One of the things I love about my work is that I get to travel. When an event in Barcelona came up, of course I decided to arrive a week early to have time to properly explore this city on foot and at my own pace. I hit the tourist sights (which really do live up to the hype), and I also wandered off-the-beaten path. I met up with friends, and I had plenty of time to explore on my own.
5 Things I Love About Barcelona
#1 – The architecture is incredible all over the city.
Of course, Gaudí is the most famous architect. And his work is the most intriguing and stunning I’ve ever seen. But I found myself walking around this city with my jaw-dropped and staring upward, fumbling for my camera, on nearly every single block.
(And yes, there will be more photography posts soon.)
#2 – The cheese and the wine.
There is amazing cheese and wine all over Spain at very cheap prices (compared to the US). But what I enjoyed about Barcelona is the variety in the cheese shops and wine shops. You can explore the local options from Catalonia, as well as other regions in Spain.
Perhaps this is just one traveler’s luck, but I found small shops with great selections and very helpful staff who didn’t mind helping me make selections in my terribly unpracticed Spanish. They were patient, spoke slowly, often trying different phrasing to help me understand.
(And yes, there will be more to come on the wine.)
#3 – The public art.
There isn’t much graffiti art in this city (at least not the kind I like). However, they more than make up for it with the large-scale sculptures.
#4 – It is easy to get around.
While this is a very walkable city, there is also excellent public transit. I love exploring a city on foot, and I was happy to hoof it an hour to meet a friend in a residential neighborhood just beyond where tourists typically go. But the day I walked over 30,000 steps and had a 45-minute walk to get back to my AirBnB by the beach, I was happy the metro was nearby.
I bought a 10-pass ticket that’s good for a year and can be used on the bus and the local trains/ trams.
#5 – The waterfront.
It’s beautiful and clean. There is a nice path for running and walking. There is also a lot of public art to look at along the waterfront.
Barcelona is one of the few cities I can see myself returning to.
