Barcelona is one of those cities that
immediately captivates its visitors upon arrival. Whether you're wandering through the
moody streets of the gothic quarter, taking a stroll beneath the
lush greenery of Las Ramblas, or standing in awe before
Gaudi's architectural wonders, it's impossible not to be swept away
by the romance and beauty of this city. Nestled along the northeastern coast
of Spain along the Balearic Sea, Barcelona is distinctly its
own. It proudly serves as
the capital of Catalonia, a region of Spain that has its own
cuisine, language, culture, and history. Today, Barcelona is a melting pot
of 179 different nationalities. It's home to roughly 5.6 million people.
Yet, every year it's epic nightlife, stunning beaches, killer art scene, and fantastic food draw
in millions of visitors. It's impossible to explore all
of Barcelona in a single trip, so we're sharing some of the best things
to do in Barcelona to help you make the most of your visit here. To kick
off our time here in Barcelona, we're headed to Casa Battló, one of the 12 buildings you can tour
from the famous architect Anthony Gaudi. This is one of the top
things to do in Barcelona, so we are arriving first
thing in the morning. We've been to several of Gaudi's
properties before in past visits, but there's always something new to see
and the properties are just so stunning. I'm really excited to show you around Antoni Gaudi was commissioned to build
this personal residence for the wealthy Battló family. On Passeig de Gracia one of the most
desirable streets for Barcelona's elite at the turn of the century. Even though Gaudi was one of several
esteemed architects in Barcelona at that time, it's easy to see what made his
work so distinct. As a Catalan native, he drew inspiration from his faith,
his culture, and his surroundings. But nature is often what
people see first in his work. His designs rarely contain flat
surfaces and he seamlessly integrates naturalistic features in organic
forms, curves and asymmetry, both for functionality and beauty. The facade of Casa Battló appears to
have dragon like features in its colorful ceramic tiles adorning its roof, its
unconventional. Balconies mimic seashells, which some believe resemble a Venetian
mask while others see a turtle skull. The natural elements continue as you
move inside the home from its mushroom shaped fireplace ceilings that look like
scales of a reptile windows shaped like the silhouette of a turtle and
worm-like chimneys on the roof. Every aspect of Gaudi's
design was purposeful, striking a perfect balance between
sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics. This is a totally new experience.
We didn't get to do this last time. Oh my gosh, that was so cool. This is our second time visiting this
house and the experience was just as amazing as the first, but maybe
better because of that Gaudi cube. So glad we got here when we
did. This place as a zoo. Now there's so many
people waiting to get in. Make sure to book your tickets in advance. We purchased these tickets with Get
Your Guide, the sponsor of this video. If you're not familiar
with Get Your Guide. It is an online booking service that has
thousands of unique tours that you can take in hundreds of
cities across the world. It's our go-to resource whenever
we're visiting a new destination. Almost every experience you're going to
see us shared here was booked with Get Your Guide. They also offer exclusive opportunities
to do things like Skip the Line and you can get into places early.
For example, with Casa Battló, we were able to score
tickets 30 minutes before. We just used the app
and it was super simple. We're gonna have links for all of the
tours we took with Get your Guide in the video description below. If you're interested in taking them for
yourself and on any other trip you're taking. I highly recommend
exploring Get your Guide. I promise you're going to find
a super cool experience. And this is the area where
people...As foodies, we absolutely love getting
to know the regional foods, and Barcelona has its own unique
cuisine. Being from Catalonia, it has a lot of Spanish influence, but it also has its
several of its own dishes, and today we're going to be learning
about the history of the food here and trying so many tasty foods with a tour
that we booked on. Get your Guide. We're going to three stops. The first
two are going to be small tapas plates. We're gonna have some wine, some
vermouth, which if you don't know, that is actually Spain's
national drink. It's not sangria! To finish off the tour, we're going to be going to a formal
dinner at a higher end Gastronomic experience. We haven't been on a food
tour in a hot minute and I am hungry. Barcelona has forty neighborhoods
and each neighborhood was designed to be completely independent
because when they're building this part of the city, they have this
futurist thought. They said, okay, let's build the l'Eixample without corners
because in the future we'll be trains going around the city. Let's make easy
for them. The trains never arrived. <laugh>, Every neighborhood has
its own market, it's own library, it's own post office. So it was built such that you don't
need to go to another neighborhood to do your important things. So every neighborhood in
Barcelona has its own market. If you want a market experience,
don't go to La Boqueria. You should go there to see it because
it's the oldest market in town. It's over 200 years, but this is not the most
representative experience in the food market. Very crowded. It's
very busy and it's very pricey. So lemony and bright. Tortilla Espanola, the
classic. Oh my gosh, I've never had this before. Chorizo with onion in a yummy sauce. That's good. Like a saucy
gravy. The sausage is light's, not really spicy. Final restaurant we're at is so
beautiful. Gourmet tortilla de patas. It has like an Asian influence to it. Oh my god, it's so good. This was an absolutely fantastic
tour. We had such great conversations, such great food, so much wine.
