Experiencing Catalonia, Spain
Passion, Nature, and Celebration in Catalonia
I’ve always been enamored with Spain and appreciate the significance that passion, nature, and celebration have in Spain’s everyday culture. Maybe it’s their deep fútbol roots, their dreamy guitar and lively dance, their joy of sharing delicious tapas, or their connection with nature’s beautiful surroundings that tugs at my heartstrings. Spain just gets me; especially Catalonia!
I feel so blessed that I was able to enjoy a holiday in the Catalonia region of Spain with my Mum at the end of April. It may sound crazy, but we booked this trip less than a week before we departed on our adventure! Spontaneity seems to be a mother-daughter trait that runs in our blood. Experiencing Spain with my Mum was a dream come true. We traveled up and down the coast, experiencing the beautiful Catalonia culture and all its wonders and delights. It was exciting, it was relaxing, it was wild, and it will always be a trip I hold close to my heart.
Below is a glimpse into my favorite experiences we lived during our trip.
GIRONA: Once we landed in Barcelona, we immediately traveled to Girona where we spent our first few days enjoying the Costa Brava region of Catalonia. Driving from Barcelona to Girona, we stopped at Marimurtra Botanical Garden to admire the beautiful mediterranean coastline. We had lunch at Sa Malica in Blanes for our first paella and Catalan fideuà, which was absolutely incredible! Upon arriving in Girona, we immediately fell in love with the kind and charming medieval city. Not only is Girona known for its deep medieval roots, but the city is also well recognized for its picturesque Pyrenees views, world-renowned cycling, and Michelin-Star restaurants. There are many must-see attractions to enjoy right in the city, like the Arab Bath House, Girona Cathedral, and Eiffel Bridge. But honestly, my favorite part about being in Girona was the ease of not sticking to a schedule and just getting lost in the labyrinth of narrow streets and trusting where our natural instincts would take us. Girona is small enough that you can really get a good feel of your surroundings pretty quickly. The city is a joy to wander through, whether that be relaxing in cafes, browsing shops, or exploring the city by foot. I especially enjoyed walking on the medieval wall to enjoy the most beautiful views of the city and then grabbing a coffee with the cyclists at La Fabrica and, of course, an ice cream at Rocambolesc. We stayed at the lovely Montjuic Bed and Breakfast, where we met new friends from Germany and Scotland. (I'll save the baby hedgehog and rabbit story for another time.) I love staying at bed and breakfasts (at least for part of a trip) because it is fun to enjoy breakfast in the morning with other guests and learn more about where they are from, exchange travel recommendations, and make new friends from around the world.
Girona, Spain
Experiences:
My favorite part about experiencing Girona was simply just wandering the city and exploring the following places, which were all walking distance from each other.
Onyar River View
Although we didn’t cycle while we were in town, I would love to return for a cycling adventure. The cycling routes looked quite intense with the mountainous landscape.
Cafe hopping in Girona was just lovely. My two favorite cafes were La Fabrica and Buttercup (more details under Eats.)
Costa Brava Coastline: Definitely check out the city of Blanes and Marimurtra Botanical Garden, which have gorgeous views of the coastline
Eats:
Rocambolesc: This ice cream was insane - that is, insanely good! One night we walked over and bought a Coffee and Bailey’s pint to go and ate it in bed while reading up on Dali! Another day we got a passion fruit frozen yogurt cup with caramelized basil, which blew our minds! Also, I was a huge fan of their popsicles, especially the Rose Nose.
La Fabrica: A coffee shop for extreme cyclists. I loved sitting outside on the steps and watching the cyclists bike in and out.
Buttercup: We had a delicious breakfast here! Get the eggs benedict. The hollandaise was the best I’ve ever had.
König: It may be fast food, but it was delicious! We stumbled upon this place late one night and picked it because it was packed, so we knew it must be good.
FIGUERES: I’ve always been captivated by Salvador Dalí and was so excited about the opportunity to visit his Dalí Theatre-Museum in his hometown of Figueres. I have been to the Dalí Museum in St Petersburg, Florida and couldn't wait to experience more of Dali’s brilliance. Figueres is a quick (less than an hour) train ride from Girona, so while we were staying in Girona we made the trip up to Figueres. We wandered around the museum for a few hours, but honestly, we could have stayed longer if the museum had remained open.
