Barcelona, Baby!

May 22 -27, 2026

What an Amazing, Exciting, Fun, Whirlwind of a visit and major tug on the heart strings!!! Since Spain is nine hours ahead of our west coast of the United States, we three generations of amigas left on a Friday and arrived in Barcelona on Saturday. (Still got 6.7 miles in before flight 😀)

We chose the convenience of an Uber to our hotel, and it was a mixed blessing given the major construction going on around and on La Rambla – What A Mess!! It is always distracting and frustrating to be in the middle of such projects, yet I imagine the end result will be worth it.

This Mommy Bear is so proud of her son and fiancé for their bold and adventurous move to Spain a year ago! They have stayed short and long periods in various places as well as traveled on extended road trips and have chosen to settle in Barcelona for the time being. I LOVE this city and look forward to every return! And even though I’m a big supporter of public transportation philosophically, practically and as a rider, I had not availed or educated myself on those options in past visits. I am So happy to be schooled on the subject this time around!!

W met us at our hotel in the Gothic District as we checked in and then it was on to the Metro where we bought unlimited ride tickets for bus and subway! We took a subway to the Alfons X stop and walked a couple blocks to K & W’s casa for a delicious dinner of fish tacos on their patio in the Grácia neighborhood. Then it was back on the metro, to our Urquinaona stop and the handful of blocks walk under pink skies to our home away from home. We are so thrilled to be here together!! (6.5 miles on the day)

Sunday we enjoyed the “Included” Breakfast at our hotel and Metro’d to Bogatell Beach via the Poblenou neighborhood stop. Barceloneta is a popular “Go To” for a seaside afternoon yet W suggested it would likely be too busy on a Sunday during Barcelona’s sudden Heat Wave. Plus he had a Volleyball Date with W & K friends and L got to play, too!! It was so fun and heartwarming to watch the two together in action and to see G splash in the Mediterranean waters!! What a skin packed beach!

We brought morning snacks yet stopped for a late lunch at Nyam Nyam on the beach – YUM!! And the gelato at De la Crem in Girona – worth waiting in the long line for!! I had amaretto and kulfi (cardamom and saffron)! We took the super easy and efficient metro back to our hotel, while W & K rode off on a Yego rental scooter. (6.7 miles)

Monday started with our generous and predictable breakfast at our hotel (I am enjoying starting the day with a salad!), and more Metro connections – this time to met W & K for “to go” lunch at Honest Greens (loved this place in Valencia!) which we then enjoyed picnic style in Ciutadella Park via a walk through the Arc de Triomf. (Plaça Cataluna stop to Arc de Triomf stop).

W and G had a chance to learn how to attract parrots onto their extended arms – so cool to watch!

K & W returned to their casa by Yego, we three stopped at a park where G played and made new friends, then we walked through the laid back El Born neighborhood back to our hotel, with a gelato stop at Torrons La Campanas.

We also stopped in for late afternoon tea in our hotel dining room. L & G went out again to purchase some gifts and I went to bed early! We are doing decent with the jet lag but the time change adjustment and activity level contribute to a very real tiredness…(4.3 miles).

Tuesday: More hotel breakfast, some laundry at W’s and a quick play at a local park for G where she executed her parrot-to-the-arm attracting talents – with success!!! Another park patron gave her some breadcrumbs to entice those emerald green chirpies to her elevated and outreached hand!

Then on to our day’s highlight – a GREAT TRIP up a funicular to Tibadao! Such Amazing views of the vastness of Barcelona and acres of forest midway!! Atop, G rode on the Merry-go-round countless times and also individually with each of us on the ferris wheel (with that Incredible view!!) – I felt on Top Of The World!!! The mountain with those carnival rides is home to a Most amazing Gothic cathedral, too!

We headed back down in the funicular when we’d had our fill. Two planned stops were foiled (darn!) as the places were closed – Secret Garden (we peeked in, So Cool!) and Llurita, a tapas establishment. We held on though and had several yummy tapas at La Pepita, a Braulio (family friend) favorite! G added her pen to the walls!

Then some amazing, stuffed churros were consumed next door at Churreria J. Balcells! We enjoyed strolling around the Grácia neighborhood and we found another playground for G to play on for a bit. She’s such a trooper!! (8.9 miles).

Wednesday: L joined in a local yoga class! G & R enjoyed yet another hotel breakfast… We three took two metro routes to Sagrada Família where we met up with W for our reserved entry reservation. This is my third time, L’s second and W & G’s first. The place was massively crowded yet dazzled and left us in awe at its jaw dropping and palpable majesty (even after the realization that I left my sunglasses on throughout… ).

Antonio Gaudi’s adoration and reverence for God, his architectural prowess and creativity plus his love and fascination of nature shine boldly in this Amazing cathedral which has been under construction since 1882!!!

The Pope will visit on June 10th to bless and inaugurate the soaring central Tower of Jesus Christ to mark the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí’s death.

Once our wonderful visit and viewing were completed, we headed back to W & K’s, on a 21 bus this time, slipping in a shared, healthy rice and chicken bowl plus cold pressed juice. W prepared PERFECT salmon, asparagus, rice and grilled bread! We still had some of Billy D’s chocolate chip cookies to enjoy for our dessert! (4.6 miles).