5 reasons to visit Barcelona in your 20’s. 10 reasons you must visit Barcelona (anytime).

Experience. Barcelona. Now.

Barcelona is a perfect travel destination no matter how you slice it- it is hands down my favorite city in Europe (although there are many close contenders)! I’ve been there four times already- by myself, with friends, and with my significant other. Each time has been an overall unique and rewarding experience. There’s not one method of traveling here I prefer over another, but I definitely recommend at least traveling here alone once and then hopefully with your best friend who is also your significant other. 😉

I originally wanted to spin this post to focus on the top reasons why you should visit Barcelona in your 20’s, but the more I wrote, the more I realized Barcelona will provide an amazing and different experience for any age. Barcelona can be done, and done well by yourself, with friends, significant others, or family.

But why you should go in your 20’s? Being in your 20’s doesn’t actually mean being 20-29 years old per se, but at a point in your life where you’re not married, are still figuring yourself out, and more open to new people, experiences, and adventures. “Being in your 20’s” will provide you with such a different experience than visiting when you’re more settled down, have kids, and have reached a certain point in your career and maturation to consider staying in a hostel, or partying amongst other young adults for example. I am certain that traveling to Barcelona after your 20’s will be an awesome ride, though!

So being that I AM in my 20’s, but nearing the end of this epic decade, I do urge people to go sooner than later and here is why.

(1) Soak up the sun and drink until the sun goes down at Barceloneta

Grab some drinks at the bars or bring your own booze, and chill at the beach all day. The sun doesn’t set until 9:30PM.  Bareloneta is a pretty touristy beach, but there’s so much to see and do here. There are tons of restaurants with yummy Spanish food and fresh seafood. Check out Can Majo if you want some yummy paella and Galician-style Octopus- this restaurant for sure had the best octopus. It has a really good view of the water too, and offers outdoor seating.   People are topless (men and women) and I’ve also seen men fully nude, so don’t be shocked to see some extra skin here haha.  I’ve gone to one of the supermercats and grabbed some alcohol and spent the entire day on the beach with new friends. You can rent beach chairs for 6 Euros. I suggest bringing headphones and sunglasses so you can blatantly avoid the vendors walking around trying to offer fruit, sunglasses, or massages (yes, I said massages).

There are a couple bike rental places here, too, so check out the coast.  Best way to get here is via metro.  The closest stop is like a 5-7 minute walk to the water.

 

(2) Sneak into a civil war bunker and catch a breath-taking view of the city

The last time I was in Barcelona, we went up to this old civil war bunker based on a tip from a local. When we got up there, the area was closed and fenced off. Instead of being deterred and responsible,  we hopped the fence and made our way to the top of Turo de la Rivira. This is definitely a locals spot because I hardly saw any tourists out there.  I may get in trouble for sharing “exclusive” tidbit, but it’s so worth seeing it.  It’s a 30 minute hike up, and the view is absolutely sick! The hike isn’t bad at all, so don’t be deterred if you’re not necessarily looking for any exercise on your vacay. If you get off at the X Alfons metro stop (red line), you literally start walking uphill and you’ll find it. Perfect place for a date and some good photos.

 

(3) Party from dusk till dawn in Villa Olimpic

If you want fun nightlife, then come down to this area.  It was developed for the ’92 Olympics and is right on the water.   Grab dinner first at any of the restaurants in the area- they all offer fresh, fresh, FRESH seafood. They also offer typical Spanish food and tapas. It’s just a little ways down from Barceloneta, too.  There are a bunch of bars, clubs (like Opium Barcelona), and a casino. The bars are more casual, but people get fairly dressy for the clubs.    Any club I’ve checked out doesn’t get busy until 12/1AM and stays open until 5 or 6AM.

(4) Experience new places and meet new faces at a pub crawl

Something to consider if you want to meet fun people and go out. The legal drinking age in Spain is 18, so you’ll find a wide range of age groups there. From my recollection of any pub crawl I did in Europe, they never asked for my ID, either. There are companies that offer nightly pub crawls too, so you don’t have to stay at a hostel in order to participate.   If you attend any walking tours earlier that day, that company typically offers pub crawls, so you can get an idea of who may join later. Might help you decide whether to go or not. Don’t forget to map out what areas you’re going to be trekking to, and make sure you figure out a way to get home in advance. The worst thing that can happen is being drunk, lost, and in a foreign country. For both the walking tour and pub crawl, bring some cash to tip your guide. Or buy them a drink.

