A week in Barcelona

Have breakfast at El Raval. There are plenty of café all around, where you can enjoy a warm coffee and people watch. Walk around El Raval after breakfast and see el Gato del Raval, a giant cat sculpture in the middle of the plaza.

This hotel is located in El Raval and has a beautiful rooftop bar, Terraza 360, with a 360 view of Barcelona.

The Gothic Quarter is a great place to explore, impressive buildings and lots of boutique shops, cool bars & restaurants. Although it does get busy, it was my favorite park of Barcelona.

This place is wonderful. Has a nice and cozy feel. Very cozy with delicious Mediterranean food and good sangria.

Head up Carmel Hill and take in the city views. You can enjoy most of the park for free, but the monumental area (home to the colorful, Instagram-worthy ceramic benches) requires a ticket.

There’s a reason La Sagrada Familia is at the top of every Barcelona to-do list, and there’s a reason we recommend a visit. This enormous time span is a testament to the detail and thought Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí put into every door, column, and spire, and the result is a one-of-a-kind structure that’s unlike any you’ve ever seen.

Great staff and service with delicious food and drinks! You cannot visit Barcelona and not try the paella. It was delicious

There’s so much going on at La Boqueria that I recommend taking a lap around the market before deciding what you’ll eat and drink. You’ll find everything from empanadas to fresh-fruit smoothies to seafood.

A walk down the Rambla is a must for first-timers; it is the most famous street in Barcelona but it gets crowded and busy, so make this your first stop in the morning. It is also a popular street for pickpockets in Barcelona, so watch your belongings at any time of day.

Very good food. Traditional Spanish food mixed with international flavors. The service was excellent and all at a reasonable price.

Cute little bakery specializing in all kinds of chocolate, cronuts, donuts, coffee, and other baked goods. Everything we’ve tried there is crazy delicious. Plus, it’s easily one of the most Instagram-able breakfast spots in the city. Definitely a fun stop if you’re in the area for either breakfast or a sweet snack.

This place should definitely be on your itinerary. Bar Marsella is the oldest bar in Barcelona, opened in 1820 in the El Raval district. The Absinthe ritual is to place 1 lump of sugar on the fork resting on the rim of the glass, and to trickle a stream of water over the sugar until it all dissolves into the liqueur.

Although el Raval may be considered the toughest barrio of Barcelona, due to its history of crime-related problems, it’s by far the coolest one, if you ask me. So if you do decide to stroll around at night and go bar hoping, go with friends.

Skate and grunge bar in El Raval. They play heavy metal rock but it’s a really cool spot, none I’ve ever seen before.

Plaza Catalunya is the most famous plaza in the city. It’s always beaming with locals and tourists, with various of shops and attractions around.

A 3-min walk from Plaça de Catalunya. They sell all your adult products and great unique gifts.

The cathedral is another magnificent example of Gothic architecture, towering above the square.

The cafe has very convenient location, right in the center of the Gothic Quarter. They sell artisan food and delicacies that are prepared in the monasteries of Spain. This sounds very inviting, but the food was way too expensive.

We could not leave Barcelona without stopping at the Arc of Triomf. After checking out of our Airbnb, we headed for the airport. Since our flight was not until late afternoon, we made a quick detour to see the arc of Triomf and it did not disappoint.

This large park is one of the few green expanses in Barcelona. Stroll around to the lake and the Cascada Monumental fountain, keeping an eye out for some unusual statues like that of a woolly mammoth.