Bauy de mochilão – It’s always sunny in Barcelona 🌞

3 years later I return to Barcelona, for a semi-solo trip – this to understand why I ignore most of the most common tourist attractions.


I arrived around 8pm and, just like the first time, the easiest way to get from the airport to the city centre seemed to be the Aerobús – it takes around 35 minutes to get to Plaça de Catalunya. A one-way ticket costs €7.20 but if you buy a return ticket you get a discount.


A friend came to join me for a quick dinner. We went to get burgers from Fast Eddie's – they have a delicious vegetarian option – and sat near the Arc de Triomf to enjoy the heat that was still present at night.


The next day I tried to organize those activities that are easier to do alone:

  • MACBA – €10.80
    I remember that, the first time, it was one of my favorite places to visit, however, nowadays, I would say that the exhibitions all seem very little explored and I didn't see anything that really made me remember this visit.

  • MOCO – 17.95€
    It was an absolute surprise because I don't remember exactly why I ignored this museum on my first visit to the city. It has works by Kaws, Robin Kid, Banksy, Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama and many other artists that are well worth a look.

  • Gothic Market – Free
    I don't know exactly what time it starts or ends, but I went there around 12:30 pm and found it a good place to buy souvenirs that are different from the typical ones, as it works almost like a second-hand market for everything you can imagine – jewelry, postcards, pins, magazines, paintings.

On the way to lunch I passed by the Barcelona Cathedral, always a nice view, and went to Nude Project because they had launched a new collection that same day.

I ended up having lunch at a delicious place called Buon Appetito and for a pasta with salmon and an Aperol Apritz I paid €22.


In the afternoon I had more free time so I went for a walk around the city and some of its most emblematic places:

  • The World Comes to Life With Each Kiss

  • Palau de la Música Catalana

  • Royal Square
  • Poble Espanyol – apart from the city’s emblematic places, it is almost a Portugal dos Pequeninos where the various regions of Spain are represented, from the architecture to the ingredients. The visit to the small town cost €7, as we arrived close to closing time.

On the second day we did an activity that I really wanted to do the first time, but didn't have time for – the climb up to Montserrat.

Montserrat is a monastery hidden among the mountains and is about 1 hour by train from the center of Barcelona.


We chose to climb the mountain on foot, which meant walking for 1h30 on dirt and quite steep terrain – but let me tell you it was well worth it. Along the way we talk to other people and getting there has a different meaning knowing that you did it on your own two feet. Rather than me explaining it, you can take a look at this article – link here. That's what I used to figure out how I would do the route and it's really well explained!


Later that day, on my way back to the city center, I strolled through some incredible stores that I discovered there:

  • On the road – a small and very welcoming bookstore.
  • SSSTUFFF – actually the whole project left me fascinated. They are a clothing brand that always has a different concept in each store, and in the one in Barcelona the idea is to imitate a supermarket.

  • CHANDAL – I could have spent a whole salary in this store. Between international magazines, incredible books, accessories made from reusable materials, etc., it was, without a doubt, my favorite store in Barcelona.


In terms of food options, I have five highlights, very different from each other:

  • El Vato Loco – In the heart of Born, this vegan pizzeria is an excellent option for solo travelers as you can eat at the counter and the staff are extremely friendly

  • Nudes – A small vegan cafe with absolutely delicious sandwiches and smoothies

  • The Egg Lab – great option to start the day with a hearty breakfast – literally some of the best eggs I’ve ever had in my life

  • Bar Jai-Ca – a cheap and good option to enjoy tapas, very close to the beach

  • SAVTA – a small sandwich place with delicious and cheap options. Tip - order takeaway and go eat at Parc de la Ciutadella

And, taking advantage of the last point above, I spent a lot of time in one of my favorite places in the world, Parc de la Ciutadella. It helped to have visited the city in such good weather, full of happy people enjoying the heat and sun. I spent a lot of time here taking advantage of the opportunity to read a new book that I'm loving – The Eloquence of the Sardine.



I leave you here, as usual, the map with saved locations – https://maps.app.goo.gl/7MzBVMkBMUBdkdBL8

If you prefer to check out a video summary of the trip, you can also do so here - https://www.instagram.com/p/C5-_vKVtG7a/

29 of July of 2024 — Diana Nobre
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