Ola amigos! There’s few things I enjoy more than wandering around a big city, soaking in its beautiful scenery and architecture. I’m lucky to live in Antwerp, where I get to do this almost every weekend. So when you get the opportunity to take your favourite weekend occupation overseas, you gladly do so. That’s exactly how I found myself spending a sunfilled weekend in Barcelona at the lovely invitation of TUIfly. The trip fits into TUIfly’s newest campaign: you probably know the leisure airline by its former name Jetairfly. To get the word out on the brand new name change we flew to the capital of Catalonia for a marvelous November weekend spent in the sun. Sit back, relax and enjoy this travel diary full of must-visit spots!
The flight
The one thing that I dislike about traveling by plane is having to wait hours on end at the airport. Not in this case, because TUIfly‘s flights to Barcelona El Prat operate from Antwerp Airport. In this particular case it ment leaving the house at 5.40 AM and catching the 6.30 flight with ease. So convenient! After one and a half hour of buzzing through the clouds, we landed in sunny Barcelona. It’s not even nine in the morning now, and we’re so ready for our first day in the city!
TUIfly
www.tuifly.be
Check-in!
A taxi brings us to Grand Hotel Central, a beautifully chic four star hotel located on Via Laietana. Definitely a good choice if you’re feeling a little bit fancy! Spacious rooms, perfect service, breathtaking views over the old city and an awesome rooftop bar with pool: check. Book a room here if you want to be close to the old city, the major shopping streets, Las Ramblas and the beach.
Grand Hotel Central
Via Laietana 30
Brunch at Flax & Kale
Thanks to your tips I had a list of must-visit brunch places, and we brunched our way through the weekend. We started out extra healthy with a visit to Flax & Kale. This is a Flexatarian Restaurant, meaning that most dishes are plant-based, with the inclusion of meat in a few of them. It’s the perfect place to eat at when you’re traveling with a group of friends. We had the salmon sashimi toast, supertagliatelle, the veggie burger and two delicious smoothies. Friendly atmosphere and value for your money! Stop by Teresa’s Juicery next door to pick up a healthy juice on the go.
Flax & Kale
Carrer dels Tallers, 74B
Dinner at El Nacional
Thanks to once-a-local Anouk, I booked a table at El Nacional. This grand venue houses four different bars/restos, and we made reservations at La Llotja, the fish restaurant. The sea bream baked in Formentera sea salt was delicious and took me back to Ibiza with every bite. Make sure to reserve a table ahead.
El Nacional
Passeig de Gracia 24
Parc de la Ciutadella
This park, which literally means park of the old city, lays in the northeast of the city center. Inside you’ll find the zoo, the parliament of Catalonia, museums and the beautiful fountain designed by Joseph Fontser猫. It’s the perfect hang-out spot on a sunny day. In the mood for a romantic boat ride? Rent a boat and row around on the lake.
Park de la Ciutadella
Passeig de Picasso, 21
Brunch & Cake By The Sea
Brunch is always a good idea, so we head down to the beach and manage to find a prime spot at the hip Brunch & Cake by the Sea. You’ll find everything your brunch heart desires, from delicious smoothies over acai bowls and kale salads to blueberry pancakes. comfort food at its finest! You can’t make a reservation, so pass by and try your luck. There are different Brunch & Cake venues throughout the city, but this one is my fave.
Brunch and Cake by the Sea
Passeig Joan de Borb贸, 5
Rent A Bike
Rent a bike and discover the city at another pace. We got ourselves a pair of fancy motorized bikes and biked around the city. Drive all the way up to Park Guell and pass by the Sagrada Familia, or head over to Montju茂c for the best views over the city. There are numerous places to rent a bike, we got ours at the hotel.
Prachtige foto’s!
It sounds like you had a really nice weekend in Barcelona! Scenery and food look so good!
Ela BellaWorld
Amai, wat een zalige vakantie! Klinkt echt hemels! 馃檪
Een citytrip naar Barcelona (http://www.airstop.be/nl/goedkope-vluchten-informatie/barcelona) is echt geweldig! Er is zoveel te doen. Wij deden de stad ook 1 dag per fiets, echt’n aanrader!