The title says it all. 2 days in Barcelona goes by in a breeze, and its certainly not enough time to experience the entire city. But it is better than none and it gives you a good taste of what it’s like if you plan it correctly. This trip was the second stop of my Girls Trip 2019 to Europe. Read “Paris Travel Guide” (here). We will certainly be back and look forward to spending more time in the magnificent Catalan capital.

Getting There:

As mentioned above, we were previously in Paris. We flew with a low-cost airline called Ryanair. The trip was from the Paris Beuvais Tille Aiport, which is NOT in Paris. So be careful when booking; directly to the Barcelona – El Prat Airport. It was an hour and some change ride to the north of Paris, and an expensive cab fare. Other than that, the flight was good. However, the baggage allowance is a bit less than US carriers. So you should check out their website for details. (Here)

FYI, the carry-on gets checked in and weighted.

Getting Around:

We took a cab from the airport to the hotel. They do not have Uber there, so we relied on taxis. Their taxi laws are very strict. You either need to wait at a taxi stop, or have an establishment call one for you. Otherwise, they will not stop. If you’re traveling with more than 4 people (and that includes babies); you need the mini van/van with the high ceiling. Or they will not let you get on.  We met a really nice cab driver who we ended hiring to take us back to the airport. Feel free to reach out if you’re planning on traveling to Barcelona, so that I can share his info.

Lodging:

 We stayed at Hotel Regina. It is in a very central location. Only a block away from Plaça de Catalunya and Las Ramblas, (Barcelona’s most famous street with lots of shops and restaurants). The hotel was nice and clean, but a bit outdated. It looks like an apartment building that was renovated and turned into a hotel. We had some trouble with the AC not cooling the entire place. Our room had what seemed like a porch area, where we had 2 twin beds. But the staff was really nice, and they brought us a fan. We really appreciated the complimentary water bottles for everyone in the rooms. They have bar downstairs. No pool.

Day 1:

Daytime:

• Walked around Las Ramblas.
• Had lunch at Café Zurich – Most yummy ham and cheese sandwiches.
• Got hooked on Estrella Damm beer.
• Got introduced to Jamon serrano. Make sure to order “Pata Negra”. Its more pricey, but worth it.
• Took a nap, because self care.

Evening:

• Visited Basilica De La Sagrada Familia – Bought tickets ahead of time on their website. Amazing Cathedral.
• Had dinner at Restaurant BarcelonaMilano – Very Insta-worthy and big place with great esthetics. Yummy tapas. The paella was good, but they were stingy with the seafood. It was also a black rice “arroz negro” paella, which I didn’t know how many paella variations there can be.

Day 2:

Daytime:

• Slept in, because self care.
• Spent a great deal of time trying to exchange money. Rates are the worst, and lines can get long. So as mentioned in my “Paris Travel Guide”, find out with your local bank if they have a good rate and bring some cash from here. You can also practically use your cards anywhere. Just make sure that your card doesn’t charge a foreign conversion fee. FYI, you need your passport to exchange money in Barcelona. Didn’t need it in Paris.
• Had a ham and cheese croissant sandwich and Estrella Damm beer at Café Zurich, because YOLO.
• Got the cutest and delicious gelato from Amorino Gelato. I got coconut and passion fruit with a dulce de leche macaroon topping.
• Went to Barceloneta Beach. The water was nice, but the beach was really crowded and lots of vendors trying to sell you things.

Evening:

• Early dinner – Had the best paella at Voramar Restaurante, at Barceloneta Beach.     Tried legit Spaniard Sangria, and of course, jamon serrano tapas.
• Went souvenir shopping.
• Went on a hop-on, hop-off bus tour, so we could see more of Barcelona; since we were flying out early the next day. We literally just walked over by the fountain at Plaça de Catalunya and booked it there. Since we took the last bus, we didn’t get to hop-off. But we did see a lot, the ride was 2 hours. If you get on early, you can ride the bus all day and visit different attractions.
• Walked around the Plaça de Catalunya fountain after the tour.
• Ended our night at Café Zurich for a night cap and dessert. (They need to run me a check for all this promo)

Attractions:

 Places that I would visit next time that I am in Barcelona.

• Parc Guell
• Casa Mila
• Boqueria Market
• El Nacional
• Arc de Triomf
• Plaça d’Espanya

Hope that you enjoyed this rushed itinerary. If you have any additional suggestions of places to visit, favorite tapas place, best sangria, etc. Leave a comment below.

Mari

 

 

           

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