Back in Barcelona
After many years - and some recent ancestral investigating (we have ancestors who left Spain in the 16th century to head to “New Spain” in the Americas) - I find myself back in the beautiful, cosmopolitan city of Barcelona and loving it more than ever. Travel is very much back, and the Catalan port city has a steady stream of planes and ships arriving once again, with locals generously offering their favorite recommendations - so I won’t pretend to do it justice here. But as I do with all of my city travel, I brushed up on some history before hand and book a fantastic bike tour through Airbnb Experiences, which I highly suggest for an overview and some insight. Barcelona is the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, and is known for its art and architecture. The fantastical Sagrada Família church and other modernist landmarks designed by Antoni Gaudí dot the city. Museu Picasso and Fundació Joan Miró feature modern art by their namesakes. From Gaudí to Messi, towering architecture to towers built of people, visiting the sea to gorging on produce, Barcelona’s to-do list is as plentiful as its sunny days. Tourism link here
This is a fabulous walking city, from the waterfront to the rambling roads and narrow pathways, as you stumble across La Sagrada Família, Catedral de Barcelona, La Boqueria market and so much more. I can’t do it justice in a round up so I have added helpful links here - so eat, drink and be merry. But please brush up on your understanding of history, and that this is a Catalonia region - in fact you will see that flag the most throughout the city. And while English is widely spoken here, Catalan is the main language, and then Spanish - people here speak all three ( and put me to shame with my limited language skills) so you will have no issue.
*Don’t forget about day trips just outside of the city or a short trip to the nearby Balearic islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza) for more fun in the sun (and much better beaches)
