Viva Espana! Two days in Barcelona.

Of all the powerhouse cities in Europe, Barcelona has to be up there as one of the best. Full of continental flair, amazing shopping, fantastic night-life, delicious food, and culture in abundance, Barcelona is also perfectly placed to explore the local area a little further if the mood takes you. Of course, if you only have two days then you’re best sticking to the central city area and grabbing every last bit you can from your time.

Two days will never be enough, and the pace of life is slow and chilled, which adds to the time constraint! Having said that, the best way is to make like the locals and explore on foot as much as possible, taking your own sweet time.

Day one

The famous La Rambla area of the city is the perfect starting point, full of street performers, stalls, winding streets, coffee shops, quaint, interesting stores, and a real pavement café, continental feel about the place. Be careful of pick pockets in this area, but on the whole, this is the number one destination in the city to visit, so it makes sense you head there first.

This charming section will certainly take up a fair share of your day, before heading onto the Gothic Quarter. Fans of Gaudi’s work will love this part of the city, and from here you can head out to visit the famous cathedral. Your feet might be sore by the end of the day, but wandering around on foot will certainly give you the best overview of the city. Having said that however, there is the hop on and off tourist bus if you prefer to see the city on four wheels!

This being a huge European city, you can expect night-life to be wild and colourful, and Barcelona doesn’t disappoint. Las Ramblas is the best place to start, with bars and restaurants to start your evening’s entertainment, before moving onto El Born later in the evening for further partying. You won’t struggle to find a bar or club to suit your needs

Day two

Provided your banging head from the night before allows it, today you have further city delights to enjoy. If you’re into football, a visit to the Nou Camp is a must, with a tour around the trophy room, dressing rooms and of course the pitch. Even if you’re not a huge football lover, the sheer size of the place will amaze you, It’s certainly worth a visit, before heading out for a spot of retail therapy – well, it is a city after all!

The T1 bus will take you right to the heart of the main shopping districts. Passeig de Gracia is fantastic for shopping, as well as Carrer de la Portaferrissa, Carrer de Ferran, and Carrer de la Boqueria, to name just a few. Designer label stores stand proud next to more high street versions, with markets to thrown into the mix too, so there’s something for every budget.

You might still be suffering from the after effects of your previous night’s excesses, not to mention a little tired from all that sightseeing and shopping, so why not take it easy on your last night and soak up the atmosphere? Tapas and paella are forms of signature Spanish cuisine, and paella around this part of the country is particularly delicious and fresh. Tapas also allows you to try lots of different mini dishes at any one time, so you can try things you always fancied. Again, Las Ramblas is the place to head for this.

Your two days in Barcelona should have whet your appetite for more, and you will no doubt be exhausted, but full of Spanish love from your short break in this glamourous city.

Image by Nikos Roussos under Creative Commons License.