Barcelona in four nights, food beach clubs and sights!

Blogfest in Barcelona

Good morning (or evening depending on where you’re reading from) beautiful people and i hope everyone is well. I’ve been on so many trips this year but realised i haven’t blogged about a single one- shameful i know- all to be rectified starting now! If you can’t wait, head over to my instagram which is full of posts- so you can get a quick sneak peak over @sophsterldn and find out more of what i got up to! If you haven’t yet and like what you see please subscribe http://www.sophsterldn.com

I was recently in Barcelona for a good friend of mines hen weekend and i can tell you it was a fab weekend with loads of foodie goodness. I absolutely loved it, Barcelona has a real mix of cultures- with furniture and interiors hugely inspired by arab/ morrocan influences. The food- oh so good, and we didn’t even scratch the surface. The nightlife was also really lively and the beach clubs so so good. If you’re less of a party animal and want the culture- there is so much history everywhere- from the gaudi museums and inspired buildings to so much more.

I could easily have written forever, but to keep it short this post includes an overview/ some highlights of my top five favourite restaurants/ beach clubs we visited:

1. Tereza Martinez- amazing views of the city and great for lunch or late evening drinks

2. Brunch and Cake- beautiful place and delightful little cakes

3. Boca Grande- think old world elegance with delicious authentic spanish food

4. The W hotel and the WOW cabana- so worth it

5. Carpe Diem beach club (or CDLC)- this place has some of the best sushi i’ve had in a while- i would go back in a heartbeat!

(Ive included a few little bonus snaps at the end- of one of the MOST iconic buildings in Barcelona)- hope you enjoy xx

Starting with day one… we had a lovely bike ride around the city (in 36 degree sweltering heat but we still powered through) as a mini detour and break we head over to one of the local beach clubs for a cool beverage and the views were just lovely!

How stunning is this Park de la Ciutadella?

On to lunch at Tereza Martinez- and the views here were absolutely spectacular. Delicious food, views for days and super friendly staff. This is definitely a place you could spend a few hours enjoying an aperol spritz or sangria.

The seafood here was outstanding and you get a beautiful breeze (which in 36 degree heat is a welcome blessing).

I’ll insert some pics of the view down on the city- but also of some of the scrummy food we enjoyed whilst there! I opted for the Seafood Casserole (lobster, monkfish, eggs in a rich spicy tomato sauce- totally delicious). The rest of our group ordered the worlds largest ever seafood paella dish- and let me tell you it was delicious. The dish was so big, it literally took half of the space on our table- serious feasting. We also indulged in some fresh bread, lots and lots of traditional spanish canopies which were oh so delicious (especially the croquettes available with ham or spinach- which i opted for)…

The food here was so fresh, tasty and vibrant! It really gave me those holiday feels you look for in a getaway!

Number two on my list had to be Brunch and Cake- after some hardcore partying it was time for some recovery and refined elegance. What a treat this place was, a simple 20 min walk from the famous Sagrada Familia and we arrived. Greeted by pastel interiors, walls of flowers- this place had a real shabby-chic vibe to it… and the cakes looked phenomenal.

Our group opted for a few dishes, i tried the simple salmon, scrambled eggs and avo, we also tried the eggs with sweet potato served on a dustpan of all things. All washed down with a delicious caramel latte, some fresh juices and pastries- just delicious!

So tasty… on to place number three- Boca Grande. This place was deceptively large. It has three floors..starting with downstairs- and the bathroom- head to toe mirrored ceilings- this is total insta goals- you have to go with all your friends the perfect selfie location)

Then there is the main restaurant- which serves some delicious traditional spanish fare- and a great cocktail menu too!

Finally there is the top floor, i love, love, loved this- it had moroccan ye olde world vibes about it. Just stunning. I’ll insert some pics- but this is defo one to check out when in Barca next- so pretty!

Just beautiful and a great night out- if you want good food, a great vibe and delicious cocktails this is definitely the place for you!!

The ‘W hotel’ what’s not to love about this place, no matter what country you visit it’s always good. As there was a relatively large group of us we hired the WOW Cabana and it was so worth it; a jacuzzi just for us, plenty of sunbeds, a table to relax under cover, private bathroom and shower facilities, a fridge stocked with goodies and the most delicious fresh fruit platter i’ve seen. We also had endless refreshments and a view to die for- overlooking the beach, with access to two pools (one of which had that infinity pool effect- so nice)!

I’ll share some pics here- but this was high up there on my list of places to just enjoy the sun and relax (necessary after 2 days of non-stop partying)… oh and there was a loooot of good food too. Quinoa salads, dish tacos, burgers, wraps, chicken wings, truffle fries- you name it we had it! Probably one of my favourite days (and the staff at the W were just so nice- they really took care of every need we had).

If i was heading to Barcelona for another holiday this would definitely be the place for me to stay- i loved it!

Last but not least- number five on my list had to be Carpe Diem (CDLC)- this has to be one of the loveliest beach clubs. Insanely good sushi, great views, ambience, open until late! People were arriving around 11pm for dinner- and when in Spain do as the Spanish do i suppose.

It’s very laid back, i loved our table (outdoor but covered) and the food- i had the CDLC rolls and some sashimi and it was all so good! My friends ordered a range of other dishes- we had a whole lobster- it looked delicious (pictures below) and lots of other great starters and shared plates. The prices were also reasonable (considering there was free flowing drink and everyone was full from their meal)…. the club after is also great fun. A real mix- i’m fairly certain i saw some inflatable unicorns as i walked in… i’ll insert a pic if i can find one!

Great, great fun!

All in all i’d have to say Barcelona is a fantastic city. I love the modern yet traditional mix of eclectic cultures (present in the cuisine and venues). Everywhere we went had a somewhat arab esq influence- which i loved! And frankly this has made it into my top 10 city breaks, i would happily go back and take in a little more culture. Everywhere you look there are Gaudi inspired buildings and so much amazing food! Definitely something for everyone. I highly recommend it.

I’m conscious this post is relatively long- but i had to share with you all. Hope you enjoyed this read- if you made it to the end i’d love it if you could leave me a comment with the word Unicorn 🙂

PS i’ve included some snaps of the Sagrada Familia (how could i not)- this is one of the most iconic images from Barcelona and we had the pleasure of overlooking this from our apartments so beautiful.

Have a great day and until next time xoxo