Photography: Barcelona

Whenever I travel, I make sure to take a lot of pictures because I want to remember every moment. My latest trip was to Barcelona, where my best friend and I went for my birthday. We had an amazing time and I’m still so grateful that we did this together. To make it even better, her sister lives in the city, so we had someone who speaks perfect Spanish, knows the city and definitely the best restaurants. For some reason, I’m not as prepared for trips like I used to be. I usually have lists and know exactly what I want to see, but for some time now, I hardly have a clue. There just isn’t always enough time to prepare and being a bit more relaxed on vacation isn’t the worst thing, anyway. And I guess when you have someone who knows the way around, it’s so easy to just rely on them.

We stayed in a cute Airbnb very close to the beach and also not far from the city center. The location was perfect and we enjoyed having a place to ourselves. The weather was mixed but that’s just something you have to expect in February. We had amazing sunshine and also lots of rain, but vacation is still vacation and that’s all that matters.

We walked around a lot and ate tons of great food. Make sure to go to a good tapas bar and eat everything on the menu. We went to a place called Jai Ka and it was crazy delicious. For Japanese, I recommend Yoshinoya but in case you decide to dine inside a booth, don’t fall while stepping in, cause it hurts like hell. For entertainment during your meal, check out the NBA Cafe and enjoy burgers and the full American feeling. And don’t forget to eat some churros or crazy amazing cinnamon, raspberry cheesecake or Oreo rolls from Demasié. I definitely gained some of the weight back that I lost before this vacation, but it was totally worth it. Barcelona is also great for shopping, so make sure to bring some money and space in your suitcase. I especially loved the Disneystore and there is a huge H&M with a café, dressing rooms that look like a royal palace and all. You’ll definitely find lots of cute places that will force you to throw your money out the window.

There is the beach, great architecture and beautiful views and I’m definitely planning on going back to see all the things I didn’t see, like Sagrada Família. I’m a little bummed that we didn’t make it there, but there just isn’t time for everything when it’s a short trip. You can see a lot of beauty by just walking around. Of course Park Güell is a must see and I also really loved Parc de la Ciutadella. On a rainy day, we went to the aquarium because according to my travel guide, it’s supposed to be the biggest one in Europe and I just have a thing for life under the sea. But I’ve definitely seen better ones and it definitely was not that big.

So overall, it was great and I can highly recommend visiting Barcelona. Out of all the cities I’ve been to, it may not be my absolute favorite, but it’s still great and I’m sure it’s even better when the weather is warmer and attractions are not under construction. I definitely know what I want to look at, when I go back, someday. For now, I just hope you like my pictures and maybe they will inspire your next vacation.