My love of food and wine was matched perfectly with the city of Barcelona. With tapas bars on every corner, we managed to test out a number of hidden gems. The calamari, chorizo, Iberian jamon (local style cured meat), manchega (traditional spanish cheese, much like a cross between a bitey cheddar and Parmesan) and patatas bravas (roasted potatoes with spicy tomato sauce) was enough to keep our taste buds tantalised for the trip, but we didn't limit it to just that!
We thoroughly enjoyed the tapas on offer, with the many local eateries along Carrer de Blai in Barcelona offering €1 pinchos (small bites of tapas held with a toothpick). We easily ate dinner for a total of €6, add in a bottle of Cava for €10 and we are in for a great night!
The city of Barcelona is in the midst of Catalonia is a region in Spain on the Iberian Peninsula. The people of Catalan (with their own flag and language) are not independent of Spain, but there is a huge movement for this and referendums have occurred to vote on the issues. As these were deemed unconstitutional, Catalan is not yet an independent state of Spain.
Great food is not the only thing Spain has to offer - unique architecture lines the streets in a mix of Gothic and modern styles.
Antoni Gaudi, who was an outstanding architect from Catalonia has had a huge influence on the style of the city. We took a trip to Park Guell which Gaudi was commissioned to design in order to create a place for wealthy visitors to stay in the growing Barcelona district of Eixample.
Gaudi resided there whilst completing the work and there is now the museum house that can be visited within the park. Before its' finish, Gaudi was selected to work on Sagrada Familia, and he dedicated all of his time to this project from 1915 until his death in 1926.
Sagrada Familia is an amazing basilica in the centre of Barcelona, so unique in its design that it attracts many tourists from around the world every day. According to their website "The Sagrada Familia is an international centre for spirituality which, in an exceptional setting, invites people of all backgrounds and faiths to share in a sense of life based on love, harmony, good, generosity and peace." Construction started in 1882 and is yet to finish, with the completion date set for 2026. I cant wait to come back to see the finished product!
For a great view of the city, we travelled towards the outer edge and climbed to the Bunkers del Carmel - ex-military bunkers which a a mostly well-kept secret view point, They provide 360 degree views over Barcelona, so it is worth the climb to the top of the hill. After the trek up the mountain in close to 30 degree heat, we enjoyed a refreshing drink whilst enjoying the expansive view.
Barcelona's Arc de Triumph.
Next up we took the 3 hour train ride south along the coast to the beachside city of Valencia. Valencia is home to apparently the best Paella in Spain, so we had to try it, and it did not disappoint! We were arriving in Valencia for the start of La Tomatina festival, but were able to enjoy relaxing by the beach and the charm of the old town before it started.
Valencia Beach
La Tomatina is an annual festival in Bunol, Spain where tomatoes are thrown in a massive food fight lasting an hour. A tall pole in the centre square of Bunol is topped with a leg of ham and the length of the pole covered in animal fat. The 'manliest of men' will climb to the top of the pole and slap the ham to indicate the start of the fight. This year, no one reached the ham, but the firework sounds at 11am no matter what the result, which commences that start of the tomato trucks arrival.
7 whole trucks of tomatoes came through the 25,000 people who were filling the streets and the 10 or so people sitting on the trucks start the fight by throwing tomatoes at the crowd. By the end of the fight, the streets compare to a river of tomato juice, with many laying, stomping, throwing the tomatoes how they please. At the end of the fight, the residents of Bunol clean up the streets and everyone baths in the river to rid the remnants of tomato. It turns out that due to the acidity of the tomatoes, the streets of Bunol are actually sparkling clean after its coating of tomato!
After an active few days, we left Valencia for the beachside town of Sitges to relax and enjoy the last couple of days of our holiday. The town, the food and the Sangria were amazing, and we were able to relax in the last of the European sun.
Pinchos galore!
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