Roam Guide / Barcelona, Spain
Annie Thomas has three passions: her family, travel and food. Traveling with kids (and her parents) while learning the food story of a new place allows her to indulge all three. Annie and her husband, Chris, live in Bettendorf, Iowa. While not documenting travels and what she eats, the Thomas’ run a real estate and furnishing company. Annie loves taking on challenging travel itineraries and looks forward to seeing her “country count” continue to rise. You can follow Annie's travels on Instagram at Where To Adventure .
Where?
Barcelona, Spain This popular capital of the Catalonia region of Spain is unique from the rest of the country because of its heritage and use of the Catalan language. It is Spain’s second largest city with a population of approximately 1.6 million. Barcelona boasts beautiful architecture, a delicious food scene, an extensive and varied history, as well as the privilege of being an oceanfront city.
Rtip: Anytime you are traveling abroad we suggest securing travel insurance.
When should we go to Barcelona?
As is the case in most of Europe, the summers are full of European tourists. With temperatures in the 80s it’s really is an ideal time to visit the coastal beaches or extend your stay in the Spanish islands — The Balearics in the Mediterranean (including Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza, and Formentera), and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa. Spring and Fall provide mild temperatures, and more than enough to do without getting in the water. The best flight prices usually lead into and out of the low season when temps are in the high 50s/low 60s.
How do we get there?
You can fly direct into Barcelona Airport - El Prat (BCN) from several U.S. cities including Chicago (where we most commonly fly). When flying to Europe, I suggest you elect an overnight flight. We find the effort of a full travel day (especially with kids) helps everyone to adjust to the jet lag. After a less than average night’s sleep on the plane and mid-day arrival in Europe, everyone seems ready for bedtime even though it’s midday at home. We utilized Press i Car transfer service for an easy and very professional airport transfer. I cannot recommend Roman and his staff enough. We used both taxis and buses to travel the city and Trainline is a great way to secure tickets online in Europe. Uber is no longer legal in Barcelona so hailing a taxi along the street or a designated taxi stand is the best option for spontaneous mobility. Bus passes can be purchased at any metro stop. We walked about 5-10 minutes from our apartment to purchase T-10 tickets (10 rides). Another alternative is to purchase a Tourist Travel Pass from any tourist office, metro vending, or online before you travel. The pass is good for 2-5 days and will cover the main tourist areas and a transfer to and from the airport.
Rtip: If you plan to rent a car for the duration of your trip, keep in mind that getting out of the city of Barcelona can be quite a feat. Make sure you have a good GPS or a fabulous co-pilot!
Where did you stay?
Choosing which neighborhood to stay within Barcelona can seem daunting, but there are many articles regarding the differences between areas. We chose to be near the Gracia area of the city for its access to transportation and notable sights, but more importantly, it offered a true neighborhood feel. Since we traveled as a group of 7 (my husband and I, my parents and our three children), we rented a spacious apartment found at Carrer d'Aribau, 226 called Center Exclusiva Apartments. The building has a small, European style elevator, and a great deal of character. Although we found our rental through AirBnB, it is managed by a company called Stay U-nique. They have a wide selection in all parts of the city. Barcelona and other popular European cities have a complicated relationship with rentals on sites like AirBnB so it’s important to be sure anyone offering an apartment has a tourist license.
Rtip: If you are looking to stay at a hotel, the Almanac Barcelona is in an ideal location, has beautiful rooms and a delicious breakfast included with your stay. They even offer their guests the use of a cell phone to make calls or use GPS while out sightseeing. Book through booking.com for the best rate.
What should we do in Barcelona?
Our family loves private walking tours. On this most recent trip to Europe, we discovered a company called With Locals. Their website, is easy to navigate and the specifics of the tours are neatly outlined and completely customizable. You can search by interest (i.e. family friendly, food, bike tour) and all tours are offered by locals passionate about their city. We took the “Hola, Welcome to Barcelona” tour and the “Little Chef: Market Visit” tour. Both guides were wonderful and everyone had a lovely time.
Sagrada Familia, the most well known tourist site of Barcelona, is the unfinished Basilica designed by Antoni Gaudi. You can view many other completed Gaudi buildings including Parc Guell, Casa Mila and Casa Batilo from the street or by separate ticket entrance. Even if you are not interested in architecture or religion, the structure is something to behold. We pre-purchased tickets with handheld audio guides for 26 euro per adult and 8 euro per child. These are nearly a requirement for a chance at entry and it is recommended you pre-purchase a month ahead. You are required to choose a time - both early and late times are recommended if you want a smaller crowd.
“Sagrada Familia brought me to tears, it’s extraordinarily beautiful – the detailed, almost gaudy exterior sets a tone and then it’s a total shift when you step inside.”
- Roam Guide Contributor, Kelly Hugunin
You can easily visit Barcelona and completely forget it’s on the ocean with all there is to see and appreciate, so make sure you find time to see the marina. I recommend a visit to the popular Barceloneta neighborhood. There you can walk the seaboard and enjoy an ocean view meal.
