Tapas, Gaudi, and More in Barcelona in Two Days

Road-Tripping Spain and Southern France Plus Ibiza in 12 Days – DAY 8

Barcelona is one of our favorite cities in Europe. Wandering through Barcelona is like wandering through a dream. This cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region is one of Europe’s most visited cities. Barcelona is all about culture, art, and architecture. There are a lot of things to see and do in the city, for example, exploring the magnificent architecture of Gaudi, city museums, UNESCO-listed sites, delicious tapas, markets, and also a beach. We drove down from Carcassonne, France to Barcelona, Spain including a stop at Skydive Empuriabrava for our first tandem jump experience. This 2-day Barcelona itinerary would do complete justice to first-timers in Catalunya region of Spain.

Highlights of the Day

• Drive from San Sebastian to Barcelona
• AirBnb Campervan Stay
• Vegan Tapas Dinner
• Cannabis Clubs in Barcelona

From Carcassonne to Barcelona

After a beautiful evening spent in Carcassonne, the next day we headed to Barcelona. We picked up multigrain breads from a supermarket near a fuel station and had them with our usual vegan dips. This was our usual on-the-go breakfast during the road-trip. It also helped us many times to fill our stomach when we felt hungry randomly.

On the way to Barcelona, we first stopped at Empuriabrava, located in the Costa Brava region of Spain. We left Carcassonne at around 9 AM and reached Empuriabrava in just 3 hours taking the longer route by the coast.

Empuriabrava is all about expensive houses and yachts – definitely a place where the rich people spend their money. Emburabravia has no authentically Catalan vibes, but it is a great place to experience a range of watersports like sailing, surfing, water-skiing, para-skiing, windsurfing, diving, and more. Plus, Europe’s most famous skydiving school – Skydive Empuriabrava – considered to be among the third best in the world is in here. That was the reason why we chose to experience our first tandem jump with them.

You can know all about how it feels to skydive for the first time here.

After such a crazy adventure, it was time to leave Empuriabrava for Barcelona. It was 3 PM. We crossed famous cities of Catalonia region like Figueres, known for its Salvador-Dali Museum. We also crossed Girona, known for its medieval architecture, walled Old Quarter, and the Roman fortress. By 5 PM, we reached our AirBnb Campervan stay in Barcelona.

AirBnb Campervan Stay

We had booked a campervan for 2 nights on AirBnB. It was strategically parked very close to Marina metro station, which made it easier for us to explore the city. Dani was our host and he showed us everything about how to use the campervan for our stay. The vehicle had everything we need for in a vacation.

We were filled up with a weird feeling inside the stomach after skydiving, it was nothing bad, however it was just strange. Eventually we realized that we haven’t had a proper meal since morning. Whenever we felt hungry, we had some bread and dips that we were carrying. So after we checked in to our campervan, our next mission was to have dinner. As days are coming closer for the vacation to end, we knew we would miss authentic local tapas. So we decided to feast on tapas only for dinner in Barcelona.

Vegan Tapas for Dinner

Barcelona is a vegan paradise. If you are a tapas lover, well who is not, plus a vegan, then try these vegan tapas from tapas bars like BarCeloneta Sangria, Sesamo, or La Raposa del Poble Sec. We drove to BarCeloneta Sangria Bar, which was close to the beach, around 2-3 km from our campervan.

We have been trying tapas since Day 1, whether it was in Seville or Madrid or even in San Sebastian in the form of pintxos. Here I have listed 10 of my favorite vegan tapas options. You can find them easily across in a traditional tapas bar (double-check if they are vegan).

After such a hearty dinner, we did not want to roam around. It was a little hectic day. Richie drove all the way from Carcassonne to Empuriabrava taking the longest coastal route, then we had our first tandem jump with Skydive Empuriabrava, and then Richie drove us to Barcelona. So, finally we decided to head back to our campervan and have a good sleep.

Cannabis Clubs in Barcelona

While we were on our way back, we came across this super cool cannabis club very close to the Marina metro station. Richie had to get inside. However, I preferred to stroll around. In sometime, Richie came back with a huge smile on his face flashing his annual membership card at me. I was surprised how he managed to get that.

