23 Jun 5 Irresistible Reasons to Visit Barcelona
For passageway lovers, adorers of fine wine, hot summer months and street festivities, exploring Barcelona would take a lifetime. Much like New York, Paris, or Tokyo, the Catalan capital is a city of endless wonders. Its lifestyle – loud and passionate, yet laid-back. If feeling like starting a love affair with a whole new culture, here are some reasons to convince you that this Mediterranean jewel of a city should be your number one choice.
1. Generous Drizzles and Delish Bites
When in Barna, one thing is certain – you’ll never meet a Catalan who is hipster enough to pause and take a photo of their plate before actually relishing in the delish dishes of traditional cuisine. Exaggeration or not, gastronomy is not only a fancy new cultural scene over here; rather, Barcelonans consider fine cooking their passion and a way of living. Catalan tables are for sharing, and the region’s opulence of fresh produce provides enough for everyone’s taste. Be an adorer of fine dining, a worshiper of local markets or a street food enthusiast, Barcelona will answer to every little one of your epicurean caprices.
To savour what locals do, dig into bocadillos and pa amb tomaquet for breakfast; to sauce it up over lunch, try sopa de bolets before a plateful of xai rostit amb, and drizzle them all with allioli, romesco or picada sauce. Hit the beach for dinner, and rejoice in a Catalan-style cod before sugar-coating the day with panellets. If wholesome, authentic and straightforward food is what you’ve been traveling to find, Barcelona will be glad to welcome you with a big smile and greasy fingers.
2. Gaudí’s Phantasms and Vibrant Architecture
Just like Catalan gastronomy surpasses cooking techniques, Barcelona’s architecture transcends art. Deeply intertwined with the region’s history, but always a step ahead of its time, the architecture here is a reflection of all that’s utterly human – cultural background, political frictions, religious obsessions and fervour of spirit have all found their expression in Barcelona’s bricks and mortar. Torn down and built up time and time again, the city has blossomed into the soul of Catalan vibrancy, and each wall has marks to prove it.
Take a long stroll or a bike tour and see it all in one breath. Smell the floral tiles of Casa Vicens, let the waves of Casa Milà’s roof terrace whisk you away, unfold the fantasy of skeleton-like Casa Batlló, get flabbergasted with Sagrada Família on sight, and if you still haven’t had enough of Gaudí, take an entire day off for Park Güell. And Gaudí is not everything Barcelona has to offer! Take the time to visit Palau de la Musica Catalana, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Torre Agbar, The Barcelona Pavilion, Santa Maria del Mar and Parc de la Ciutadella – each of those architectural wonders will lead you straight to the Eixample, the city’s most precious token of urbanity.
3. Nightfall Festivities
Whether you are a dedicated attender of museum exhibitions, a late night coffee drinker, a zealous party-goer or an enjoyer of street fests, you’ll quickly find that Barcelona is not only the capital of Catalonia, but a hotspot for nightlife as well. With summer on the horizon and the sun quickly sinking, the city rapidly transforms into an all-out fiesta, and everyone is invited.
In the true spirit of celebration, Barcelonans prefer their clubbing scene to stay spread throughout the city. As a result, basically every single one of the city’s districts has something exciting to offer – stop by the Boadas cocktail bar, the Kiosk La Cazalla and Boulevard Club while on La Rambla, visit Milk Bar, Sugar, Jamboree, Sidecar and Tarantos in the Gothic Quarter, join the trendy nightowls at El Born’s Passeig del Born, Miramelindo, Coppelia Club or Cat Bar, refresh with a suave cocktail at Marmalade in Raval or take a pint at The Loch Inn in Eixample, before continuing on to Port Olimpic for an after-party.
If still uncertain how to get there, check out the Barcelona Party Tour or join a pub crawl for an authentically local experience.
In case clubbing is not exactly your cup of midnight tea, Barcelona is never short of museums, street performances, classy restaurants and music concerts. Don’t miss the booming contemporary art scene, and start with erotic poetry recitals of Prostíbulo Poético. Whatever the season, be sure to check out some of the city’s street festivals – there’s one held almost every month.
4. Celebration of the Past, the Future and the Diverse
As old as Hannibal himself, even tied to the name of Hercules, Barcelona rarely forgets its roots. As time passed by, numerous civilisations left their mark on the Catalan capital, with Romans, Christians and Visigoths being the ones that shaped the history of the region the most. Still, the emblematic Catalan spirit was forged not in the ancient times, but in the modern-day revolutions.
From the ashes of wars, Barcelona was built anew and remained urban and vibrant ever since. Celebrating the past and rejoicing over the future, the city has embraced its eclecticism and became endlessly, delightfully diverse.
Now, you might not need a history lesson to feast your senses, but Barcelona will still present one. From Santa Maria del Pi to Port Olimpic, the city is packed with historical sites and artefacts of the past. To travel back in time, visit Montserrat, a lonely monastery on the top of the hill outflanking the city, where Catalans pilgrimage to honour the Black Madonna. Continue with architecture of old and stop by the Picasso museum.
While in the neighbourhood, dive deeper into the very soul of the city, and spend a day exploring Ciutat Vella. And in case you simply don’t have much time to revisit all of the grounds on which Barcelona was built, take a shortcut to the past with Museu d’Historia de Barcelona.
5. Candle-Lit Romance and Seductive Sangria
If Catalan plates are hard to leave unlicked and Catalan walls untouched, than Catalan charm is even more irresistible. In Barcelona, romance is all about candle-lit bites and seductive rhythms – whatever the reason of your visit, the flirtatious Catalans won’t leave you disenchanted. Get lost in the passageways of El Gòtic, get caught on the kiss cam on the Barça match or share a bottle of red wine on the terrace of Hotel Omm. Wherever you go, the city’s air will remain fragrant with love.
Although The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc seems like a gathering spot for lovebirds from all over the globe, Barcelona has a plenitude of romantic corners to offer. Dim-lit restaurants like Cera 23, Sensi, La Fianna and Can Marti provide just enough light for intimate glances, and make a perfect intro for a slowdance at 23 Robadors or Barcelona Pipa Club.
If in pursuit of a secluded cove, Barcelona has those too – take a trip to Cadaqués or Sitges, both at a driving distance from the city, and both endearingly rich with uncrowded beaches. In case you’re still unprepared to leave Barcelona, have a sunny date at one of the city’s beaches – Barceloneta, Nova Icaria, Bogatell, Marc Bella and Ocata are among best destinations for basking during the hot summer months.
If gastronomy, architecture and beaches aren’t enough to convince you, sangria certainly will. For those hungry of fine dining, romance and street dancing, Barcelona is an ultimate destination.