It was a lot of food though, so come hungry if you're interested in
trying this food tour for yourself when coming to Barcelona, we'll have a link
down below for the exact tour we took today. We came to the local market
for where we're staying in El Born, which is Santa Catarina. There's
definitely still tourists here. There's pretty much no way to evade
that when you're coming to Barcelona, but it's definitely a better experience. Mercado Santa Catarina feels really
modern, but it does have a lot of history. It was originally a monastery. There's monasteries all
throughout Barcelona in this
historic part of the town, and eventually they needed this
space for things like a market. So they tore the building down and they
built an outdoor market and finally in the beginning of the 19th
century, they closed it in, made it into the structure we see today. So people have been shopping here for a
hundred years now, which is pretty cool. They have a small museum where you can
see part of the old monastery and they have photos of people shopping
in this market over the years. The city has something about
it. Everywhere you walk, it's like you're walking in a romantic
novel. Every building is so beautiful. All of the terraces decorated
with plants and flowers. Right now we're walking around
the El Born neighborhood, which is a very popular spot for
tourists. Tons of Airbnbs, hotels. It's got that romantic charm and a lot
of great restaurants and bars all around. So it's a great central spot for you
to springboard as you're exploring. It's where we are staying
during our week here. It's also close to the gothic quarter, which is another really
beautiful place to explore. This is a really cute little spot. We've gotten really lucky everywhere we've
gone so far that we've just been able to slide right in without a
reservation after we got sat. Every single time they've
turned people away, so I do highly recommend
making reservations. If you're coming for
like peak lunch hours, which would be from like 2:00 to 3:00
or if you're coming for dinner hours around 9:30 to 10:00, then I would definitely recommend having
a reservation or come early and then you might be able to snag a spot. I
don't remember what the sauce was. I think it's a morica, like a black
sausage that they put in the sauce. Dennis got a beautiful rice dish. It's probably gonna be so hot. The
texture's very good. The flavor's banging. What the bread's for. This
pork dish looks fantastic. That's.
Mmm, that's good! None of these dishes are like superly
authentic or what most people think of when they think of Spain or Catalan, but this is what most people
would be eating on a regular day, like really beautifully created meals
using local ingredients and I really like coming to places like this where you
don't necessarily recognize everything on the menu. Gives you diversity and the food while
still remaining authentic for the area. What is superly?, Did I
say Superly? Yah, you. Said Superly. Superly. We're finishing off
our lunch with some gelato. This place is vegan gelato, which is not
our M.O. We're not vegetarian or vegan, but the last time that we visited
Barcelona, I was vegetarian. Thankfully the city has a ton of
options if you don't eat meat, because the Spanish cuisine can be
very meat forward and meat heavy. A lot of times in smaller towns you'll
see things say like vegetarian on the menu and it always has some type of
fish. It's not actually vegetarian, so it is really refreshing to come to
such a big city and know that you have options, but definitely get this
pistachio gelato. It is fantastic. Super creamy, super flavorful. I'm excited. We actually get to
visit the Picasso museum this time. Last time we visited they
were closed on Monday, which was the only day we had
to explore. We got our tickets. It was 22 euros for us, which included the audio guide and we're
gonna be spending like the next two to three hours enjoying the beautiful
work of Spanish painter Picasso. It is incredible to see the
skill he had at such a young age. Pablo painted this when he was 15 years
old. His father was an art teacher, so he got formal training.
