The view from Montjuïc

It’s been more than 13 years since I landed at the airport of El Prat Barcelona and first started to enjoy Barcelona’s perfect days. Originally from Holland, I was living in Amsterdam at that time, when I decided to do an Erasmus in the Catalan capital. Barcelona was becoming more and more popular, but it had not reached the popularity it knows nowadays.

Over the years my perfect days have changed. In the beginning I enjoyed all the different sightseeing places Barcelona has to offer and I loved to discover the hidden and peculiar places of the city. My first summer here I also spent many hours at the beach, but now I hardly go there at all during the busy holiday season. And of course, I have seen a lot of the fantastic nightlife Barcelona has to offer. Read the rest of this article…

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…

Justine Ancheta’s perfect day in Barcelona

I’m from Orange County, California, and I’ve lived in Barcelona for six years. My husband, who’s from Seville, and his job are what bring me to this magnetic Catalan capital. My two children were born here, and together as a family, we’ve already had many perfect days enjoying kid-friendly Barcelona. In this “perfect day”, I’d try it without my little darlings!

At 10am, the babysitter would arrive ready to play with the kids. My husband and I would head to the eclectic barri of Gràcia. We’d search for a carb-heavy breakfast to jumpstart our energy levels. We were about to have a perfect day! We’d go to Be My Bagel (c/ Planeta, 37), whose bagels achieve the perfect amount of firmness and chewiness, just like the ones I remember in my beloved US. We’d order it slopped on with some cream cheese, and of course, have some cafe amb llet. Read the rest of this article…

Platja de Mar Bella

Today I will wake up with a plan, today I am setting out to discover my beloved city. Barcelona is indeed my perfect place to wake up.

In order to make it right this time, I am placing myself at the Platja de Mar Bella. It is an amazing feeling to be here with the fisherman in the morning and to have the rising sun in my back. The sunshine lets the sea gleam and fresh air fills my lungs. I love to be close to the ocean. Read the rest of this article…