BACK IN BARCELONA

When I went to Europe in 2014, I honestly thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

I was completely enchanted by Europe. For the entire 16 days we were there, it felt like I was living in a dream. It was just my daughter and me, traveling together on what felt like the biggest adventure of our lives.

I raised her as a single parent, and in many ways, we lived vicariously through Rory and Lorelai Gilmore. We dreamed about going somewhere exciting and far away, never really imagining that we would actually get the chance to do it.

I should probably say that I never dreamed it would happen for me.

My daughter had always wanted to study abroad and knew that, someday, she would travel. For me, Europe was more of a dream than a realistic possibility.

Then, somehow, we made it happen.

We had both recently graduated from college. I had waited until my 40s to finish my degree, but I finally did it — and I now have a business degree!

Yay!

This trip was our gift to ourselves after years of working hard and struggling to get where we wanted to be. It felt like we had finally crossed the finish line after a very long race.

And Barcelona was where our European adventure began.    

Barcelona is one of those cities that immediately makes you feel like you've arrived somewhere special. It is also a city that I found surprisingly easy to navigate, which made it a great introduction to Europe for us.

One of the things I loved about Barcelona was that it gave us a good starting point for exploring more of Europe. On our trip, we flew from Barcelona to Rome, from Rome to Malta, and then back to Girona, using inexpensive flights between destinations.

Flight prices, routes, and airlines have changed quite a bit since our 2014 trip and I do not know if you can find them as cheap as we did (ours ws $75) Barcelona can be a great place to begin a European trip, and once you're there, it's worth looking at flights to other European destinations.

I mentioned in my original 2014 Barcelona post that I loved the Gothic Quarter, and after all these years, it is still one of my favorite areas of the city.

There is something about wandering through those narrow streets and historic buildings that makes Barcelona feel completely different from home.

The Gothic Quarter is within easy walking distance of Plaça de Catalunya, which is also a very convenient area to stay if you want to be close to transportation, shopping, restaurants, and many of the city's attractions.

You can also read about where we stayed when we first arrived in Barcelona and my experience using public transportation to and from the airport in my other Barcelona posts.

PLACA CATALUNYA

A Taste of Barcelona

My daughter had read about finding inexpensive tapas around Barcelona, so naturally, we had to try them.

We found a little place along La Rambla and ordered several different tapas to share, along with some freshly made potato chips. It was simple, inexpensive, and exactly the kind of experience I love when traveling.

You don't always need a fancy restaurant to have a memorable meal.

Of course, Barcelona has plenty of options if tapas aren't what you're looking for. There are restaurants and cafés everywhere, so you certainly won't go hungry.

Little Discoveries

One of my favorite things about traveling is finding the little things that you aren't expecting.

We stopped in a small shop that reminded me a lot of Goodwill. I always get a kick out of seeing shirts with American cities printed on them when I'm traveling in another country.

This one caught my attention because it was from Arizona.

You might expect to see

I even Googled the name on the shirt because I couldn't figure out if there was actually a city called Calma.

Those are the little travel moments that stick with you long after you get home. shirts representing places like New York or Las Vegas, but Arizona? That made me stop and look.

And then there were the evenings.

I loved standing out on our balcony at night and looking down at the city below. After spending the day walking around Barcelona, there was something wonderful about simply sitting back and watching the city come alive after dark. 

Barcelona Travel Tips

I've written several other posts about Barcelona, so rather than repeating everything here, I'll share some of the things that worked well for us.

If this is your first trip to Europe, I think Barcelona is a wonderful place to start. You can certainly make things easy by taking taxis everywhere, but if you're traveling on a budget like I usually am, public transportation can make a big difference.

Getting from the Airport

When we visited, we used the Aerobús to get from the airport into the city. Plaça de Catalunya was a convenient place to arrive because it put us right in the middle of the city and close to transportation and lodging.

Transportation options and fares can change, so be sure to check current information before your trip.

Where to Stay

If you want to be in the middle of the action, consider staying within walking distance of Plaça de Catalunya.

This area makes a convenient base for exploring Barcelona and getting to other parts of the city.

Flying into Girona

If your flight takes you into Girona rather than Barcelona-El Prat, there are bus connections into Barcelona.

When we did this, the bus dropped us near the Plaça de Catalunya area. It was about a mile's walk from where we needed to go, which wasn't bad at all — unless, of course, it happened to be pouring rain!

Hop-On Hop-Off Bus

I really like the hop-on, hop-off buses for getting an overview of a new city, and Barcelona is a great city for using one.

They're especially helpful if you are short on time or want an easy way to reach several major attractions without trying to figure out every route yourself.

Only Have One Day in Barcelona?

If you're visiting Barcelona as part of a cruise and only have one day in the city, you obviously won't be able to see everything.

But you can still have a wonderful day.

I've put together a separate guide with my suggestions for the Top Places to See If You Only Have 1 Day in Barcelona.

Looking Back

It's funny to look back at this trip now.

In 2014, I truly believed that Europe might be something I would experience only once. I had no idea how much that first trip would change the way I looked at travel.

Barcelona was part of the beginning of that journey.

What started as a dream that my daughter and I talked about became something we actually did together. And even after all these years and all the places I've traveled since then, I still remember how it felt to step into Europe for the first time.

Sometimes the trips we think will happen only once end up opening the door to so many more adventures.