Our first encounter with Spain happened this year, and it happened completely by chance. We have traveled to quite a few countries, but somehow we never really made it to Spain. By car it feels a bit too far for us, and we can’t spontaneously go there for a weekend. By plane, there are also no cheap tickets spontaneously…
Well, a goal is a goal, and unexpectedly its time came as well.
It was October when we decided to take the last remaining days of our vacation and go somewhere in Europe, just like that. On top of that, my husband had his birthday at the beginning of December, so what could be a better combination of things. Said and done. I opened my browser to look for cheap flights and hop – Barcelona was one such destination.
That already felt like a sign from destiny that we finally had to visit Spain.
We bought tickets from Munich Airport to Barcelona, and our stay there was a full five days.
This trip was probably one of the few for which I hadn’t planned much of anything. We had plane tickets, I also booked a hotel (a 2-star hostel) in the center, and that was it. We decided that on the spot we would do whatever we felt like doing.
I read a few things on the internet about sights, entrance fees, what can and should be seen, and how much everything costs. The numbers amazed me. Well, anyway, we had already decided that we would do whatever we wanted, but on site.
The long-awaited day came, and early in the morning we took the bus to the airport. Our biggest advantage is that we live very close to the airport and don’t need to get up very early to catch the plane. We were traveling with hand luggage only, which made things even easier. With the second flight of the day departing from Munich Airport, we headed for Barcelona, a city that attracts millions of tourists from all over the world every year. Well, we were on our way there too.
The flight wasn’t long, about an hour and a half or something like that. Neither in Germany nor in Spain did anyone want us to show identification documents… Fast, easy, trouble-free travel. After we left the airport, the first place we stopped at was my favorite tourist information office, where we picked up a city map. The basic information that already interested me, we already knew.
When you’re at the airport, you need to know how to get to the city center or to the area where your hotel is located.
We landed at Terminal 1. From there, there are three main ways to get to the central part of the city – the metro, the private bus lines A1 or A2, and public transport in the form of bus number 46, which, however, only takes you to Plaça d’Espanya.
Here comes the question of how much everything costs, how often we will use transport in Barcelona, and whether it’s worth buying a day transport pass or if a ticket valid for 75 minutes is enough.
I can only tell you that if the place where you’re staying is relatively central, you can walk to the main sights. This was extremely convenient and we personally liked it a lot.
We chose the option of getting from the airport to Plaça d’Espanya by bus 46, the ticket for which cost 2.65 euros. This is also the cheapest and most direct option. If you land at Terminal 1, after you go outside, find the bus stop (with red signage). You board through the driver’s door and pay the ticket with your phone or bank card – that is, you tap your phone so the payment is registered and you’re ready. You take a seat on the bus and get off at the final stop.
Bus 46
If you land at Terminal 2, you do the same thing. The distance between the two terminals is several kilometers, so walking is not an option.
Just for comparison, I can say that tickets for the private buses are three times more expensive. Of course, everyone decides for themselves which option to choose. There are also tickets for several days, as well as other options, so inform yourselves in advance which option will suit you best.
After traveling about 45 minutes to Plaça d’Espanya, we got off there and decided that we first needed to eat something before throwing ourselves into walking and exploring Barcelona.
Right at Plaça d’Espanya there is an Arena that used to be a bullfighting arena and is now a shopping center with many shops and restaurants. At the very top there is a wonderful panoramic terrace that offers a great view over the city. You can walk around there for free and even sit down in one of the little restaurants and eat something. At the very bottom of this shopping center there is a great large supermarket that is also worth visiting, even just to look around. The display with fresh seafood was my favorite!
After we took a first look at Barcelona from the terrace of this Arena, we decided to head toward another point located opposite this Arena, namely the museum there.
In our first video from Barcelona, you can see where everything is located and get a rough idea of the area.
The weather during the second week of December in Barcelona was the thing I liked and enjoyed the most while we were there. From the very first day, the blue sky, the sun, and the Mediterranean climate accompanied us and made our stay even more pleasant.
After the Arena, passing through the Venetian towers, we reached the threshold of the museum. People have thought out the access there very well – there are escalators, but not all the way to the top, which makes moving around very pleasant. There are fountains and waterfalls that personally reminded me of the cascades in my hometown, Smolyan.
The decision to get off at Plaça d’Espanya was wonderful, because it allowed us to walk around Montjuïc hill. From the museum, we headed toward the communication tower – a structure that can be seen from far away. On the way there, you pass through the botanical garden, so you can easily spend a whole day in this area, just like we did.
On this hill, the Olympic Games were held in 1992, and for that purpose many things related to the games were built there – stadiums, facilities, and the communication tower in question, thanks to which the games were broadcast.
Montjuïc Communications Tower
The weather was magnificent, there was no big influx of people – neither tourists nor locals. Calmness!
And besides that, these places could be visited for free.
We were lucky to also enter the Olympic stadium, which was open for free.
On the way to the hotel, we even decided to sit at a café and have something to drink, and from there a wonderful view opened up toward the city and toward the Sagrada Família… simply a delight for the senses. The sun and the clouds played over the buildings, and from afar this was reflected on the cathedral. Sometimes it got darker, sometimes lighter… the struggle between dark and light was visible.
