barcelona

Europe is where I go for both work and play.
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This particular end August - early September trip saw us in Barcelona,  located in the northeast of Spain on the Mediterranean coast. A totally exciting cosmopolitan city full of culture, architectural delights and FREE WIFI. Honestly, could not wait to explore the small narrow streets, filled with musicians, merchants and restaurants.
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REQUIREMENTS
A Schengen Visa is required to visit Spain, South Africans can apply via BLS International and it will be processed within 15 working days. 

WHERE TO STAY 
Our chosen hotel was Silken Ramblas, a place which offers modern accommodation in the fantastic location of Las Ramblas, a popular main street in Europe, characterised by trees and cool artisanal shops. Everything and I mean everything was a walk away, from the commercial stores to food markets.

CURRENCY
R1 = 17,28 Euros
​Credit card and  cash were the best methods of payment.

WEATHER 
30°C on average. We had some good weather, humid during the day and a bit nippy at night with a few showers.  Do note that, the months of April, May, June and October are also very good for travel.

TRANSPORT
Used Globalia Corporate Travel  to book return transfers from the airport to the hotel. Otherwise, walking was the most convenient way to discover the city. Other options were bikes, cabs, city buses, the subway or trains.

FOOD
Tapas everywhere! I love this Mediterranean diet made up of several types of food in small portions. A total taste bud festival!

For 100% authentic local food we checked out La Boquería,  the most famous traditional market in the city.

Also, enjoyed lunch at Nuria, the following dishes must be ordered with multiple servings of Sangria:

• Olives
• Patatas Bravas(irregular fried potato cubes served with tomato sauce or aioli)
• Bombas(a potato croquette served with two sauces)
• Pa amb Tomàquet(bread-rubbed with garlic and the juice of a tomato and seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper)
• Cured meat selections, especially Chorizo

Iposa is another food spot to try, stumbled upon it on one of my random walks. It looked like a place to simply relax and that is just what I got: a chilled place without an extensive menu to look at. Ordered a lot of different great tasting dishes, but what stood out for me were their beautifully seasoned Mussels.

Look, Barcelona is dynamically vibrant, brought to life by its people, architecture, art, music and food. The only way to completely get its vibe is to go there and immerse yourself in the splendour...