Solo travel in Spain 🇪🇸 : Barcelona in a Heartbeat

My dream, again, took me to another beautiful city, Barcelona. Spain is a country that I will always anticipate coming back to. Apart from its huge historical influence on me being a Filipino, it felt closer to home when I was there. The very identical language and the food that suits my taste buds were never out of touch, although the overall society was hugely different. It felt that 2019 was the perfect year to discover a bit of that beautiful country, Spain.

I arrived mid-day in Barcelona with pure excitement accompanied with an utmost welcoming weather. There I am again on a stranger’s land, had zero idea of the everyday life affairs in Spain. I was totally unaware of any political news or security situations on the ground until it caught me off-guard to learn that when I exited a subway, there was a very huge protest going on at Placa de la Universitat. Young people raising up their banners with loud fearless voices on demands. It was a total shift of mood, from excitement to confusion. I silently prayed that it wouldn't turn into some riot like the ones that I see on international news reports. Rallys, probably, are normal in Europe, but a riot is something I would not want to experience at all. Never did I ever imagined myself getting caught in such incident, because I've never experienced one in my entire years of existence. Yet, I remained calm until I got to my hostel. Evening came, some travellers reported that they can't continue going to the airport because some transportations were suspended. I had to stay put at the hostel and be in contact with my loved ones making them sure that I was safe. I just thought that the intense scenario would recede the next day because it'd be waste and disappointing not to safely be able to enjoy the city. Thankfully, the next day was calmer and so I began.

M U S T - V I S I T

A T T R A C T I O N S 

Early on, my day started with high hopes, again, as I finally visited Gaudi's SAGRADA FAMILIA, one of Spain's historic and iconic architecture that has spanned over a hundred years in the making. My arrival at the site was met with many visitors lining up to enter the Basilica. As one of the most visited sites in the world, I can’t help but get awed as I looked at it closely. The closer I get, the more I felt so small; but it was a good good feeling of inferiority, knowing that Gaudi worked with the project for the rest of his life even until his death. I felt that the church was built by pure passion, pure love and I just thought that not everybody can love and keep their passion alive for long just like that. The Basilica is a proof. I wonder if did he ever felt burned-out in his lifetime? When I visited Barcelona, it was on its final stages and was scheduled to be finished by the year 2025. Thanks to the eagerness of Spaniards and a whole lot of different organizations who aimed to finish what Gaudí has started, that past generations who were able to witness the birth of this historical site will now forward its completion to be marveled by the new generation. I was in total awe and thinking, how very much meticulous it was to build. The colored paneled glasses that illuminated radiant light from outside to the inside of the church, the dynamic energy that surrounds it, and the very details of every sculptured stone is truly a masterpiece; a legacy that will flow throughout the generations to come. Everything is just invigorating and powerfully creative that it felt like this church has a pulse. I never thought that I’d be standing inside one of the world’s most beautiful historical architecture. My feet were literally going places, but so was my mind.

There are also other impressive architectural sites of Gaudí that solo travellers can visit, but expect ample of crowds at these sites too:

Casa Milà

Casa Batlló

Casa Vicens Gaudí

Park Güell

I believe that when it comes to architectural designs, Spain is never left behind. As I get to stroll around, beautiful old designed buildings took me on time travels. It all made a city like Barcelona very distinctive in the modern present time. Catedral de Barcelona, also one of Spain’s cultural assets, has a very impressive exterior facade; a representation of gothic architecture that Spain is widely known for. Though I wasn’t able to enter the cathedral, I enjoyed walking pass thru the Gothic Quarter, a narrow medieval street that felt so out of time. My country, the Philippines, has a very long history with Spain too. For over 300 years in colonization, our major religion, Christianity, was highly influenced by the Spaniards. Visiting Barcelona indeed amused me so much as I felt the historical linkage of both Filipino and Spanish cultures.

