(English) 5 ingredients for the perfect weekend in Barcelona

Barcelona is one of Europe’s most appealing cities for its tourist, cultural, and food and drink scenes. Its huge variety and ability to adapt to just about every taste attract millions upon millions of visitors every year who all travel to the city for a whole host of different reasons. You might think one weekend isn’t enough time to really get to grips with all that Barcelona has to offer, but – however long you stay – any trip to Barcelona always needs a few key ingredients to help you understand the true essence of the Catalan city.

Here, we’ll show you 5 key ingredients for your next trip that will help you really get to know this magical city on your next weekend in Barcelona:

Antonio Gaudí

Antonio Gaudí’s significant influence on Barcelona is not hard to see as you navigate the main thoroughfares of the city. In fact, four of the top ten most-visited places in the city in 2014 belonged to the Reus-born architect’s legacy: the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Pedrera and Casa Batlló. But the maestro’s work was so prolific that you could easily allow a few hours – if not much more – for a tour of Gaudí’s Barcelona to discover more about the father of Catalan modernism and all the different styles that influenced his work.

Tapas

Barcelona is the perfect place to enjoy delicious traditional Mediterranean dishes, all created with love and fresh produce of the very highest quality in the majority of the city’s restaurants. Or perhaps you’d like to dive into a whole new culinary world, with Italian, Greek, Asian, Arabic and many more options all readily available. But above all, Barcelona is the perfect tapas destination. Born, the Gothic Quarter, Gracia and Las Ramblas all offer an enormous variety of fantastic culinary options catering to all tastes. Las Ramblas is also home to the wonderful Mercado de la Boquería, the biggest fresh food market in the entire city, serving up some of the most exciting culinary attractions for you to explore up close.

Shopping

Barcelona’s ability to adapt to each and every taste also extends to shopping. All you fans of retail therapy and shopping ‘til you drop are sure to enjoy Maremagnum at Arenas, as well as the La Roca Village, a wonderful shopper’s paradise.  Those looking for exclusive fashion and designer labels will enjoy Barcelona’s golden mile on Paseo de Gracia, your number one shopping destination in the city.But Barcelona also offers up a veritable treasure-trove of unique stores, particularly in neighbourhoods like the Gothic Quarter.

Leisure and entertainment

The rich and varied leisure and entertainment options available throughout the city range from places with live music, Mediterranean-soaked fun at Puerto Olímpico, as well as a whole host of unique venues at Plaza Real and on Barcelona’s flamenco scene.For those of you who prefer to explore the local culture on your trips, Palau de la Música is the best concert hall in the city, regularly playing host to world-leading orchestras and performers from across the international music scene, as well as Liceo de Barcelona, the city’s biggest theatre.But we mustn’t forget about some of the newer trends spreading across the city, like the fabulous burgeoning micro‑theatre, which is well-worth a visit.

Landmarks

Another key ingredient that simply cannot be missing from any great weekend in Barcelona is a spot of sightseeing around the city’s traditional monuments and landmarks. A visit to Montjüic Mountain is a must if you want to get to know one of the most beautiful spaces in the entire city, helping you experience the magic of the city’s Olympic past and the phenomenal Universal Exhibition of 1888; Las Ramblas, the vein pumping life throughout the city; as well as El Raval, the most multicultural and exhilarating neighbourhood in all of Barcelona.

How you combine all these ingredients is up to you and depends on your own tastes and wishes from your time in Barcelona – but, whatever happens, a visit to Barcelona means you’re in for a wonderful ride!

Categories: barcelona