First two days in Barcelona? An unforgettable surprise. The second two, even more: we’ve been in the most beautiful spots of the city and in the best places to eat in.
Day 3
Rain. One of the few rainy Sundays in Barcelona. It seems that during the last trips the weather is making fun of me (like in Paris), but let’s take it positively: I’ll write some “in case of rain itineraries”.
As usual we start with the brunch, I think I’m getting addicted to detox smoothie + Benedict eggs.
Mytip Ludo’s tip: food
Brunch & Cake by the sea, possibly the best brunch of the vacation. This amazing spot in the Barceloneta area is part of a big family including the Cup&Cake and the Travel&Cake.
The philosophy is ” In Grandmothers We Trust: make absolutely everything by hand and slowly, with care. Be honest and use the best possible ingredients”.
At Brunch&Cake everything is possible, even a salad for breakfast or pancakes for dinner: it’s my paradise.
The inside it’s simply beautiful, total white, LA style. But the real masterpieces are the dishes. They consider every detail, as regards the taste there are incredible combinations of flavor and the presentation is simply wonderful. Plus, their organic smoothies are delicious and super fresh.
Recommended their version of the Benedict eggs: poached eggs, black waffles, Holland sauce, lobster, sweet potatoes chips … unique.
Super recommended also their Protein Salad Bowl: quinoa, rice, broccoli, baby spinach, guacamole, poached egg and some strawberries.
Address: Passeig Joan de Borbó, 5 Website: www.cupcakesbarcelona.com
And have a look also to the Instagram account: @brunchandcake
After brunch it’s still raining, so let’s starts this “itinerary in the rain”.
First stop: La Pedrera (or casa Milà), one of the masterpieces of Gaudí, inscribed in the UNESCO Heritage List.
The visit starts in the Espai Gaudí (the attic) with the history of Casa Milà and of Gaudí’s working method, in this way you can appreciate even more his talent and his artistic inspiration. It’s incredible how he was able to realize perfect projects without any technological device at all.
The visit goes on with The Pedrera apartment, completely furnished with vintage 20th century elements recalling the original atmosphere of the 1912 (year of the end of construction).
The final part of the visit is the exhibition hall, with a temporary exposition, in our case a collection of breathtaking photos by Xavier Miserachs, that reports the history of the second half of the 20th century, through his camera. (www.lapedrera.com/en/exhibition/xavier-miserachs-epileg-imprevist)
My tip: La Pedrera
It’s possible to book the tickets online and avoid queuing and the processing fees (3€).
The ticket includes the temporary exhibition.
Now we have rain plus wind, so we must find something indoor before getting completely wet. Fortunately, in Barcelona there are thousands of opportunities and there’s still one amazing spot on the “to see” list.
Mercat de la Boqueria, the biggest market in Catalonia.
I get there expecting 10 or 20 stands, so the impact is huge: more than 300 stands, one different to the other, colors, smells, crowd.
Fruit, fruit and more fruit, fresh fish, sweets and naturally the typical products: jamón, fuet, lomo.
Every stand is an explosion, the shades of colors fix in your mind and seem to be able to bring sun even in the darkest day.
One stand captures our attention, we realize we are missing one typical product of Barcelona.
Empanadas, it seems their origin is not South America as I thought, but Spain. Seems because actually the history is not very clear, according to some experts they have Arabian origins, other assure they are from Cuba.
Anyway, in Barcelona they know how to do them, and they know it very well! There are several variants with different filling and they taste incredibly good, definitely worth a stop at the Boqueria.
Day 4
Last day, last brunch and I don’t wanna leave.
Mytip Ludo’s tip: food
Granja Petitbo, has a particular high ceiling, a big hall and a New Yorker style, that it’s quite unusual and new in Barcelona.
The other plus is that there are only locals there: finally, you can feel more Spanish and less tourist.
They offer breakfast, lunch, brunch, it’s always full. But, it’s not a surprise cause the dishes are amazing: burgers, chicken curry, pancakes, Benedetti eggs.
The real masterpiece are the Pancakes with mango coulis, mascarpone and maple syrup: delicious soft pancakes and dreamy topping.
Address: Passeig Sant Joan, 82 Website: www.granjapetitbo.com
After the “pancakes paradise” it’s time to move in the area that, according to a lot of people, is the most beautiful of Barcelona: The Gothic Quarter, the center of the old city of Barcelona.
You feel like in a painting: narrow streets, little shops, colorful buildings, perfumes, sounds. That’s the pure soul of Barcelona. Every balcony is full of green plants, every shop has a unique window, every sign it’s different, it seems like every inhabitant wants to contribute to the beauty of the quarter.
At a certain point we find ourselves in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona, a gothic masterpiece surrounded by the Roman wall and some contemporary buildings. Definitely one of the greatest style contrast of the city.
A little walk through the little shops, some photos, and we end up our tour with the photo mosaic by Joan Fontcuberta “El mundo nace en cada beso”. At first it seems to be a graffiti but getting closer and closer you realize it’s made of little pictures, every picture represents a person, a place, an event that somehow is expression of freedom. Very powerful.
We have only few hours left so it’s last sangria time, and what better place than Plaça Reial?
The most beautiful square of Barcelona, drinking sangria under colonnade it’s a unique experience, the perfect ending of this amazing trip.
Mytip Ludo’s tip: drink
Ocaña, an original 1856 building, a beautiful colonnade on Plaça Reial. Inside the Sixties meet the contemporary art. There’s a lot of space and different areas: café, terrace, restaurant, club, Apotheke (their cocktail bar).
Tip: drink a sangria under the colonnade, the architecture, the palm trees, the square, simply perfect.
Address: Plaza Real 13, 14 & 15 Website: www.ocana.cat/en/cafe/
Finally, a big THANK YOU to my dear Ludo, who manage to bring me in the most incredible places and to make this days unforgettable.
True friends count not the miles that separate them, but the memories that connect them.
Ludo is also an amazing photographer, you can find her amazing pics on her Instagram account @elledbphotography and Facebook page Ludovica De Bettin Photography.
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018
E il nostro prossimo giro dove? Ti voglio un mondo di bene😍❤