For my mums 50th birthday my brother and I decided we wanted to treat her to something really special. So we booked a surprise weekend away, just the three of us (hoorah no kids!). After a lot of deliberation we finally agreed on Barcelona and I am so glad we did. We had the most amazing weekend, full of culture, wine and plenty of laughs. If you are planning a trip to city then here are my top tips for what to do in Barcelona to make sure you get the most out of your stay, especially if you are only going for a few days.
1.Walk
Walk everywhere. As tempting as it is to jump on the metro because a) they are readily available and b) they are cheap, don’t do it. We found so many amazing places; statues, shops, churches, all sorts of wonders that we wouldn’t have found if we hadn’t explored on foot. This may sound like it will waste time but trust me the incredible places you will discover will be so worth it. Plus walking is good for you so walk, walk, walk.
2. Eat with the locals
When looking for somewhere to eat or drink I would recommend that you explore the side streets that lead away from the central areas. The prices are a lot lower, the places feel more rustic and authentic, the food is delicious and the atmosphere seemed so much more laid back than the over populated tourist areas. We found a wonderful cafe for breakfast where we could get a croissant and a coffee for less than 3 euros. If you don’t want to go wandering down the side streets then simply ask the locals where they go for coffee, pizza, cake etc.
3. Attempt the lingo
My brother loved to try out his Spanish on the locals and they appreciated it so much and it definitely improved the customer service that we received, especially as we ate mostly in the local restaurants and cafes. Do not worry if your Spanish isn’t fluent, even trying out the odd word here and there will be appreciated. We even found that a few of the locals were happy to offer up some help on basic words and pronunciation.
4. Book the big attractions in advance
My advice would be to research your must see attractions in advance and book your tickets before you have even left England. We visited Barcelona in February and it was quieter than it is in the height of season but we still found that the big attractions were very busy. Once we decided which ones we wanted to see we visited the tourist information office booked our times in advance and usually benefited from advance booking discounts too. There is nothing worse than feeling like you are wasting your limited holiday time standing in a queue.
Although we had the most amazing time whilst we were away I did miss the boys a lot and I know that this can often put people off going away without their kids but I can honestly say that it was just what I needed and it did me the world of good. When I returned from Barcelona I was physically drained from all the walking but I was emotionally restored and ready to dive straight back in to the everyday life of a working parent. If you are considering going to Barcelona, or anywhere else, for a child free break then check out these handy top tips from Katie at Mummys Diary will be sure to help you feel better about booking that well deserved trip.
If you haven’t booked your accommodation yet then use this discount code for booking . com and be sure to check out Skyscanner for the cheapest deals on flights and I hope these handy hints on how to spend 24 hours in Barcelona will help you get the most out of your stay.
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