Snow capped mountains from my window seat

It’s December 2024, and that meant two things: I’ve just come to the end of my first term at LSE, and it was time for WINTER BREAK! I wasn’t new to the chill that settled in London in the winter months; however, after an academic term of figuring out what the hell I was doing, I decided that the best way to start my break was to go on an actual holiday.

Bring in Google and the keywords ‘Winter Sun’. I wanted to go someplace that had guaranteed sunshine, good vibes, and a cheap flight. I settled on Barcelona (or as the locals say BarTHelona [insert laughing emoji here lol]), the capital of Spain’s Catalonian region. I had never been and decided that it would be a great opportunity to see a new country while making use of my CXC Spanish that had been gathering cobwebs in a remote corner of my mind. (I got the shock of my life when it dawned on me that in Barcelona they spoke Catalan more than Spanish)

I spent FIVE glorious days in Barcelona and while it wasn’t Antigua and I had to wear a coat, the sky was blue and the sun shone brilliantly. Inspired by the way I crammed three days in Budapest into one post, I think that I can top the feat with five days. Full disclaimer, I am trying to recount 2024 memories almost a year later but I hope my photo highlights will make up for whatever my mind forgets.

Whereas Budapest was a group trip, I only had one travel buddy with me in Barcelona. Despite the reduction in the travel numbers, we still had the best time in the whimsical city. From eating Paella on the beach front to marvelling at the stained glass windows of the Sagrada Familia, Barcelona was magical from start to finish. Before I get into the day to day itinerary for the trip, I’m going to share the details about my hotel and flight.

The Barcelona trip was one that I had set aside for rest and relaxation, so, I went to Expedia and booked an affordable flight & hotel combo package. My flight on Vueling airlines was smooth and I had a backpack and a carryon suitcase. The 4 starred Hotel SB Diagonal Zero was 5 minutes walking from the ‘Forum’ Metro station and it was very easy to get to from the airport. I had breakfast included, access to spa facilities, and the property even boasted a rooftop pool. There was a mall directly across from the hotel which had a Primark and the beach front was 15 minutes walk and had a lot of restaurants to pick from.

Day One: Sunsets and Sangria

On the very first evening in Barcelona, I knew I had to take a walk and find the sea. After dumping my bags into my room and taking in the surroundings, I pinged my ‘Chev-Bro’ Ramar and told him that it was time for us to touch the road. After a 15 minute walk, we ended up on ‘Platja de Llevant’ (Llevant Beach) and the view was beautiful. The cotton candy sunset was beautiful on the Spanish horizon and of course I coached my companion on how to snap my photos.

After marvelling at the first beach I’d seen since September, we continued down the stretch until we found the ‘Balco Gastronomic’ on Port Olimpic. There were a wide variety of restaurants on the pavilion which also boasted panoramic views of the Bay. I made note of a few restaurants that I wanted to try and then snapped some photos of the boats in the nearby marina. The area was dressed up for Christmas and posed in a cute light installation.

After nosey-ing around the Gastronomic Balcony, we decided to turn around and make our way back toward the hotel to find something else to eat. We stumbled upon a neat little restaurant named Xiroi with heating and stayed to enjoy some Mediterranean cuisine. In true tourist fashion, we ordered a giant pan of Paella and a jug of Sangria and called it a night to prep for the long day ahead.

Day Two: Architectural Digest

On day two, the actual first full day in Barcelona, we hit three must see spots when visiting Barcelona. Two of these architectural marvels, the Basilica Sagrada Familia and Park Guell were both designed by notable architect, Antoni Gaudi, and form part of the 'Works of Antoni Gaudi’ UNESCO World Heritage Site. The third, the Arc de Triomf de Barcelona, is not to be confused with the one in Paris which also has a similar name and structure.

The Basilica Sagrada Familia

The Basilica Sagrada Familia is the most beautiful architectural structure I have ever seen in my life. This church, which has been under construction since 1882, is set to be completed some time in 2026. Its construction has been guided by the renowned architect, Antoni Gaudi, whose vision for the Basilica guides the ongoing construction to this day despite his passing nearly a century ago.

The Basilica’s exterior is a visual tapestry of the decades of work that it took to bring Gaudi’s vision to life. You can see the visible difference between the newer segments of the church from the ones that are over 100 years old.

The interior is just as breathtaking as the intricate sculpture work that adorns the exterior of this designated world heritage site. There are no physical ticket offices to book entry into to Basilica and so it makes your life easier if you secure an entry ticket in advance via the official app as the slots available through the QR codes posted on the walls outside are snatched up like its the hunger games.

The Passion Facade of the Basilica Sagrada Familia | *Dedicated to the Passion of Christ, the suffering of Jesus during his crucifixion, the façade was intended to portray the sins of man*. (Wikipedia)

The intricate pillar work on the interior

Park Guell

Mosaic tile work showing the park’s name

After a humbling morning at the Sagrada Familia, it was time for me to ‘breathe in the music the city makes’ and live out my Cheetah Girls 2 childhood dreams by strutting around the magnificent Park Guell. Boasting over 17 hectares of green space, Park Guell is one of the largest in Barcelona and boasts amazing views, whimsical landscaping, and lush flora. The park is also an artistic masterpiece and houses many whimsical creations from the mind of Antoni Gaudi.

