Once in a while, a place will wow you in such a way that it stays with you forever. We have a few places in the world that we are absolutely smitten with. One of them is Barcelona. My husband and I fell hard for Barcelona in our 20s when we backpacked through Europe. And we’ve been returning time and again with our son.

Five Reasons We Love Barcelona

1. The Vibe of Barcelona

I don’t know about you but to me each city has a unique soul. You feel that soul the moment you enter the city, the instant you walk the streets and get lost in the crowd. And Barcelona has this youthful, happy and vibrant vibe. In fact, when we’re there, it seems everything is possible. I know it sounds crazy and intangible but we feel it every time we are there.

2. Architecture in Barcelona

Can I say wow? Barcelona is filled with whimsical design, playful architecture and fabulous neighbourhoods.  I will venture out and say that this architectural whimsy might have something to do with the fun vibe you feel in Barcelona.

3. Food in Barcelona

Don’t get me started on this topic. Over the years, Barcelona has become known for its unique twist on Mediterranean cuisine. We keep on discovering new places we end up falling in love with. For fabulous tapas, we recommend Bodega Biarritz 1881. For mouthwatering pintxos head to El Pintxo de Petritxol. Both are located in the Barrio Gotico.  

And for all Catalan delicacies, don’t miss the world famous market La Boqueria.

And do you know the difference between tapas and pintxos? The difference is that “tapas” might be a small version of a main dish and “pintxos” might be smaller and use toothpicks to keep the little canape from falling apart.

4. People, Culture & Language

The inhabitants of Barcelona have an insatiable zest for life. They are intense, sincere and friendly. And they have this deeply rooted pride in their land, their history and their language. This pride is so strong that it is infectious. So much so, that I have started to learn Catalan recently. And I am making progress!  

5. Low Cost Flights

This is a recent discovery of ours. We have discovered that we can fly to any of the Spanish islands for unbelievably low prices. Just last month we flew from Barcelona to the Canary Islands for under €20 per person. And that wasn’t our only price saving. We spent an amazing and very affordable two-week vacation on Canary Islands. Because of the affordability of flights and airport parking, Barcelona often becomes our side trip to other trips we are taking.

Have you been to Barcelona? What do you love about it? And if you haven’t been, you should pack your bags and head over. You might just fall in love with this vibrant and whimsical city.

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