Last November I traveled to Toronto with my boyfriend and a whole bunch of our friends. While walking through the city, we stumbled into a pop-up store for local designers and artists where I picked up one of the artisan’s business cards. It read: “Travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us”.
As my study abroad program was just a few weeks away, this saying struck me. Little signs like this pushed me to give my whole self to this upcoming new experience. I kept it with me as a reminder to not take a single thing for granted. I knew I was in for one of the most incredible times of my life, but I could have never imagined what was in store.
Bags were packed. Goodbyes were said. I was off to Newark Airport to meet my friends and a few hundred other students to cash in my one-way ticket to Barcelona. Turns out, that one-trip ticket would actually be for the following night. After arguing with a Norwegian Airlines representative on the phone for over an hour about the ticket I accidentally purchased, I left Newark devastated. I was definitely not starting off my four-month journey on the right foot.
This wouldn’t be the last travel mistake I made abroad. I bought the wrong train tickets (twice), my luggage got checked more than desired and I frantically ran through airports to catch a flight. I lugged suitcases up and down hills. I ran out of service in the middle of nowhere. I’ve shared bunk beds with strangers in hostels. I took flights at obscure times to save 10 euros. And I am better for it. Anthony Bourdain writes:
“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”
I know that one day when I look back on all the times we roughed it in questionable AirBnBs, scoured Dublin looking for cabs at 3 a.m., or just spent the night in our crappy old apartment in Barcelona, I’ll laugh to myself and be thankful for it all.
Anyways, fast forward 24 hours. I grudgingly approached the same Norwegian desk, boarded my flight and was off to Barcelona all on my own. Six hours later, I was struggling to load three huge suitcases into the back of a taxi with a driver that didn’t speak a lick of English. He dropped me off in the middle of a desolate alley in an oddly quiet neighborhood. Unable to get my key to work, I finally was able to muster up enough Spanglish to get the owner of the next-door Kebab restaurant to let me into my building.
Before moving to the neighborhood right outside of the Sagrada Familia, we lived in Sant Andreu, a more local neighborhood really far from the city’s center. I’ll save the story about our dramatic move for another time.
From the moment you land in Barcelona and drive away from the airport with the windows down, you can feel a special energy radiating from the city. It’s lively. Although it’s a huge place, it isn’t hard to find a unique charm about Barcelona. I chose to study here because it was a step outside of my comfort zone. I am not accustomed to city life, with a social scene that carries over into the early morning hours, strange cuisine, a new language; it was a huge transition.
My advice to future students studying abroad in Barcelona is to do as much walking as you can. After class, I made it a priority to learn different neighborhoods, figure out the metro, and try local cafes, restaurants, and stores. Walking through the city streets really helps put everything into perspective.
It would be impossible to tell you everything I love about this city, but I hope to share some of my favorite parts.
Restaurants/Cafes:
Cervesaría Catalana- My favorite place for tapas in all of Barcelona. Service is fabulous and there is something for everyone here. Do yourself a favor and order the dessert tapas!
Brunch and Cake- By far one of the most Instagram-worthy brunch spots. There are three equally adorable locations, all with lines out the door. It is worth the wait; the food is stellar. My favorite is the chicken sandwich with the avocado syringe.
Firebug- Super cute place near the Arc de Triumph with a great eggs benedict.
Flax & Kale- Great spot for vegetarians/vegans. Delicious smoothies and juices. There is one located above H&M near Plaça de Catalunya; it is a great place to get some school work done and have lunch.
Surf House- Nothing beats the view of Barceloneta Beach. The nachos are next level and everything I have ever ordered has been great. The breakfast burger is also a winner.
Alsur Cafe- Again, a ton of locations. The menu is definitely unique and pancakes cannot be beat.
Hammock Juice Station- Had the most delicious salad here. Their specialty is milkshakes, juices, and smoothies. Really cool inside; all the chairs are hammocks!
Da Greco- Can’t describe to you how delicious. I celebrated my 21st birthday here with my parents. You will leave here stuffed and so very satisfied. Call ahead of time because you need a reservation!
La Luna- Another great tapas place and it’s located in a super fun area to walk around in at night
Taqueria- I cannot stress enough how obsessed my roommate and I were obsessed with Taqueria. The sauces, the queso, literally everything about this place I love. We ate here 3-4 times a week.
Bar Lobo- Delicious tapas right on Las Ramblas. Kevin and I celebrated our first Valentine’s Day here and it was a great date night spot.
CDLC- Right near Opium, Shoko, etc. My parents took my friends and me here for lunch when they visited. It’s very expensive but a worthwhile experience. We had the best curry sampler dish, sushi, and tuna tartare.
La Pepita- This bar/restaurant is really upbeat and fun. Try their Pepita sandwiches, tapas, and sangria.
