Barcelona City Break – A Long Weekend with Friends

Eight friends from around the world choose Barcelona as a place to get together. Discover how this cosmopolitan European city won us over and why we are coming back to the same place at the same time next year!

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Why Barcelona?

I mean, it is a great city, but there are plenty of great cities to choose from when people are coming from around the world to meet up. It just so happened that Barcelona was the place that had direct flights from all the right places in the UK and is just a stone’s-throw from Palma by boat!

Who went – 8 friends from around the world to celebrate a big birthday!
Where we flew from – Gatwick, Stansted, and Bristol (UK) and one boat trip from Palma (Mallorca)
When we travelled – 14th to 17th March

Where we stayed in Barcelona

A penthouse apartment (complete with a turret), which boasted six bedrooms and four bathrooms, plus views of Sagrada Familia. This rental was located on Pg. de St. Joan, just half hour drive from the airport, and slap bang in the centre of Barcelona. We enjoyed a very spacious stay, it made for a great place to socialise, and we particularly enjoyed the rooftop terrace.

Things to do in Barcelona

Walk!

Get your comfiest trainers on because Barcelona is a BIG city, and it is best to explore it on foot. On the first full day we each clocked around 30,000 steps. This was all as a gentle meander from eatery to attraction, through the city, through the parks, down to the beach, and back to our apartment located in central Barcelona. Highlights were:

Jardins Fontserè i Mestre – a pure botanical delight, luscious plants, delightfully ornate architecture and a very pleasant way to spend some time, without costing a penny!
Park Guielle – a magnificent feat of creativity and a magnificent feast for the eyes! This surreal delight mixes modernist architecture with the utterly absurd aesthetics of Gaudi’s imagination. Booking in advance is a must or you won’t get past the “gingerbread” house entrance, and be warned, it isn’t cheap – but it IS well worth it!
Sagrada Familia – if you haven’t had your fill of Gaudi at the park, get yourself down to the longest building project in Barcelona! The Sagrada Familia is the peak of bonkers architecture. Viewing from outside might be enough for most, pay a fee to enter and you’ll be treated to a far more minimalist experience, but packed to the rafters with visitors.
Ciutadella Park – a formal garden with street performers, beautiful palm trees and the delightful Cascada Monumental, a fabulous fountain, with Venus springing forth from a clam shell under a huge archway that is topped with a golden chariot and four golden horses carrying Aurora, the goddess of the dawn.

Eat!

It’s very hard to go wrong eating out in Barcelona, the cuisine is simply divine. Our favourite finds were:

Billy Brunch – A simple menu that hits all the right spots and is freshly made to order. We tucked into avocado toast, eggs benedict, chakchouka, and pancakes alongside superfood smoothies.

Casa Vall – It’s been a go-to place for locals since 1920, serving up delicious tapas alongside the likes of sandwiches, salads and burgers. We tucked into oxtail soup, Spanish tortilla, English breakfast sandwich, and ribs with patatas bravas sitting out in the sun.

Las Sorrentinas – What a gem this find was! A small and welcoming eatery serving up a fusion of Peruvian and Italian homemade food! The deep fried aubergine with pineapple jam was a firm favourite as a starter, and we all enjoyed a different dish filled with homemade pasta.

Pastisseria! – If eating pastries and cakes is your idea of heaven, then Barcelona might bring you slightly closer to feeling divine. There is somewhere to grab freshly baked goods every few shopfronts, and I swear that every single thing we tried was out of this world!

Art!

The city just oozes creativity and inspiration. Not only is the architecture of every building a visual delight, but the streets are packed with independent galleries alongside bigger art museums. And we can’t forget the street art culture here – graffiti is plentiful, and in many places encouraged. I highly recommend you get out and go see the artists in action!

The Barcelona Marathon!

We were fortunate enough to stay the weekend of the marathon, and our apartment was right on the route! Watching 30,000 people pass by added a level of emotion we weren’t expecting, and inspired some of our party so much that they have signed up to take part next year! Hence, we’ll be back!

What to love (and not to love) about Barcelona

It is CHEAP! A round of drinks (2 beers, 3 wines, and some sparkling water) came to €15. Eating out came to between €20 and €30 per head, including drinks, and while we didn’t indulge in much retail therapy (besides a quick dip into a vintage market) clothes, jewellery and accessories looked pretty reasonable too.

So what didn’t we love?

Not that we encountered any animosity, but it is clear that there is some disdain for tourists descending upon the city. We saw some “tourists go home” stickers and street tags, but in all honesty everyone was very pleasant to us during our time there.

Would I go to Barcelona again?

This wasn’t my first time, and it won’t be my last! I may not be signing up for the marathon next year, but I’ll definitely be there to cheer the rest of the party along!

Travel Writer Bio

Kerry McCarthy is a Writer, Editor, Artist & Breathwork Instructor who loves to travel. You can find out more about her adventures over on instagram at @kerrymccarthystars

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Barcelona City Break – A Long Weekend with Friends

Why Barcelona?

Where we stayed in Barcelona