I’m currently sitting on the train from Barcelona heading down the Spanish coast to Valencia and thought I’d do a recap of my two days spent in Barcelona. We arrived Saturday evening after traveling for about 26 hours from San Francisco. So, of course, we first wanted to take a shower, look for something to eat, and get some sleep in a real bed. Our hostel was luckily very central to everything we wanted to do and filled with many travelers around our age with a variety of backgrounds. One of our roommates suggested we take the “free” walking tour, so we took his advice and did that on the first day.
Bright and early, we headed to the metro subway to meet the tour guides near the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, and let me tell you, the Spanish subway system is seriously impressive. Not what I was expecting at all, it is easily as good as that of NYC, maybe even better since it was so cheap. 10 trips for 10 euros is a steal since it can take you anywhere in Barcelona in about 15 minutes.
The tour is hosted by a company named Sandemans which is very well known and hosts these walking tours in major cities all over the world and is guided by locals. The tour lasts about 2.5 – 3 hours and takes you around to cathedrals, plazas, and alleyways full of so much history.
Our guide was originally from London but had been living as a local in Barcelona for 15 years. He was very knowledgeable about all the history and even had a great sense of humor. Being an artist himself, he showed our tour group some street art, old and new. From Picasso’s work to local street graffiti artists. In those few hours, I feel like I’ve learned and retained so many facts of history and appreciate it much more than I ever have from all my years in school.
We loved the tour so much that we decided to join their Tapas tour later that evening. For about 12 euros, a guide takes you to 3 local tapas bars to try a variety of tapas while enjoying a glass of wine or beer. Tapas are pretty much tiny plates of food that are served at bars with drinks. The history of how they came to be is actually pretty funny, back in the day, they were given to people at bars free of charge just so they didn’t get too drunk. But now, you have to pay for them, of course. At the end of the tour, you’re given the chance to drink out of a traditional Spanish Porrón (pictured below), which is a giant wine glass that low-key resembles a bong.
TAPAS TOUR
Our second and final day in Barcelona was spent appreciating Gaudí and all his architectural designs spread throughout the city – from La Sagrada Família to Park Güell. After a long day of sightseeing, we headed to La Rambla and stopped at La Boqueria, a large market, to grab some local snacks. I’m still in awe of how beautiful Barcelona is and will definitely be back to visit one day.
LA SAGRADA FAMÍLIA
PARK GÜELL
LA BOQUERIA
