tortilla, bombas (croquettes), escalivada, pan con tomate and of course more cheese.
Of course, the tour wasn’t all food and drinks. We walked through the imposing Santa Maria del Mar church and learned the fun fact that FC Barcelona has its own small stained glass tile in a window after donating a chunk of change to the church. We also learned the significance behind the two main local flags we saw hanging from buildings and balconies throughout the city. There is La Senyera, the official flag of Catalonia (simple red and yellow stripes). Then there is La Estelada, the flag of nationalists that believe in an independent Catalonia (red and yellow stripes overlaid with a blue triangle and a white star).
Our last two stops comprised of a quick Spanish olive oil tasting and a selection of pintxos paired with tinto de verano. Pintxos originate from the Basque region of Spain; the name comes from the Spanish word “pinchar,” which means “to pinch.” Pintxos are often “pinched” with a toothpick, although not always, at least these days. I had experienced pintxos bars before in San Sebastian, which was a very unique and fun way to dine! You essentially belly up to a crowded bar and pick up the pintxos you want with your bare hands. In some places, people just throw their wadded-up used napkins on the floor. The pintxos bar in Barcelona was a lot cleaner than that, but also less interesting. And in case you were wondering what tinto de verano is, it’s a simpler version of sangria that consists of red wine and sparkling lemonade (or something similar), served over ice. Jane told us that all the locals drink tinto de verano, not sangria.
One last note on the tour – one of the reasons I like these kinds of tours is because it gives you a chance to interact with other travelers that you might not normally meet. The people on this particular tour were older than we were, but all well-traveled, friendly and interesting. I’ve been on other tours with people around my own age, or younger as well. We talked to the Venezuelans about the terrorism and violence that was currently plaguing their country and learned that they still have family intent on staying at home (one woman’s son owns two bulletproof SUVs). We learned that the woman of the Florida couple was a cancer survivor and was now traveling to celebrate her recent success in getting to remission. The single man enjoyed stimulating discussion amongst the group, asking questions such as, “If you could only pick one place to return to before you die, where would it be?”
We were full, still awake and we had learned a bit about the city. Off to a good start. We both had some work to do and I was intent on staying up to ensure I slept through the night, so we headed back to the Soho House, grabbed our laptops and enjoyed a nightcap at the bar (well, I did at least). Then, time for a wonderful night’s sleep so we could wake up refreshed and ready to tackle our first full day in Barcelona.
Day 2: Park Guell (kind of), Gracia, Montiel, W Hotel
We did indeed sleep well and woke up feeling like brand new people. After hitting the terrific Soho House gym and enjoying a sun-soaked breakfast on the roof, it was time to see some more of the city. Our plan was to start at Park Guell, one of the major works by Antonio Gaudi, an architect seemingly synonymous with Barcelona. His distinctive designs are landmarks all over the city. Our taxi sped away from the entrance just as we realized the signs stating that tickets were sold out for the day. OOPS. Didn’t realize we needed to book in advance. I figured it was worth asking one of the workers at the entrance for advice since we were already there; he confirmed that we were out of luck for tickets, but we were welcome to explore the gardens above that were free and open to all. Perfect!
The gardens provided us with some beautiful views of the city and an opportunity to get our second workout of the day. Not a bad thing. There were plenty of hills and stairs, and while it was hot, I was happy that we were there in September (~75 degrees) and not during the peak of summer when it can get up to 90+ degrees.
After traversing pretty much every single path in the gardens, we headed to the Gracia neighborhood, where Jane had recommended a couple destinations. We found ourselves at the Plaza del Sol, where we decided to rest our feet and enjoy some tapas. We weren’t in any rush to get our hotel (in fact, we were switching from the Soho House to the W, a decision I’d soon come to regret), so we meandered through the city streets. Gradually, we made our way to the beach where the W is located. We were earning all those tapas!
Arriving at the W was not the scene I was hoping for. “Untz untz untz,” sounds led us all the way to the entrance from the beach path, and just got worse in the lobby. I had booked the room months in advance and had been informed later that they were hosting the “Wake Up Call” festival, which they were coining a music festival takeover of the resort, with a line-up full of EDM DJs that were not exactly my scene. I really should have paid attention to the red flags, but had always been curious about staying at the uniquely shaped W in Barcelona and figured it could be fun and different to check out a set or two. Nothing like being in a foreign country to push you to do something outside of your normal routine. However, I hadn’t realized that Erica was going to be pregnant and after our lovely stay at the Soho House, the club scene and crowd weren’t at all what I was craving. I guess I’m getting old.
Oh well, we would deal with it. Nothing ever goes perfectly in life or in travel and we certainly weren’t going to let a little music festival ruin our moods.
I had made reservations for dinner that evening at Montiel, a self-proclaimed gastronomic restaurant focused on sustainable cooking, farm to table dining, etc. We skipped the tasting menu and ordered a la carte, splitting the sprouts and flowers salad after a surprise amuse bouche gazpacho. Erica made the right call going with the catch of the day (turbot) while I decided to try the rice from the sea. We shared a chocolate dessert that consisted of chocolate in about five different variations (gelato, mousse, cake and some others I can’t recall). Overall, it was very good. Service was prompt and personable (our server was cute in a nerdy way) and I was happy with my wine pairings. It was unfortunate that we had to go back to the zoo that was the W, but we were both wiped out after a long day of walking in the sun and ready to get some sleep.
