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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Romans in Barcelona? Really? Yes, Barcelona can be traced back to an ancient Roman settlement from 218 B.C. called Barcino! You might not be aware of this – after all, Barcelona is much better known for its Gothic district or Gaudí and modernism.

But Barcelona has some exciting museums on ancient Roman times to offer too! So, let’s take a tour of the Barcelona museums landscape.

We’ll also cover some more must-see Barcelona museums from other eras, including contemporary art, which can be found all over Barcelona as well – because Barcelona is international, up to date, and always goes with the times!

Barcelona’s Underworld?

In Barcelona’s City History Museum, you can experience the city’s past in an unusual way. All seems fairly normal when you enter the palace, but then the adventure begins: You enter an elevator and go from today’s Barcelona down into Roman Barcino – to the underworld, so to speak…

Visitors can explore each dig site by walking along footbridges. Among them are an old wash-house, a wine cellar, and a fishery – the history is so close you can almost feel it.

Want to be close to Columbus as well? Then get ready: the museum exit passes through the old royal palace. Here you can make a quick detour to the “Sala Tinell”, the hall where, according to legend, Columbus presented the first of his bounties from the New World to Queen Isabella I in 1493.

A Roman jug at Museu d’Història de Barcelona
© Céline Mülich, 2013-2016 | Courtesy of Museu d’Història de Barcelona

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Carretera de les Aigües

I believe that every great day starts with a run and a great cup of coffee. On my perfect day in Barcelona my first stop will be Carretera de les Aigües, a running path overlooking Barcelona, which will provide the perfect introduction and preview for the day. To get to the path, I take the FGC from Gràcia station to the Peu del Funicular stop and continue up the mountain on the funicular.

When I get out of the train car half way up Tibidabo, I decide to take the trail to the left today. An 8km flat run should be plenty since I’ll be exploring on foot throughout the day as well. As I run, I look out over Barcelona and take in the city’s amazing skyline and view all the way out to the Mediterranean. It’s a gorgeous day, so I can clearly see the Sagrada Família, Camp Nou, and of course the W Hotel which defines where the sky meets the sea. Read the rest of this article…

Barcelona is a city that changes its look and energy with the change of seasons throughout the year. After 6 years of living here, I’ve come to the conclusion that winter is the best time to visit this fantastic city – especially if it’s a winter like the one we’re having this year, with plenty of sunny days and mild temperatures. The reason why this season is the best to enjoy this city is mainly because there are fewer tourists, or at least, fewer when compared with the number that are usually here in the warmer months.

If you live and work in Barcelona you might also agree with me that the city also changes a lot from day-to-day; let’s say then that my perfect day would be a sunny winter Sunday in Barcelona.

I’d start the day by making a nice cup of tea and taking it, along with a book, to the Sagrada Família, which is just three streets away from my house. In the garden of Carrer Marina there’s a bench with an incredible view, between the trees, of the Sagrada Família.

Sagrada Família

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