The following is a post by a friend who has visited Barcelona and wanted to share his experience with my blog readers. He’s a budding travel blogger so I’ve given him a shot.
Visiting Barcelona was a once in a lifetime experience for me. I was very impressed by this city, it is so dynamic and alive. People there seem to make the most out of every second of their lives, and this experience as a backpacker was exactly what I needed.
My main aims for the trip were to enjoy myself in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, to improve my Spanish, take in the culture and admire Gaudi’s masterpieces.
The Official Flag of Barcelona
I’ve been studying Spanish for a while, but I didn’t seem to make much progress as I never had a chance to practice my Spanish in the real world, so I decided that a trip to Barcelona would be perfect for taking my knowledge of the language to the next level.
I started my preparations by choosing a place to stay in the form of a hotel, I didn’t fancy a backpacker hostel since I had a lot of expensive gear with me. To tell the truth it is not an easy task when you are on such a tight budget as I am.
After hours of searching the web I finally decided to book Alba Pension Barcelona, it seemed just perfect and not too expensive. It was only 20 minutes from El Prat International airport and it’s quite close to Liceu Metro Station. The hotel is next to Plaza Cataluna and Museo Picasso. I needed a good location like this, but What tempted me the most was probably the proximity to Sagrada Familia.
Sagrada Familia was the first thing I visited, the Sagrada is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s an extraordinary Gothic architecture designed by Gaudi.
Gaudi spent the last years of his life working on this project but unfortunately when he died only a quarter of the project was completed. Everything in Sagrada Familia is symbolic, the entrances are said to represent the three virtues: Hope, Faith and Love.
The towers at Sagarda Familia display the words “Hosanna”, “Excelsis” and “Sanctus”. These words are written a number of different languages, including Catalan. Tourists may access the Crypt, Nave Museum, Shop, and the Passion and Nativity towers. I got my ticket for this online before I left, but you can buy them at the site too.
Sagrada Familia however is not the only display of Gaudi’s work in this area, other places I wanted to see are Casa Batlló, Casa Milà and Park Güell. Honestly speaking I was more impressed by Sagrada Familia and Park Güell. I spent almost a whole day at Park Güell and it was fantastic.
Gaudi’s main interests were religion, nature and his affection for Catalonian culture, it’s plain to see his passion reflected in his architecture. People from all over the world come here to enjoy this beauty, and I’m glad to say that I was one of them!
Among the most interesting museums I visited in Barcelona were Chocolate museum, Barcelona Rock Museum and Wax and Erotica Museum, I also strolled through Las Ramblas, Passeig del Born, Port Vell, Passeig de Gràcia and went to the bar for a well deserved drink in Carrer Verdi. I think i lost a couple of pounds in weight walking around sightseeing!
During my trip I met a lot of interesting people and we are still keeping in touch on facebook and twitter, it was good to make some Spanish friends too. I did eventually improve my Spanish a bit, but I have a lot of studying still to do to make it better, I’m not quite fluent yet.
I could go on and on writing about how much I enjoyed my stay in Barcelona, because to be absolutely honest I fell in love with this city, and it’s ignited my passion for travel to more Spanish and European cities, there’s so much culture to take in, it could take more than a lifetime.
Top Bucket List Destinations and Where To Go
All travellers should have their own bucket list, a list of places to see before they die. Even if you prefer to think of a less morbid motivation to write your own bucket list, it can be a great idea to set some travel goals and make a list of must-see places so that you have something tangible to aim for.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Take some time to create your own wish list and then get saving to make it happen for you. Don’t forget to save enough for your insurance as well. It would be easy to forgo purchasing cover to save those all-important pennies but this can be a false economy should something go amiss during your trip.
You’ll find that comparison websites such as MoneySupermarket.com can help you to compare deals and make some additional savings that you can put towards your trip of a lifetime, so don’t forget to pay them a visit!
Not sure where to start with your bucket list? Here are some suggestions:
Taj Mahal, India
If you haven’t been to India yet, then there is probably a whole list of places in the country that you would want to see. But definitely one not to miss on any journey is the stunning and iconic Taj Mahal. Built from white marble a long time ago, it is a monument to one of the greatest and most enduring love stories you’ll find and still takes visitors’ breath away to this day (especially during a particularly beautiful sunset when it takes on a pink hew).
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The famous temple in Angkor is a place that most backpackers in Southeast Asia will have on their bucket list. The temple is almost 1000 years old and there’s still a lot of mystery surrounding the people who built it. Angkor Wat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is the national symbol of Cambodia, featuring centrally on the Cambodian flag.
Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
Whether you’re a big fan of Charles Darwin or just a lover of nature, you can’t fail to be drawn to the Galapagos Islands where Mr. Darwin got his first clues about the origins of species. Today it is still a remote and unspoilt habitat, something that you would be hard pushed to find anywhere else on the globe.
Lhasa, Tibet
Once the cultural and spiritual heart of Asia, Tibet is a place where people still have a strong spiritual connection with the earth despite recent troubles. Visit the Potala Palace that sits high on the hill overlooking the city, or visit the Buddhist monks for a bit of spiritual healing yourself.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
This one has to be on everyone’s top-destinations list. Even if you don’t fancy taking up scuba diving, you can still get a taste of the world’s largest barrier reef and all the life it supports by donning your mask and snorkel for a guided tour of the reef edges.
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Looking more like an elaborate theme park or a well-crafted stage set, the Blue Lagoon certainly seems otherworldly, so it’s only appropriate to put it on your list. Everyone should experience the thrill of running barefoot over snow and plunging into the warm waters of the lagoon with snow falling all around them at least once in their lives.
The Great Pyramids, Egypt
It may have become less of an expedition and more of a tourist attraction these days, but the pyramids of Egypt definitely have to be seen to be believed. Escape the crowds and blistering heat by getting an early start and enjoy seeing the sun rise over the Sphinx’s head for a truly magical experience.
Machu Picchu, Peru
Standing at almost 2,500m above sea level, the mountain of Machu Picchu is probably the most well preserved and most breath-taking relic of the Incan Empire. Nestled on the eastern slopes of the Andes and within the Amazon basin, the location has a stunning array of flora and fauna as well as these historical sites.