Addicted to Barcelone: your 3-day guide

Montpellier-Barcelona was actually around 5 hours but we stopped in a rest area for almost 45 minutes and the traffic was crazy. We only paid 30 euros round trip MPL-Barcelona-MPL per person. We passed through different little cities in France border and they were actually beautiful! There was a long traffic jam when we reached Barcelona, it has been a while since the last time I saw such a long line source since I left Indonesia haha.  The bus stop was quite close to the hostel, we just needed to walk 15 minutes across the Arc de Triomf. It was kind of unique one because the colour is red. This Arco de Triunfo served as a gate for Barcelona World Fair which is an international exposition of Barcelona. Lots of people playing football or just sitting in the park. This city is more alive than Montpellier for sure. I feel like people smile a lot here. 

Day 1

We checked in to a hostel called Black Swan, the exterior was a bit dull but it is in a safe region and when we entered the staff was friendly! They have so many enrichment activities like salsa and flamenco classes, walking tour, bike tour and free dinner! Definitely a creative and vivid place to stay despite how it looks from the entrance. I was in the room for 10 girls and yes I have no idea why girls love to let their suitcase open. I mean, if your undies are branded and beautiful I can understand. But we are all poor students, girls! Please to whoever read this post, stop opening your suitcase and dry your undies on the heater or wherever public and keep it tidy and closed!!!! I want to bold this part but it is not allowed in the guideline haha.  

That evening, we ate the free pasta made by an intern chef called Oscar and he wanted us to review his cooking because he’s going to open his own restaurant. We refused to join salsa class because we wanted to stroll around the city at night. Then we went out to see the Christmas market which was in Plaça de Catalunya but unfortunately it was still closed but we managed to see a regular fountain and marked some shopping spots to visit. We found a street called Las Ramblas, which is a very long street to go from Place de Cantalunya to the harbor. There were lots of small stalls and restaurants along this super long street. We can see the opera house and small streets. 

Finally, we reached a lion statue with, a statue of a man I don’t know who at the top called Mirador Colom and we walked through the port. There was a quiet fancy mall at the harbor. Some immigrants were selling key chains and fake branded T-shirts. There is a penalty of 50 euros if we are caught buying it. 

We were super tired because of the bus trip and the long walk across Las Ramblas. It was cold too. We sat a bit seeing the port and found a park with an empty circus near it. Actually I wanted to experience seeing a circus (human one) but this one seemed scary to me I don’t know why. So we walked back to the hostel, walking for other miles as far as Las Ramblas!

Day 2

One of my travelmates could not manage to wake up early because he is this kind of party guy so he was partying until 6 AM. So it was only me, Albertus and mas Antar for 2ndday (and later also the 3rdday). We tried to enter a supermarket near the hostel and were surprised at how cheap everything is compared to Montpellier. I was thinking to buy my whole month meal stock! 

La Sagrada Familia

We bought the transport pass for 48 hours for 15 euros then found our way to Sagrada Familia. Well, from outside it was like a huge casting project. I was kind of shocked that we need to pay 13 euros for student price (kind of different from cathedrals I have visited so far).

Tips: Buy your ticket online to enter the Sagrada, offline just for seniors that can’t understand online payment

The security was like entering an airport, but still less intimidating that the one in Eiffel tower. At my first entrance, I was not that amazed by the interior, maybe because I needed to pay! But after the clock struck 12 and the prayer was sung with Ave Maria, the beauty of the light came through the façade and suddenly everything was beautiful, in every corner of it. Uniquely beautiful, I can say. I mean, this Gaudi is surely an exceptional architect. Who wanted to donate and keep continuing this crazy project if he wasn’t? The basement was about museum, auditorium and shop. The most interesting part for me is to see Gaudi’s office. We could see really devoted his life for this project and it really inspires me. We spent like almost 2 hours here just admiring its magic! I entered the interior once again and now the beauty felt immense. After, we stopped by in a Barca shop opposite the cathedrale and decided to have lunch at KFC, because it has been months since our last KFC. There was this 5 euros menu with complete set and ice cream. KFC Barcelona made us happy and fulfilled!

 Camp Nou FC Barcelona

The entrance + museum visit was almost 30 euros, so we decided not to come inide. And yes, now I kind of regret it while I was writing this. There would be a match the next day also. Well, so we only took photo from outside and visit the cool shop haha. There was an old stadium just opposite it but it was closed too. So make sure not to give a second thought if you want to go inside the stadium, just do it, especially if you are a fan of football. 

