I’ve been in and out of Barcelona for the last few years – it’s my second home right now. Ok, so I do have a fair few places in the world in which I instantly feel at home. But right now, my most regular flight-path is LDN-BCN.

I’m a highly creative and energetic person, so what I love in Barcelona is that I can walk and cycle everywhere – and reach a multitude of contrasting destinations in no time, be it to spontaneously meet someone for a drink, climb up a green peak, catch the end of a gig or head to a casting. My perfect day would avoid going underground or being inside during daylight hours if at all possible. (I get plenty of tube and bus-travelling in when I’m in London, and as you know, the weather is not quite so consistently sunny and conducive to outdoor activity there!)

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Poblenou

After having studied abroad in both Bilbao and Barcelona, Spain during university, I fell in love with the Iberian Peninsula. Hence, I graduated from the University of Nebraska in May 2013 and have been living here in Barcelona since June 2013. There are a lot of aspects of Spanish / Catalan / European culture that I adore – outdoor terraces, being out and about in the streets, and fresh seafood – just to name a few examples. I have developed a love-hate relationship with the Spanish siesta (daily nap), leisurely lunches, and public transportation. The point of this article, though, is to tell you about one of my favorite areas of Barcelona proper, the neighborhood of Poblenou (or Pueblo Nuevo).

Rambla del Poblenou

So quick Poblenou recap – for a long time the area was actually a marshland with many small lagoons. After the various technological revolutions, Poblenou was the largest industrial area of the country and later consequently became a consolidated residential area. More recently, however, Poblenou experienced a complete transformation thanks to the 1992 Olympics, a transformation that aimed to convert the old industrial parts to keep with high-quality working and living conditions of the area at large. I love Poblenou because it’s not packed with tourists, it’s right next to the beach, and the main street (the Rambla) is the place to be no matter the time of day nor the season. Read the rest of this article…

Arc de Triomf

“I have had many perfect days in Barcelona and inevitably they involve three things… sunshine, beach and friends.

For me, there are actually two types of perfect Barcelona days, one involves the discovery of another hidden treasure in the city that I didn’t know. The other is to introduce my friends to this magical city that I love.

My perfect day starts with a morning run to the Arc de Triomf along its avenue lined with palm trees and beautiful wrought iron lamps then on through the green oasis of Parc de la Ciutadella. At 10am, it is time for friends and breakfast, cafe con leche and a pain au chocolat (ok, maybe they are french, but they are still good here and France is just around the corner). And a freshly squeezed zumo de naranja (orange juice).

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