Day 3: More Gaudi, Tapas, Hoja Santa
Unfortunately, Erica didn’t sleep well with the party going on all around us, but she handled it like a champ. We took advantage of the free breakfast at the W (thanks to my Platinum status), which wasn’t anything special, but free. I had been smart enough to book tickets for the Sagrada Familia (Gaudi’s most famous work) in advance and we were scheduled for 12:45, but decided to arrive early to explore the neighborhood a bit. That got boring after about twenty minutes, so we figured we’d just try to get in early (“For you, no problem,” the cute Spanish security guard told us when we explained we were thirty minutes early. He probably said that to everyone, but it still made us giggle.)
Everyone had told me that the Sagrada Familia was a must-see and I absolutely agree. There are countless guide books and websites that will explain everything that you need to know about the church, so I won’t even attempt to go into that here, but I was blown away by the massive scale of the place, the attention to detail and the use of color and light.
My friend Gina had recommended timing our visit with sunset, but tickets were fully sold out in the late afternoon by the time I got around to booking. However, I can imagine that it would be incredible to see the light streaming in through the colored windows, flooding the intricately sculpted walls with rainbow hues.
We didn’t really have a plan after the Sagrada Familia, but I recalled that another Gaudi work, Casa Battlo, was relatively close in the Eixample neighborhood. We headed in that direction and I realized we were finding ourselves in the high end shopping district, but managed to restrain myself. Casa Battlo looked cool from the outside, we didn’t really have anything else to do, and we were able to get tickets to skip the line from our phones. It seemed meant to be.
Tickets to view the home include the audio tour, which makes an interesting use of augmented reality. Casa Battlo was originally a single family residence, purchased by the wealthy Battlo family and renovated by Gaudi and his team shortly thereafter. Living in a tiny apartment in New York, I am always astounded when I see the sprawling city homes that others live in/have lived in, and the design of this place made it even more incredible.
After two days of touring Gaudi works, I am officially a fan. Casa Battlo was the last of our Gaudi sights on this trip, but I feel like we got a solid introduction.
All the sightseeing had awakened our appetites. I found a highly rated tapas restaurant (Cervecería Catalana) nearby and we headed that way. The wait was going to be an hour, so we decided to kill time with some sangria (me) and a smoothie (Erica). I will say it was worth the wait; the restaurant was large, but still very crowded and obviously popular for good reason. We ordered some of our favorites (patatas bravas, tortilla Espanola, pulpo, pan con tomate and of course, cava) and chowed down.
Fortunately, dinner wasn’t until 10pm so we still had plenty of time to digest. Time to wander some more. It turns out that we had found ourselves in Barcelona for La Merce, which is touted as Europe’s biggest street festival. We stumbled upon live music and parades, some of which were quite unlike anything I’d ever expect to see in the U.S.
After unsuccessfully attempting to get some rest at the W, it was time for our dinner reservation. My top choice for dinner in Barcelona was at Tickets (#25 restaurant in the world), but I mistakenly thought that I could get a reservation 30 days in advance (nope, they are fully booked 60 days in advance). My travel planning game was really off for this trip. Gina had recommended Bodega 1900 as a backup, but I was too late on that one as well. Fortunately, I was able to score a table at Hoja Santa, another restaurant from the elBarri group that has a Michelin star. I figured that would do.
Hoja Santa only offers a tasting menu, no a la carte option. I didn’t realize this until hours before dinner, but no big deal. I had warned them in advance that I was a pescatarian with an aversion to mushrooms, so I was ready to try it all. Upon arrival, we were introduced to the kitchen staff before being led to our table. They offered us margaritas (one, please) and confirmed our dietary restrictions, then started bringing out small plate after small plate. I wish I had remembered to take pictures of some of the dishes, because many of them were very beautiful and inventive. I also wish we had remembered to take the menu home with us (they didn’t even show us the menu until we had finished the meal) so I could remember exactly what we ate. I don’t even know how many courses we had, but it was a lot (more than ten). I opted for the wine pairing after my margarita and was pleased with the entire experience.
Unsurprisingly, the multi-course meal took quite a while, so we headed straight back to the W to get some sleep. One final note – we noticed a couple solo diners around us in the small dining room. I am always delighted to see others unafraid to enjoy a special meal out on their own. I have been that person before and I will certainly be that person again. I am still not fully comfortable when I first walk in to a restaurant (or a bar for that matter) by myself, with no plans to meet a friend, but that is no reason to not have an amazing culinary experience.
Day 4: Paella at Martinez
Somehow we had reached our last day in Barcelona. I was originally hoping to get up early to lie out at the pool now that the music festival takeover was finally over, but after a couple nights of iffy sleep and our latest night out of the trip, sleeping in and working out won over. We hit the gym at the W (pretty nice, with the cardio machines offering a view of the beach and sea), showered quickly and jumped in a cab to make our reservation at Martinez for lunch.
I had read that Martinez was known for its paella lunches and sun-soaked views of the water, so I just assumed that the restaurant was located on the waterfront. In fact, it’s on top of a hill, which also happens to be the site where the cable car ends. I had been curious about where that thing went all weekend.
Well, Martinez didn’t disappoint. We were seated at a rather romantic table, side by side so we both had views of the sea. Of course we ordered the paella, along with a couple tapas to start (and I got the cava sangria).
After a leisurely meal, we enjoyed the views at the top of the hill, then made our way down the stairs toward the Gothic Quarter and the Born neighborhood. With no real destination in mind, we wandered and attempted to work off the paella until we couldn’t walk anymore, then found a table outside at a trendy-looking Born cocktail bar. A couple Negronis and a mocktail later, we were ready to head back to the hotel. Our last night was rather uneventful, but I had to pack and wake up early to get to the airport.
I left Barcelona very happy with everything we had seen and done, but eager to come back and check out some of the places I had missed. Fortunately, I have a couple more days planned in the city next August, so if all goes as expected, I will be back soon!
Update: See my post on returning to Barcelona here.
