A piece of: Barcelona, Spain

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be roaming the streets of Barcelona. The city where the narrow streets with floral tiles never seems to end. In a nutshell, it was tall apartment buildings with green plants and light textiles hanging to dry in the sun, from each balcony. It was scorching sun at the beach and mellow sounds of waves and music in the distance. It was the sweetest tomatoes I’ve ever tasted and sore feet after miles of walking each day.

Favorite spots to eat

➖ For dinner: Biocenter: You’ll come across a lot of great vegan options in this city, but Biocenter is truly a gem you wouldn’t want to miss. Great pasta, laid-back atmosphere and a magical vegan beet burger. You can even visit this place as a part of a vegan food tour of the city, which proves that they truly knows what they’re doing at this restaurant.

➖ For breakfast/ brunch: Espani Joliu: Probably the cutest café I’ve ever been to and the place where I discovered my love for Spanish tomatoes. They don’t even charge extra for plant-based milk, whether you want it in your matcha latte or your regular cup of joe (this should be the case everywhere, but truly made me happy to see on the menu)! They also sell an abundance of greenery here, so if you wish for your balcony to look like an oasis, like most in Barcelona, this is the spot for you.

➖ For cocktails: Bobby’s Free: Live music, a secret password and entrance, soap bubbles and strawberry daiquiris. What more can you wish for? This place has a lot of charm and feels like something unique.

Favorite vintage spots

➖ For kilo shopping: Flamingos Vintage Kilo Tallers: I could spend hours here, but after only 15 minutes I managed to try on a bunch of clothes and leave with a chocolate colored silk top, a pair of flared pants and a creamy blouse - all vintage and only 40 dollars.

➖ For curated pieces: Magpie Vintage: A slightly more expensive store, but here you don’t need to search for the perfect piece, because there are perfect pieces all around you. The hardest part is picking out your favorite. A bonus is that the fitting room looks lika a tiny cave, as the walls are made of unpolished stone.

Favorite museums

➖ Museu Picasso: Showcases paintings, ceramics and illustrations by Picasso, as you get a glimpse into how his aesthetic changed throughout his life. It isn’t all cubism and surrealism, his early works are also worth a second glance. You’ll also find a collection of pictures of Picasso “behind the scenes” during WW2 that I found particularly interesting. This museum is tucked away in the core of Gothic quarter, making it the perfect destination before exploring the rest of one of the most hip areas in the city. Tip: Students and people under 25 receive a discount for entrance tickets, remember to ask for it!

➖ Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya: If you are a sucker for architecture, you’ve come to the right place. The museum itself is just as much a work of art as the artwork it is displaying. If you find yourself in the Montjuic area, this is the place to go. Tip: Entrance is free on Saturdays after 3pm.

Run into it

➖ Citadel park: I ended up accidentally running into a lot of the places that were on my to-do list for Barcelona. Citadel park was a beautiful sport that I wish I had had more time to explore properly. Tip: If you want a break from city life, bring a basket of strawberries with you and have a little picnic in this beautiful park.

➖ Oscar Prim: A vegan & sustainable brand, based in Barcelona. I was so happy to bump into this store on my way to get my morning fix of coffee and a croissant. The staff was friendly and the store layout is a work of art itself. The prices are especially great considering that the entire store is Peta approved and ethically sourced.

➖ La Boqueria: As a tourist in Barcelona, I guess this is a must-see, which makes it funny that I just discovered the spot on accident, once again on the lookout for brunch. Although the place is usually packed with people, it is still worth the visit as the cherries are ripe and the smoothies have endless of flavors. Tip: Bring a canvas bag or linen bag to avoid plastic.

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