Picasso Museum was also my never-miss opportunity to visit in Barcelona. Pablo Picaso's entire history encapsulated in one place, his life and his artworks. From a boy who can paint huge canvases to becoming a break-away artist in his own right. He, like many others, revolutionized his works thru breaking stereotypes and rules in arts that are deemed acceptable. His final ear, Cubism, I think is very impressive. Learning about his journey in the art world is indeed inspiring - that everything starts with imagination. Just like Vincent Van Gogh, pursuing what you love is like a lifeline, the source of one's determination to continue in a world where it's difficult to fit in. Nonetheless, these artists created their own world thru their painting. As the major reason for that year's travel pursuits, I've finally met the amazing artists, I can only dreamed of meeting, thru their legacy of art works, and each spoke so much about themselves; their emotions, their thoughts, and their life, all patented unto their brushstrokes and paints that contributed so much to the history of mankind which remained appreciated and aspired by younger generations even until today. Irreplaceable experience indeed. Thinking how these artists impacted the world will always leave me in a state of grand amazement in my lifetime.

I had spent some time with my Korean roommate too and we decided to watch a performance of Spain's traditional dance, Flamenco at Theater City Hall La Rambla Catalunya. I only had big smiles while watching flamenco dancers danced on stage with every passion they had. Totally enjoyed such terrific live performance, something that first-time visitors should experience too.

Trying out traditional cuisine or local food is also one of the most anticipated experiences for travellers. The famous paellas are on demand along La Rambla, a long street that stretches a kilometer from Placa de Catalunya. This area is very lively street as many visitors love to stroll along the road with lined up trees that adds up the vibe. It is also where the famous old local market called MERCAT DE LA BOQUERIA is located. This market is also a must-see and worth the visit because of the variety of fresh products they offer, from raw fish and meats to fruits and vegetables. With the many choices of bars and restaurants to dine from inside the market, visitors are also able to taste Spanish delicacies and cuisines straight from the fresh produce of the market itself. It's even more affordable to share a platter of food good for a few heads. :)

Personally, I think there are some other cities in Spain that’s worth a solo traveller’s bucket-lists too. Southern Spain, Andalusia, equally offers many reasons for exploration which includes beaches and stunning coastlines. The city of Granada also boast stunning architectural sites like the well-known Alhambra. The cities of Valencia and Málaga also have their inviting charms as they also boast many museums, beautiful gothic and medieval architectures such as cathedrals and monuments. Madrid, Spain’s capital, is definitely on a solo traveller’s bucket list too, as it also boasts to hold many European art that can be found at Prado Museum. With beautiful plazas like Plaza Mayor and Plaza España, with grand designed parks like El Retiro Park, Madrid is definitely worth the list. For solo travellers who want a solemn, off the grid, spiritual, and reflective journey, few days hike at Camino de Santiago seems like worth the adventure too.

All year round, Spain must be one of the most visited countries in the world by many travellers and tourists alike. I loved how it felt very open and culturally diverse and historically rich. It’s no wonder why many people from all over the world goes to visit Spain, and also an attractive place for solo travellers alike. The only downside is, presently, most locals may really feel uncomfortable in some other cities because of over-tourism to the point that they express so much dissatisfaction and concern about having many tourists around. 

Somehow, somewhere in my travel, I have felt a little piece of me in the city of Barcelona. I kept thinking that my first solo Europe travel was a milestone for me, because I still can’t believe I was doing it at that time. Picasso once said, “what you can imagine is real.” It wasn’t a long travel but, definitely, Barcelona has been so good to me.

R E F E R E N C E S

Transportation: Transferring from the airport to the city center is very convenient by metro. Travellers don’t have to step out from the airport vicinity to do so, as there is a metro station located within the airport building. Other options for transportation includes taxi transfers and bus.  

For your journey within the city, you can always opt to buy bus and metro tickets. Visit Barcelona with TMB | Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona. Travellers may opt to use single tickets for transportation, but I also highly recommend the HOLA BARCELONA CARD, a travel card for unlimited use of public transportation within Barcelona. This is ideal for travellers who wants to explore Barcelona within 2-5 days and is very convenient because it also includes a roundtrip transportation via metro between the city centre and the airport. 

Tours and Excursions: I highly recommend GETYOURGUIDE for booking various activities and admission tickets.