Barcelona’s Ciutadella Park is a beautiful green space in the heart of the city. It includes monuments, fountains, the zoo, endless walking trails and food stands. It’s a great spot to take a break in the city. The “Hola, Barcelona” tour (mentioned above) finishes here. It is also near the Barceloneta neighborhood and the Gothic Quarter, where you can find the Picasso Museum.
Rtip: Follow up a visit to the Picasso Museum with a drink at the drinking hole he frequented when he lived in Barcelona, Els Quarte Cats.
Don’t miss out on La Boqueria, a popular market in Las Ramblas offering the best fresh food the region has to offer. With many stalls of oysters, olives and cured meats, its perfect for putting together your own charcuterie board when you put the kids down for the night.
Our greatest indulgence was a day trip to Montserrat, in the wine-producing region of Penedès most famously known for its production of Cava. Cava is a sparkling wine only produced in this area of the world similarly to the way Champagne can only be produced in its region of France. The monastery located on the mountain of Montserrat is accessible by cable car and Funicular. You can also hike it, with the high point reaching far above the monastery. We arranged a private car through Press i Car and drove to the tiny village of Sant Sadurní d’Anoia just two hours from Barcelona. We had a lovely tour and tasting at Gramona Cellars where they accommodated both adults and children. Gramaona’s cellars contain several varieties that age for 30-120 months.
RSommSays: If you want to spend the entire day wine tasting, make appointments ahead of time. Start at the enormous caves of Freixenet and Segura Viudas and end at the adorably quaint caves of Juvé y Camps. This allows you the perfect opportunity to experience not only the best of Cava, but distinctly taste the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the various sized producers in the region. You can read more about Uncorking Cava on Leslee’s blog.
As far as eating goes in the area, Sol I Vi is only 10 minutes from Gramona Cellars and it’s the name for both the restaurant and hotel. The family run establishment offers Spanish and Mediterranean specialties. During our visit, we appeared to be the only tourists. The server delivered each dish as a performance from demonstrating how to properly eat a calcot, uncrusting our salted fish, shaving the parmesan for our carpaccio from a giant wheel, and enticing us with a multi-tier dessert cart wheeled to our table.
Rtip: There are only two hotels in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, but after a long day of drinking Cava, we recommend you consider a staying at Hotel Fonda Neus for the night.
What should we eat in Barcelona?
Foods to look for while traveling in Barcelona,Pan con tomate - The most common, simple snack we encountered in nearly every restaurant was Pan con tomate (tomato bread). There are variations of course, but in Barcelona, you will likely encounter a crusty, artisanal bread cut into pieces or strips and sometimes rubbed with a sliced garlic clove. Then a sliced tomato is crushed like a spread. The final touch is a little olive oil and salt. One of our guides told us her family will often eat pan con tomate a little earlier in the evening and have the rest of the meal at a more traditional time such as 8pm.
Croquetas - Croquetas may contain any number of ingredients. My favorite is a simple ham and cheese filling in an oval shaped fried breading. I suggest you cut into it and let the delicious filling ooze out. These are served as tapas in many restaurants.
Spanish Tortilla - This is nothing like we usually think of as a tortilla, and there is neither corn nor flour involved. A Spanish Tortilla is an egg dish, often including potato and onion. It is cooked in a skillet, and usually flipped out onto a plate to serve. It resembles a frittata, but the flavor is simple and focuses on basic ingredients and a good quality olive oil. It’s enjoyed both as a meal or a snack.
Churros con chocolate - These delicate, short, sugar dusted churros are served with a dark, barely sweet mug of chocolate. We saw them in many cafes, like the family friendly La Nena.
Jamon - Spain is very proud of their Serrano and Iberrico ham. There are entire shops dedicated to the precisely sliced pieces of sweet and salty goodness. Families of means will often purchase a whole ham bone, keeping it on a dedicated base and slicing from it with specialty knives during special occasions. There is a huge range in quality and price based on the pig’s diet, origin and purity.
If you would like to have an easy, approachable Spanish ham experience, stop at one of two Reserva Iberica locations. You can taste test and select the jamon you would like to have shaved for you to take away. You can have it served on its own or on a crusty baguette. To accompany your ham, they offer cheese, marcona almonds and other Spanish specialties. They also have a wide selections of wine and seating for you to enjoy your impromptu picnic if you like.
If you’re like me and you enjoy combining eating and doing, I recommend taking a paella class at The Paella Club. This was a very entertaining, delicious and informative way to learn about one of Spain’s national dishes. Paella is a rice based dish commonly prepared with seafood. We were given the option of making a pork and red wine paella, or a vegetarian paella.
Rtip: Another popular spot to enjoy Paella is the Taverna Del Glop, the paella is incredible and so is the sangria.
