Mercat de Santa Caterina roof tiles

I think El Born would have to be my favourite neighbourhood in Barcelona. It’s absolutely stunning. It can be a bit touristy at times but there are quiet streets to escape from the hustle and bustle. It is one of the smaller neighbourhoods, part of La Ribera which itself is part of the old town, Ciutat Vella. If you see a beautiful photo of a narrow Barcelona street in the sunlight, then chances are it will be from somewhere in El Born.

The food market for this neighbourhood is Santa Caterina with its beautiful mosaic tiled roof by the architects famous for the Scottish Parliament building. El Born also has my favourite church in Barcelona, Santa Maria del Mar, with its high vaulted ceilings and fascinating history. This church was the subject of the book Cathedral of the Sea. Set in 14th century Barcelona the construction of the church provides the backdrop to a story set at the height of the Spanish Inquisition. Read the rest of this article…

The lake at Parc de la Ciutdella

My description of a perfect day in Barcelona will probably be totally different to the others here. I don’t live in the city, so I don’t know all the little corners (the best places to have a good coffee, brunch or to take photos).

However, I’m always very excited when I can finally get to Barcelona. Knowing this, my boyfriend surprised me with a day trip in February last year. This day is very special to me because during it we decided to move in together. It was perfect from beginning to end, so I will tell you about the places we visited. Read the rest of this article…