Barcelona Photo Diary // Part Two 2016

* Barcelona // Spain *

Hello lovelies! As promised, here is Part Two of my Barcelona photo diary. In the few days we spent in the amazing city, we tried to visit as many attractions as possible. 

* Barceloneta // The Beach *

On our first day, being very keen tourists in a brand new city, we walked for what seemed like miles and miles. We travelled through La Rambla, making a bee-line for Barceloneta, the beach. The tall, spaced out palm trees and wide, open highways resembled American landscapes, and whilst browsing through my holiday snaps you might think we had been travelling in Miami or LA... Those places are next on my travel list! :)

The beach has a wide promenade, full of people skateboarding, cycling and rollerblading about. We were dying to hire bikes, but never got the chance. Instead, we sat at one of the many beachside cafes and bars, where I enjoyed a mountain of nachos whilst watching surfers and paddle boarders tackle the sparkling waves. 

* The Cable Car *

We managed to pluck up enough courage and take a trip on the city cable car. After queuing for around half an hour, the ride begins with a lift up to the top of the cable car tower, which in itself requires a large amount of courage. After an initial nerve-racking start, our bravery was rewarded with a fantastic arial view of the entire city. The cable car ride lasted about ten minutes, giving us plenty of time to spot famous landmarks such as the Sagrada Familia, which if you look closely in the photos below you will be able to see standing tall in the distance. The cable car is not for the faint-hearted but I would definitely recommend.

Sagrada Familia is standing tall on the right, can you spot it? 

Gorgeous view of the coast line from the cable car.

* Costa i Llobera Gardens *

I would definitely recommend the cable car journey, not only for the heart-pumping experience, but because it transports you to the idyllic Costa i Llobera Gardens, one of the largest specialising in tropical plants in Europe. From the minute we stepped off the car, we were surrounded by unusual and intriguing plants, from crazy cactii to colourful bursts of neon flowers. 

The tropical jungle is a beautiful area and very tranquil. We sat in the gardens for a while, admiring the plants and taking in the breath-taking view of the bustling city below us. For the more adventurous spirits, there is the chance to climb the Montjuic Mountain if you want to explore and take in some other sights. I'd suggest you climb the mountain on a cool and windy day, as the temperature was reaching 28 degrees the day we visited. Perfect weather for a cactus, but maybe not ideal for a struggling tourist. :)

Photo opportunity!

* Bosc De Les Fades Cafe // The Fairy Bar *

If you are ever in the mood for a surreal and silly experience when visiting Barcelona, then Bosc de les Fades cafe is the place for you! This mystical bar is just off La Rambla area, and is surrounded by trees and fairies, creating an enchanted forest background for you to enjoy food and drinks.  We treated ourselves to a bottle of Cava, which was very reasonably priced, despite it obviously being a very novel tourist destination. The bar is adjoined to a wax museum and there are several questionable wax figurines displayed in the bar, but which provided us with some laughs. The bar features an indoor waterfall with its very own little fairy taking centre stage. Very surreal, but awesome. Definitely a worthy experience if you are in the area! 

* Sagrada Familia // Avenida Gaudi *

Finally, a trip to Barcelona would not be complete without visiting the unique Sagrada Familia. We stayed at a wonderful apartment situated on Avenida Gaudi, which was located RIGHT next door to the famous building. This was pretty much our view every morning when we left our apartment... Amazing! Although the building is covered in scaffolding and still under construction, the intricate exterior is very impressive and was a beautiful sight to see every day. 

I hope you have enjoyed my holiday snaps from Barcelona. It's a wonderful city with so much to see and do. It was my first time visiting Spain, let alone Barcelona, and I'm now dying to return, and explore and experience more of the vibrant country and culture. Let me know if you have recently visited Barcelona too, and I'd love to hear of any other places I should visit the next time I travel to the fabulous city! 

* More soon *

Helen

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* All photos were taken by, and belong to me. Please do not steal. Thank you :)