Here are few points and tips you need to know in case you are interested in becoming a member of a cannabis club in Barcelona:

1. You have to be a legal adult (18 or 21 y depending on the club), and of course a consumer of cannabis, whether it is for recreational or medical purpose.
2. Always carry your ID as an age proof and nationality proof.
3. It totally depends on the club whether they accept foreigners or not. However, there is no law that forbids foreigners from registering in a cannabis club in Barcelona.
4. You have to request an invitation. Either you go with an existing member who can endorse you, or if you do not know anyone, then send a private message to their Facebook page. Do not bring anyone who do not want to be a member. It is better not to leave anyone waiting outside the club.
5. You have to pay an annual membership fee that ranges from €10 to €50 depending on the club.
6. You must provide a Spanish address for registration purposes, it can be the hotel address. No one would send you any mail to that address, so it does not make a big deal.
7. Usually, cannabis clubs open from 10 AM to 10 PM every day including Sundays. However, few clubs are closed on Sundays and bank holidays.
8. Keep in mind, there are fake tourist traps, with cheap membership registration fees, low quality products, and high prices at the dispensary. Stay away from such fake clubs. Also stay away from street promoters for your own safety.
9. It is illegal to use financial words like “buy” or “purchase”. Do not say “I want to buy weed” – there can be serious consequences. Instead of these, please use words like “get”, “pick up”, or “acquire”.
10. Please keep in mind that cannabis in Barcelona is only legal inside the cannabis club. It is illegal to possess and consume cannabis in public. Be very careful!

Finally, there was great tapas to relish, weed to get high on, and a cute van to spend the night in. We needed a cozy sleep as next day, we had planned to explore Barcelona! Goodnight!

Road-Tripping Spain and Southern France Plus Ibiza in 12 Days – DAY 9

If we have had the privilege of spending a week in Barcelona, we would have been really happy. But we had only one full day in hand to explore the city. However, we managed to squeeze all the beautiful Gaudi buildings and spectacular churches in one day. Moreover, we also enjoyed a delicious brunch in a fancy restaurant. The old city called Gothic Quarter and the modern city called Eixample built in the 19th century are the two main sections of Barcelona. One cannot visit Barcelona without coming across the name Antoni Gaudi. He was a Spanish architect, who was part of the Catalan Modernista movement, eventually surpassing it with his nature-based organic style. You cannot afford to miss the Gaudi sites when in Barcelona. I had shared the recommended itinerary for exploring Barcelona in a day and how you can fill your day up.

Highlights of the Day

• Brunch at Teresa Carles
• Casa Batllo and Casa Mila
• La Sagrada Familia
• Park Guell
• La Ramblas

Returning Europcar

We started our day at around 10 AM – yes, we slept for a little longer. The first thing we did in the morning was to return our lovely rental car to Europcar station. There is huge issue with parking your car if you are planning to get around the city. The best option is to take public transport as it connects every places, every corners of the city.

Finally, it was time to say bye to our Volkswagen Beetle. It was a great road-trip with her in Spain and also in Southern France from Seville to Barcelona. We took her to the white villages, Granada, Madrid, Picos de Europa, Basque Country, and also the Pyrenees region on the France side. There are many Europcar stations in Barcelona. We returned her to the one at Plaza Glories 22. We handed the vehicle keys and the registration documents to the staff. They checked the vehicle and gave us a green signal that everything was alright.

After returning our car at the Europcar station, we walked a short distance to the Glories Metro Station, which is in Line 1. We purchased the T-10 multipersonal ticket in the station that allowed us to use the metro 10 times in total. It was very convenient for us as we did not have to stand in the queue for tickets once we had that one. We got down at Universitat Metro Station which is also in Line 1. It is very close to Placa de Catalunya, a large square in the city center, which is also the place where the Gothic Quarter and Eixample meet. Teresa Carles is just 450 m away from the station, very close to Placa de Catalunya.

Brunch at Teresa Carles

Barcelona is a hub for plenty of vegan restaurants, and you would get healthy food options everywhere. Previous night, we had a great time experimenting with different types of plant-based tapas at BarCeloneta Sangria Bar. This time, we were in a mood to try something fancy, and Teresa Carles was the best option for us, vegans. Teresa Carles is a self-made 35 years experienced chef in vegetarian and natural products, and the author of notable cooking books. She has traveled across the world to analyze various vegetarian cuisines, and the restaurant Teresa Carles is an amalgamation of her experiences. The meal was mouth-watering and the value was justified. We shared a three-course meal for around €30.

Passeig de Gracia

Passeig de Gracia is an elegant, majestic avenue that links Placa de Catalunya with the district of Gracia, hence the name.

Like Placa de Catalunya, another eminent boulevard in Barcelona is Passeig de Gracia. It is one of the major avenues in Barcelona and one of its most important shopping and business areas. Not only, it is a shopping haven for people who prefer branded clothing and accessories, but also this place is a haven for architecture-lovers as Gaudi’s work is mostly scattered here. Of course, this is because it is the main area for Gaudi’s walking tour. It was only a few hundred meters from Teresa Carles, so we preferred walking. You could also reach this eminent boulevard usitg metro lines L2, L3, and L4.

Casa Batllo

First we saw one of Gaudi’s famous houses – the UNESCO-listed Casa Batllo, which is entirely open to the public for viewing.

