A landmark house façade.A landmark house façade.

The Spanish city of Barcelona, one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, attracts millions of annual travellers from all over the world because of its beauty and endless number of places of interest. A world-class shopping destination, Barcelona’s sense of style pervades everything from fashion and home accessories to food shops, markets, antiques and handicrafts. With Spanish cuisine to relish and a good nightlife too, it certainly ticks many boxes of what I like to do on holiday.

If you are travelling from Malta, the commute is easy. It’s a mere one-hour direct flight to central Barcelona, perfect for a getaway escape with your partner, friends or the entire family. I just love that it is so compact and visitor-friendly. The locals all speak English and are welcoming to tourists.

One of the great things about the city is the inclusion of children in many apparently adult activities. Going out to eat or sipping a beer on a late summer evening does not mean leaving children with guardians. Locals take their children out all the time and it’s not unusual to see all ages, from toddlers to grandparents, enjoying the city until well into the night. It’s part of their culture.

Grazielle CamilleriGrazielle Camilleri

I’ve been here many times, so I can recommend quite a few hotels I’ve stayed at, including the H10 Urquinaona Plaza Hotel, Hotel Jazz, Hotel Indigo Barcelona, Plaza Catalunya and Hotel Murmuri Barcelona.

If you do not intend to stop at getting merry on sangria all day long, here are five things that are unmissable.

1. Visit the Mercado de la Boqueria

A trip to this amazing market is a must. It is one of the most organised and well-stocked food markets I’ve seen in Europe. The fruit stalls are my absolute favourite as they offer very fresh juices for only €1 a cup. I always have one at the beginning of the visit and help myself to another one on the way out.

2. Explore the vibrant streets of La Rambla

Get some shopping done here, visit a couple of museums and why not stop for a photo opportunity with one of the many creative buskers out there? Don’t forget to tip, of course.

Museu MaritimMuseu Maritim

Barcelona’s most famous street is both a tourist magnet and a window into Catalan culture, with cultural centres, theatres and intriguing architecture. Set between narrow traffic lanes and lined by trees, the centre area of La Rambla is a broad pedestrianised boulevard, crowded every day around the clock with a wide sample of society. A walk here is pure sensory overload with souvenir vendors, buskers, pavement artists, mimes and living statues… all part of the ever-changing street scene.

3. Port Vell

Port Vell which is situated at the end of Barcelona’s La Rambla is also a destination to enjoy in both summer and winter. On one side, look out for the 14th-century, medieval shipyards and visit Barcelona’s Museu Marítim. If you head towards the waterfront promenade in the Portal de la Pau you’ll be able to see the historic sailing vessel, the Pailebot Santa Eulàlia, which was built in 1918 and named after Barcelona’s co-patron saint. This is the departure point for the traditional pleasure boats, the golondrinas and a very large shopping complex offering cafes and restaurants with views of the marina.

Paella ValencianaPaella Valenciana

4. Sandy beaches

If you are visiting Barcelona in summer and you enjoy sandy beaches, sunbathing, eating tapas and ice-creams in the sun with beautiful views, then take a trip to one of the many beaches. My favourite is Barceloneta. From artists performing on the very long walkway to sand artists to the highest number of pesky salesmen per minute, it’s the most entertaining stretch of sand in Barcelona and it’s got some great seafood eateries along the shore. I can’t help returning here everytime I’m in Barcelona as it brings back so many good memories and feelings every time.

Here, you will find yourself strolling amid tempting seafood restaurants and waterfront bars with a palm-lined promenade taking cyclists, joggers and strollers out to the beaches which are also the setting for outdoor summer concerts and fairs. A series of pleasant beaches stretch northeast from Port Olímpic. They are artificial, but this doesn’t stop an estimated 7,000,000 bathers from stacking in every year.

Stop for a sangria break and a traditional paella or tapas dish in one of the bars or restaurants in Barcelona. Sangria, a typical beverage from Spain and Portugal consisting of red wine, chopped fruit, sugar and a little brandy, is something you have to experience when in Barcelona or any other Spanish city.

5. La Sagrada Família

If you only have time or energy for one sightseeing outing in Barca, this should be it. La Sagrada Família is a temple designed by iconic architect Antoni Gaudí that inspires awe with its verticality and ingenious architecture and design. The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família was Gaudí’s all-consuming obsession. Given the commission by a conservative society that wished to build a temple as a penitence for the city’s sins of modernity, Gaudí saw its completion as his holy mission. As funds dried up, he contributed his own and continued to give his energy to completing it to the last years of his life.

Although it is still under construction after more than 100 years, it attracts around 2.8 million visitors a year and is the probably the most visited monument in Spain.

www.graziellecamilleri.com/blog

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