¡Hola! Barcelona

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is full of charm with whimsical architecture, excellent food, and a fun relaxed vibe. 

Half-term break takes us to the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona. Back in February, our good friends relocated to Barcelona for work. It was bittersweet to say adidos, especially for our kiddos who were best friends at nursery. But equally we were excited for their new adventures in Spain. As a treat for the kids, our friends kindly invited us to stay for a long weekend over half-term break. So we packed our bags and hopped on a 1h:45 min flight to the capital of Catalonia – Barcelona.

El Poblenou in Sant Marti

It has been over a decade since we visited Barcelona. We had no agenda other than to spend time with our friends and let the kiddos enjoy an extended playdate.  On our first afternoon, we walked around our friend’s new neighborhood, El Poblenou down the Rambla del Poblenou to Platja del Bogatell. For an October day, the beach was packed with families and groups of friends enjoying the autumnal sun. El Poblenou is a great neighborhood for families, thanks to the beach, numerous parc infantil and eateries. We couldn’t be more happy for our Argentine friends. Barcelona really suits their lifestyle and we are grateful for their warm hospitality. 

From Torres Glories to La Sagrada Familia to Parc de la Ciutadella

The next day my friend took us on a walking tour around town. With kids in tow, we took a lot of short breaks to rest their little legs. We made our way to Torres Glories where our friend works, stopping along the way to his favourite Argentine cafe, Pastisseria Mendieta Barcelona, for a light lunch. Then we made our way to Barcelona’s most famous sight, La Sagrada Familia. Construction is due to complete in 2026 on the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. We didn’t get tickets to visit as kids were too young to appreciate the beauty and masterpiece of this architectural gem. 

Afterward, we made our way to Arc de Triomf and Parc de la Ciutadella where the kids enjoyed the afternoon frolicking around this beautiful park. Having clocked over 10,000 steps, the kids were tired so we went back to El Poblenou and ordered pizza for an easy Sunday night dinner.

From La Rambla to Passeig de Gràcia

On Monday we explored different neighborhoods on our own. From El Born to the Gothic Quarter, we eventually found our way to La Rambla, the tree-lined pedestrian street stretching from Plaça de Catalunya to the Mediterranean Sea. By lunchtime, we made our way to the world-famous Mercat de la Boqueria. For serious foodies, this is a must! Here, you can purchase everything from fresh seafood to Bellota jamon to fresh fruit and vegetables. We settled in a Kiosk Universal people-watching as we devoured tapas and seafood.

Next stop: churros y chocolate on Calle de Petritxol, the picturesque narrow road lined with independent shops. With our bellies full, we continued on to Passeig de Gràcia for some window-shopping along Barcelona’s most exclusive boulevard and marvelled at two of Gaudi-designed houses – Casa Batlló and Casa Mila. 

By the late afternoon, we made our way back to El Poblenou to meet Lady Yeya’s friend at his school bus stop. Being Japanophiles, our friends picked Bambu sushi & udon for our last meal together in Barcelona. The next day we were off to the seaside town of Sitges for our second leg of our Catalan adventure. 

Adiós Barcelona! To be continued…