Barcelona…

I first visited Barcelona when I was on a school trip that I had successfully managed to negotiate with my parents. I don’t remember too much about the trip although I do remember; our coach driver having a double belly button piercing, a trip to PortAventura, a bout of sun stroke, the purchasing of a pair of bell bottom jeans with safety pins up the sides and a trip to a water park where I have my earliest memory of seeing pubic hair. Circa July 2017 and my second trip to Barcelona…

This time I’m not getting on a coach with my fellow pupils to travel from Exeter to Barcelona on a 39 hour trip. Nope, adult Natalie can afford to fly Ryanair. I was expecting to have none of my previous experiences on this trip and hoped for a laid back trip with my love but a part of me wondered if at some point I’d lose him to a ball on the beach. He does love a kick about.

I think that it’s easy for Barcelona to be dubbed the city of eternal tourism, it doesn’t really seem to have a quiet season but it isn’t all elbow to elbow. There were in fact a lot more things about Barcelona that I enjoyed more than I expected.

The balconies… Barcelona has as many balconies as there are hot dinners served. I kid you not. What most fascinated me was the feeling that each balcony seemed to be an extension of the occupiers personality. It’s the equivalent of looking under a teenagers bed, through the travel trunk of an elderly member of the family or the google search of a millennial. Go to Barcelona and you’ll understand.

The views… There are plenty of picnic spots, sunny terraces and shady retreats from which you can take in the view over the city.

My favourite view was from Mirableu, an open sided restaurant and bar located at the foot of Mount Tibidabo. Cool drink in hand and a burger called the Nebraska had me in a happy place.

Getting to know the locals… It’s well circulated that getting to know people on your travels is one of the perks but I also like to seek out the real locals, what’s not to love about meeting the local wildlife!

Nature is uncanny in the way it adapts to its environment and the challenges of everyday urban living. Did you know that in London the pigeons have started using the underground to get from one place to another in search of more crumbs! Yes they can fly but the little Columbidaes have figured out a much quicker route to grub, I’m not ashamed to admit the pigeon is likely my spirit animal.

Following my feet… Nick and I walk a lot. We get about. Walking is the best way to get your bearings of a place, plus it ups my average daily steps and makes me feel less terrible about the 106 steps kinda days.

We’ve never failed to find something out of the ordinary by winding our way through places upon our own pairs of feet. Public transport isn’t to be sniffed at because sometimes to make the most of time you may need to hop on and off a faster mode of travel.

The back streets… The hustle and bustle of Barcelona mid July can get a little tiresome and a shady timeout is what you may find yourself needing once in a while. It’s surprising how close these little areas of respite are to the main drags.

The tall, balcony faced apartment buildings rise up either side and appear to lean in and almost touch tops. Independent businesses; cafes, boutiques and bars inhabit the foundations with their pull down doors decorated with various designs of graffiti.

The problematic side to Barcelona is the level of petty crime that occurs on the streets and the public transport systems. This small point ISN’T a reason NOT to visit but to simply encourage best practice, like you should anywhere. I would recommend Barcelona as a long weekend break or perhaps a few days stay as part of a wider travel plan.

The city won’t be everyone’s favourite place but if you a little deeper then its skin deep tourism then you’ll find a beautiful city, with a lot of heart and heaps of art. The eating is damn good too!