here are two types of cities. Those that you come back to visit and the rest. We first visited Barcelona back in 2013 for our honeymoon. This was pre-Lifetailored, pre-Brooklyn and basically before we found ourselves. We remember having an amazing time and thought we had seen and done everything. Make sure to follow us on Youtube and watch our full Barcelona Trip Report to live every moment alongside us. Keep reading to plan your next trip to Barcelona and everything you need to do.
Barcelona has wonderful food, a great atmosphere, a creative soul; it’s only six hours from New York and there’s good weather for eight months of the year.
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona #ImAFan
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona Review
Having never before stayed at a Mandarin Oriental property, and having seen all these celebrities touting why, “they’re a fan…”, we finally discovered why they’re a fan and why now we’re also fans for life. From the moment we arrived at MO Barcelona, the staff couldn’t have been more welcoming, accommodating and friendly.
We were greeted with their signature welcome drink, and while we enjoyed the special blend of tea, the team whisked our luggage to our room. After a quick check-in process, we went upstairs to checkout our suite.
To say we were blown away was an understatement. The hotel room was designed and furnished like the home of our dreams (maybe one day). Wood blended seamlessly with steel and the entire suite had every detail nailed.
From the built-in refrigerator in the custom cabinets to the massive white ceramic soaking tub in the bathroom.
The mini-bar was of course stocked with the national beer of Spain, Estrella and I one in hand almost anytime I was enjoying the city.
Since we only had two nights we missed the opportunity to dine at Moments, the on-site two Michelin Star restaurant, and it’s supposed to be an amazing experience. I made a promise to Wei that on our next visit back we have to go, and if you go, please let us know how much you loved it.
We’re digital creatures and are literally attached at the hip to our devices, so as a way to breakaway from their grip we requested the Digital Detox Spa Package. We started in the lobby with a questionnaire and some tea to set the mood.
Once we changed into our robes we drifted into the dimly lit relaxation roof, complete with chaise lounges, more tea and these delectable muffins. Then one by one we were greeted and led away by our masseuse.
Our detox started by placing our phones into a protective pouch, with ample padding so they would be comfortable while they slept.
We then sampled five scents and picked the one that spoke to us. Wei and I both chose the third (we are so similar aren’t we).
During the massage, we escaped our every day thoughts, drifted into another mind space and came back recharged and ready for everything the city had to throw at us.
My recommendation whenever you arrive for a vacation is to splurge on the spa package. It’s a memory I look back on now whenever I need to find a calm space to refocus.
For our photo shoot, we used Capture, our new on-demand photography app to find our superb photographer. We booked her for 2 hours for $378 and her photos speak for themselves. These photos were shot by the wonderful Anna and Ginger’s Eyes Photography.
We’re live in NYC and expanding quickly, so if you read this article and want a Barcelona a photographer, then download the app now and drop a pin when you arrive to Capture your trip.
To book a Session with Capture, all you need to do is download our iOS app and get started. We select only the top 5% of the best professional photographers so you can rest assured your photos are going to look as good as our photos.
Where to Eat & Drink in Barcelona
We only had a weekend in Barcelona so we condensed our gastronomic visits to just a handful of our favorite spots.
Mercado de La Boqueria: Wander this giant food market to taste the best local ham, cheese, churros, olive oil, tapas, and wine.
For fancy tapas we headed to Cañete where we treated to a never ending assortment of fresh seafood paired with some amazing Spanish wines. Grab a seat at the bar and ask your server for recommendations.
We’re suckers for hole in the wall authentic spots and El Xampanyet, named for a type of wine meant to be shared amongst friends. We ordered two glasses of cava, the sausage with beans, of course the iberico and this amazing tomato salad.
In Barcelona, somehow, every moment is celebrated.
Next to us there was a couple chatting and flirting in Spanish whom we thought were madly in love, and after a couple glasses of cava they started talking to us, and through our broken Spanish we found out they just got married and both had just gotten divorced.
So we ordered glasses of cava to celebrate, and upon a better understanding of their Spanish, it turns out they were not newly married but in fact getting divorced today and were celebrating it. What we love about the city is that Only in Barcelona could a couple be having so much fun on their divorce day.
For drinks we love the romantic vibe of Boca Chica. It’s lit by candles and to get to the speakeasy bar you’ve got to climb 3 sets of stairs. Adorning the walls are photos of beautiful people, some fully dressed, some less so. The cocktail list was extensive and we had an amazing infused whiskey cocktail and gin martini.
How to Fly to Barcelona with Points
To get to Barcelona of course we used points. It was 155k miles each way for business class, which we transferred from our chase ultimate rewards. If you want to take the dream trip of your dreams using points, fill out free Credit Card Points Consultation.
The flight itself is $6,238 per ticket, giving us a huge $.04 per point which is nearly 200% higher than these points are normally worth ($.02). They key to learning how to flight hack is to find these deals where your points get tremendous value.
This knowledge comes from experience booking flights, but to save you the years of studying I’ve done, we’re also developing a new search engine that will help you uncover these amazing flight values.
If you’re interested in learning more about credit card points, subscribe to our Youtube channel.
Thanks for reading our Barcelona Travel Guide, we hope this inspires you to explore this amazing city. If you want to follow along in our footsteps as we explore amazing destinations, follow our stories @Lifetailored.