Dalí Theatre-Museum
BARCELONA: After our tranquil time in peaceful Girona, we traveled back down to lively Barcelona where we split our time between different airbnbs in two parts of the city, Gracia and the Gothic Neighborhood. Although both neighborhoods were lovely, I preferred Gracia since it seemed more like a local neighborhood that had charming cafes and boutique shops that were more off the beaten path.
Celebrating with cava in the Gothic Neighborhood of Barcelona!
FCBarcelona at Camp Nou: Our first night in Barcelona was one I’ll never forget. We scored tickets to the FCBarcelona vs Levante game at Camp Nou, which was a dream come true. We saw Messi score and Barca win their league, La Liga. We befriended all the die-hard Barca friends surrounding us and quickly learned all of the chants that were sung during the game.
Gaudi Architecture, Parks, and Nature: While in Barcelona, we soaked in as much Gaudi as we could. I loved how he incorporated nature and ergonomics into his style. When we visited La Pedrera, it was incredible to actually touch and feel the way he designed each doorknob to perfectly fit into your hand. And the rooftop was the most gorgeous rooftop I have ever seen!
Although we did not go inside, Sagrada Familia, it was breathtaking to see it from the outside. During our next visit, we’d like to go to a Sunday Mass, which is open to the public. Park Guell was a peaceful park to explore, which again combined Gaudi’s eye for architecture and design with nature’s landscape.
Live Performances at Palau de la Música Catalana: We saw a spanish guitar and flamenco performance at the gorgeous Palau de la Musica and it was breathtaking. I highly recommend seeing a show here.
Shopping: We hit the espadrilles jackpot at La Manual Alpargatera. They have been making authentic espadrilles since 1940. Another shop I swooned over was Antonieta in Gracia where I picked up a darling dress and trousers. Fun story: I met an American who bought the same dress and when we checked into our second airbnb a few days later, she was our neighbor! Very small world.
Eats: My favorite Barcelona food experiences were enjoying tapas al fresco or while sitting at a bar and cheersing over cava, sangria, gin and tonics, or aperol spritz. My favorite tapas included: marco almonds, paella, jamon, pan con tomate, and spanish olives. Below are some of the restaurants that stand out most in my mind.
Cerveseria Catalana: By far, the best dinner we had while in Barcelona! Our waiter, Jon was OMG (as he would say about the food!).
Brunch and Cake: Funky, whimsical brunch. Long lines.
El Cafe del Teatre: Lovely for a light breakfast and coffee. This was one of my favorite breakfast experiences. Mum and I were the only guests one early morning and we dined on quiche and jamon baguette sandwiches at the bar. The atmosphere and the music was just perfect.
Catalina Cafe: Traditional catalan tapas and a killer outdoor patio.
La Pepita: Solid bar menu and delicious small plates.
SITGES and SANT SADURNí d'ANOIA: One of my favorite days of our trip was taking a day to relax and soak in mediterranean beachlife in Sitges and then going to Sant Sadurní d'Anoia where we visited a cava winery (where we met a real-life 007) and a chocolate factory (where we loaded up). Beach+Cava+Chocolate, c’mon!
Mum and I on our way to Sitges. You can see Sitges in the background.
Experiences:
Sitges: Mediterranean coastal town with a lovely seafront promenade lined with grand houses, shops, restaurants, and cafes. The beach is simply beautiful.
Cava Pares Balta: It was such a treat experiencing a cava tasting at this organic vineyard in the Penedès. I loved learning how they cultivate the vineyard in an ecological way applying biodynamic farming, which seeks to provide maximum vitality, self-balance and harmony to the vineyard. They use biodynamic preparations and homeopathic remedies that help convey the influences of the cosmos to the vineyard! All those treatments give the vineyards high fertility and natural pest control. The only water that the vines receive comes directly from the rain or is taken by the roots from groundwater. And the result? A bubbly, golden, and delightful cava that brings people together to enjoy!
Simon Coll Xocolaters: We had a chocolate tasting and learned about cocoa and the history and culture of choclate at this delicious factory that has been making chocolate since 1840. In case you are wondering, chocolate will get through customs!