The beach at Barceloneta

Barcelona will forever be, in my eyes, one of the most beautiful and enchanting cities in the world. Its vibrant atmosphere, laid back approach to life, glorious Mediterranean weather and unique charm doesn’t quite compare to the gloomy and overpriced London (the city where I was born and bred). Without a doubt my perfect day in Barcelona would take place mid-May – the weather is warm, but not unbearably hot, and tourists are beginning to flock in left, right and centre, giving the Catalan capital that vibrant buzz that I so adore. Not to mention, May is the month of my birthday and I’m sure all Taurus’ and Gemini’s would agree with me in saying that May is undeniably the best month of the year.

Whilst students are notorious for being lazy, some may find it ironic that I enjoy nothing more than an early rise and a productive day. Consequently, I would begin my perfect day in Barcelona with a 7am wake up, followed by a morning run along the golden sounds of the nearby Barceloneta beach. Not only is it a great workout and an opportunity to gather my thoughts for the day but I get to enjoy the city in its rare tranquil state. Read the rest of this article…

I spend half my time here alone as my partner works away, so of course the most perfect days are when he’s at home to enjoy this beautiful city with me, after all, that is why we moved here, for that “everyday perfect” lifestyle. April and May are my favourite times of year, not too hot but warm enough not to need a coat and not too busy with tourists. Russell makes the morning coffee as he always does and we sit in the living room as the sun streams through the window discussing our plan for the day. Coming from a seaside town, we both love to be near the water so spend a lot of time walking along the beach front and as a keen photographer, Barcelona is a great place for taking photos and today is a gloriously sunny day so I make sure I have my camera all packed up and off we head.

Beautiful Barri Gòtic

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My perfect day in Barcelona would start with a nice long lie-in. It’s a day in early summer – not too hot yet but warm enough to go out without a jacket. My puppy would eventually drag me out of bed (he always does) so I could start off my day with a walk around Gràcia, greeting my neighbours as I pass, or rather allowing my neighbours to greet my dog.

I’d start off the day right with a chocolate-filled croissant from Knel·la bakery (c/ Milà i Fontanals 9) in Gràcia, or big helping of vegan French toast made with orange zest and topped with real maple syrup at DosTrece (c/ Carme, 40) in Gotico (or both if I was having a very gluttonous morning). As a food and travel writer, sometimes I like eating food I’ve already written about, so I don’t spend the whole time I’m eating it reviewing it in my head!

Vegan croissant from Knella bakery

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I wake to the sound of Erica, Pablo and Chica purring at the foot of our bed, the smell of bread baking in the kitchen. A warm breeze floats in from the balcony and I rise to prepare a cafetiere of coffee and bash some eggs around in a pan. Rosana checks on our limonero (lemon tree) and yelps with joy as she discovers the beginnings of our first lemons. “It’s like a miracle!”

Ben preparing to cruise the boardwalk

The “Let’s go to the beach!” moment

Once the caffeine has revived us, we kiss our cats goodbye for the day, smear on a layer of suncream that smells like coconut and childhood memories and head out into the street. Rosana’s on her bike, I’m on my longboard.

We roll past the bakery and the Ethiopian restaurant next door, past the bodega where we only go to drink but not to eat because the camerero has the hands of a coal miner. Read the rest of this article…

I’ve always loved Barcelona. Each time I visit, I am always reminded of how I never want to leave. It’s the history, the beach, the viewpoints, the Catalan pride, the most amazing food and the ability to travel back in time just by walking through the city’s neighborhoods that draws me in.

My perfect day in Barcelona starts early – sorry non-early risers, skip to the Catedral de Barcelona part. At about 7am, I make my way up to the Bunkers del Carmel and either intentionally (or unintentionally) take an unconventional route that leads me to one of the most fantastic views of the city. I take my time to meditate, do yoga, pet thousands of dogs, observe the city waking up and wait for the sun to finally come out.

The view from Bunkers del Carmel

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