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Spain

WHEN: September 2019
WHERE: Barcelona

Where to sleep!

IBIS Barcelona Cornella 

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Location
Located outside of Barcelona in a local town called Cornella. Although far out from the city, very good location. Safe, Quiet and lots of amenities. Gas station right across the road, shopping center 5 minute walk, millions of food options. Only downside is not a lot of people in the area speak English.

Likes:

Zero complaints. The staff was really helpful. The walk to metro was great and easy. The bed was comfortable. Wifi signal was strong. 

Dislikes: 
Only disadvantage is that you're not right in the city - this however didn't bother us at all. 

Price: 
3 nights cost us $316.71 (211 Euros) So roughly $105.57 a night 

 

Camping 3 Estrellas

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Location
Located 5 minute drive from the airport. 

Likes:

For a campground it honestly felt like luxury. Our tent was huge with a queen bed (which was comfortable!), a desk drawers, and a mini fridge. The bathrooms were exceptionally clean for camp ground. Security is 24/7 which makes you feel really secure.

Dislikes: 
We were only there for one night (8 hours) so its hard to say any dislikes. It could be noisy if you had noisy neighbours which we didn't but that probably could pose an issue. The noise from the highway however is very loud. 

Price: 
I believe we paid 22 Euros for the one night. 

 

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What to see/do

1. Gothic Quarter
I think my highlight was honestly the Gothic Quarter. There's no real "sign" saying you're in but you'll know. It's really tight alley ways that scatter all over a specific area. The buildings are amazing and sometimes you'll pick an alley and it'll open up to a huge square which will have a market or people playing music. It's honestly amazing. 

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2. La Sagarda Familia
This amazing structure has incredible history. Guadi started building in 1882 with strict plans for it. After his passing in 1926 the church was only 25% done and since then it's still been an on going build. It's scheduled to be done in 2026. Nearly 150 years! We didn't get the chance to go inside but we both wish we could have, it was incredible just from the outside. 

3. Beach Day!
Barceloneta Beach is a manmade beach but it's the perfect escape you need. You can see the cruise ships coming in close by. Theres lots of shops close by for drinks and good food. The water is nice and has life guards for when the waves get bad.  

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4. Costa Brava
We took a day tour down the coast of Costa Brava. It was a really nice escape out of the city and to see something a bit different. We made a short stop in a small beach town where we had breakfast. Then we took a boat to Tossa Del Mar. Which was stunning. The beach isn't sand - its rocks, which isn't the nicest but the medieval town was gorgeous

What to eat

Honestly the food in Spain was very tasty! But we didn't have any dishes that really stuck out to us. Their tomato sauces I find tasted a lot better then Canadian. They have "Spanish" Omelettes which are super tasty. I didn't try it because I don't eat seafood but Paella is a typical dish. As is Tapas. As for drinks - Sangria is very popular! 

When we went

We went towards the beginning of September. The weather was perfect. It was nice and warm everyday we were there. It only rained once which was unfortunate but luckily we were in the room by that point and it only lasted a few hours. As for tourists and being busy I would say it wasn't nearly as bad as peak summer but it defiantly was still pretty busy. If you were looking to avoid the crowds I would have went towards the end of September instead.  

General tips/tricks

  • The subway is absolutely amazing. It's very easy to understand and follow and can get you literally everywhere you need to be. Save money and stay outside the city and buy an "HOLA BCN" metro pass. It's good for every public transit system. I think it was about 30 euros for a 4 day pass. 

  • Don't waste money with taxi's

  • If you're doing La Sagrada Familia - purchase your tickets in advance

  • If you're doing Park Guell and Sagrada in the same day start at Park Guell because otherwise you're walking completely uphill

  • Bargin with people - don't accept the first price

  • Spend at least one day out of the city

  • If you're doing Park Guell - honestly I wouldn't spend the money to go in. It was a waste of time personally 

  • Spend a few hours wondering Las Ramblas and Gothic Quarter

  • I would say 3 nights is plenty. 4 if you're flying into that city as your starting point - jet lag

Final thoughts

I went into this trip thinking Spain would be the least favourite but I ended up LOVING Barcelona. I honestly adored so much about it. It was so easy navigate and enjoy my stay and not stress. So much hidden beauty and history. 
Would I recommend going? 
Absolutely!
Would I go back? 
I saw everything I needed to see, so I can't see myself really going back. But I would if it was free! 
Cost Breakdown:

Hotel: We spent 105 a night but I would plan for 120-150 a night
Food: I budgeted 68 euros for 4 days on myself. We were spot on with it.
Tours/Tickets: 100-300 depending on how much you're doing
Transportation: No more then 40 euros.
Total Cost:
We Spent: $600 total roughly

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