We booked a total of five days in Barcelona. It was the first week of July and the weather was right for it. Most every day it was 80 degrees with a slight overcast. By the afternoon the sun was out and sunglasses were a requirement. Barcelona teemed with an expected fashion sense. Totally unaware that Barcelona is a fashion capital and the epicenter of all things Spain - there was definitely something in the air. Women were well dressed, men were absolutely gorgeous, shops had guards and things just moved - fast. With the hustle and bustle there was pollution and noise, a lot of it. I found myself trying to process a vacation in a big city with so much going on. If you're looking to escape or relax, you would need a car or a spa appointment in Barcelona. There was plenty to do and see but you had to travel out a tad to getaway within one of Europe's largest cities.
Another nearby shopping area is Las Rambla, a never ending strip of big box stores, brand names and local shops. When entering all is flanked by every phone carrier in Spain, an underground Sephora, Havaianas, a flagship Apple Store and El Cortes Ingles - Spain's popular multi level chain store offering everything from clothes, cosmetics and grocery. While walking Rambla there is a Carrefour supermarket, a multi level H & M and an old open air market, La Boqueria. The market is huge and flanked by other vendors outside with their own offerings. There you can get the best in produce, meats and seafood. You can also take tapas or a variety of ready to eat things like candy, nuts and pastries. We found so many lovely items between the market and grocery store to take back to the hotel. Most days we snacked on fruits, veggies and local wines in our room. Nights we ventured out for different tapas really trying to grasp the art of it. Barcelona is the broadest introduction to tapas with a lot of variety which isn't offered in the rest of Spain. There are also plenty of fast food and other concept restaurants but being there first we gravitated to the little plates. There was also this great spot called Nostrum which offered fresh but modular takeaway you could eat cold or hot. They had croquettes, salads, tortillas (omelet pies similar to quiche) and popular dishes. The beauty of it was everything they offered was under 3 Euros including wine, gelato and gourmet desserts. It was the by far the best alternative to fast food and tapas.
Barcelona has multiple forms of transit. There are buses, an underground metro and even a lift to nearby mountain attractions. If you are near any of the shopping districts everything is in walking distance including the best museums, churches and the beach. The Picasso Museum is absolutely gorgeous and can be done in an afternoon. Around the Picasso are plenty of artisans shops and vendors to get souvenirs. Barcelona appeared to be hiding it's everyday people from the more refined areas but a few left turns nearest to the mercado or beach, you will find real homes and daily life. Most of the real Barcelona is just off Las Ramblas in lively squares and plazas. We attempted to have a girls night out and settled on a bar just off the strip in a plaza which wasn't upbeat but nice for people watching. There were also many lounges and restaurants offering things outside of sangria and tapas. When we walked back to our hotel we found Obama, a themed bar near our hotel just off Diputacio. There we had a successful run in with live American music, great drinks and excellent patatas slathered in garlic.
Our hotel room ranked 2nd in our most hated stays. The 4-star cubby hole had no view, only one outlet in the common area (none by the bed) and barely any walking room. The place also featured things that didn't exist like a gym and a business center. There was no gym. The business center was a computer mounted in a corner with no seating or printer. The only great thing was it being about five blocks from the beach and in the middle of De Gracia. The same brand hotel had two other locations, one that was alley sized off Las Ramblas and another whose only view faced what appeared to be a landfill. Hostels and lower end places were very scary looking. Most of them were extremely old with these tattered banners hanging from the balconies to entire patrons. Honestly, Barcelona didn't seem to have any happy mediums for overnight stays until we found the beach. No one at the hotel told ever told us where the beach was so we had to find it. We spent one day near the docks and naval center but hadn't found the actual beach. The next day we took a turn and actually made it to the water.
The "boardwalk" area has a huge mall, an aquarium and a private W hotel resort. We really wanted to get near that W but it was clear on the other side of multiple marinas and attractions. That W was obviously not for perusing or having a drink at the bar. We wound up inside the mall on day one not being able to tell where the beach actually was. The next day we walked clear around that area and kept east where the beach was like a surprise. Right off of it was a supermercado where we got drinks and snacks and literally five feet to the right of it was the beach. There was a heavily populated area, roped rocks and then beachline resorts on both ends. There were also plenty of shops, restaurants and condos. Thankfully, the beach is extremely modern offering restrooms and showers almost every 25 feet. There were also lifeguards and announcements from beach staff. Although the beach was crowded it felt safe. We were able to leave our things on multiple occasions including purses and iPhones. There were peddlers and promoters on the beach but no one really bothered us. They appeared to approach larger groups of women and hand out vouchers to the clubs. Large clubs lined the beach way but didn't open until after hours hence the recruitment of all the beach goers by day.
Overall, Barecelona is a place for fashionistas, artists, couples or families. Although the city has its history and artistry, there is no real recreation in it. You're never going to lose the comforts of the western world in Barcelona. If it weren't for language and tapas, there would seriously be no difference between it and any other major city. It isn't a place to melt away stress or regroup. It isn't a place to seek out authenticity or a one of a kind experience. I could totally see a young family coming there because there is a beach, shopping and plenty of kid-friendly places to eat. Also, the city is ever changing and modern. You sense a great deal of renewal in the cityscape and planning. There was construction and remodeling everywhere. We went to see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia and it too was under construction. The entire church was covered in scaffolding so we couldn't really see all of it. Weighing in on the time it took to walk there, the long line to get in and the cost - the church tour wasn't worth it. Any artist or photographer would be infuriated not being able to capture the entire thing and wasting time and money. This site and many like it a young couple or family could avoid and still enjoy themselves doing everyday things. Sadly, one is going to divulge a list of what can't be seen or what isn't worth the trek - you just have to go and try. When trying to reach beyond the absolutes and seek different things a lot faired like the Sagrada. We found many churches with entry fees (not suggested donations), restricted dress codes and weird opening hours. You had to go all the way there just to be disappointed. Thankfully there are so many unique spots throughout the city you will find something to occupy your time. If you are looking to shop, eat things and occasionally lay out on a topless beach - Barcelona is your safe haven.
Update: Segrada Familia won't be complete until 2026 - here is why
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