I have been living in Barcelona all my life, so I know the city like the palm of my hand: from the best cafés and cheap traditional restaurants to the most underrated city attractions, I am one of the lucky locals who can brag about their knowledge of the best things to do in Barcelona.
That is why when one of my coworkers suggested that we went on a free tour around the city I couldn’t help but feel a bit skeptical. What could they tell me that I didn’t already know? Spending an afternoon following a crowd of thrilled tourists didn’t sound very appealing to me. However, I joined for the sake of team building and because I felt curious about how foreigners learned about my home town.
The perfect Barcelona free walking tour for tourists and locals
We decided to take the Free Tour Gaudí and Modernisme, which focuses on the most emblematic buildings of the Modernist movement in the 19th century. We met near Barcelona’s cathedral, three minutes away from Plaça Catalunya. As it was a Sunday afternoon we were only 6 people (three German tourists, my coworkers and I) and the streets were quite empty. Our guide Diana was already waiting for us – as she was holding a blue umbrella at the meeting point it was not difficult to find her. We started the tour right away.
The Gaudí and Modernisme Free Tour
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Over the holidays my friends and I were discussing where we had been in Europe and what places were still on our bucket list of places to see and explore. As it turns out none of us had ever been to Barcelona, mainly due to the press and it’s reporting of how along with Venice and Dubrovnik the city was just overrun with tourists.
After having looked into it in more detail it turns out that the overcrowding is due to the massive cruise ships that pull into port during the summer months and unload their thousands of passengers onto Barcelona’s streets for a day of sightseeing.
Having decided that this should not be a problem in the middle of May, my friends and I decided that Barcelona would be a great place to go for a short trip.
With our tickets in hand, we left work early on Friday and headed straight to Luton Airport for our 17:05 easyJet flight to the Catalonian capital.
OD Hotel Barcelona
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My fellow artists at Arte Bar Barcelona
This blog is just a hobby, I certainly don’t make any money from it. So it’s always nice to be invited on a food tour or to the odd restaurant now and again. But a painting evening, even with wine, I wasn’t sure about at all. And to be frank, I was a little nervous. But I needn’t be. This was without doubt one of the most fun evenings I’ve had in Barcelona. Read the rest of this article…
For me, one of the words that defines Barcelona is beauty. I have been living here for almost 19 years and there is not a day that I don’t surprise myself with beautiful buildings, streets, art, sounds, light and food, just to name some of the many sources of beauty the city offers. In fact, describing a perfect day in Barcelona is quite difficult because there are so many options and combinations of things to do and see that make it hard to choose just a few. But I will try!
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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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