(5) Stay in a hostel and make some new friends

In addition to traveling alone at least once in your life, I HIGHLY recommend experiencing a hostel at least once in your life.  I’ve stayed at Sant Jordi Sagrada Familia hostel twice- once when I was in college and backpacking through Europe, and another time after I started working. Two completely different experiences. On both occasions, it was an awesome, safe, and clean hostel where I met a bunch of younger people. Almost everyone there has been traveling for months/years and has an interesting story to share. It really opened my eyes to the fact that so many young people in other countries travel so extensively and have such interesting lives because of it. It really encourages you to break from the cycle (college, job, marriage, and kids) and enjoy some experiences first before you do that.

You’re sure to find new friends, or at least find some great travel tips and inspiration.

Experiencing the hostel after beginning my career was much different- I had different expectations (especially since I traveled and lived out of a suitcase and was in a hotel room five days of the week). And I was just generally older than everyone and in a different mentality.

The hostels generally offer nightly pub crawls. Definitely book your hostels in advance because beds could run out fast, and your chances of the room and bed you want are slim. This matters more if you have preferences to room alone in a private. Don’t forget that the prices are by the person and note some hostels may require a 2- or 3- night minimum stay.  I debunk the myths about hostels here and give you some other insights on the amazingness of them- please check it out! Check out a mini-packing list for hostel stays at the bottom.

More reasons why Barcelona is amazing…for anyone and everyone!

 

(6) Have a picnic with your date at the Magical Fountain (Font Montjuic)

 

Before discovering Turo de la Rivira, this was my favorite spot in Barcelona. Check the official website for the timetable, but on certain nights (e.g. Thursday through Sunday) from 9:30pm-11:30pm there’s this light show at the fountain. They play music (from classical music to movie theme songs) and the fountain lights up along with the music. It’s also a really nice view of the city if you keep climbing up the building. Perfect date spot – just grab some food or snacks and enjoy the show. There are also vendors there that sell alcohol and a limited amount of food. Best way to get there is taxi or uber.

 

(7) Get lost in the Gothic Quarter (Las Ramblas/Barrio Gotic)

Although this is another ultra-touristy place, I absolutely love it. This street has a ton of life- There are restaurants that line each side of the street, and pretty much seem to offer the same exact menu. I have no restaurant in particular I’ve enjoyed over another, but we checked out cleanliness when deciding where to go. Also, we tried to find a place that sold better vodka, but it seems like every restaurant we stumbled upon off Las Ramblas only had Absolut and Stolichnaya. They also look at you a little weird when you try to order a mixed drink, so we had to order vodkas, then sparking waters separately and mix it ourselves. There’s just a lot of great people watching on this street, so grab some tapas and drinks, and sit back and watch the crowd and the street performers. Be careful because this area is notorious for pick-pocketing and I’ve known my share of friends who have gotten their shit stolen out here. Also check out the market (La Boqueria) if you want some absolutely fresh fruit, meats, or seafood. They have it all, and they have every part of the animal you can imagine. Not for the weak stomach.

I grouped the Gothic Quarter in this one because a couple steps off the path of Las Ramblas you will find yourself in the Gothic Quarter or “Barrio Gotic”. I love this area because you can shop at all of their chain stores and other little jewelry and antique shops. You really can start getting lost through the streets, but I highly suggest doing so, because you never know what you’ll find! I found a bunch of cool jewelry shops – and you can haggle in these shops, keep that in mind. They also have vendors off Las Ramblas.  Last time, I stumbled upon this cute bar that was filled with all amazing things- industrial chic décor, chill music, and lots of different liquors. Check out Caporal off Carrer Dels Escudellers if you can.

This was literally the first place we found that offered more vodka options than Absolut and Stoli (they had Ketel One, Belvedere, Goose, and some others), and the first place that made us a good, shaken cocktail. They also have lite fares (tapas and the like) if you’re hungry. Highly recommended!

