Get lost in Barcelona for more impressions...

Barcelona has always been in my top destinations list. So March 2017 was a due time to make it happen. I was studying at the Estonian School of Diplomacy in Tallinn by that time and I found a very good flight option by Ryanair. Hence, I decided to spend a few days in the hometown to the greatest architectural masterpiece, Sagrada Família, which I will never ever forget. It was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had in my life.

I took a direct flight from Tallinn to Girona Airport. As the airport was quite far from Barcelona City (around 100km) I searched for transfer options at that late hour (arrival at 23:55). The best and the cheapest option available was “Sagalés Buses” which operates transfers to Barcelona city center (online ticket booking at Sagales).

The bus arrived at Estació del Nord bus station late at night. The hostel I booked for an overnight stay was in a short walking distance from the station. Hola Hostal Eixample was quite modern, cozy and clean hostel with a very good location. I was extremely tired after a very long trip so I went to bed immediately.

My plan was to stay in Barcelona for 3 days so I deliberately drafted my daily agenda of to-go and to-do activities. I am more “walking person” thus I allocated the places so that I could avoid maximum usage of any mean of transportation. The main focus was on the distance between the sights.

Day 1

The closest sight to my hostel was Arc de Triomf which is a large and noticeable red-stoned arch decorated with very attractive ornaments and mini statues making it more beautiful. Not far from the arch in a walking distance Castle of the Three Dragons can be found in Citadel Park, one of the impressive parks I’ve ever visited. There was a memorial in the park speaking out about tolerance and discrimination.

Narrow and well-organized streets of Barcelona led me to Palau de la Música Catalana located in a glassy building. Not far from it in Passeig de Gràcia you could see one of the architectural treasures of Barcelona Casa Batlló by a Catalan modernist architect Antoni Gaudí. Another wonder by the same architect, Casa Milà is situated in a few steps away.

While enjoying the Sun and warm smiles of local people I was asking for some directions and tips to go on exploring Barcelona, a city of friendly, open-hearted and extremely positive inhabitants. I reached Plaça de Catalunya, one of the largest squares in the city. It was full of doves who seems were there to welcome guests and tourists. Passing through pedestrian street of Al Rambla was yet another experience to feel the spirit of warm-hearted and hot Catalan people. The peak of that experience was undoubtedly Mercado De La Boqueria, a fairytale market full of colors, freshness and diversity.

Barri Gotic or Gothic Quarter is the center of the old city of Barcelona. Several places of interest can be found there including Santa Maria del Pi, Plaça Reial, City Hall, Carrer del Bisbe, Barcelona Cathedral, etc. In a neighboring districts just a few minute walk Palau Güell, Santa Maria del Mar and El Born Centre Cultural are located.

Where there is a will, nothing can stop you! I visited Picasso Museum! Emotions were overwhelming. As I was short in time I spent unfortunately just 20-30 minutes in the museum breathing the art and witnessing the talent of one of the greatest Spanish painters.

For more emotions I visited Sagrada Familia which was actually the main purpose of my visit. I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. I booked a basic ticket online in advance to avoid long queues, save some money and time :). This astonishing unfinished Roman Catholic Church by the genius simply takes your breath away and makes you speechless. Words are unable to describe the emotions and the feelings you get while standing inside and out and admiring it. The enormous power and energy that you get from it are indescribable. It is not just a church but a combination of great mind and divine soul that symbolizes eternity, serenity and unity.

The concluding sightseeing of the day was Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.

Afterwards I took the bus to Sitges, a town about 35km far from Barcelona. I was hosted there by a friend of mine for the next 2 days. Sitges is famous for its beaches, nightspots and some places of interest. I will share more of my impressions about the city later in this post. By the way, once visiting Barcelona it is highly recommended to visit Sitges for more fun.

TIPS: However, it is easily accessible and cheap from Barcelona. Comfortable intercity buses are run by “MonBus”. They are leaving every 30 minutes from Ronda Universitat and arrive in Sitges in approximately less than 1 hour.

Day 2

After having breakfast with my friend I took the bus from Sitges to Barcelona to discover the rest of the city. My first stop was Park Güell where imagination has no limits and the nature serves as inspiration and gives birth to incredible and enchanting ideas. If you want to enjoy the panoramic view of wonderful Barcelona then you have to take the stairs to Bunkers – El Carmel.

Venetian Towers at Plaça d’Espanya will guide you to Palau Nacional. Just behind the palace from the other side is located Montjuïc Castle in the homonymous park the view to the sea from where is fascinating.

Columbus Monument which is just next to Port of Barcelona is one of the highlights of the city. Port of Barcelona is a relaxing place where you can be by your own. You can sit on the benches, walk along the seashore or just try chocolate waffles in a Catalan way and listen to sounds made by the birds and the wind playing with the waves. The last spot for the second day was Basilica of Our Lady of Mercy.

Later in the evening I was off to Sitges for more fun and adventures!

Day 3

The very last day of my trip to Spain I decided to spend in Sitges to enjoy the Sun, get a sunburn, to chill at night and taste Spanish tapas. There isn’t much to see in Sitges but the atmosphere and the mood of the hectic city bring more joy and satisfaction. The major sightseeing of the city is probably Esglesia De Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla. The whole day I spent wandering along the seashore and taking photos.

Later in the evening I went for some shopping and voila! My wallet was stolen from my bag which I left on the floor to check for some souvenirs. Some cash money, bank and ID cards, etc. were gone :( I and my friend went to local police station to report it. Spending more than 1 hour at police station was another experience not exciting indeed but still interesting one. They promised me to send my belongings if they found them... I'm still waiting :)

I was a bit pissed off but this was not a reason to be sad and spoil the last evening in Spain. It was a “tapas night”: some bars and cafes were offering 34 types of tapas; 1 tapas+1 small drink for only 5€!

In one of those bars I met an energetic and hot-blooded Spanish woman; she truly was a representative of this amazingly friendly, welcoming and open-hearted nation. We tried some of those tapas and ended up in a club with a “political toilet" :)

The party was over in the early morning and I went to Barcelona and took my flight from Girona Airport to Tallinn.

*I did not include meal and nightlife fun expenses as they’re not fixed and mainly depend on the taste and interests of the traveler. I also didn’t include accommodation in Sitges as I was hosted by a friend of mine.

As you can see it was limited in expenses but quite impressive and unforgettable trip which is now a good memory. As a student my plan was to spend less but enjoy more which I successfully did.

This is how all my trips look like: I make a small research, I study the city I'm going to visit, I consider the pros and cons, set priorities, elaborate agenda and make the moments life-lasting memories. Travel more and discover all the possible parts of our wonderful planet! It is graceful, diverse and charming...