Itinerary Summary:
Travel Time: April 2024 (decent time – check avg. conditions by month here)
Day 0: Fly from Nice to Barcelona
Day 1: Barcelona sightseeing by HoHo bus
Day 2: Barcelona, Sitges, and Montserrat
Day 3: Costa Brava
Travel Tip: Select avoid motorways and toll roads on Google Maps for scenic routes
Distance travelled: ~611km by road
Day 0:
Jumping on a late night flight from Nice after a rain battered three days on the French Riviera, we were praying for some sun to help us make the most of the three days we had in front of us in Catalonia.
Sitting on the right-hand side, we got a birds-eye view of the night lights of the major towns as the aircraft flew west. We could clearly make out the Promenade des Anglais and the Basse Corniche, as well as the towns of Antibes and Cannes, before the flight gained altitude. As the flight progressed, the concentration of people along the coast versus the interiors became evident – only the coast remained illuminated with dots, while the rest of the landscape lay covered in darkness.
It made us reflect on how the Mediterranean Sea has been a boon to Europe since ancient times. Grand cities, empires, and cultures, including the renaissance, flourished and prospered on the banks of trade and commerce in lands bordering the Mediterranean. The lights in a sense were emblematic of how the coast led the hinterlands from darkness into light.
Setting philosophy aside and landing into Barcelona, we were surprised at the orderliness of the city, from both the sky as well as once we landed and boarded Metro Line 9 to our hotel at Europa | Fira. Our first impressions of Barcelona had whetted our apetites, and we were eagerly looking forward to the days ahead!
Day 1:
Having taken our beauty sleep seriously, we were ready for a leisurely start to our exploration of Barcelona. Weather forecast was one of overcast skies and thunderstorms, and so we planned to explore the city by taking a Hop-On Hop-Off (HoHo) bus. Having weighed it’s pros (comfort and convenience) and cons (expenses), versus travelling around by public transport on a cloudy and rainy day, we headed out of our hotel, onto the Barcelona Metro network, and to the famous Sagrada Família to commence our bus tour!
Gaudí’s Wonders: Reappearing overground from the Sagrada Família metro station, we were greeted by the towering spires of the Sagrada Família. This church which has been under construction since 1882, is visited by ~4 million people every year. We would advice booking entrance tickets in advance, as we couldn’t get them at the last minute, and so had to make do by admiring the extraordinary exteriors. We boarded our HoHo bus from opposite the Passion Façade, and were immediately spellbound by modernista splendours of the city. As it wound its way through the city streets, we marvelled at the Hospital de Sant Pau and the whimsical Park Güel (another of Gaudí’s legacies). Passing through the districts of Tibidabo and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi,that offer great panoramic views of the city’s skyline and were till the last century villages on the outkirts of Barcelona, we couldn’t but help admire the extraordinary planning behind the growth of this metropolis.
Güell Pavilions, University of Barcelona, and Camp Nou: Heading downhill back towards the city centre, we passed by a complex of buildings known as Pavellons Güell. Built in the late 19th century by Gaudí for his patron Eusebi Güell, this estate stands at the corner of the Avinguda Diagonal, one of the longest streets of Barcelona. On the other side of the Diagonal, we crossed one of the four campuses of the University of Barcelona, considered amongst the best seats of higher learning in Spain. Barely 500m from the brick coloured buildings of the university, we were greeted by a different campus, that of the famous Camp Nou. Home to one of the leading football clubs in the world, FC Barcelona, since 1957, the Camp Nou was unfortunately, closed for renovations when we visited. Although the ambience would have changed since the departure of the likes of Messi and Neymar, it would have been nice to experience a game there – guess next time!
Eixample and Plaça de Catalunya: Continuing our tour along the bustling, yet elegant Avinguda Diagonal, we entered the district of Eixample. Alighting here from our bus for the first time, we ventured into the vibrant heart of Barcelona. Wandering through the lanes on foot, we immersed ourselves in the leisurely vibe of the place, and got a chance to see up-close the modernista influenced architecture of the district – especially it’s famous octagonal buildings. Heading to the Plaça de Catalunya, the centre of Barcelona, we crossed many buildings of the University as well as the flagship stores of leading brands like Zara and El Corte Inglés.