 

(8) Check out Gaudi’s finest work

uI’ll be the first to admit, that I’m not into museums or many of the run-of-the-mill “typical” tourist attractions (I’ve never gone up the Sear’s Tower, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, etc. out of choice), but Antoni Gaudi’s architecture is pretty freakin’ unique and out of this world. It’s funky, different, and very colorful. You can check out his work if you check out the Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell. You can stop by Sagrada Familia and see the outside only if you’re running low on time.

 

(9) Jam to live music and people watch in Placa Reial

This “royal square” is within the Gothic Quarter, but definitely deserves a separate honorable mention. There’s a bunch of restaurants here with outdoor seating, perfect for people watching and enjoying street performers or live music. I suggest coming to this area after dinner for some snacks and drinks and watching the city come alive as it gets darker out.

 

(10) Check out the view from Tibidabo

There’s an amusement park on top of Tibidabo Mountain with rides, hiking trails, and another amazing view of the city. You take a trolley up to the mountain, so there’s little physical exertion required until you hop on one of the rides.

Other random travel tips

• Don’t forget to load your maps over wifi before heading out for the day.
• Get the BandsinTown- Barcelona is one of the biggest cities in Spain, so there’s always artists coming to play.

• Hostel Packing Tips – if you’re staying in a hostel and have a shared bedroom, bring a lock to use on the lockers for your valuables. Also, bring shower shoes and a waterproof bag for the shower (bathrooms are usually shared). Check out my ultimate vacation packing list here.

• Other areas of interest: A friend of mine suggested checking out Espit Chupitos – The bar has a ton of different shots to try!

• Be wary of pickpocketing! Especially at Las Ramblas, the street gets so congested so you won’t even know what hit you. My friend bought one of these bags and really recommends it.

• Walking tours: Hit up a free walking tour, but definitely be mindful that you usually tip at the end (like 12-15 euros is preferable).  There’s different types of tours – from visiting famous Gaudi sites, to cultural tapas and sangria tours.   Check with your hostel or hotel for suggestions, or just google it!

• How to get around

Taxis: There are usually a ton of taxis all over the city. You have to hail one at a designated taxi stand (marked with a blue sign “TAXI”) and unless you’re far away from one of those stands, you can’t just hail one from the street.

And when I said there are usually a ton….On my recent trip in this summer, we landed in Barcelona when there was a taxi strike!!! It was a 24 hour strike against Uber, and we were the lucky ones to land within that 24 hours. It was an absolutely terrible moment because instead of taking 20 minutes to our hotel via taxi, we had to walk, take a bus, and a metro before arriving at our hotel after two freakin’ hours. Read about the strike here – over Uber.

Uber: There are a good amount of Ubers around, too (obviously, see above). The only caveat is you need to access them through your smartphone, so if you decide to travel overseas with no international phone plan, you’ll have to be connected through wifi to hail one. The airport typically offers wifi for free for the first 15 minutes, or other plans by the hour. Turn your phone on airplane mode to access the wifi.

Metro: The metro system is pretty good and very clean. As with any metro, you can buy single-use passes or more (T-10 for ten trips). Be careful with their run times, as most metros stop running after midnight on the week days. Barcelona metros run until midnight during the week and 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus: The buses work in the same manner as the metro. I would suggest getting the metro ticket (T-10) and using that for the bus and metro. Buses run early in the morning (6AM) until midnight. There are limited lines that run past that, but obviously check the run times.

Pedicabs: You can also hire a pedicab in the more touristy areas or rent bikes (hourly and daily rates available). Keep in mind there are bike stands all over the city (Bicing), but these are for residents (These are the red and white bikes you see ALL over the city). If you want to rent one yourself, check out BHDN BarcelonaHolidaybici.com or BornBikeBarcelona.com for hourly and daily rentals including bike tours. For instance, they offer a three hour tour to the beach or montjuic for 22 euros and includes one drink. Hourly rentals range from 4- 6 euros to daily at 10 – 15euros.

• Check the news for any taxi strikes! The one we experienced was the second one in the summer

Thanks for the read, I really hope you found some good tips along the way! Safe travels! xo