I feel very lucky to have been in Barcelona this week with some of my best pals. With some adverse weather emergencies the week before, we were a little nervous about whether we’d get there but somehow everything went very smoothly (especially surprising as we traveled with Ryanair). Barcelona is such a stunning and lively city and it was such a treat to feel warmth and shed my jackets for a bit in November.

When we arrived, we had mimosas and yummy brunch at Silvestre before wandering around the streets until we were able to check-in. Our Airbnb was in the really lovely Eixample neighbourhood which has so much going on. As well as grabbing a drink in a quiet plaza we passed by the beautifully tiled Casa Vicens Gaudí. After waking up at 3am we were a bit wiped out so after checking in, and a wee homemade sangria on the terrace, we took a nap. In the evening, we managed to drag ourselves back outside and round the corner to have dinner in the cool Auto Rosellon as recommended by my pal.

We decided to seize the day and jump on the tourist bus to Montserrat (around 1h from Barcelona) to visit a monastery and a winery. Our tour guide was really great and it was cool to hear about some Catalan history, the Benedictine monks, and his local advice. We had some free time in Montserrat so we went on a wee hike around the mountain to the Creu de Sant Miquel viewpoint. The mountains and the valley below were so epic. Before we got back on the bus we visited the farmer’s market stalls and picked up some of the local delicacies; Mató (soft sheep’s milk cheese) with honey on top, a wee Basque cheesecake, and a wee cone of different cheeses to share because, you know, we still hadn’t eaten enough cheese. We were then taken to the Oller del Mas winery for a tasting of their natural wines alongside some wee tapas. It was cool to learn about their unique Picapoll grape variety. After the tasting, we tried some of their other wines in the outdoor bar and took a walk through the vineyards in the sunshine – so blissful. We chilled the rest of the afternoon then went to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant called Kayi. Everything was absolutely delicious but we may have overdone it a touch… That said, it was incredible value for money and I got to try my first ever fruit sushi (I’m a big fan).

The next day was very special because it was Bruno’s birthday! We started off with a wander around the streets, checking out more Gaudí greats; Casa Mila and the Sagrada Familia. From there, we headed down to the beach and had the most gorgeous lunch on the sand at Arenal. The grilled seabream I had there was probably the tastiest thing I had on the whole trip. The main event of the day was a boat trip (that we booked through Airbnb). It was open to other people joining but luckily it just ended up being the 5 of us so we were lucky enough to have a private boat. We sailed out, got to see the city skyline, hung out on the front of the boat and it was magical to be on the water (though there was a wee bit of motion sickness). Some of us decided to go home to chill while Sabina and I went on a shopping mission. We loved the lovely wee stationery shop Entropia where I picked up a new notebook and the cutest birthday card. We also got some birthday decorations and a cute little crown for our birthday boy so we could surprise him ahead of the evening. For dinner, we went to La Llotja in El Nacional and had another food highlight of the trip: Larpeira (a super light and fluffy sponge topped with creme catalana bruléed) which we all shared as Bruno’s birthday cake. After dinner, we had a silly lil time at a shisha lounge.

On the Sunday, we set out with good intentions of seizing the day to visit Park Güell but, unfortunately, once we got there we discovered that the park was sold out! Not something we’d have expected of a park and certainly not out of peak holiday season but there we were (next time I’ll be booking in advance). That said, we did climb many steps to get to the Mirador de Joan Sales viewpoint and got a cracking view of the city. After a wee reset, we headed for a wander through the city passing by Casa Batlló (my favourite Gaudí building, I definitely want to go inside next time I’m in Barcelona), the Catedral de Barcelona and along Carrer de la Princessa which was lined with loads of cute ceramic shops and Galeria Maxó where we hopped in the photo booth. We then wandered around the stunning Parc de la Ciutadella enjoying the sunset before Deby headed to the airport. In the evening, the rest of us had tapas and paella for dinner at Season then wandered along La Rambla to get some gelato (take caution on this street for pickpockets and drug offers).

We set ourselves up on our final day at Berry Brunch (huevos rancheros for me), then Leo and I hit the beach. It was a lovely 20 degrees, such a treat to swim in the sea, dry in the sunshine, and hang out all afternoon yapping. On the way home we stopped by the Museu de l’Art Prohibit which exhibited many works that had been censored, destroyed or banned. We all found it really interesting and I could have spent so much more time staring at some of the pieces. That evening I had such a joyful time browsing in the Finestres and Backstory bookshops in search of a Spanish-English translated book to take home with me. They were both such cosy bookshops with incredible vibes. I ended up picking up Boulder by Catalan author Eva Baltasar and A Long Petal of the Sea by Chilean author Isabel Allende, which I’m looking forward to reading. For our final dinner, we decided to make the most of our Airbnb and cook at home before packing and getting ourselves sorted.

I had such a good time in Barcelona and it was such a treat to be away for long enough to put home and work out of my mind long enough to miss it. Taking a moment now to appreciate some of the simple pleasures from the trip; walking around without a jacket, letting my legs feel the air, seeing my friends deftly deploying their Spanish, unfamiliar buildings with beautiful balconies, late-night chats that swing from peak seriousness to pure incoherent giggles, prowling the city with my disposable camera, reading on the terrace in the morning with just the birds for company, spending time outside and witnessing my friend literally bursting with love for us.

My heart is full and while I’m glad to be home, it’s cool to know there’s another city I loved so much I already know I want to return. Hasta la próxima!