Hola España – First stop.. Barcelona!
I had finally reached my first destination after being delayed in London Heathrow (no surprise there) for 7 hours! So to say that I was tired was an understatement.
Walking Tour Crew
I arrived at my Hostel – Amistat Beach Hostel, shortly past midnight.
PROS:
The location is GREAT! 5 minutes away from the beach, which is ideal of course.
It’s also close to the metro (Poblenou Station), about 2.5 blocks away with a supermarket is just around the corner.
Price – It was pretty inexpensive considering other Hostels that I’ve stayed in before, generally just under the $20 CAD mark – depending on day & season.
Meeting my Canadian girls Angele & Jazz!! Miss you guys
Playa del Bogatell
CONS:
However, this hostel is actually a Youth Hostel – though it is not advertised as one.
The biggest complaint that I had was that there was a group of kids from a school in The Netherlands, which isn’t uncommon in Europe, but kids = noise.
It’s to be expected when staying in any hostel that there will be noise, and I don’t usually complain because I choose to not wear earplugs when I sleep as its a personal preference. But it was actually very loud, they would be running around down the hallways and slamming doors. A few people had mentioned something to the hosts, but really nothing could be done about it.
That being said, it still rates an 8.5/10 on HostelWorld so just make sure you do your research before booking!
> Just an FYI
the official languages of Barcelona are Catalan & then Spanish,
so Catalan is always written first. I knew before going there that Catalan was a language spoken, however I didn’t realize that it came before Spanish.
Camp Nou Stadium; Champions League – FC Barcelona VS. Bate Barisov
The biggest highlight of my entire trip, was going to a futbol match. Now I don’t normally follow futbol (soccer) but when you are in Europe, it’s a MUST.
Even though I didn’t understand all the rules or know all of the players, it didn’t even matter when I stepped foot into the stadium, because you go there for the experience.
I decided to pre buy my ticket online before I went to Spain, so that I didn’t have to worry about trying to get a ticket when I arrived. As my soccer obsessed friends had advised how early champions league games can sell out. My seat was in the nose bleeds but again, that didn’t even matter.
Keep in mind lots of hostels sell tickets at reception, as well as you can purchase tickets there at the Stadium. My ticket cost 39 euro, and it was well worth it.
They also have a tour of Camp Nou Stadium that I was recommended to go on, however it was closed due to Champions League. Just check online for dates and times if you want to check it out.
What I love most about sporting events (whether it be soccer, hockey, football etc)
is that it brings people together, for a good time & memories to be made!
La Sagrada Familia
If you’re going to Barcelona, you’re going to see La Sagrada Familia.
Words and pictures simply cannot describe the beauty and magnitude that it has to offer,
it’s just something that you have to see with your own eyes.
It was started in 1882 and is still in construction, said to only be 70% done and is planned to be completed in the year 2026 with an annual budget of 25 Million Euro! Antoni Gaudi was more than an architect, he was a genius far beyond his years.
Inside La Sagrada Familia
Top Recommendations for Barcelona;
- Sandemans NewEurope Tour of Barcelona – This is always a top recommendation from me. If Sandemans Tour is located in the city I’m visiting, I will always choose this tour over any others that are offered from the hostels etc. I have had nothing but good experiences from them and can’t recommend them enough! I also did the Gaudi & Modernisme Tour they offer as well, great way to see more of Antoni’s unbelievable artwork throughout the city.
- Casa Delfin – My new friend Maaike & I stumbled across this restaurant as we were looking for a place to grab a bite to eat before heading out to the futbol match. I had ordered the Lobster Paella and was blown away, it was definitely the best meal I had in Barcelona by a long shot. They have large portions so keep that in mind when ordering!
- Apollo Night Club – Jazz, Angele & I went out with our hostel on a Tuesday night. There’s almost always something going on every night, you just need to ask at reception. What I liked about this club is that it wasn’t totally Americanized, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they played actually Spanish songs along with Top 40’s. But remember to pre
drink before you go out to save you some $$$ !
Casa Mila or La Pedrera by Antoni Gaudi
FYI: There is a 10 year waitlist in this building, with rent being 16,000 Euro a month!
Adeu Barcelona!
little murs x big world 