Plaça d’Espanya and Montjüic: At Plaça de Catalunya, we resumed our HoHo journey, albeit on a different line, and continued our exploration of the city, passing by Gaudi’s UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Casa Milà and Casa Batlló, and the Plaça d’Espanya. Despite the now pouring rain, the charm of the Montjüic‘s scenic beauty was inescapable. Climbing up the “Jewish Mountain”, we passed by sites from the 1929 Barcelona world expo like the Palau Nacional gallery, the Montjuïc Castle, and the Olympic and Sport Museum, a remnant the 1992 Summer Olympics, before entering the port areas of the city.
Port Vell and Maremagnum Mall: As the rain got heavier, we could make out the outlines of the Miramar Gardens, World Trade Center, and Monument a Colom, only thanks to the commentary on board the bus. Tired of sitting cramped up inside the bus, we decided to disembark at Port Vell and explore the nearby Maremagnum Mall. We were however, a tad disappointed at the limited range of shops and the large crowds which like us had sought refuge. And so when the rain slowed down, we continued our Barcelona adventure on board another bus in the direction of the Port Olímpic marina. Our hope was to get off and enjoy the beach despite the drizzle, however, our plan backfired as the rain intensified, leaving us running for shelter. With no other option in sight, we hailed an Uber back to the hotel, ending our first day in Barcelona with memories of Gaudí, Modernista, and showers!
Food haunts of the day: Late lunch at Alo Beirut (terrible – falafel had sand and food was stale and rotten) and El Árbol (v. good), both in Eixample, and dinner from Rasoi (v. good) via Uber Eats.
Day 2:
With the weather looking up and only light showers expected in the afternoon, we started our second day excited to take up from where we had left things.
Plaça d’ Espanya and Sagrada Família: We started our day at Plaça d’ Espanya, just three stops away from our hotel by metro. We walked around the area, admiring from a distance the Palau Nacional (home to the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya), crossed the Plaza de toros de las Arenas, a former bullfighting ring turned shopping mall, and sat in the shadows of the Venetian Towers, built for the 1929 world expo. From Plaça d’Espanya we retraced our steps back from Day 1, and headed to the Sagrada Família. Passing by other Gaudí landmarks like the Casa Milà, before alighting at Sagrada Família, we were once again left mesmerized by the genius of his unique designs. We strolled around the area and along the Diagonal along with hundreds of other tourists, who like us were keen to soak in the energy of Barcelona to the fullest.
Sitges and Cunit: Having made the most of our morning in the city, we decided to head south-west along the Costa Dorada to the town of of Sitges. We walked along the Passeig de la Ribera, photographing the Church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla against the blue seas before continuing our drive along the coast through the holiday town of Cunit. The empty apartments facing the flat and long stretch of sand seemed ideal getaways for the summer!
Tarragona and Salou: The next major town on our drive south-west was Tarragona. This town is popular for its human towers or Castell, similar to the Dahi Handis of Mumbai. Here we drove along the Rambla Nova avenue, the main shopping street of the town, to get a snapshot of the city. As finding a parking spot was proving to be difficult, we continued on towards our last stop along the coast, the beach town of Salou. Unfortunately, the strong winds and light rain which had been predicted for the afternoon met us with full force over here, preventing us from making the most of the Baywatch like Llevant Beach. A different encounter was more interesting though – as it was a Sunday, most of the shops were closed, and the only grocery shop that was open was being managed by a Punjabi – guess Indians can really be found everywhere!
Montserrat: Getting back into our Toyota C-HR hybrid rent-a-car, we “googled” where the weather could be better within an hours drive of Salou, and came to the conclusion that the monastery region and town of Montserrat might be our best bet. That proved to be a great decision as the drive north-west to the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey took us through some amazing landscapes of the Catalonian hinterland – from farmlands set amongst undulating hills, to views of the snow-covered Pyrenees, and finally encountering stops straight out of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara – like the Moshi Moshi and the Toilet Prank scenes. Arriving at the abbey set amidst the “serrated mountains“, we were greeted by a sense of calm that one usually associates with a place of worship. As most of the visitors had left by the time we reached, we had the place almost to ourselves. We spent some time blissfully exploring the place and enjoying the panoramic views of the municipality of Monistrol , before heading back east towards the Catalan capital.
