Barcelona was the first city outside of The United States that I traveled solo. Solo travel was a little terrifying to me before Barcelona, but luckily it was a perfect city for a first timer.I have been to Spain before, but it was over 10 years ago and with my grandparents. Traveling solo to Barcelona is way different than spending two weeks in A Coruña with my grandmother and grandfather.Is it safe to travel solo to Barcelona? From the moment I landed in El Prat airport in Barcelona to the bus ride back almost a week later, I felt safe about 98% of the time.When did I feel unsafe? Well it was more of the environment than the people that made me nervous. My 1st night I was full of energy and just kept walking around, until I got lost in the Gothic Quarter. It was late on … [Read more...]
What to Eat in Barcelona – Classic Food Guide
What Food is Barcelona Known For? Barcelona is one of those cities people visit just for their food and local cuisine. This is a city that is a culinary heaven for many. Typical Barcelona food is fresh and full of flavor.Barcelona is a great place to sample most Spanish cuisines. They also have a rich food history of Catalan inspired dishes. You can tell by the prominence of the Mercat de la Boqueria how important fresh ingredients and a variety of foods were since at least the 13th century.Due to what is available in the region, common ingredients you'll see in these meals are olive oil, potatoes, tomatoes, and a variety of seafood. Authentic Barcelona Food There is really know way to sort the different types of food in Barcelona. There are so many great options that the … [Read more...]
Barcelona – Just Royal Paella Cooking Class Review
This is the story of my first overseas travel cooking class with Just Royal Bcn in Barcelona learning to cook paella.One of my favorite things to do when traveling to a foreign country is trying local dishes. I haven't exactly done a poll, but I'm assuming that's what most people would put as their top 5 reasons for visiting another country.I figured it might be a little more exciting to learn about the foods and learn to cook them so I can bring the knowledge home and relive the travel experience.Barcelona was the first place I ever traveled to myself internationally. It wasn't really a hard decision to choose this city, but the hard decision was making my itinerary when I would only be there for three days. Airbnb for a Cooking Class? I have to credit Airbnb with making … [Read more...]
Ultimate Guide to Barcelona Travel {30+Things to Do}
Barcelona was the first place that I traveled solo. For anyone that is looking to do solo travel in Europe for the first time, I highly recommend putting Barcelona at the top of your list as well.Barcelona aka Barca aka Barça has something for everyone and is worth visiting any time of the year. It rained the entire time I was there my first time and I still loved it. The list below is a strong sampling of things to do and places to see in Barcelona. Below you'll definitely see the most commonly Barcelona sights like The Gothic Quarter, Las Ramblas, and all things Gaudí. I also tried so sprinkle in some Barcelona attractions and locations others may not have mentioned like cooking classes, pintas bar hopping, and underground Roman ruins.Please leave comments at the end with … [Read more...]
My First Solo Trip – Backpacking Europe for 10 days
How I Got Obsessed with Travel – My First Backpacking Trip My first “big trip” was a 10 day solo backpacking trip through Europe. I haven't left the country since 10 years ago when I went to Puerto Rico for spring in college. I’ve always liked “traveling” but this is the first major experience that made travel my new passion.My motivation for this trip was a combination of things. A week off of work was already blocked off in my mind because I was making plans with my brother. We wanted to do a Pacific Coast drive from San Diego to Seattle. That never came to fruition so I just started thinking about the idea of going somewhere else. I also just renewed my passport a few months ago, so it felt like the time to use it.My 33rd birthday was also coming up, which happened to be … [Read more...]