There were built in benches at the base of the pillars under the Viaduct

Park Guell is HUGE, after spending sometime being in awe of the Viaduct, we made our way down to the main terrace to get some shots with the serpentine benches. This terrace view is a must see in Barcelona and having a photo on these iconic benches meant that you definitely visited the city.

Shout out to Cider for this skirt and top which look like a dress. Shout out to Ramar for taking this photo even though he was visibly annoyed.

The terrace is supported by massive ‘Doric’ columns which also feature whimsical mosaic design elements by Gaudi. The entire structure is an architectural masterpiece.

The Giant columns supporting the terrace

Full view of the pillars, mosaic staircase, and the terrace platform from the guardhouse at the entrance of the Park

Arc de triomf

One of the favourite things in Europe has to be how there are significant monuments with the same name. Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf has the same shape and name like the more famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. There’s also a monument with a similar shape in Rome and another doppelganger in London.

The brick work on Barcelona’s iteration is absolutely stunning and of course I harassed my friend for more photos. I think one thing my Chevening gang will take away from this year is the skill of take photos that are beautifully composed on a cellphone. I mean, look at my Budapest photos!

Day Three: Cable Cars, Castles, and Casas

Day three really boiled down to the three Cs… Cable Cars, Castles, and Casas! Following the trend of Day Two, we wanted to see another one of Gaudi’s works and take on more historic elements of the city.

Montjuic Cable Car and Castle

Honestly, when I booked the trip to Barcelona, I didn’t have an expansive to-do list or any idea what places were ‘must sees’ outside of Park Guell and Sagrada Familia. Google saved the day again by showing us the stunning Montjuic Castle which can be accessed by Cable Cars or a miniature hike. Now, I am a fit person, but I am not passing up stunning Cable Car views to hike to a historic fortress.

After a quick cable car ride, we finally made it to the top Montjuic Hill to see the stunning Montjuic Castle which once served as a military fortress for the city of Barcelona. The fort was built in the 1600s and served as a strategic military outpost well into the 1900s. During the Spanish Civil War, the president of the Catalonian Government was executed at this fortress. (McDonogh, G (2009) Iberian Worlds. Taylor & Francis)

Don’t let the absence of my coat fool you, I’me wearing fleece tights, thermal socks and a wool blend top.

After touring the castle grounds, we made our way back down to the base of the hill and stumbled upon another Cheetah Girls 2 filming location, Montjuic Park and the Museu Nacional d’art de Catalunya. Honestly, my inner child was very excited and I did take a video strutting like I meant it.

The magnificent fountain I saw in Disney Channel was parched as the city emptied the fountains and closed as a water conservation measure due to the ongoing drought situation in the region.

Casa Batllo

From Montjuic we made our way to another one of Gaudi’s masterpieces, Casa Batllo. This whimsical architectural marvel was a private family dwelling which was remodeled by Gaudi for the Batllo family. It is a unique structure also known as ‘the house of bones’ and became World Heritage Site in 2005.

The Loft: *It contains a series of sixty* *catenary arches* *that creates a space which represents the ribcage of an animal. Some people believe that the “ribcage” design of the arches is a ribcage for the dragon's spine that is represented in the roof.* (Wikipedia)

The Light Well: Gaudí had an obsession with light and how it reflected off certain surfaces. The wall of the atrium has different tones of blue as well as a diamond textile pattern all around the walls. The blue tiles allow an equal distribution of light to all the floors. The well has windows with wooden splits to allow them to be open and closed for ventilation. (Hinojosa, Sebastián, 2018)

Day Four and Five: A Bit of Rest & Relaxation

After all the up and down in the city of Barcelona, I took an entire day to myself for self care and indulgence at the hotel spa (I went twice). Ramar had his own plans, but I holed up in my hotel and enjoyed a much needed day of rejuvenation. I also enjoyed an amazing solo lunch date at a stunning restaurant Eldelmar - Hermanos Torres on the Gastronomic Balcony which I speak about in detail over at Good Eats.

On the morning of my last day in Barcelona, I had a very slow start. I took my time to enjoy hotel breakfast buffet and caught up on a bit of leisure reading in my room. All good things do come to an end and so I made my way to the airport to head back to London which was grey and cold.

Reflections

Barcelona is a beautiful city and satisfied my craving for some Winter Sun. This was my second European trip of my Masters year and the fifth new country I traveled to in 2024. Transport links in Barcelona are amazing. The airport was accessible by the Metro and I secured a 120hr travel card through the Hola Barcelona app which I picked up and validated at a ticket machine in the Barcelona airport.

The Hotel SB Diagonal Zero, as previously mentioned, was in a prime location surrounded by restaurants, malls, and both a tram and metro station. It was also walking distance from a stunning beach and was breakfast inclusive and had pool and spa facilities. Shoutout to Expedia for the hotel and flight package with Vueling Airlines

Mapping how to get around for all of the sightseeing was easy thanks to Citymapper. Once again, Spain is an EU country and Antiguans and OECS Nationals don’t require a Visa to travel there. The local currency is the Euro and even though they speak Catalan in Barcelona, English is easily understood.

Peace & Progress