Barcelona and Sitges

Almost twenty years ago, I visited Barcelona for the first time in search of my family roots. Last year, my family and I visited Malaga and Marbella, Spain. This year, I took my wife and daughter on our second trip to Spain this past May to visit Barcelona.

Sitges: The Unexpected Pleasant Surprise

My family and I originally planned to find a hotel or Airbnb in Barcelona; however, many were either fully booked or too costly. We found the Mediterraneo Beach Apartment, an Airbnb rental in Sitges, about 40km (26 miles) South of Barcelona. We were severely delayed on the day of our flight from Germany so we couldn’t pick up our rental. Instead, we took a taxi from Barcelona’s airport to Sitges. We checked in after midnight and prepared for our first day in Spain.

The following day, I went looking for breakfast and coffee for my family, only to discover, to my surprise, that I was within a few hundred feet of the beach. The view was amazing as the sea was calm and the sun radiant. People were out walking and enjoying the weather. I returned to the apartment with breakfast and waited for my family to get ready. Once everyone was ready, we strolled along the beach’s waterfront and headed to the Església de Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla church atop a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We turned around, walked along the street lined with restaurants, and stopped for a lite lunch. Next, my family and I took a bus back to the airport to pick up our rental.

Barcelona: La Rambla and the Beach

Once we picked up our rental, we headed to Barcelona’s famous La Rambla area. La Rambla is a well-known avenue lined with shops, restaurants, and street performers, and it ends near the almost 200-foot monument of Christopher Columbus, who is pointing out towards the sea. We crossed the street, headed towards the marina, and made our way to the Rambla de Mar, where my daughter’s shopping radar kicked in. Next, we headed around the harbor and went to the Playa de La Barceloneta, where the route was lined with restaurants, shops, and people walking about enjoying the warm atmosphere. We stopped at a beachside eatery and enjoyed tapas and Tinto De Verano. Afterward, my family and I decided to return to Sitges for dinner, and we opted to take the famous coastal road. The two-lane coastal road hugs the mountainside overlooking the sea. It is a spectacular drive with impressive views of the surrounding area. The drive rivaled my experience of using a similar road overlooking Santa Margherita, Italy. That night, we ate delicious seafood near the beach in Sitges.

Barcelona: La Familia Sagrada, Placa Reial, and Placa de Sant Jaume

The next day, we drove to the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. The church remains the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world, with an expected completion date of 2026. The view of the church was beautiful; however, no tickets were available to get inside. You should order tickets weeks in advance since they sell out quickly.

Afterward, we returned to the La Rambla and walked to the Placa Reial. The Placa Reial is a majestic inner courtyard with shops and restaurants leading you into Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. The Gothic Quarter is the oldest section of Barcelona, dating back to the Roman Empire. We continued walking to the Placa de Sant Jaume under the El Pont de Bisbe, a famous gothic span between two buildings as you walk toward the Cathedral de Barcelona. The Gothic Quarter requires several hours to fully appreciate and enjoy as you walk along narrow corridors and alleyways. My family and I stopped in a square to rest and relax with more tapas and Spanish wine. Once again, we decided to return to Sitges for more seafood.

Sitges: Seafood Paradise

During our final night in Spain, we walked along the beach in Sitges, enjoying the warm Mediterranean breeze. There were plenty of seafood restaurants to choose from; however, we returned to Tela Marinera, the one we first tried our first night, and were not disappointed. We ordered a seafood feast that included fresh fish, mussels, shrimp, and more. Additionally, we ordered a fantastic seafood paella. We enjoyed dinner with the view of the beach and sea to our front, and it was a perfect way to end our Spanish vacation.

Conclusion

My family and I enjoyed our time in Barcelona and Sitges. The area was beautiful, and the people were friendly and inviting. My wife and I commented that our retirement goal is to buy a home in Spain where we can settle and enjoy a slower and more peaceful lifestyle. There are more places I wish to visit in Spain, including Valencia, Seville, and Madrid. That will be sometime in the future if my wife and I do retire in Spain.