1. From the Spain series

If you are wondering how we travel so often the reasons are two: from one side we are working a full-time job and second, we always try to find the best offer for flights, accommodation so basically we travel on a budget. And just like that for the last two years for us June is Barcelona … The reason behind the title is Wizz Air and the cheap plane tickets available for the Catalonian capital for the beginning of June.

(BG) Юни e Барселона

When someone says Barcelona I am always thinking about the song of Queen and Montserrat Caballe and before visiting Catalonia my impressions for Spain were only based on my fading memory of San Sebastian. For Dido, things don’t look like this may be in one of his former past lives he was Spanish, he has a specific feeling for the city and he was much better prepared than me this time. 

At the beginning of June for us, Barcelona was not only colorful and at the same time orange getaway from the Plovdivian heat but also a place that nourished our cells and gave to us the opportunity to be grateful and present and to thank for all the beauty surrounding us all the time.

One week in Barna (everyone calls it like that) is enough to experience everything – beaches, culture, gourmet experience, flowers and not so good smells. One of the negative sides is the specific bad smell from the high temperature in the summer. During the summer it is killing hot and no one leaves their homes from 2 till 4 in the afternoon. And all that was happening in June in the city where instead of flying pigeons there are bright-colored parrots.

With this trip, we were able to combine classic “Bulgarian style” beach day and sightseeing during the rest of the time often late at night. For the first time, I feel like I have a real break and we don’t sprint from the early morning until late at night just to see everything we want and things happened smoothly.

El Poblenou

Right from the beginning, we were looking for a place close to the beach and the place found us. We managed to stay in a lovely apartment in the El Poblenou neighborhood, which can be described as a great pedestrian area, keeping us far away from the noisy boulevards and streets. Of course, there is no complete happiness – this time the noise was from the people visiting the bars until 1-2 o’clock in the morning. We used Airbnb services and our hosts were a 60-year-old gray-haired smiley lady who did not speak any other language than Spanish, her dog, and her fatty cat.

The Airbnb apartment was a dream place and I can recommend it to everyone. Only 10 minutes walking distance from the beach and close to the city center. If you want to rent this place hurry up because maybe it will be full until the end of the season.

In Barcelona walking around the city is not a mirage, the other charming side of the city. We used the metro only twice for the whole week of stay. But we are known for the extremely long walks and after them, we barely feel our feet. I will not give you any advice regarding how is good the move around Barcelona. The subway is not expensive but for us wasn’t easy to buy tickets 🙂 It is hard to find a person from who you can buy tickets. The machines work only with coins so you have to prepare yourself. Probably, It’s better to buy a metro card you can find them at the cigarette stores that are located next to each metro station.

If I have to describe the first one week stay in Barcelona with six words only, they will be: 

The airport

El Prat is not an ordinary airport… This particular closeness of the city to the sea makes the place so special. While the plane is landing the passengers see а spectacular view. It makes everyone waiting impatiently to see the city.

 

The beach 

I very rarely if at all see beautiful and clean city beaches. That’s why the beach of Poblenou surprised me because it was a dream place in the heart of Barcelona. I definitely recommend you to visit not the Barceloneta but the beach in the neighborhood of Poblenou. Every morning they cleaned it and the water is wonderful too. You can’t see so many people at the central beach. The people here practice some sport, have their free time after work and we really enjoyed our stay there.

Nature 

The power of nature makes me speechless. Just see the pictures and you will understand what I am talking about. The photographs speak for themselves.

Architecture 

Speaking about the architecture in Barcelona not mentioning the name of Gaudi will be a crime. Antoni Gaudi left his harmonic and colorful mark all around the city. I can’t agree that Barcelona is only famous for Sagrada Familia and Park Guell no matter that they’re the most touristic sights in the city. For us, the real spirit of Barcelona is hidden in the small pedestrian streets, terraces, the sea…

The food 

Tapas, sangria, paella. That is just a small part of the Spanish feast. And you can find it almost everywhere – at the restaurants, on the terraces, etc.

The Markets 

Are you one of those who love shopping or finding little gems while searching in a pile of second-hand things? The markets in Barcelona are definitely for you. One of my favorite ones is Encantes. Its crystal clear mirrored roof attracts a lot of visitors. There are lovely antiques perfect for gifts or souvenirs if you are a fan of old-fashioned objects.

Which six words pop up on your mind when you are thinking about Barcelona? Leave a comment on the section below 🙂 🙂

 

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