Before You Leave Barcelona: 9 Things You Must Do

I have been to my fair share of cities around the world – and one of the few that I find myself missing often… is Barcelona.

I could feel I was going to fall in love with that city the moment I set foot in it… and I did.

Barcelona is one of those places where it is everything you expect it to be, and then some. Everywhere you turn, there is some sort of unexpected beauty. There was on time I got lost in the city trying to walk back to my hotel in Montjuic, and in the midst of my aggrevation, I turned around and found this view, and suddenly realized… that I didn’t care; because I was surrounded by incessant, sunset-infused magic.

The list of things to do in see in Barcelona is obviously endless; but before you leave, this is what I recommend:

1. Go to La Boqueria

Now, I have to admit – in my travels around the world, Freemantle in Perth is the best market I have ever seen in my life, and my sixty-something year old dad who went with me agreed!

BUT – La Boqueria in Barcelona is absolutely my second favorite. The colors, fresh fruits, Spanish spices, the liveliness… you have to see it. Be basic, and get yourself one of those infamous €1 juices too; you won’t regret it.

2. See the Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona

In Madrid as well, I’ve found Spain has a knack for having their own Paris Arc de Triomph, and while none of them will ever be the original… go see this one. The rustic color of the arch, people playing music, and showing off their talents in the surrounding area is the epitome of being in Spain itself.

**Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona; Taken December of 2017**

3. Eat Avocado Toast at Flax & Kale

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. If I’m in Spain, shouldn’t I be eating Tapas? Yes, yes you should be – but I leave the king of that to Madrid; as it’s a much bigger city than Barcelona. When I came here, after seeing La Boquiera, I could feel that this city valued fresh, clean eating. To me, that meant checking out the hippie, health food places seemed to be a must – and it was.

I am undoubtedly, obsessed with Avocado Toast. I’ve tried several slices of it, but this is the best slice I’ve had around the world. The bread is homemade with spelt flour, and you can taste every uneven seed that they’ve purposefully placed to make it all the more satisfying. Then, the avocado is served to you in a mountain on top of their perfectly baked-from-scratch bread, and then sprinkled with alfalfa sprouts on top. Is your mouth salivating yet? Mine is, remembering what this bad boy tasted like.

Avocado Toast at Flax & Kale near the University of Barcelona

4. See La Sagrada Familia

I’ve actually still never been inside (the top of my to-do list for next time!), but the outside is still… wow. Like many other European light rail systems, the minute you come out of the metro: there it is, a commanding view in front of your eyes.

**Me in front of La Sagrada Familia in December of 2017**

5. Bathe in the Heavenly Views of Park Guell

With the guitarists in the background, and the radiant city below you… this was a moment I’ll never forget. You will inevitably feel the magical charm of this city just by overlooking it.

**The view of Park Guell; Taken December 2017**

6. Stroll through the Gothic Quarter

Ugh. This was one of the most mystical parks, and in my opinion – so underrated.

**Cathedral of Barcelona in the Gothic Quarter; Taken December 2017**

The Cathedral of Barcelona is jaw dropping in its intricate detailing; and the quarter itself is quaint and an adventure itself. The streets are small, narrow, and filled with quintessential Spaniard Charm.

**The streets of the Gothic quarter in Barcelona; Taken December of 2017**

7. Take a trip up to Tibidabo

We all have our moments, where we realize that all the extra time, effort, and energy we spent working towards something we wanted paid off. Standing up here, looking over all of Barcelona, was one of those moments. You can hop on a bus for under €5 and see it for yourself.

**View from the top of Tibidabo; Taken December 2017**

8. Live out your Cheetah Girl dreams and see that famous Iguana

Once upon a time, I took a selfie of the famous iguana an I on snapchat. But alas, I did not save my story in enough time. Ah, those were the days before I signed up for iCloud and didn’t have a phone with nearly enough space for how many pictures I wanted to take around the planet. Nevertheless; I suggest you go see it – even if you can’t stay until the free entry… as the Cheetah Girls say, “It’s not enough, just to dream it!”

**Picture of “El Drac”; Taken December 2017**

9. See Fountain Montjuic

Now, I was lucky in how I saw Fountain Montjuic sing for the first time. I actually celebrated New Year’s Eve and rang in 2018 in Barcelona.

**Watching the Show from Afar in Plaça d'Espanya; NYE 2017**

I went back to my hotel after waiting in a coffee shop outside of Park Guell for a few hours to see “El Drac” for free. I wanted to use my hotel’s treadmill – but it was broken. The gym was already on the rooftop, and I saw a perfect piece of smooth pavement in front of me, and I figured…

… why not?

With the dusty purple black sky, and the rolling silver grey clouds, and the single iridescent stars perfectly spaced out with the sparkling full moon, and Barcelona lit up around me in mountainous range… I decided to run on the rooftop. Every time I did a lap, I would either see the Spaniards hanging their clothes to dry on their iron gate fences, or Tibidabo lit up in the distance, sitting on the hill like a throne.

After showering, I walked down to where the New Year’s celebration would begin. I looked up to the moon, and realized how right Ed Sheeran really was in his song.

**The moon in Barcelona from Plaça d'Espanya; NYE 2017**

That picture doesn’t do any justice to what it looked like in person. So, you better go see it for yourself – along with the 9 other things on this list. If you’re looking for a Barcelona itinerary, or other things to do in Spain, click here.