We had an amazing second day in Barcelona – from exploring the city centre to the flat beaches that lie to the south of the city to the mountains of Montserrat. One could say we got a timelapse sort of glimpse into Catalonia’s varied landscapes that left us whetted for more!
Food haunts of the day: Late lunch from Rasoi via Uber Eats (v. good once again).
Day 3:
Barcelona had surprised and delighted us. We had expected a bustling metropolis, but we had found it to be that and so much more. And before leaving this city, we wanted to explore the lands that lay north, just like we had done for the south, especially, the stretch of coast extending up to the French border, known as Costa Brava.
Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar: Heading north-east, we passed through almost the entire length of Barcelona and the nearby city of Badalona, before entering the province of Girona. Driving on the C-32 highway, we had hills on one side and the sea on the other for company. A little more than an hour after we had started, we were soon at our first stop – the town of Lloret de Mar. It’s beautiful promenade, set with holiday homes, flanked the entire stretch of the mile-long beach. Having spent some time watching elderly men play Pétanque and also having soaked in both Vitamin D and Sea, we headed out to the neighbouring town of Tossa de Mar. This town of only six-thousand odd people is a magnet for holiday makers seeking out a relaxing yet sophisticated vibe not too far from Barcelona. It was easy to understand why, as the region was dotted with beautiful sandy beaches, one of which was also the location for the “Laila Majnu” scene from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
Calella de Palafrugell: The drive north-east along the coast from Tossa de Mar towards the coastal town of Calella de Palafrugell was simply spectacular. Having driven on many coastal roads, this had to rate amongst our favourites particularly because unlike many other scenic drives, one was informed of viewpoints well in advance and they had ample parking spaces. Our first stop in the municipality of Palafrugell too was nothing short of amazing. Far from the relative crowds of Lloret de Mar, the quaint town of Calella de Palafrugell seemed like a hidden getaway. Walking through its tourist devoid lanes surrounded by white-washed houses, we felt as if we had gone back to a time when things were more relaxed and less hectic. Had we not been still full from our heavy breakfast, we would have certainly spent time sampling the fresh catch of the day at one of the beachside restaurants.
Llafranc and Tamariu: A short drive from Calella de Palafrugell was the neighbouring beach town of Llafranc. It’s wide beach and abundance of holiday homes has made it a popular summer getaway, including for celebrities since the early and mid-20th century. An interesting landmark on the way to-and-from Llafranc was the Far de Sant Sebastià, the lighthouse with the longest range on the Catalan coast! To complete our Palafrugell adventure, our next stop was the town of Tamariu, named for the abundance of Tamarix trees that dot it’s coast. Unlike Lloret de Mar or Calella de Palafrugell, the advent of the tourist season had not yet begun at Tamariu, and the only scattering of people we saw were at the beautiful beach that was located within a cove-like setting.
Fornells de Mar and La Ramba, Barcelona: With the sun starting to set, we decided not to venture too far from Tamariu and rather made our last stop on Costa Brava at Fornells de Mar. Unlike the more down-to-earth abodes we had seen so far, the portside here was surrounded by exquisite villas – guess the price of rentals was inversely proportional to the distance from Barcelona! Having made the most of a sunny-day exploring the coastlines, and not wanting to be late for our flight, we headed back to Barcelona using the main routes as suggested by Google. Parking under the Plaça de Catalunya, we spent our last couple of hours in Barcelona exploring the bustling area called La Rambla. This pedestrian street extending from the Plaça de Catalunya was perfect for tourists with a host of eateries, souvenir shops and kiosks, as well as beautiful squares like the Plaça Reial and architectural splendours like the Palau Güell. Having made the most of our time soaking in the most of Barcelona, we left for the airport with ample time at hand (we also didn’t want to risk spending too much time after dark as the areas around La Rambla, like El Raval, are infamous for their high crime rates).
From spectacular natural settings to inspiring urban architecture, our trip to Barcelona had been a 360 degree experience. The city and its surroundings had truly grown on us within a few days and we will definitely look back at our short trip to this corner of Spain with a sense of longing – a longing to return and re-explore the sights, sounds, and tastes of Barcelona, Costa Brava, and the rest of Catalonia!
Food haunts of the day: Breakfast at Renaissance Barcelona Fira (excellent) and Dinner at Güell Tapas Restaurant at La Rambla.