On this hill there are various sights, depending on each person’s interests. Getting there is also possible by cable car, which can be taken from the port. Decide what will be best and most interesting for you.
After we enjoyed the view from above, we had to head toward the place where we would stay overnight. I had booked Hostal Fernando, 2 stars, in the Gothic Barrio neighborhood. Well, right in the center. And this was one of the best decisions for accommodation. We were extremely positively surprised by the price-quality ratio. I can confidently say that we have stayed in worse hotels than this hostel. It was tidy, clean, renovated, and everything was reachable on foot. I can only recommend it to anyone who doesn’t expect 5-star luxury. And there is a metro station nearby.
While walking toward the hostel, we passed through various streets of Barcelona. During those five days we were there, this city turned into the city of smells for me. Many and different smells from every street. You pass through the center next to a perfume shop, and a very different smell hits you from there. On many of the central streets, it also “smelled” like a toilet – here I’m using a very polite word so as not to be rude. The smells were everywhere different, and in some places quite intense. But still, a city has to be remembered for something, even if that something is the smells.
Barcelona by night
The following days in Barcelona passed with walks around the city and, of course, visits to the main sights there. One day we went for a walk to the port. It was a very pleasant walk – sunshine and tasty ice cream. At the port, we of course saw many yachts – on one side were parked the boats of millionaires, and on the other those of mega-millionaires. Somehow, money doesn’t play much of a role there. Since we saw impressively large boats and yachts, we looked things up online and found out that Barcelona is the place in winter where mega yachts can be seen. Well, there were several such mega yachts there that looked quite impressive. Docked in the port of Barcelona so they could be prepared for the next sailing season, according to information from the internet.
You look – to the right, yachts for 2–3 million; to the left – mega yachts for 200–300 million… for some people numbers and zeros are nothing, while other people in the world have nothing to eat. Such were my thoughts and passions.
The port
But that’s life! Everyone has their own truth about it, their own priorities and view.
The only thing I learned about myself is that technology has developed a lot. That was interesting to me, and we gladly learned a few new things about these vessels from the internet.
But the walk along the sea was wonderful, energizing, and sunny. I can recommend spending a day there, because it is very pleasant.
Of course, we also found the other main sights of Barcelona. How could it be without the Sagrada Família and the houses Casa Milà and Casa Batlló by Gaudí? We walked around pleasantly and, watching in the air where the cathedral was, we went there as well.
Yes – big, majestic, still under construction. A work of architectural art attracting tourists from all over the world. Rounded forms, typical of Gaudí, and colorful elements, which was something new for me. Something I hadn’t seen before in other cathedrals or churches before.
For us personally, visiting the inside of the Sagrada Família was not a priority, and we didn’t go in. I consider an entrance fee of over 36 euros per person to be extremely much. But as long as there are people willing to pay this godless entrance fee, it will remain that high. For me, it was an unjustified expense. For me, the word “temple” has a different meaning, which is not equivalent to a godless entrance fee. We walked around the cathedral and saw the entrance as well.
Sagrada Familia
Everyone has to decide for themselves what is more important to them and what they value. What is important to see and what is not. I am not a connoisseur of Gaudí’s art, and I do not consider the high entrance fee for every single sight to be justified. This also applies to the houses whose architect he is.
In December, however, the city – or more precisely the central part – is very beautifully decorated. All the boulevards, and the small streets in the center, are literally flooded with lights. From many, to more, to the most. Well, this brings a very nice mood and makes you want to go out when it gets dark, just to enjoy this play of lights. We happily walked through the streets in the evenings in search of more and more different decorations. The little shops were glowing too, each more colorful, brighter, and more decorated than the next.
Besides the many lights, in the evenings there were also many people. Keep that in mind!
One day we also set aside for Park Güell. Another main sight. I recommend taking a bus to get there. We took a bus from Plaça de Catalunya, which took us to the park in about 40 minutes. And there we didn’t go in either, because there too they wanted an entrance fee of 35 euros per person – for a park where there is a lizard, the main attraction where tourists take photos. Well, no, there was no way I was going to pay that. We walked around the free part, and yes, there is such a part – it’s not very big, but the city can be seen beautifully from there.
View of the city from the free part of Park Güell
When it comes to food – everywhere there is deliciously prepared paella, churros, tapas. The people are kind, polite, and responsive.
On the fifth day of our stay in Barcelona, it was time to head back. Once again, we took bus 46 from Plaça d’Espanya and got off at the final stop – Terminal 1. From there we went back home.
As a conclusion, I can say that Barcelona was pleasant – the climate in December, the food, the Christmas decorations in the streets brought a wonderful mood. A person can walk around the city and see all the sights without paying entrance fees, unless they insist on going inside somewhere. For me, the expensive entrance fees in some places are completely unjustified. And not because I can’t afford them, but because I know it can be done with less. But as long as there are people who pay, the entrance fee will grow.
Of course, Barcelona cannot be fully seen in five days. There are still many things that can be visited, felt, and done. Well, we have to leave something for next time too!
Adiós!