By the time he was 13 to 15, he was going to a formal school here
in Barcelona and entering into contests where he won a gold medal
prize in Malaga for this, what was I doing when I
was 13 and 15? <laugh> not. Painting large format paintings. No. The blue period is one of the
most famous series from Picasso. Almost all the pieces are
done in variations of blue
and have a very melancholy feel to them, but he painted those here in Barcelona
just after his friend committed suicide and it was a very dark period in his life
and this work was kind of what helped him work through that
and process the emotions. It's also amazing to see his
progression as an artist. I can't believe the first room that
we were in and the final one that we finished in that it's
even the same artist. The styles that he used
constantly changed over time. He often took inspiration from other
famous artists as he was growing as an artist himself. It's really cool to see that progression
in all the stages he had to go through to be perfectly Picasso. We came to the plaza where
the Catedral de Barcelona is. This is one of the most famous churches
aside from the Sagrada Familia and it is absolutely stunning. We're here right as the sun is setting
and the lighting on the church is just magic. This plaza is
also so alive right now. One of the things we love about Barcelona
is all of the little plazas that are tucked away on the side streets. I highly encourage you just to get lost
in the streets and discover all of the beauty. There's normally
people playing music. I'm really feeling the vibes
right now in Barcelona. I think golden hour might
be its most magical hour. The gothic quarter is Barcelona's oldest
district where it's narrow dimly lit alleyways transports you
back to the Middle Ages. Some parts of this quarter have a history
stretching over 2,000 years when it was the Roman town of Barcino. Originally
this area was completely walled in, but in the late 19th century, city planners expanded Barcelona
and tore the walls down. This area has undergone significant
restoration over the 20th century. So many parts of the quarter
aren't quite as old as they seem. One spot that often fools people
is the iconic gothic bridge, which despite its appearance was
built in the 1920s. In any case, this beautiful neighborhood is an absolute
must visit and we'll sweep you off your feet. I just wonder what life would've been
like in the 1500s and 1600s when people were living here. Probably would've been great for me.
It would suck for you <laugh>. Yeah, that's true. Depending on my class, it probably
wouldn't have been that great. They found a clue. They're
like looking at the fountain, which is supposed to be pointing like
cardinal directions or time, I guess? I don't know. They're like,
which one's? 12 o'clock? How do we know this is supposed
to represent the cross? If the Da Vinci Code or
something. National Treasure. Are. We gonna see them like
open a vault? That'd. Be sick. That's like I would say top dream of
mine to actually be a part of like a treasure hunt like that. Drop a comment below if you agree! This might be the best thing
we've eaten in all trips. No way. We are using the metro to get around
the city. Mostly there's abundant taxis. There's also a fantastic bus system, but the metro is definitely the most
cost effective way to to get around Barcelona. On our first day, we
ended up purchasing these passes, which gives us 10 fares or 10 rides in
the metro within the main tourist zone, zone one. It only costs
us around 11.50 euros. The metro can be super packed at
certain hours, so be prepared for that. Just be very aware of your
surroundings when you're in Barcelona. Pickpocketing is a very big problem. You definitely wanna
check out the Plaça Reial, which dates back to the 18 hundreds and
just has a really beautiful tropical vibe with the yellow buildings
and all of the super tall palms. Make sure to keep an eye out for
Gaudi's first work he ever did. After graduating from college at
the art school here in Barcelona, he created two lamps that are very
clearly Gaudi <laugh> <laugh>. No trip to Barcelona would be complete
without a visit to La Sagrada Familia as the tallest building in Barcelona. This monumental basilica was Gaudi's
most ambitious project and has now become an icon for the city. The initial construction of La
Sagrada Familia began in 1882, knowing he would never
live to see it finished. Gaudi left detailed plans and models for
future architects to build upon nearly 150 years later, the
project remains incomplete. The basilica is an illustration
of Gaudi's devotion to the church, drawing from his love of
nature and his deep faith. The exterior is made of hand carved
stone with intricate details, natural elements and religious symbolism
woven throughout. Its two facades. The nativity facade includes gothic
inspired sculptures and details reflecting the story of the birth of Jesus. The passion facade on the opposite side
has a more stoic tone as it depicts the crucifixion in final days of Christ. While the exterior is a sight to behold, the true magic takes place
inside the basilica walls. Gaudi wanted to make the inside of
the church feel like a sanctuary, a place of beauty and spirituality
that inspired and captivated those who visited The breathtaking spectacle of
light and color bounces off the stained glass windows, painting
a rainbow in the church. The massive columns resemble trees and
branch out to support the ornate ceiling. No matter your beliefs, the towering, magnificence and intricate details
of what is often considered Gaudi's masterpiece are bound to leave
you inspired and awestruck. This is the most visited
attraction all of Barcelona. So book your tickets early. We'll have skip the line tickets available
with Get Your Guide linked below. Today we are finishing off
our Gaudi tour at Park Güell. We've visited this spot in the past and
we know how popular of an activity it is. We've come first thing in the
morning to try and beat the crowds. This is another tour we've
booked with Get Your Guide, which we will have linked down below the Güell Family Commission Gaudi
to build this estate in 1900. The goal was to make it into a sustainable
community with 60 individual houses in a shared common space in between.
