Pass the sangria and paella, please! Barcelona is full of jaw dropping architecture, like oh my Gaudí! We couldn’t get enough of it, we were constantly in awe and trying to fit more of Antoni Gaudí ’s (1852–1926) art into our day so we could see more.

Let's just jump right into the most beautiful spots that we visited.

“Anything created by human beings is already in the great book of nature.”

— Antoni Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí’s one of a kind architecture really brings a new meaning to beauty. Seven of his buildings are included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. We only had enough time to visit four but the other three are on our list for when we return.

We visited the Sagrada Familia. The church has been under construction for over 100 years and is not expected to be completed until about 2026. It is the most spectacular and controversial of Antoni Gaudí’s modernist masterpieces.

The Palau Güell, originally a family home, is now a cultural and tourist facility that retains its architectural integrity, form, and original decoration.

The Park Güell is still used as a public park and green space, the purpose for which it was designed. This is best park we have visited whilst being abroad. An amazing experience to learn more about the architecture of Gaudí. We loved the mosaic patterned benches on the main terrace — astonishing colors!
Casa Batlló, a pre-existing building remodelled by Gaudí, largely conserves their original design as apartment buildings. Every detail in this house feels like it's been beautifully thought of and created.

In the heart of the Gothic Quarter, we visited the Pablo Picasso Museum. As you walk through, the art in each section is in chronological order of Picasso’s life and divided by his different styles with explanations of how his life circumstances are reflected in the art. From the very technical sketches of youth to the abstract cubism and the blue period. Masterfully organized and very illuminating. One cannot deny the ingenuity of Picasso as his work when he was 14 years old was already exhibiting his talent. Audio guides were really helpful in deciphering the nuances and shifts in artist phases.

Why You Should Take a Cooking Class on your Next Trip

Cooking is one of our biggest hobbies, followed closely by eating….. or maybe it's the other way around... Either way, we have found passion in creating lovely dishes in our kitchen and when it is combined with traveling, we are in our element. Food is closely linked to a country’s culture so along with cooking, you also learn the so much about the culture. Taking the class towards the beginning of your trip will give you a better understanding of the country’s cuisine and will help you understand the menus better when you then go out to restaurants. We believe it is the best meal of the entire trip. When people invite you into their home and teach you their passion along with tips and tricks, you notice the difference.

We chose to take a paella cooking class. This cuisine was chosen because the class can be easily modified into a vegan or vegetarian meal. It was also Suzy’s birthday and anyone who knows Suzy knows how much she loves food. It was a lot of fun meeting other travelers and coming together because everyone wants the same unique experience and insight of the culture. Interacting with locals during the class is also a great way to find out about the best kept secrets about the country that you cant find on the internet. It is a much more enjoyable way to find out those details rather than searching the internet for hours on page four of Google or reading other peoples comments in an old blog post. The best part of the experience though, is that we come home with a new recipe and story to share with people every time we cook the meal with someone new. AirBnb experiences, TripAdvisor, and Cookly are great resources to find cooking classes.

Fun Fact: Michael and I wake up early, not only to work on ourselves but to watch the sunrise. Its always calm and quiet, which is difficult to find in busy cities! Taking the time to appreciate the world each morning allows you to move into a mindset of gratitude. The Barceloneta Beach was our spot to do that in Barcelona.

Sesamo was the best restaurant that we ate at in Barcelona. We opted for the chef's selection tasting menu €25 for 7 courses plus dessert and 2 drinks (wine, beer, cocktail or soft drink) each. Wow, what an amazing array of dishes! Everything was beautifully presented and tasted fantastic. The quality of the food was excellent and there was not one dish we didn't enjoy. The chef chose the dishes so it was really exciting waiting to see what would come out next, and we tried some really great food that we might not have usually chosen. We were at the restaurant for 3 hours so this isn’t a place to visit if you are wanting a quick meal. Definitely recommend and we will return on our next visit!