Wellness Guide To Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is one of my fav cities in Europe [+ one that I could see myself living in for year in the future… ; )]. I had been once right out of college + was absolutely obsessed. Coming back in my 30s, Ioved it even more. It has such an international feel, + the coffee/food scene is *so* good… compounded with unique art, architecture, + of course, the beach!
While there’s so much I absolutely love about Barcelona, I want to mention that it can be very “grungy.” The smell of pee is everywhere in the Gothic Quarter [don’t breathe through your nose ; )] + the exterior of a lot of the buildings are very grey + simple with uninspiring graffiti [people’s names written over + over]. However, go inside any restaurant + it’s a whole new world… all such thoughtfully decorated with a warm ambiance. Also, while I didn’t experience it — there’s a lot of pickpocketing in the city [particularly if you’re out late drinking], so be careful!
We spent one week in Barcelona + packed so much life into it. The day starts so much later in Barcelona [+ most of Spain, it seems like]… most coffee shops don’t open until 9 AM. But that means the night ends much later ; ). Barcelona is the only city I’ve ever stayed out until the sunrise… + that seemed the norm for most people on the weekends. Be prepared to eat dinner at 9 or 10 PM [or later!]. Lastly, indulge yourself in siestas as much as you can, so you can stay out late with the rest of the city. Enjoy!
Coffee:
The coffee shop culture in Barcelona is unreal… try them all!
#1] Three Marks Coffee: Great coffee + you’re allowed to work on your computers here! *Most coffee shops don’t allow laptops
#2] Nomad Coffee Lab + Shop: There were a few of these… amazing coffee.
#3] Morrow Coffee: Their pastries + breakfast toasts… omg.
#4] La Masala Cafe: My favorite dirty chai latte I’ve ever had in my life [+ a bomb breakfast bagel sandwich ; )]
#5] Juice Dudes: For all your juice needs : )
#6] Ombu: Amazing acai bowl here.
For Next Time: SlowMov, Syra Coffee, The Coffee House Barcelona, Villa Bakery, Cafe Fosc [coworking space in the back!], Ruma’s Coffee
Brunch Spots:
I had to make a section exclusively for brunch because it’s so, so good here. All the avocado toast!
#1] Caravelle: *MUST STOP. The only restaurant we went to twice — we were that obsessed. Go early [especially on a weekend], because it gets crowded!
#2] Little Fern: The cutest “New Zealand” style cafe… loved it.
#3] Faire: Super vibey cafe — they were playing amazing music here the whole time on a record player.
#4] Billy Brunch: Brunch all day! *Pro Tip… ask for the eggs “well done.” The way they serve overeasy eggs definitely seems uncooked lol. This happened multiple times to us when we were in Spain!
#5] Verde Amore Healthy Food: This was super cozy, nourishing cafe. It felt very “eating at my mom’s who’s an amazing chef” house. If you’re in this area, check it out!
For Next Time: Maai, Heathy Food, EatMyTrip, Orval
Lunch + Dinner:
#1] Bo de B: *MUST STOP. I went here when I was right out of college + 10 years later, it’s still thriving. Incredibly affordable + hearty sandwiches. Highly recommend getting the chicken sandwich with everything on it… thank me later :)
#2] Brugarol Barcelona: *MUST STOP. The best tapas/tasting menu restaurants… ever? Make sure you make reservations! They only do two seatings every night. It’s a Catalan/Japanese fusion restaurant + the only “date night” restaurant we went to because we were working late hours due to the time change. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough. [+ best patatas bravas of my life!]
#3] Honest Greens Born: This is an upscale Sweetgreens. I’m obsessed. It’s perfect for a casual, but amazing + healthy meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
#4] Cafe Menssana: We went here for dinner, but it honestly looked like a better brunch vibe [like I said — Barcelona is all about Brunch!]. Cute spot though!
#5] BURRITOS: Chipotle — but better. We loved it for an easy, takeaway burrito.
For Next Time: Maro Azul, 035//BAR, Roots + Rolls, The Green Spot
Wellness:
#1] Born Massage Studio: Best massage of my life? We went here twice, we were that obsessed! Go, go, go!
*I heard amazing things about The Rolling Therapists, if you get a chance to go!
#2] Shanti Vida Creative Yoga Hub: Amazing yoga class… + it was in English, which was surprising to me. It seemed like *the* yoga studio for Barcelona expats.
*Other yoga studios I really wanted to check out: Ashtanga Yoga Shala + Glow Yoga Barcelona
#3] Go for a run on the beach: You can’t visit Barcelona without seeing the beach! Go for a walk/run along the boardwalk.
Explore:
Rent a moped [or bike] + see all the sites. It’s the best way to zip around the city. We loved touring the city on a moped + felt very safe! Here’s some stops I’d definitely recommend:
- Parc Guell: Yes, it will probably be insanely crowded… BUT, still go. Just make sure you go to the bathroom prior to the park. ; )
- La Sagrada Familia: Admire it from the outside. IMO it’s not worth it to do a tour in the inside.
- National Art Museum Of Catalunya: Highly recommend — we didn’t go inside, but we walked through all the fountains + the grounds. It was gorgeous + so peaceful!
- Montjuic Castle: Again, we didn’t pay to go inside, but we loved walking around it. There’s botanical gardens nearby, too.
- Parc de La Ciutadella: Super cute park to walk around. Don’t forget to see the Arc de Triomf ; ). There’s also a zoo in the park you can go to!
- La Boqueria: The famous Barcelona market. Even if you don’t buy something, you should definitely still walk around. It’s an experience!
Pro-Tips:
- If you’re coworking, you’re in the right place! There are so many local coworking paces. We worked at WeWork [because Isaac has a membership]. Most of the coffee shops don’t allow laptops unfortunately.
- I really liked staying in the Gothic Quarter, even though it was quite stinky ; ). This area had my fav restaurants + seemed the most lively — highly recommend bar/restaurant/tapas hopping as much as you can… try everything! I would also recommend staying in Eixample.
- As mentioned above — be aware of pickpocketers. Stay off Las Ramblas as much as you can. It’s super touristy + known for its pickpocketers.
- Time to visit: Summer [even though it will be more crowded]. We were there the first week of November + it was cold!
- Recommended stay: One week! Because I loved it so much ; ). Although you could definitely do it in a weekend.
Have you been to Barcelona? Did I miss any of your favorite spots? Let me know! I’m already so excited to go back… Barcelona was one of those cities where immediately I was like, “I think I can live here.” We shall see… : )
xoxo,
Elisabeth