True to Gaudi's signature style, the property design was
anything but ordinary. He used native plants to combat erosion
while ingeniously integrating rainwater catchment systems into
the whimsical structures. Only two homes were completed by Gaudi, but the park is filled with
lush gardens, meandering paths, and its most renowned feature. A
covered marketplace with a mosaic, lizard fountain, and colorful benches that surround an
overlook providing the most breathtaking views of Barcelona and the Balearic Sea. It is just madness. Everyone
is just rushing all around, like pushing through you to get
their photo shot. As the day goes on, people care less and less. Oh yeah. About formalities. I put my leg up on the bench to like
block our view so we could just get a picture and someone literally
stepped over my leg on the bench so that they could get their
shot. Unfortunately, when the construction
was completed in 1914, there were no buyers for
the planned community. After Eusebi Güell passed in 1922, his children sold the property to the
city who converted the Güell home into a school and then opened the space
up as a public park. In the 1960s, the park became the Gaudi House Museum
and later gained the title of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, millions of visitors come to tour this
colorful park to admire their quirky buildings, unique landscaping and unusual
tile work mosaics of Anthony Gaudi. I cannot emphasize enough. If
you are coming to Barcelona, you have to participate
in the menu del dia. It's a special menu they offer only for
lunchtime. It changes every single day, but it's offered at a fixed
price, which is really affordable, anywhere from 12 to 15 euros. It
includes a drink, which can be alcohol, a first course, second
course, and postre (dessert). We came to a place called Cal Boter.
It's a popular spot for Mendu Del Dia. Today we have ordered gazpacho and fideuá. We've also ordered lomo
(pork loin) in a sauce. Dennis got the beef steak and potatoes.
But look at the wine they gave us! <Laugh>. Yeah, we both said, vino
tinto, we got a half a bottle. In a porrón. So typically this is what
people use to actually drink out of. We will show a clip of us
enjoying a porrón at a fiesta, but we're just gonna pour it into the
glass here. I'm wearing a white shirt. I don't wanna spill myself.
We did see someone use the. Porrón properly here though,
this cute little Spanish guy. It's just as amazing to me
that they're able to create. Something that's delicious from. 14.50€, 14 50€! You gotta clean up all
that garlic aioli. Wow. It is important to know the Menu Del
Di is only offered during the week. You can't find it everywhere.
Not every restaurant offers it, so you kinda have to hunt for it.
But when you find it and it's good, it's the jam. If you're gonna be spending more
than three days in Barcelona, I highly recommend exploring
outside of the city. There's so many cool day trips you can
enjoy. You can visit Cava wine region, which is where Cava originates
from. It's like a sparkling wine. You can also go to some of the super
quaint and charming beach towns all along the coast here. There's also a trip
to Giona, which is only an hour away, and you can come to Montserrat
Monastery. That's where we are today. We took a Get your Guide, half day,
five hour tour to explore the monastery. And we're off <laugh>. The tour that we're taking
includes a ride on the cog train. You can drive all the way
up to the entrance of. Montserrat. But. We really wanted this experience. I mean,
who doesn't love a scenic train ride? This place is so important for us
because the home place of our patrones Moreneta. She was found in a cave in the
year 880AD very close from here. The bishop of Manresa
came here to take her, and this is the place where
he couldn't move her anymore. That's why we have this beautiful
Basilica from the 19th century. She's well known because she has
healing powers and fertility powers. So the tradition is to come here, go up,
see her and touch her. And meanwhile, you are touching her. You have to think
about your wish. If your wish came true, you have to come back and bring
your her a present. La Moreneta, she has baby Jesus in her lap. Baby Jesus is holding a pine cone
with the left hand that is a symbol of eternity and fertility, and then is
giving a blessing sign with three fingers. In this case, it's the Trinity or the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. So there's a few theories
about her skin color. Some people like to think it's because
of the candles inside of the cave and she became black. Or uh, maybe it's
because of the varnish that they use, make a chemical reaction
over the years. But actually, I think the more accurate
one is that she's black. People from Barcelona come here to
attend the mass, just to see her. Very, very, very glad we came.
There's so much to do here. You could easily spend a full
day. There's a hotel on site, a cheese market. You can take a tram up to the very tippy
top to get a beautiful vantage point. And there's tons of hiking in this
area as well. Very, very cool day trip. We'll have a link down below if you're
interested in doing this yourself. You a little snack for the
ride. Yes, I'm starving. And this one had all the cheeses, so. Yep. This is what's happening. This is
our life right now. It's getting harder, we need to run <laugh>.
We're stuck in the rain. This is our last day in Barcelona. We were going to show you the beach, all these beautiful things and
there's a rainstorm. <laugh>, So we're just trying to
find a taxi to get home. All right. You ready? Yeah. Are you ready? Yep. I, ahh, ehh. We're moving.
I've got to drink. Oh my God.
