And so as I departed from the oh-so-snug Copenhagen, the scene shifted 180 degrees as I entered the berserk and unruly jungle of Barcelona. And although I’ve become accustomed to the humidity of Asia, you never enjoy it as the hot, damp air engulfs your entire body. I had done a bit of research on the most economic way to get to Las Ramblas and I was not on a time constraint, so I decided to take the metro. It is quite confusing, in my opinion, so here are some notes:
From BCN Airport -> Placa Catalunya (Las Ramblas)
My flight arrived in Terminal 1, but the RENFE train station is located in Terminal 2, so I had to take a shuttle bus from T1 to T2. I got kind of lost because the signs for the shuttle bus and the train station were identically similar, so I had no idea where I was going, so watch out for that. When you arrive in Terminal 2, you have to walk an additional 15 minutes to actually get to the RENFE train station, which is a bitch in that humidity while carrying 20 pounds on your back and a duffle bag on the side. But just follow the “RENFE” signs and that should take you there. I had grabbed a metro map earlier in the airport, but the RENFE train IS NOT the metro so I was confused because I could not locate the “Placa Catalunya” stop. The RENFE train does not go directly to Placa Catalunya, so you need to get off at Passeig de Gracia. Exit the Passeig de Gracia station and you should see a bunch of tourists outside the Gaudi Casa Batllo building. Now you know you are in the right direction. From there, walk down Passeig de Gracia and you will eventually hit Placa Catalunya and Las Ramblas.
And now onwards to Barcelona! The city is just so big that I will talk about it in sections...
Food
Tapas, tapas, paella, tapas, and more tapas. I never really knew what tapas were until I got to Spain. It’s basically the Chinese equivalent of dim sum, sort of. Tapas compose of a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine, such as chorizos (sausages) and chopitos (fried squid). They range from about 2euros to 6euros per tapa. That was all we ate during our first week. And sangria was all we drank the entire month in Spain. Word of advice, DO NOT EAT ON LAS RAMBLAS; it is a major ripoff for average food. Spain is also known for its paella and let me tell you, it can be a major hit or a major meh for the amount of money you’re spending. Paella for me was good but not great, but maybe because I’ve only had paella from subpar restaurants. Try going to near the beach in Barcelonetta for some good seafood.
Tapas weren’t so exciting after the first week but in Spain, they have the best ham in the world: Jamón ibérico. Jamón ibérico is a type of cured ham and it comes from “super pigs.” The ham is so bomb because these pigs live the good life, roaming freely on pastures and feeding on barley, maize, and acorn. If I die and become reincarnated, I want to become a Spanish pig. I used to live on Kirkland ham (which was salty as hell), so after eating jamón ibérico, I felt like I was in heaven.
But there are some really awesome restaurants in Barcelona (close but not on Las Ramblas). If you are ever in town, be sure to take a visit to Cuidad Comtal and La Fonda.
Bottom Line: Tapas and paella are pretty amazing for the first week but it gets old and tiring after that. If you stay on Las Ramblas, do not eat there as it is overpriced; there are restaurants around which are a lot cheaper and better quality. I personally am not the biggest fan of Spanish food, but I do love that jamón ibérico.
Shopping
Patience will pay off. And it will pay off big. If you are ever in Barcelona during the summer time, you can’t help but notice streams of fanatical shoppers overflowing Zara’s and the multitude of European outlets. The summer sale begins in the middle of July and lasts until the end of August. Store hours are usually from 10:00AM and close around 8:30PM.
Now what kinds of sales can you expect? Discounts can range from 20% to 50%, even up to 70%. And the best part? NO SALES TAX! What you see is what you pay. For example, I bought a blazer from Zara’s whose original price was 100EUROS and was marked down to a final sales price of 30EUROS. And Zara’s is now my new favorite place to shop at, but I doubt I will do any shopping at Zara’s here in the States because it’s so damn expensive.
Bottom Line: Shopping in Europe during the non-sale periods will no doubt bankrupt you, but if you shop during summer sales, you will find top-notch quality at the lowest prices.
Sightseeing
What is there to see and do in Barcelona? There are way too many which you can research but here are the ones that I particularly enjoyed:
Las Ramblas is probably the most popular street in Spain, which connects with Placa Catalunya on one end and the Christopher Columbus monument at the other end. It is the place to "sightsee" as you will see the most beautiful girls in Europe walking up and down the street (NO LIE). During the peak summer season, it is usually packed from day to night with tourists from around the world. And thus, it is the perfect environment for local pickpockets. I mean you’d have these pickpockets who are dressed up nicer than you trying to jack your wallet and you wouldn’t even know it. And they are good, so watch it. Also, even the homeless people in Europe will have better style and dress better than you. Other than that, it is a street filled with dozens of restaurants and shops and local street performers. But it is a damn tourist trap, don’t eat there. Las Ramblas is also home to La Boqueria, a huge supermarket that sells the freshest fruits, vegetables, and seafood.
Antoni Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia, in my opinion, is the coolest looking piece of work in the world and the top “sightseeing” attraction in Barcelona. It has been in construction since 1882 and is expected to be completed by 2026. The design and symmetrical construction of the church is one of a kind and is both mathematical and architectural ingenuity. If you ever visit Spain and do not hit up the Sagrada Familia, you are a complete dumbass tourist. In order to get there, take the Purple Line L2 to Sagrada Familia stop. Most likely, you will have to wait in line (about 30minutes) to actually get inside the gates. It costs about 12EUROS for regular admission and 10EUROS if you are a student.
Park Güell is a garden complex designed by Antoni Gaudi situated in the Gracia district. If you want the best view of Barcelona, you must visit this park. Not only does the park offer a grand view of the city, but it is also the creation of the great Gaudi.
Nightlife
Before coming to Barcelona, everyone kept telling me how crazy the nightlife is in Barcelona. And although part of my time in Barcelona was cut short by my trip to Paris, the nightlife is indeed pretty crazy. I mean, the party starts bumping at 2-3AM and lasts until the early morning. A bunch of Barcelona’s most popular clubs are situated right next to the beach and so after a long night of partying, many people just lay and knockout on the beach. When roaming the streets of the Ramblas, be sure not to ignore the club promoters handing out fliers because some of them are actually pretty good deals. In terms of which clubs to hit, your experience will always vary but some good ones are Razzmatazz, Otto Zutz, and Moog.
Transportation
The Metro is pretty convenient as it takes you anywhere around the city. My only complaint is that it is pretty complicated to get from the airport to central Barcelona taking the metro. On my way out of Barcelona, I just took the Aerobus for a few extra euros.
Siesta
What is siesta? I originally thought that siesta was a sort of “fiesta” party that originated in Spain but I was off by a mile. In fact, it’s the mere opposite. In Spain, siesta refers to a short nap taken in the early afternoon around 3PM where all the shops close. And if you live in Barcelona, siesta is a definite must if you want to keep up with the lifestyle there.
Bottom Line: Barcelona, you got my mouth infected with all those tapas and sangrias but I forgive you. Any young person traveling in Europe MUST MUST MUST visit Barcelona at one point in their young lives. My only regret is that I did not go to Ibiza (next time!). But it is a vibrant city filled with culture and fun that beckons young travelers to visit…so what are you waiting for?
