Let’s celebrate Spain’s World Cup Victory and plan a trip to Barcelona.
Where to Stay?
Barcelona is a bustling city divided into ten different districts. This can be a bit overwhelming for people that have never visited the city before. Which districts are the safest, most convenient, affordable, family-friendly, and/or lively district to establish as a home-base in Barcelona?
I was traveling with my adult daughter. We needed a place that the two of us would feel safe, and comfortable moving around during our stay. Another thing that we needed to consider was convenience. Our time scheduled in Barcelona was short, four nights, so we had a lot of activities to pack in. A place centrally located to all of the sights that we planned to visit was essential. Cost of course was a factor as well.
Taking all of these factors into careful consideration, I decided to book our stay at Hotel Praktik Essens. This boutique hotel is located in the L’Eixample neighborhood home of the Sagrada Familia. Some of the things we liked about staying here:
- Safety – This is a bustling area, full of shops & restaurants, at no point did we feel unsafe. It’s a big city, though, so always be cautious with yourself and your belongings.
- Quiet – The hotel is set back from the busy street, off on sort of a side street. There was little to no noise when we were in our room.
- Food – The hotel offered a rate that included breakfast at a nearby restaurant. This was a great way to begin our day before sightseeing. Each evening, The Essens offered a light snack reception, featuring salty and sweet snacks as well as local adult beverages.
- Convenience – The city is extremely walkable, and this hotel is near all of the main attractions.
- Smell – The theme of this Pratik hotel is smell. They attempt to capture the smell of Barcelona. Each floor of the hotel has a different and unique perfume note associated with it (for sale in the lobby).
- Customer Service – The customer service was top-notch. All the representatives that we encountered were professional, friendly, and available to answer questions or address concerns if needed.
Getting around?
When traveling, I prefer not to drive. I don’t even like driving in my own city let alone an unfamiliar city. Throw in a foreign language and driving customs and there is no way I’m going to tempt fate.
Getting around Barcelona was not difficult! We also found that Uber is quite easy to use in Barcelona which we did use from the airport, train station, and one other time when we traveled to the Gothic Quarter at night for a tour (we were being cautious).
Things to do?
There is a plethora of things to do in Barcelona. Who you are traveling with will determine what sights and activities you wish to take in. While traveling with my adult daughter we found these activities were our favorites:
- Tour Welcome to Barcelona Eco-TukTuk private tour with guide (family friendly too) – Book through Viator
- Barcelona Picasso Walking tour and Museum Visit (2 hours) – Book through Viator
- Barcelona All-included: Sagrada, Park Guell, Montjuic, & Gothic – this tour also includes a stop at the beach. Book through Viator (7 hours) – You will see almost EVERYTHING Barcelona has to offer on this tour. It was well-worth the time. Ask for Angie, she was an amazing guide! Book through Viator
- Mercat de San Josep – I wish we had gone earlier and spent more time here. Walking around and taking in the sights is free. Warning, you will not be able to resist the empanadas and other treats featured in this market
- Shopping! There are tons of shops to browse with high-quality and reasonably priced items.
- Charm Bracelets – To commemorate our trip, Macey treated us to a charm bracelet and charms. I did get a couple of charms in Spain, but have to admit that I bought additional “Spain-themed” charms once I arrived back home.
Places to eat
There is something for everybody’s tastes here in Barcelona. That said:
Get some tapas and sangria of course! The olives are to die for! Warning: the nut mix is addicting!
Try some empanadas at the Mercat de St. Josep Market
Els Quatre Gats (The Four Cats) – I highly recommend this artists hangout. Drink some vermut. Have a good meal, maybe some paella. Well-worth the stop.
What to wear
Barcelona is a pretty casual city. You can get away with whatever you would feel the most comfortable wearing. We saw people dressed in attire ranging from business professional (although not many) to comfy casual. The fun about this is that nobody really seemed to care or take a second glance at what others were wearing.
We were in Barcelona at the end of March/early April. Honestly, the weather was pleasant, but a bit chilly most of the time. I’m not complaining, this made touring and walking the city a much nicer experience. However, you will want to pack at least one sweater, maybe two (or buy one there, like I did).
Wear comfy shoes! You will be walking a lot on uneven roads and sidewalks. I wore my Addidas the entire time I was in this city.
Euros or credit card
Don’t stress about this. I exchanged my money here in the United States before my trip for convenience. I have a Wise debit card that I take with me on European trips. It can be loaded right into your Apple Pay, so you don’t even need to carry the physical card with you. I also travel with my personal credit card (note be sure to notify your credit card company that you will be traveling to Spain). I like to take approximately 50 euros cash per day and supplement with my debit or credit card as needed.
What do you need for your trip to Spain?
For those long flights, and all of the walking, you MUST invest in some compression socks:
My favorite = https://amzn.to/4tFKx9z
Chuck’s favorite = https://amzn.to/4cj5gZV
Travel Vacuum bags: https://amzn.to/4tzoUHP
A cute black skirt, that you can dress up or down as needed: https://amzn.to/48y1laf
Linen Pants: https://amzn.to/4soRQkQ
Linen Culottes: https://amzn.to/4svByXF
Jean Jacket for Cooler Days & Nights: https://amzn.to/4soZEmC
Comfortable & Stylish Tennis Shoes: https://amzn.to/4miUFm5
Magnetic Wireless Charger: https://amzn.to/47OOlNs
iPhone Charging Lightning Cable: https://amzn.to/4czpAr8
iPhone Charging C Cable: https://amzn.to/3Q2Mj6b
Apple Watch to track all of your steps: https://amzn.to/3Oy9Mvw
Universal Travel Adapter: https://amzn.to/4cmhtNp
Stretchy Apple Watch Band: https://amzn.to/3Q3PJ8G
Heated Eye Mask for the flight over, and the hotel: https://amzn.to/4cfNSoR
Migraine Stick (for those smelly airplanes, buses, & trains):https://amzn.to/4sp1vrA
Rfid Blocking Clip Stash Pouch: https://amzn.to/41lVd15
Rfid Blocking Neck Pouch: https://amzn.to/4czOve1
Anti-theft Phone Tether: https://amzn.to/3PSZAyf
Macey’s Fav Phone Tether: https://amzn.to/3PXLHyM
I LOVED this bag! It held a water bottle, and a Coke Zero easily, plus all of my other “stuff”: https://amzn.to/4cfMGBT
Hoodie (to pull up over your hair on the plane, train, and bus): https://hiveandseektravelblog.dashery.com/products/84015828-queen-bee-swarming-the-globe-hoodie
***Disclaimer*** As an Amazon Associate, if you click on a link and order something, I may receive a commission. Please click and order! Momma needs to pay off her credit cards from her trip to Spain, AND has an addiction to ordering too many craft supplies!
***Disclaimer #2*** This list is not exhaustive. There are probably a few other things that you think should be added. Feel free to comment, and let me know what you think I should have added.
Hive & Seek 
Leave a comment