I was traveling to Barcelona end of May for a congress.
After 3 busy work days – I had the weekend to roam the streets and discover some of the brilliant places this city has to offer.
Here are the highlights of my trip – feel free to write to me for any questions!
If you’re looking to stay a bit far from the crowded Ramblas, but still feel in the center of attention – this is a good choice. The B hotel is very new and modern and located near Plaça d’Espanya, Arenas de Barcelona shopping mall, and lots of good restaurants.
It also has a great rooftop bar and a nice pool, with awesome views of the city.
The rooms are very clean, spacious and modern – have a sneak peek at this video to see what my room looked like.
Check if they have available rooms on your travel dates here
BRUNCH AT FLAX & KALE
I arrived here around 10 to beat the brunch rush hour (it starts at 9:30 on Saturdays), and there were some open seats at the communal table. If you want to come later, I suggest booking a table in advance.
The atmosphere & design reminded me a lot of Le Pain Quotidien which I love, and the organic menu had lots of delicious options – I went for the veggie eggs Benedict.
http://www.teresacarles.com/fk/ (Tallers)
SHOP AT PASSEIG DE GRÀCIA
After brunch, take a 10-minute walk to Passeig de Gràcia, where there are many nice shopping options. I have a weak spot for UNIQLO as we don’t have it where I live.
It’s worth to walk in even just to see the beautiful architecture of the building.
You can also pay a visit to the nearby Plaça de Catalunya – grab a coffee, sit near the fountain for a quick rest, and take some nice photos.
LUNCH AT LA BOQUERIA MARKET
At this point, you may be a bit hungry (I know I was :)) and it’s a good time to visit La Boqueria market, around 10-minute walk from Plaça de Catalunya.
There are lots of options here for lunch on the go – from meat to fish and seafood, to fruits and veggies and all kind of sweets.
I needed a bit of a sugar rush, so went for Churros –
But competition was definitely strong!
VISIT THE MAGIC FOUNTAIN
After the market, I took a taxi back to the hotel and had some rest. Later I spent the afternoon at the Magic Fountain which is about 10-minute walk from the hotel.
You can do a bit of workout and climb all the stairs to the top or use the escalators.
Either way, it’s recommended as the views are spectacular.
DINNER OPTION #1: SUSHI AT WATATSUMI
If you want to have dinner somewhere close to the hotel and in the mood for sushi, go to Watatsumi on top of the Arenas de Barcelona mall.
I had the Tuna tartar and a fried Salmon roll – both were tasty and super fresh.
Outside there is an observation deck with nice views of Plaça d’Espanya.
DINNER OPTION #2: SEAFOOD AT BOTAFUMEIRO
If you’re looking for a quality seafood restaurant where the locals dine, this is the place to go.
I was craving a classic seafood Paella – and indeed it met my expectations.
All ingredients were super fresh, and even though I was already full halfway through it, I can assure you nothing was left on this plate 🙂
And as we all know, there is the food stomach and the dessert stomach, so being full didn’t matter at all when I was presented with this gorgeous tray –
My choice was a white chocolate covered raspberry dessert – heavenly!
The Hungry Chick Journeys 