The best way to explore the city while eating good food is to participate in a Tapas Crawl. Tapas are small plates of regional favorites. Tapas, of the bar owners choice, were originally served alongside whatever you ordered to drink at smoky, little bars. Today, you will find restaurants of many styles with tapas on the menu. We loved the tapas culture and felt more confident being guided by a local to participate. Since tapas are enjoyed in several different neighborhoods, you will read mixed opinions about the “best” spot for tapas.
Rtip: Roam Guide Kelly Hugunin offers Tapas 24 as a “do not miss.” in Barcelona. This underground restaurant is the perfect place to to belly up to the bar, sample something from the chalkboard tapas menu and sip an Aperol Spritz after a long day on your feet.
If trying pintxos (pinchos) is on your list, I suggest Anardi, this cozy restaurant showcases the Basque version of tapas in a contemporary, fun and delicious manner. Their pintxos display is gorgeous and impressive. Anardi is located in Saint Antoni neighborhood and between here and neighboring Poble Sec, you can easily have a full tapas experience in one evening.
Rtip: A final restaurant recommendation to consider is Cerveseria Catalana. It might be a bit of a wait, but if you can score a covered patio table it’s a wonderful place to sample tapas and local wine!
What is one can’t miss item on your itinerary?
Being passionate about food, my “not to miss” items are actual food items — calcots and tapa/pinchos. Calcots are similar to a large green onion with a more mild, sweet taste. The season for calcots is only January through April. You may see neighborhoods within the city holding a calcot barbeque with these beautiful onions cooked over burning coals. They are dipped in romesco sauce. The day trip we took included an entertaining visit to the restaurant, Sol i Vi,(mentioned above) for calcots, salt encrusted fish, pan y tomate, paella and much more. Don’t miss out on trying tapas or pinchos. Pinchos are seen more popularly in the surrounding regions including Basque country (which bridges Spain and France). In that region, they are called pintxo, the translation is “spike” or “thorn” because these 1-2 bite snacks are always threaded onto a large toothpick. Traditionally they are laid out for you to select, simply paying by the number of “spikes” on your plate.
Tell us what would you’d differently next time?
I wouldn’t change a single detail of our trip, but if I were to visit Barcelona again, I would incorporate a visit to the nearby islands or travel north to San Sebastian, Basque region.
Where can we do a little shopping in Barcelona?
In the area near La Rambla you’ll find Plaza Reial, a vibrant square where locals fill the cafes. I suggest you begin your boutique shopping afternoon sipping coffee and people watching by the fountain. From there, you can branch out through the streets to find a nice concentration of Spanish retailers within a few blocks walking distance. Designer brands include Catalan fashion house Custo Barcelona, elegant Spanish owned, Massimo Dutti and the trendy well-known Barcelona flagship, Mango. If you are a parent, be sure to check out the handmade bags and backpacks at Lori Barcelona. All of these designer shops I mention are near the Ciutadella Park. The area is also home to the most wonderful concept store, CLAY. Raw stone walls, handmade linens and ceramics. Loverly.
Rtip: If you need a cocktail after a day of shopping, go to a bar called Zelig off Las Ramblas and tell them we sent you.
What is something special we can bring back with us?
We are very practical packers for longer trips, so we don’t have a lot of extra space for purchases. My favorite souvenirs are simple reminders that I can incorporate into daily life such as hand towels and magnets or salty meat products. We had plenty of cava affordably shipped back to the States as well. And that was a fun surprise to arrive at our door just after we returned.
Rtip: Find one of the two Bubo stores in Barcelona and bring home some chocolates!
What should we take on the trip?
With limited space, we have to be thoughtful in our packing. For a two week trip, we focus on approximately 5 outfits per person that can mix and match and layering options. I like to rely on no more than 2 pairs of shoes. Rothy’s are my go to, I prefer black for the versatility. It feels very European to have a scarf handy, but it can also be a quick and practical way to warm up or for use as an impromptu pillow for one of the kids. I chose one that is versatile with the color palate I pack. We swear by our Pockit stroller. Our youngest is 6 now, but we continue to travel with this stroller for long walks and an easy extra seat. It folds easily to fit underneath a plane seat or a restaurant table. We attach a strap to carry it when not in use. The absolute best item for traveling with kids is our Pogo water bottles. They have a small carabiner to connect to a backpack or purse so we always have them handy. We prefer water bottles without straws because the water tends to travel up the straws when the plane changes pressure. Travel journals are a great way for kids to document the experience, if only with a drawing. My daughter has used hers twice as her “homework” to report on her trip upon returning to school.
What should we know before traveling to Barcelona?
Barcelona is located in the region of Catalonia. There are two official languages: Spanish and Catalan. Most people are well versed in both but English is also prevalent. You’ll find menu and signage in both Catalan and English. The region holds tightly to their individual history, even voting in 2017 for independence from Spain. They have not gained independence yet, but it’s a controversial topic with many still championing the cause.
