We’re so excited to finally be visiting Barcelona, Spain.  We’ve been wanting to come here for a very long time, but somehow it just hasn’t worked out until now. From stunning architecture to sunny beaches and amazing food, there is so much to discover in Barcelona! 

You can’t walk very far in Barcelona without encountering stunning architecture from the famous Antoni Gaudi.  Gaudi is a renowned Catalan architect whose works are characterized by their unique style, colorful mosaics and complex shapes.  

Of course, the most famous Gaudi masterpiece in Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia.  This basilica has been under construction since 1882, and it still isn’t complete! Despite seeing tons of photos and videos of the Sagrada Familia online, nothing compares to seeing it in person.  The sheer size of it is mind-boggling and impossible to capture in one photo or video.  But it’s not just its size that makes the Sagrada Familia so incredible, the amount of detail on each part and the intricate design is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. 

Parc Guell is another amazing Gaudi sight. Located on Carmel Hill, this UNESCO World Heritage sight showcases Gaudi’s whimsical use of mosaics and provides a breathtaking view of Barcelona.  Unfortunately, we didn’t know that the park requires tickets to be reserved ahead of time to go inside.  What we could see from the outside looked so amazing that we will definitely be back to visit it properly.   

Thankfully, much of Gaudi’s impressive work can be seen without tickets, just by wandering through the streets of Barcelona.  Casa Batllo and Casa Milà are two residential buildings that Gaudi designed and you can marvel at them just by walking by.  Casa Batllo is a modernist building renovated by Gaudi from 1904-1906.  It is said to have been inspired by the legend of Saint George, the valiant knight who slayed a menacing dragon that was tormenting the town.  Its striking design features a facade that resembles the dragon’s back.  Casa Milà is equally interesting.  It has a unique stone facade and rooftop sculptures.  While you can buy tickets to go inside, we were short on time so we just admired them from the outside, which was impressive enough.

We also spent some time exploring the Gothic Quarter.  With a history dating back over 2,000 years, the Gothic Quarter is the oldest part of Barcelona.  Here you can wander through some enchanting old streets.  We stopped in a beautiful little cafe here called Forn de pa Sant Jordi, the Catalan name for Saint George.  The cafe has been around for over 200 years and was a great spot to grab some breakfast and marvel at our surroundings. 

The highlight of the Gothic Quarter is it’s massive Cathedral.  Built in the 13th century the Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Elulia, the patron Saint of Barcelona.

Of course, what we’re most excited about here is the food.  Every foodie’s trip to Barcelona has to include a visit to La Boqueria Market.  The bustling market dates back to the 13th century and sells a variety of traditional Catalan and Spanish foods.  Here you can find everything from beautiful produce to fresh seafood and lots of traditional meats.   

Barcelona’s restaurant scene is also one of the most exciting in Europe.  From traditional dishes, to inventive tapas and a great cafe culture, we had a great time eating our way through the city. 

After food, our next favorite thing is the beach and we love that Barcelona is a city that combines both of these!  We visited Barceloneta Beach, the closest beach to the center of the city.  Here you can enjoy a nice meal with beautiful seaside views, or sunbathe and take in the amazing Mediterranean weather.   Since we are visiting in the off-season, Bindi was allowed on the beach and could enjoy running around in the sand. 

With such a great food culture, it was difficult to decide what to cook during our time here!  We landed on paella, a classic Spanish dish. The word paella is actually the name for the large, shallow pan this dish is cooked in.  Paella, usually takes on regional differences and ingredients.  In this region, you’d typically find paella with various fresh seafood.  However, we’re going to make a meat paella using chicken.

To make this paella you’ll need

• 500-600 grams boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 yellow onion
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 red bell pepper
• ½ cup white wine
• Pinch of saffron
• 1 ½ cup paella rice
  • We’re using bomba rice as this is generally considered the best rice for paella, but if you can’t find you could use arborio rice or calasparra rice
• 2 ½ cup chicken stock
• 1 lemon
• Fresh parsley
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Begin by chipping your onion and red pepper, and mincing the garlic.  

Then, heat some olive oil on medium heat in your paella pan or skillet.  Season the chicken with salt and brown them in the pan.  They don’t need to be cooked completely, just lightly browned.

Remove the chicken from the pan and add your onion and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  After about 2 minutes, add the red bell pepper.  

Deglaze with the white wine.

Add the paella rice to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring to coat it in the oil and vegetables.  Add the chicken back to the pan, then, add the chicken stock.  Add the saffron once the stock is in.  

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The paella is finished when the liquid is absorbed, the rice is cooked and the chicken is tender and cooked through.  Serve with fresh lemon and parsley and enjoy!