Bienvenidos à Barcelona!

{October 04 - October 07, 2023}

Welcome to the beautiful and bustling city of Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is one of the largest tourism hubs in the world, and sees 10+ million visitors annually. Barcelona is widely known for its vibrant cultural scene, mesmerizing architecture, fascinating history, and overall charm. It is very easy to fall in love with this unique and lively Mediterranean port city. Barcelona is a place where the nightlife never stops, and you will never become bored of the many cuisines you can experience. Barcelona is a very well rounded city and can spark interest for literally any type of tourist or traveler.

If you can't tell... I LOVE Barcelona! During my Semester at Sea voyage, Barcelona was our third official port, although we only got to spend four days here. Though this port was one of our shortest of the entire voyage, I had some of the most memorable and meaningful experiences of my whole semester. From the adrenaline rush of clubbing at world renowned venues until dawn to getting stranded on a cliffside while visiting the surreal Monestary, Montserrat, Barcelona certainly left its mark on me.

I feel beyond blessed that I will actually be returning to Barcelona very soon, and will actually be able to experience the wonders of the city in more depth. On January 20, 2025, I will be embarking on a two week Mediterranean cruise with my parents and grandparents. The ship embarks and disembarks in Barcelona, and my family and I will be able to spend time in and around the city for a few days on both ends of the cruise!

While the typical and famous tourist attractions are all worth at least one visit, I highly encourage that if you ever find yourself in Barcelona, really focus on immersing yourself in the local life of Barcelona. Barcelona is being plagued with one of the most severe cases of over tourism in the world, and are struggling to remain supportive of tourists inflowing to the city, as the locals' livelihoods are being very adversely affected. This being said, my one reccomendation is to stay in a local hotel or Air B n B, eat at local cafes and restaurants, shop in the local markets/ boutiques, and avoid the "tourist" beaches. I also found that while English and many other languages are prominent, the locals really appreciate if you try to speak Spanish. Even simply saying hello, goodbye and thank you in Spanish will make the locals respect you infinitely more.

I still think back very fondly on my time in Barcelona, the people I got to interact with and the wondrous feats of nature and humanity that I got to experience. I hope that my experience has been able to inspire you and empower you. If you haven't been able to visit Spain or Barcelona before, I sincerely hope you get to in the future, and if you have, please feel free to share some memories and experiences down in the comments!!

I'm so happy you're here and supporting me throughout my journey of life and exploring. As always, happy adventuring :)

1. Brunch at one of the coolest brunch restaurants I've ever been to (Brunch & Cake)

2. My sunset view on the side of the road leading up to Montserrat Monastery

3. Jamon Croquetas (hands down the best tapas I've had in Spain!)

4. A group of me and some friends on a night out in downtown Barcelona

5. Outside of the bustling and crowded basilica, La Sagrada Familia

6. A view of some clouds rolling down the hills towards Montserrat Monastery

7. Got to watch a dog who could ride a skateboard! Leo was very impressive!

8. My going out attire when we went to the Dow Jones Stock Market Bar

9. Enjoying one of the best espresso martinis I've ever had in Barcelona

10. An assortment of really neat sea glass found on Barceloneta Beach while snorkeling