The SweetOphelia Cafe- I ended up doing a lot of my school work here. It’s a low-key, quaint cafe very close to school. I loved their bagel breakfast sandwhiches with humus, avacado, and fresh greens.
El Nacional- There are a few restaurants inside of El Nacional, so its a pretty big space and it’s fun to bring guests when you have visitors.
EatMyTrip- This was for sure the most whimsical place I ate at. The food is like a piece of art and the menu is really unique.
Bing Bing Cafe- A lot of my friends and I did school work here. It has really good vibes and the food is yummy.
Can Sole- I brought my parents here to have an authentic Spanish meal. You can see the chefs make the huge pan of paella with fresh seafood from your table.
Bo de B- If you are a student studying abroad in Barcelona you will know about this place. It is really popular, and for good reason. You can create your own sandwich and then walk a few minutes to enjoy it by the water.
The Benedict- The Gothic Quarter/El Born is filled with great little restaurants including this one. Great place for brunch!
Marina Bay- This place is perfect because its at the end of a nice beach walk (right near Opium). The paella is huge and the seafood pasta is so good.
Bars
Paradiso- This is a speakeasy bar in El Born. From the outside, it looks like any other storefront, but the bar on the inside is like a modern, little cave. The cocktails are pricy but delicious. This place is really an experience.
Lime House- My friends ended up going here a lot. They have cheap mojitos and it’s a great place to go out before the clubs.
Dux Gin and Cocktails- My friends and I planned out an elaborate bar crawl through El Born and we spent far too much time at this bar. The bartenders were super fun and nice. The drinks all came in little bathtubs, Christmas ornaments, etc. It was a really fun night, to say the least.
Mamaine- This place is so cute and girly. They make a ton of flavored mojitos and serve you popcorn. Another fun stop on the bar crawl.
Crepes El Born- This place transforms overnight. The lights hanging from the ceiling start swinging back and forth, the music blasts, and the bartenders really engage with everyone. It gets packed.
George Payne- Another pregame bar, known for the “Blackout Trays”. It’s huge and it’s filled with students studying abroad so you are bound to see someone you know.
Chupitos- Little bar with a ton of quirky, different shots.
Dow Jones- Stock Market themed bar. Drink prices rise and fall all night long.
Hot Bar- You will probably go here before Sutton Wednesdays.
Hotel Colón Rooftop Bar- One of my favorite sangrias and a beautiful view of the Cathedral of Barcelona.
L’Ovella Negra- Last, but certainly not least. This place was one of our favorites. Everyone sits at long picnic tables and orders sangria towers. We spent way too much time here.
Things to Do
Boqueria Market- One of my favorite places to walk around. I loved treating myself to the fruit smoothies, cheese samples and chocolate-covered strawberries after class.
Walk though the Gothic Quarter- I loved walking through this maze of a neighborhood and finding new hidden gems at every turn. Free walking tours are offered, so definitely check it out if you’re stopping by!
Palo Alto Market- Easily one of my most favorite places in Barcelona! This market is only open on the first Sunday of every month and you have to buy a ticket. There’s a ton a colorful food trucks (my favorites serve yakisoba, hummus and pita bowls, and nachos). Live bands play, local boutiques come and it’s just an overall great time. I also got most of my souvenirs for my family here.
El Born- My favorite neighborhood. There are so many cool restaurants and bars to discover.
Ayre Hotel Rooftop- This rooftop bar gives you the best view of the Sagrada Familia. Towards the end of the semester, staff started to get more strict with letting people up to the top because it was becoming a picture hotspot.
Parc de la Ciutadella- Right near the Arc de Triomf, this park is really cool. There’s a huge fountain, a pond where you can rent a paddleboat, and a bunch of walking trails.
Park Güell- Beautiful public park designed by Gaudi. This is one of the most popular tourist spots in the city but it’s worth the trip!
Barceloneta Beach- One of my favorite things about Barcelona is that it’s so close to the beach. One of my favorite things to do is walk along the water or sit on the beach around sunset.
Bunkers Del Carmel- Taking in the beautiful views from the Bunkers is one of the coolest things to do in the city. My friends and I would always get bottles of wine, cheese and bread to see the sunset from one of the highest points in Barcelona.
And just like that the most exciting, nerve-wracking, fun four months of my life thus far were coming to an end. Of course, as we were driving back to the airport to fly back to the U.S., Macklemore’s “Good Old Days” came on the radio because what else could be more fitting. This really pushed an already emotional cab ride right over the edge. Everything really did go by in the blink of an eye.
There’s one thing I have always remembered about Barcelona and I will leave you with this. Way back before we left, a friend sent me an email guide that tons of girls have edited and put together over the last few years. At this point, it was basically a short novel filled with tips and tricks, basically the lay of the land of Barcelona. The last line of the whole thing reads in big bold letters, “always keep in mind that at any given moment in Barcelona, you are one the luckiest people in the world”.
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