Outside of summer — when it’s the most typical time of the year to traveling in Spain — Spring is a simply wonderful time to go visit. Compared to the countries in Northern Europe, summer temperatures in Spain are fabulous, giving rise to delightful aromatic orange blossom smells, and the opportunity of trying a first “Tinto de Verano” on its many idyllic terraces. Or, to take your favourite young niece for a vacation.
This is what she has to say about Barcelona:
I just visited Barcelona, Spain with my aunt, and I can vouch: it’s a great place to visit for a vacation and offers entertainment for everyone at any age.
So, what did I like about it? First, there are the people. The locals are very nice. Besides Spanish, they speak English. Or Italian. Or both. This makes your visit way more enjoyable; you don’t have to try and understand what they are saying in Spanish. Locals are very nice as well, as in: if you ask them for directions, some of them will take you there directly.
Barcelona has live music everywhere. All sorts of music is performed on the street, from opera singing to beat-boxing. The musicians put lots of passion and love into their music. Having music everywhere – this adds so much to your trip; feels like a public party everywhere.
Gorgeous Sites in Barcelona Spain
Then there are the tourist sites. Barcelona also has splendid landmarks to visit. Start with the world-famous Sagrata Família, the Gaudi houses, Park Güell, La Rambla, the Picasso museum, and then make some time for the many other famous churches.
Gaudi Architecture in Barcelona Spain
Casa Batlló
I went to one of the most beautiful Gaudi houses, Casa Batlló. It is awesome. The architecture and interior design of Casa Batlló is based on the underwater world. The splendid mosaics from Gaudi are amazing. The tiles are all handmade and beautifully arranged. The mosaic on the outside of the house is to represent a sea-worthy dragon or scales of a fish. Visiting the house isn’t exactly free, but it is totally worth it. The visiting ticket comes with an audio guide for every room that explains everything and is interactive. I totally recommend that you go there.
Other Gaudi Houses in Barcelona Spain
If you don’t have time for a visit to Casa Batlló, at least have a look at the so-uniquely facades of some of the other Gaudi houses.
The food in Barcelona is amazing. They have delicious tapas – My favorites are the croquettes which are small, deep fried balls of potatoes with meat and cheese. Second on my list of favorites are patates bravas. These are roasted potatoes that are served with a special chilli mayonnaise. Another great tapas is the simple bread and tomatoes, which is self explanatory but is surprisingly good for an appetiser. And then there are the chicken bits, guacemole dips, etc, etc. What’s nice for parents, is that even with an array of different tapas on the table, dinners still turn out to be inexpensive.
Other than the amazing food in Barcelona, their drinks are wonderful. Personally, I love the fresh lemonade that you can get everywhere – yummm. And, the wines are to die for (, so mom says). The best ones are Priorat and Penedes, both Catalan specials. Locals always know what wines are best – so ask them. We did and discover these two that are from the region around Barcelona.
Sant Sebastiàn Beach in Barcelona Spain
Barcelona Beach
The weather in Barcelona is usually very hot during the summer. But if you go in April like we did, the temperature is just perfect. The sun is warm and the slight breeze makes the experience so much better. On the last day, it was even warm enough for us to go to the beach. It was such a treat to put our feet in the sea after all the walking from the week.
Overall, Barcelona is a wonderful place, and I recommend everyone to stay there for a vacation. It is great for young and old, at any time, and isn’t too expensive.