From Camp Nou, we took a bus to Montjuïc. It was a wrong bus (not the one valid it our 48h ticket but the driver was so kind and let us in) >> in other countries you will probably be kicked out directly. How people are so different here!

My legs felt like missing from my thighs. But this MNAC museum was amazing. We climbed to top and enjoyed the sunset with a keyboard music played by a man. We didn’t enter the MNAC today because the free tour is for the next day. 

#lovewins

We wanted to see the magic fountain show but it was still long to wait so we went back to Cantalunya and ate Taco Bell. We visited a shop called Lefties and it was super cheap I wanted to cry. I bought my maroon top and training pants. Taco bell is my first tacos and it was so good despite how my Mexican friends told me that I must try the real one there in Mexico one day, I should have ordered more. The guys ate a lot and I didn’t so I bought an instant cooked rice from a shop near hostel. We didn’t go back to MNAC fountain because we did not have the power left. I could not feel my legs and slept really well that night. 

Day 3

La Barceloneta Beach 

It was way more than I expected. The beach and the avenue along it was filled with people walking their dogs, running and cycling with modern buildings afar as its background. The breeze was nice and it was clean. It was more full of stones than the other beaches I visited in Europe but the ocean was so blue. We finally ate proper food which was Lobster Paella. I wanted to cycle but my period was killing me and I could not succeed detaching the bike. I don’t know how people did it. I regret a bit not putting more effort on this by the way.

Gaudi House Tour

I have to admit that this Gaudi houses were overpriced, for me. There were 3 different Casa that we wanted to see and each of them cost 10-15 euros. Even if I were an architecture student or junkie, I might also rethink to purchase it. So we only looked each of them from the exterior. Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and Casa Vicens. It was unique as Sagrada design but still, seriously, too expensive.  

Park Güell

We hiked kind of far just to find this park from the nearest metro station. It was only 6 euros but there was nothing really to see except a view of the city and another instagrammable gate-like designed by Gaudi. But, near the park we found a St. Joseph church that was also surprisingly nice. 

We were starving so we went to Montjuïc area and ate in a restaurant. We ordered pizza, fries with the special ham and a croquette. So guys, we were super excited about, we thought it was a kind of Spanish food. It turns out that tapas means appetizer:)

MNAC

So we climbed to MNAC museum again to do the free visit. I stumbled at the last stairs and swelled my knees. It hurt me a lot, really! The museum was nice with different art ages section. We were kind of late so we only had an hour or so there. I found some interesting paintings and new artists that also did good but not that popular. 

Well, this one from Dali is already popular, though.

We enjoyed city lights sitting again, with the keyboard guy. The moon was full that night, and cold. 

After gaining more energy back, we went back to Cantalunya because I wanted go to H&M which consist of four floors dedicated just for women part to get my Christmas pijamas. We also needed to visit Zara too because it came from Spain. 

Then, an impulsive decision went through us: visit Indonesian restaurant because Albertus my friend was really craving fot soto ayam or yellow chicken soup. So I ordered batagor which are steamed-fried dumplings with peanut sauce that cost 7 euros and was not good at all except that the peanut sauce was just okay. We thought the waiters were Indonesians but nope. Only the chef, so.. no discounts. It was a fun experience anyway. The place was kind of crowded too maybe Spanish people find it’s cheap and fulfilling, perhaps. Not me. 

The next morning, we went back to MPL. As always, this one guy was late again and it made us running back to the bus office because this time we needed to check in at the locket before going to the bus station. But we made it because the driver wanted to wait only for him (15 minutes). Crazy that some people were just born to disrespect other. Note again, be on time when you are travelling in group and do not be a burden for others, guys! 

I would really love to come back to Barcelona with a more comfortable place to stay and more relax time to be able to visit more. So far, Barcelona is a vivid and friendly city, cheaper compared to France and it made me rethink to go to Zaragoza instead of Twente for the 3rd semester. 

Another lesson learned: if you want something just do it right away because the moment might not come back. For instance: I did not cycle along barceloneta beach because too lazy to deal with bike rent and I did not buy Ben & Jerry’s ice cream with cheap prices there!

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