Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar
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Brilliant Streets and Genius Architecture: Two Days in Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona Two Days Itinerary

Itinerary: Two Days in Barcelona, Spain

We had lots of leg exercises during our walking tour in Madrid, Spain, during the previous days. We were able to see a unique blend of old-fashioned traditions and hipster culture, and although we loved Madrid, we had to move on to our next destination, Barcelona.

Mardrid Train Station
Madrid Train Station

Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia. It is Spain’s second-most populous city. I have heard and read about Barcelona several times in the past, and although I was really looking forward to exploring more of Spain, a part of me missed Madrid. Nevertheless, when I got to Barcelona, I was in for a fun tour reminding me that each part of Spain was unique, beautiful, and unforgettable.

Day One: Arrival in Barcelona

I left my heart in Madrid via a two-and-a-half-hour train ride to Barcelona. It was such a comfortable train ride that I forgot we had already left Madrid. How I wish the Philippines had such an efficient train system as this!

Train from Madrid to Barcelona
Train from Madrid to Barcelona
Filipino Stacks while en route to Barcelona
Filipino Stacks while en route to Barcelona
Our Driver in Barcelona
Our Driver in Barcelona
Finally Arrived at Hotel Del Mar in Barcelona
Finally Arrived at Hotel Del Mar in Barcelona

When we arrived in Barcelona, that was the only time I realized we had already left the Spanish Capital. I was in Barcelona, and it was, once again, a whole new adventure for me. We checked in our official accommodation for one night, Hotel del Mar (hotel info)(which translates to “Hotel by the Sea”).

Hotel Del Mar Barcelona- Two Days in Barcelona
Hotel Del Mar Barcelona- Two Days in Barcelona

While my other companions went to his respective hotel room, I waited for Monette, a good friend of mine who flew from Switzerland to Barcelona just to meet me in Spain.

With Monette at my hotel room's balcony
With Monette at my hotel room’s balcony

Monette and I had a very long, catching-up conversation that we could not take note of the time. Before I knew it, Maria Martinez, our English-speaking tour guide, was already in the hotel lobby. Since Monette did not have any specific plans for that day, I offered for her to join us on our tour. I asked Maria for permission, and she gave the nod and a gentle smile. And with that, our walking tour began.

Shops at El Born District
Shops at El Born District

Our first stop was at El Born District, an area with walkways filled with cafes, bars, and various shops that all appeared fashionable and interesting on their own. Amongst the shops were galleries, such as the Textile Museum that also had a café. Visiting at least a shop wasn’t on our schedule, but walking on the streets with the shops bustling and with the walkways covered with trees was very relaxing and enjoyable.

Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar
Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar By Jiuguang Wang – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 es

Next to the El Born District was the La Ribera, where our next destination, the Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar, was located. The basilica was completed in 1383 and continues to overlook La Ribera today. The massive door of the church is decorated with figures that show how the church was constructed centuries ago.

Santa Maria del Mar Barcelona
Santa Maria del Mar Barcelona

The church’s façade is grandiose, but its interior has more impressive displays. It had dome ceilings and high, stained glass windows. The windows, which were hit by the sunlight from outside, illuminated the inside of the church with their various colors.

Christopher Colombus Monument
Christopher Colombus Monument
Street Artist in La Rambla
Street Artist in La Rambla

While on our way to the next place on our itinerary, our tour guide, Maria, reminded us to take extra care of our belongings while touring the streets, especially in La Rambla, Barcelona’s famous, tree-lined pedestrian shopping street. As a person who comes from Manila, I understood what Maria was trying to say, and of course, I knew well enough how to avoid perpetrators of the sort. Unfortunately, Barcelona had the problem of pickpockets (I guess all cities do), but we did not let that issue affect us in enjoying our walking tour. After all, we were headed next to Viana Restaurant for lunch.

Patatas Bravas at Viana Restaurant
Patatas Bravas at Viana Restaurant

Viana had a very clean and chill atmosphere. It was mildly busy when we got there, but we enjoyed our meal. We had some of their highlight pintxos, drinks, and desserts.

Interesting Food to go shops in Barcelona
Interesting Food to go shops in Barcelona

Our last stop for the day was the Catedral de la Santa Creu y Santa Eulalia, simply called Barcelona Cathedral. The church’s construction took place from the 13th to the 15th century, and is the seat of the Archbishop of Barcelona.

The church has towering spires, which contrast greatly with the afternoon skies. I could also see the gargoyle statues on its roof from afar.

Shops in front of Barcelona Cathedral
Shops in front of Barcelona Cathedral

Since the church was yet to open in 30 minutes, we decided to drop by the street bazaar that was just located in the street across from the cathedral. The vendors sold various items, including old books, jewelry, and antique-looking items like rosaries made from gemstones. Crowds of locals started to gather when the church finally opened.

Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia in Barcelona
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia in Barcelona

The church’s interior was mostly dipped in golden hues, probably because of the orange of the afternoon light outside. The chatters of our group, as well as of the other people who visited the church, reverberated.

New Exciting way to explore Barcelona
New Exciting way to explore Barcelona

Before returning to Hotel del Mar to retire for the day, we took our time to visit some souvenir shops and a few snack bars along the way. I’m so glad I could travel again with my friend Monette, who, although she went to Barcelona without many plans, was able to enjoy herself.

Day Two

We started our second day in Barcelona earlier than the first. If our tour on the first day focused on the local way of life, our second featured more of Barcelona’s artistic and architectural culture.

Barcelona Tour Bus
Barcelona Tour Bus

Our first destination was L’Eixample District, which is known for its artistic, modernist buildings. Walking along the streets of the district was very refreshing. It had a clean, grid-type city planning, which reminded me of Sapporo. However, what is unique about this district is its octagonal blocks. Although it is not immediately visible on a street level, an aerial view of L’Eixample shows the district’s very organized and clean urban planning.

Casa Batllo
Casa Batllo

Around the corner was the Casa Batllo, a very artistic building that stands out among the block it belongs to. The Casa Batllo is a house that was constructed in 1877 and was bought by a Batllo family a few years later.

Casa Batllo from the other street
Casa Batllo from the other street

From afar, the building looks like the back of a scaly dragon and is very eccentric compared to its very traditional neighbors. This building was artistically transformed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí, whose Obra maestro we were also set to visit afterward.

One of the beautiful chandeliers inside Casa Battlo
One of the beautiful chandeliers inside Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo’s interiors were equally as stunning. This is one of the only former-residential buildings with intricate stained glass windows that I have ever seen. In fact, it was one of the most colorful houses I have ever seen! The furnishings were bizarre, the roof was colorful, and almost every corner was decorated.

Inside Casa Battlo
Inside Casa Batllo
rooftop of Casa Battlo
rooftop of Casa Batllo
at the rooftop of Casa Battlo
at the rooftop of Casa Batllo

After the colorful attack on our eyes, we headed out for La Sagrada Familia, one of the world’s most monumental unfinished churches. Like the Casa Batllo, the La Sagrada Familia was partly constructed under the direction of Gaudí, who unfortunately passed away before the church could be completed.

La Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia

We shrunk as we neared the church grounds. La Sagrada Familia was colossal, and we felt like tiny ants walking near it. Its construction began in 1882 and is still ongoing. The church exterior was grandiose and intricate, and I couldn’t wait to explore its interiors by 2026, the year when the church is expected to be finally completed, as well as the same year that marks Gaudí’s 100th death anniversary.

Our La Sagrada Familia souvenir photo from Monette's Instax
Our La Sagrada Familia souvenir photo from Monette’s Instax

An interesting thing about the La Sagrada is that its construction is funded solely by the entrance fee and private donations. It is amazing how such an iconic church is only being run by dedicated individuals worldwide.

La Sagrada Familia Interior
La Sagrada Familia Interior

The Basilica was our last stop for the day, and when we left as a group, I breathed in as much Barcelonan air as I could. With that, our stay in Barcelona was about to end. We headed back to our hotel afterward to pick up our bags and then headed to the train station for our trip to Logrono. More stories coming up!

Souvenir Shot with Monette :) photo by Mark Angelo Acosta
Souvenir Shot with Monette 🙂 photo by Mark Angelo Acosta

This 12-day street photography tour of Spain was a sponsored trip organized by Spain Tourism Board. We would like to thank Barcelona Turisme for providing us with press passes to some of the most important tourist destinations in the city. I would also like to thank Maria, our English tour guide for Barcelona, for giving us such a fun and informative two-day tour.

To know more about Barcelona, check out VisitBarcelona.com. Follow them as well on their official Facebook page (facebook.com/VisitBarcelona), Twitter (@VisitBCN_EN), and Instagram (@visitBarcelona) for more updates.

Smart Travel Wifi in Barcelona
Smart Travel Wifi in Barcelona

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This Spain Street Photography and Food Tour were made possible by Spain Tourism Board, Turkish Airlines, Madrid Tourism, Visit Barcelona, La Rioja Tourism, Donostia San Sebastian Tourism, and Convention Bureau, and Turismo Bilbao.

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Written by Melo Villareal

Melo Villareal is the Online Publisher of Outoftownblog.com. He is an Accountant by profession who left the corporate world at the age of 23 to explore his beautiful country and the rest of the world. Today, Melo works as a part-time Social Media Manager for local and international clients. His full-time work focuses on discovering interesting culture, explore different cuisines and take memorable photos from local and international destinations he's visiting.

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