You have to love Barcelona for…

I could think of probably 100 things I love about this city, here’s a sample:

The Sun

Pretty much all year long. Blue sky, decent temperature and lack of - or very little - rain. Holidays all year long!

Bogatell beach on the 1^st of January (I was told this year is different from previous ones and normally winter is NOT that warm)

Architecture

And not only Gaudí…

Nightlife

Although I enjoyed my nights out in England as much as I do here I must admit that this city is THE place for pub crawls! Irish pubs, live music bars, tapas places, massive students bards (Ovella Negra), the famous Champagneria, cerveserias… Take your pick.

Shopping

Whether it’s posh Passeig de Gràcia, on-the-water Maremagnum, cute little boutiques in Gràcia or temporary stalls with handmade goodies – you can definitely spend a fortune on shopping here. I found myself rather fond of Spanish brands too: Blanco, Zara, Mango, Stradivarius, Pull&Bear... The only problem I encountered is the sizing. I’m often too tall for the clothes here. With my 5ft 5in  I never considered myself a giant…

Fiestas

Traditional celebrations in Spain might not be listed in the top 10 things to see but they’re definitely worth recommending. Never before have I seen such frequent and great fiestas organized – to a big extent – by citizens and usually - voluntarily. The ones I have attended so far and absolutely loved:

 La Merce, 24^th of September but starts a couple of dyas before. Annual festival of Barcelona. Parades, concerts, dancing sardana, fireworks and much more.

Fiestas de barrios – especially in the district of Gràcia, around the 15th September. Streets are decorated by people living there and they do make an effort – later on there’s always a competition and the best looking street wins.

Los Reyes Magicos, parade on the 5^th of January. Truly magical. 

One of the streets in Gràcia

Reyes Magicos