Calamari, cathedrals and culinary delights

It’s twenty degrees, the sun is setting, creating a welcome respite from in the heat of the day. A fourteenth century cathedral looms over you, but your attention drawn to the five plates of tapas in front of you. Pan con Tomate. Calamari, Sangria… Welcome to Barcelona.

I was only there for six days, but I had undoubtedly slipped into the routine and rhythm of the city by the end of our trip. With good food, stunning architecture, great weather and a fascinating history, the Catalan capital seems to have it all. I was lucky enough to dip my toes into that sea of wonders this summer.

Most people head to Barcelona with the intention of absorbing some Gaudi, and with good reason. The man was a genius. An insane genius, but a genius, nonetheless. Like all tourists, we ticked off the usuals – La Pedrera, Casa Battló and Palau Güell. But if, like us, you can’t afford to spend €20 per attraction, and you have a choice of one, make it La Sagrada Familia. Book your ticket the week before for the 9-10am slot, skip the queues, climb the bell tower and thank me later.

Despite having been to the Sagrada four years previously, I was left breathless and speechless upon entrance to the cathedral that has been in construction since 1882. I’m not sure if it’s the canopy-like roof that fans out like treetops or the rainbow of colours filtering through the stained glass windows, but there’s something genuinely magical about the whole place. Make sure you ascend to the top of the bell tower and stand astride two of the cathedral spires for one of the best views over the city.

Although impossible to rival, Barcelona has some truly stunning cathedrals aside from the Sagrada, such as La Catedral. Also one of the city’s busiest, the gothic spires towering above Plaça Nova are inspiring enough, but it’s the glowing golden interior that stole my heart. The arched stone roof appears almost burnished, and needs seeing for believing. But be warned; La Catedral has a strict clothing policy. We saw quite a few women turned away because of their dress – try to ensure your skirt is knee-length and your shoulders covered to avoid issue.

Unless you get there early, skip Gaudi’s overcrowded Parc Güell and instead head for Parc de la Ciutadella. It’s far less crowded and is an ideal picnicking spot. Stickler for fresh, local produce that I am, we sourced ours from the Mercat de Boqueria. Not only is it far cheaper than a restaurant, but it doesn’t come much better than stretching out on the warm grass with a fresh baguette, jamón ibérico and Manchego cheese. The Boqueria was also our go-to spot for croissants each morning and I spent a pleasant few hours people watching, perched on a stool next to the stand of churros (fried doughnut strips) which I dunked into my hot chocolate in true Catalan style.

If you’re around Barceloneta and the beaches, make sure you put aside time (and stomach space) for Paella. There are lots of restaurants lining the beach – one of the highlights of my trip was tucking into a fresh seafood paella just off from Sant Sebastiá whilst mulling over a glass of Cava.

Take your time. You won’t get the bill unless you ask for it, and you won’t be expected to leave without having spent at least two hours at any given restaurant. One thing the Europeans do exceptionally well, is eat. They take the time to enjoy their food and socialise, a trait which us Britons could benefit from adopting.

Once we’d gorged on seafood, we worked up an appetite with a beachside walk to make room for dessert! On the other side of Barceloneta on Joan de Borbó stands Vioko’s, whose Crema Catalana (The Catalan equivalent of a crème brûlée)-flavoured ice-cream cannot be ignored. A word of warning; don’t go for more than a medium, the portions are eye-popping – when they say ‘a tub’, they mean ‘fill the tub and then put another tubs worth on top of that’!

If I had to rate my favourite tapas, it would have to be that of the restaurant El Jardi. Nestled in the beautiful green courtyard of the Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu, it faces the peaceful greenery dotted with dog-walkers, chess-players and locals simply enjoying the tranquility. It is in fact the hospital in which Gaudi died in 1928, but it was the gorgeous arched stone stairs that caught my attention. As did, of course, the anchovies, Spanish omelette and blood sausage.

If you’re into football, go to Camp Nou. If you aren’t into football, go anyway. The stadium is of course impressive, but the museum and the history of FC Barcelona is surprisingly fascinating, and demonstrates how important Catalan identity is to the people of Barcelona. Despite dragging my feet and intending on sitting in a corner to wait it out, it even managed to keep me occupied and interested. Messi, who?

On the last leg of our trip, we were initially led to the aforementioned cathedral square by the Runner Bean Old City Tour. After being recommended the tour by several friends, I have been converted, and cannot recommend them enough. The tours go from Plaça Reial every day at 11am and 4.30pm and are completely free (you can pay however much you think the tour was worth. It’s worth a lot, in my opinion). It’ll be the best two hours you spend in the Barri Gotic.

We spent our final evening in the shadow of the fourteenth century gothic cathedral, the Santa Maria del Mar, in the stunning gothic quarter. Skip on the overpriced tapas of the main Plaça restaurant and instead, make a beeline for the end table of Caputxes, slightly set back from the main square but still in view of the cathedral, and make sure you try the salmon and sundried tomatoes. And relax. You’re in Barcelona.