If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw that we went to Barcelona just after Christmas… and what a good idea it was. Winters here in the South of Sweden are not super cold or so but there are many grey days… short days in terms of light, windy days and with the already very introverted people here things are not getting any better during this time of the year… so your best bet is: go away
[read more=”Read more” less=”Read less”]
So we did… we had to wait for Joséphine’s passport and when we finally got it in the beginning of December we went on the net and checked direct flights from Copenhagen that were still affordable and to a destination that did not require to bring winter jackets… Barcelona it was {Marrakech – oh we really want to go there too very soon – was a possibility for a day or two as well and we got so many cool things recommended by friends… and Madrid…}… but yes Barcelona!
18C and sunshine – perfect. Sunset started around 5.30pm… around 2h later than Malmo and that also made a HUGE difference. 3h direct flight…
12 days. Eric and I went to Barcelona pre kids and did all the tourist stuff back then. That meant we were free to just wander and stroll around and do things very easy and day by day… so this might not be the prefect tourist-do-it-all post but more a relaxed-have-fun-in-barcelona kind of post!
We booked an apartment right next to Sagrada Familia. Yes a very touristy corner but the apartment was great – all new & clean plus it had the advantage that it was really easy to navigate from there. Many bus lines, metro and so on…
Our favourite part of the city was the EL BORN district. Lots of little streets with cute independent shops, cafes and also lots of yummy restaurants… and not all about Tapas. And I am sure you love tapas… {me too} and a great tapas bar is the best thing to have around but after 2-3 days… well we needed to change a little because it is rather rich, fat and not so green :)
But hey, Barcelona has a great food scene and especially in El Born you can find some great Asian restaurants… so we indulged here…. a lot…
And that is why I will start and share our favourite places to eat… the most important thing… of course. And also know that we, a party of six just by ourselves, NEVER had a problem to get in anywhere… people are so nice and open and helpful, in the tiniest places they would move everything and the wall to get us seated… but lets start:
Pim Pam Burger
Great burgers with lots of toppings to choose from. Busy place but worth to come early or wait a bit…
Celeri
All organic place that also includes a little supermarket & bakery. Super interior, big wooden tables and as it is not really in a busy street you will meet many locals…
Cup&Cake
Heaven for the sweet tooth, perfect for Instagram pics {…} and seriously delicious… try one of their shakes! We also went to Travel & Cake for a super lunch… in total there are 5 places of this little chain in Barcelona right now and it is lovely. Yummy fresh food, great locations and a good vibe.
I love Vietnamese food and fine Asian restaurants very easy with kids… noodle soups, little nibbles of these and that and if worst comes to worst… there is always some simple rice… Very good place {we tried the one in Born} with a delicious spicy coconut cake!
Tapas 24
There are, of course, lots of tapas places in the city but not all are good or even medium… this is great and if you sit inside you can watch whilst the chef prepare your food.
I love Dim Sum and when we heard about this being one of the best in Barcelona we showed up there for my birthday and had a blast. Nom Nom… and I love that they call it “exotic tapas”…
What did we do?
We did a lot of walking and enjoying the mild temperatures. We also adapted the Spanish lifestyle very quickly… late breakfast, late lunch… late diner … exactly… sometimes we were sitting on a playground at 6pm…
We had a stroll {or two} along Passeig de Gracia and looked at all the Gaudi buildings – definitely special for kids too.
We went to Park Guell and saw Gaudis best work. Impressive and the kids loved the colourful artwork. Get your tickets online to make things easier.
Cosmocaixa – one of the best Science Museums I visited so far. Very hands-on with looooots of things to do and try for the kids, a jungle treehouse and a supercool giant spiral that takes you down to the basement. {entry is only 4Eur for adults / kids are free}
Of course you will walk along the beach, there are a few playgrounds too and if you are there when temperatures are good you can also go for a swim! {the Aquarium is close to the beach and apparently quite nice, we did not try it because we just wanted to be outside}
Park Cituadell – a lovely park and more or less the only real green space in Barcelona.
Santa Caterina food market – heaven for all of us. Modern exterior with excellent food inside. My kids love to see the fresh fish {something we always do when in France, go and see the fresh fish in the supermarket}, had lovely sushi for a little in between snack and tasty fresh fruit to take away.
Shopping for kids:
,248 – they have one shop for kids and one for adults and all the lovely brands you like
Tiny Cottons and buho have stores in Barcelona, nobodinoz as well and Imaginarium of course.
All in all – we had a great time and break. Away from the routine and grey skies…
A useful app you should download is called okids go – wherever you are it shows you the nearest playgrounds as well as family friendly cafes/restaurants. And it is up to date! Super helpful…
All photos by Paul & Paula.
[/read]