Our ticket not only had a priority access, but also included an audio guide. It explained all the highlights of the building including the original decoration and furniture. It helped us immerse in a fairy-tale world – the past and present of the house – and the fascinating imagination of the creative genius Antoni Gaudi of Catalan Modernism. We got to know so much about the history behind its construction. The pricey entrance fee was totally worth it.

Casa Mila

We walked ahead of Casa Batllo for another 650 m, and in one corner, we came across a blend of fantasy and functionality – the UNESCO-listed Casa Mila or Le Pedera. We were amazed to see how the exterior of the building resembles the waves of a moving sea. It looked like they interact with the seaweed-patterns on the wrought iron balcony railings. The huge stone blocks gave a feeling similar to that of a skin that wraps the skeleton of a wall-free building. The entrance ticket online cost €22 per person that included skip the queue visit along with an audio guide. We curiously visited the areas that are open to public – the attic space, rooftop, brick-laden curvy arches, and a period apartment.

Diagonal Metro Station is closely located to Casa Mila and have the lines L3 and L5 crossing by. We got into the L5 metro line. Within two stops, we reached Sagrada Familia Metro Station that has the lines L2 and L5 crossing by.

La Sagrada Familia

Whenever I hear the word “Barcelona”, a picture of the huge Roman Catholic Cathedral appears in my mind. That is La Sagrada Familia. It is Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece. It is scheduled to finish in 2026. Looking at the heightened level of architecture surrounding me, how awestruck it would look if it were completed.

We got the €29 per person ticket online. It included entrance ticket to the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia along with an audioguide. In addition to these, the ticket also included visit to one of the towers. There are two towers in total. First is the Nativity Tower, with views of the eastern side of Barcelona. Second is the Passion Tower, with views of the city center.

Park Guell

Park Guell was our last Gaudistic destination of the day. It is a UNESCO-listed big garden complex, and is another remarkable showcase of Gaudi’s work. The location of the park in not in the central district like other sites we visited, moreovso we took a detour. We took L5 metro line from Sagrada Familia Metro Station to Diagonal. There, we changed to L3 metro line there, and headed to Lesseps Metro Station. Park Guell was around 1 km walk from that metro station. The entrance ticket cost us €7.5 per person that we had booked online.

La Ramblas

We have made use of the whole day exploring all the must-see Gaudi’s work in the city. Finally, we headed to La Ramblas in Gothic Quarter to experience the city nightlife. La Rambla, stretching from Placa de Catalunya to the Mediterranean Sea, is one of the most popular streets in the world. It is known for its souvenir markets, wide array of shops, street performers, and more. It is lined with clubs, bars, and a host of interesting places to experience an incredible evening. We took the L3 metro line from Lesseps Metro Station and reached Liceu Metro Station. The metro station is located right on the La Ramblas street.

On one side of La Ramblas street, we witnessed the notorious Gotico neighborhood. It is known for its late night discos, live music venues, electronic clubs, and never-ending excitement. On the other side, in the lesser known Raval neighborhood, we found rustic and cool bars, small discos, cocktail places, and differently-styled clubs. So it does not matter which side you are in the street, you would always come across something happening to spend the evening here.

We love the plant-based tapas so much the previous night, that we again decided to head to the same restaurant. We walked down the street and took a slight left and then right down the beach. BarCeloneta Sangria Bar was right there. After filling ourselves with the best tapas we ever had in Spain we headed to our campervan walking. It was a distance of around 2 km but loved walking down the streets of Barcelona on our last night. We never felt like leaving!

Important Tips for Barcelona Sightseeing

• Pick up a T-10 multipersonal metro ticket like we did on the second day. We changed the metro lines for total 5 times per person, so we actually used all the 10 usages in the card. We did not have to spend anything else on public transport.
• Barcelona faces many tourists during summers and most of the sightseeing places allow a limited number of visitors per day. So it is highly advisable to buy entrance tickets of the church or buildings or park that you are intending to visit prior to your visit. Prefer purchasing them online for better deals.
• Keep a map of Barcelona handy as there are too many metro lines and other oublic transport options connecting every part of the city – this would just help you more.

NET EXPENSE FOR 1 PERSON (IN EUR)

Let us have a look at the expenses of Days 8-9 in Spain – Barcelona.

• Skydiving: 388Stay at AirBnb Campervan (2 nights) for twin sharing: 100
• Food at BarCeloneta Sangria Bar, Teresa Carles, and others: 60
• Public Transport: 10
• Entrance tickets of places we visited: 88
• Miscellaneous: 20

Total expense (roughly): 666 EUR

For a more customized itinerary, whether for solo or couple or group of any number of people, feel free to contact me on Contact Us page.

If you are planning for a much-organized, tastefully-curated, stress-free yet exciting vacation, consider booking your holidays at Travel Love Repeat. It is going to be a treat for sure!