It’s Winter Vacation time now, so guess what? Time to travel around, to get away, to explore, whatever you call it! Let’s make Spain our first destination, the country of Football and Paella <3
Don’t forget your train tickets!
First stop, Barcelona! Before starting your journey, don’t forget to buy your train ticket. Choose the type of T-Casual (€7.95), it is the type of ticket for tourists and it has 10 times of train access, you may also top up after used up all of them.
Let’s start off everything with Sagrada Família, one famous church in Barcelona which is also the world’s largest unfinished Catholic church and an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Before going in, here’s a few heads up. First thing first, remember to buy your ticket online in advance so you don’t have to spend too much time queueing up, and bring your student ID for student fare tickets verification. Meanwhile, remember to go to different websites for price comparison! Also, don’t forget to bring your earbuds or headphones as there will be free audio guide provided in each area. There is also option for guided tour, if you fancy!
On another note, feel free to choose the one type of ticket that gives you access to the tower if the weather is nice. Your experience will be enhanced to another level, according to the staff. Sadly, the weather wasn’t as good as we expected, otherwise we would have been to the tower!
Look at this perfect piece of work from Antoni Gaudi, and welcome to the combining elements of Art Nouveau, Catalan Modernism Spanish Late Gothic design 😉
If you are a fan of immersive experience, Casa Batlló is one place that you may not want to miss. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site and an icon in Barcelona, another place to discover modernism and Gaudi’s masterpiece. Beware that there are three different types of ticket, namely Blue, Silver and Gold. Each costs differently and gives you access to different section of the exhibition. Do remember to have a look to see which one suits you most!
Time for some food! Let’s visit one of the most famous food markets in Spain, Mercat de la Boqueria. And if the weather is ideal, it might actually be a good idea to walk there via Catalonia Square.
The Monument to Francesc Macià in Catalonia Square, he’s the 122nd President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and who fought for Catalan independence. If you noticed, the unfinished staircase is a symbol to the ongoing history of Catalonia which is being constructed day-by-day.
There are also number of sculptures on the Square, like this one created by Marès, a Spanish sculptor. A woman sitting on a horse who also holds a ship over her head. Hermes, known as the god of commerce, holding the reins of the horse whilst carrying a gear in the other hand here. Which allegorically represents commerce, industry and navigation as the major driving forces of Catalonia.
Bon Appetit
Starving? Worry not, you are in good hands! Let’s head to the Boqueria Market (Mercado de La Boqueria). You may get there by metro, bus or train. The closest metro station to the market are: Liceu and Sant Antoni, both are within 4 minutes’ walk. For train, it is Catalunya, 7 minutes’ walk.
The market is also known as Mercat de Sant Josep, where you can find various Spanish cuisine, traditional snacks, drinks and seafood. Oysters, Urchins, Paella, Ham, Spanish spices, Sangria… Bon Appetit!
Remember…
One thing to remember, the market is free for entry but the toilet is not if you have not made any purchases. It costs €0.50 for toilet if you couldn’t present the purchase receipt, so remember to keep the receipt for accessing the toilet!
Also, worth mentioning is, some shops may have minimum spending requirement like €3 to €4 for card payment. So if you are going with your friends, try to gather your postcards or souvenirs together so you won’t need to pay extra.
Craving for more?
Of course, there’re so many more attractions and food worth exploring in Barcelona. Like the Magic Fountain, Barcelona Cathedral, Barceloneta Beach for some relaxing atmosphere, Güell Palace for fan of modernism buildings, Jon Cake where they sell all types of cheese cakes…
Tapas
In Spain, don’t forget to try their Tapas. It refers to various appetizer and snack in Spanish cuisine, which is popular throughout Spain. The portion of Tapas are rather small, yet, they can be combined to make a full meal. So if you are going with friends, order more and try more!
Here is one of my recommendations, it might be slightly expensive than other Tapas bars or restaurants, but it’s all worth I assure you!
Essential Spanish phrases
As English may not always be the spoken language, here are something that you can use, in case you really need it!
To greet someone, simply say Mucho gusto and Adiós to say goodbye, or Hasta pronto as see you soon. If you want to thank someone, say Gracias or De nada if you want to say you’re welcome. Also, sometimes we might wonder how much something costs, it’s “¿Cuánto cuesta?” in Spanish. And yes, where’s the toilet? Simply say “¿Dónde está el baño?” next time and there you go 😉
Stay tuned…
Alright let’s not overwhelm ourselves, let’s take a break before going to our next destination, Madrid! Do leave comments if there’s anything that you would like to know!
Key addresses:
Sagrada Familia: Carrer Mallorca, 401 08013, Barcelona, Spain
Casa Batlló: Passeig de Gràcia, 43, 08007 Barcelona Spain
Boqueria Market: Rambla, 91 08001 Barcelona
Vinitus: Carrer de Consell de Cent, 333 Al lado de Rambla Catalunya, 08007 Barcelona España
Barceloneta Beach: Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 16, 08003, Barcelona
