New Zealand Times | Barcelona: A bit of Everything

Posted by Stoke Media Team
10 years ago | July 14, 2016

When planning a vacation, you usually need to choose: city or beach? Activities or culture? Fastpaced adventure or leisurely meander? Luckily in Barcelona that needn’t be the case because with a few right turns, you really can have the best of all worlds.

1. The great outdoors

It’s not often you find a cosmopolitan city sandwiched between coast and mountain. Barceloneta beach is right on your doorstep, and if you’re wanting peace and quiet the sparkling shores of Sitges and Costa Brava are a short drive away. If you’re feeling active, a hike up Montjuic mountain, paddle boarding, snorkelling, and kayaking are all at your easy disposal.

2. Parties

Everyone knows the Spanish can throw a fiesta. You’ll be spoilt for choice, with festivals on loop all summer long. There are clubs galore and if you make the right connections, you never have to pay a cent for entrance.

3. Shopping

The city has plenty of bustling shopping streets offering every high street brand, but for the hipsters among us, it’s also a haven for cheap vintage stores, so you’ll be able to pick up a party shirt and still have money left over for tonight’s beers.

4. Food

If you’re indecisive, tapas are perfect for you. Ordering several small plates is so much less committal. The same holds true for the expansive food markets around the city, where you can try many local delights. Sorted.

5. Art & architecture

Beyond the fantastical Gaudi sites, those who need a culture fix can also visit the Picasso museum, MNAC, MACBA and plenty more. Local tip: many museums are free on Sundays after 3pm. Or for some truly free tourism, take a stroll around El Raval, El Born and the Gothic Quarter and observe the abundant graffiti pieces, which are often artworks in themselves.