Photographs from Barcelona

Evening Light

As you probably guessed from the title, Barcelona was our destination for an impromptu trip. We had some fun choosing where to go. I listed each option on small pieces of paper, and we each chose our top three. If one location matched, that was our choice. Only after that would we look at accommodations, flights, and the weather.

Travelling at the last minute is exciting, but something so close to embarkation time can get expensive. Also, all those relatively cheap flights usually are anything but once you dig into it. It’s coincidental how the most affordable options always seem to be the ones that don’t work. The second flight leaves just before you arrive from your first, or the layover time is too short to be comfortable, considering possible delays. Many of the cheapest options do not include a carry-on bag, as many European carriers are commonly listed without that inclusion.

Going into this, we knew it would not be the cheapest trip we had ever taken. However, during our research, we discovered a significant interest in visiting Budapest. It appears to be very affordable, especially compared to Barcelona. We were considering breaking the trip in half and flying to Budapest. We have done multiple countries in 10 days but decided to spend the entirety of our time in Barcelona, not visiting two countries in one week.

After zero delays and good flights, we arrived in Barcelona. Flying overnight really messes up your perception of time. Did I travel for one day? Was it two days? Should I be eating breakfast or lunch? Jetlag is a funny thing.

Somorrostro Beach

Exploring Barcelona

After checking in to our Airbnb, we unpacked, quickly cleaned up, and headed out to explore the city. At that point, my knowledge of Barcelona was limited; I knew the basics and maybe 1 to 2 top sights to visit, but I was unfamiliar with the city's layout. We walked around quite a bit, gathering our bearings for the days ahead, familiarizing ourselves with the distances between some things and whether they were walkable or required other means of transportation. The big highlight of the first day was the Gothic Quarter.

The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona, known as Barri Gòtic, is a historic neighbourhood that dates back to the Roman era. Its layout preserves traces of ancient walls and streets. Today, visitors are drawn to the Gothic Quarter for its narrow, winding streets, squares, and a mix of Gothic and modernist architecture. There are many shops, cafes, and tapas bars, and many people are around the area.

We anticipated the second day challenging as the forecast called for substantial rain. That proved correct, and it rained steadily for the first half of the day before clearing up for that beautiful evening light.

On a rainy day, we looked at what we could do inside. We checked out the Banksy Museum in the El Born area of Barcelona and attempted to visit the Picasso Museum, but many people had the same idea, and the wait time was too long, so we moved on.

Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, Barcelona

Public Transportation at Plaça de Catalunya

A few attractions in Barcelona are a bit out of the way and would be a long walk, but overall, Barcelona is very walkable. The layout of the neighbourhood where we stayed makes navigation easy. The Eixample neighbourhood of Barcelona features a unique grid pattern of Modernist architecture. There is an endless blend of residential, commercial, and cultural spaces, including boutiques, diverse dining options, and more. We walked most of our time but took a bus to some less convenient areas, including Park Güell, which was unfortunately sold out during our remaining days.

We also decided to take a guided tour of Barcelona's most famous landmark, the Sagrada Família, the world's largest unfinished church. It broke ground in 1882. The structure is massive, and it was beneficial to understand more of the church's history while exploring it.

Overall, I spent a substantial amount of time simply walking around and chasing the light in some areas, most prominently around the La Boqueria Market and the Gothic Quarter, where there were many people and great light.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Barcelona has been near the top of our travel list for some time. A week was a perfect amount of time to experience the city and some of Spain's culture. The weather was varied, with rain showers that dissipated to amazing skies and fantastic evening light.

We also want to visit other areas in the country, namely Seville, Madrid, and Valencia. However, there is no timeline, as our next travel is to Scotland in July. Here is the complete portfolio of the images, and below, you will find a YouTube video from our time in Barcelona.