Welcome to my first travel diary! This year I chose Spain as the destination for my 1-week Spring break. Spain, to me, was the most ideal destination because my childhood best friend was studying abroad in Barcelona, and I also have long time family friends that live there. My two friends and I spent our jam-packed week trying new foods, meeting new friends, catching up with old friends, seeing historic sites, and of course, shopping. Come along with me as I reminisce on the best, most chaotic week ever!
Day 1:
- Drive from SD to LAX and fly to Madrid
- Check into CATS Party Hostel
- Explore Parque El Retiro, one of the largest parks in Madrid with beautiful greenery and a small lake to rowboat on
- Churros and coffee at Chocolateria San Ginés
- Walk around Plaza Mayor
- Attend a Flamenco Show (traditional Spanish dance/folkloric music) and try authentic sangria at La Cueva de Lola
- Drinks at a local pub, La Fontana de Oro
*favorite day 1 memory: the first bite of churros and chocolate, pure heaven!
Day 2:
- Breakfast at La Dolce Vita
- Tour of the Palace
- Explore Palace Gardens
- 1 euro tapas for lunch
- Prado Art museum
- Crystal palace at parque el retiro
- Dinner at Botín (world’s oldest restaurant)
- Pub crawl with Cats hostel where we became friends with some British and Australian travelers
*favorite day 2 memory: seeing famous Goya and Velasquez paintings in Prado Museum
Day 3:
- Coffee and pastries at Ambu Cafe
- Free walking tour around the city
- Tapas for lunch
- Shopping on Gran Via (the big shopping street in Madrid)
- Rooftop drinks on top of Corte Ingles in the afternoon
- Quick power nap
- Dinner at Viva Madrid
- Pub crawl with the hostel and pizza after with our new Australian friends
*favorite day 3 memory: clubbing and pizza with our new friends
Day 4:
- Train to Barcelona
- Check into Unite hostel
- Shopping at Els Encants market (the oldest flea market in Barcelona)
- Meet up with my best friend who’s studying abroad in Barcelona!
- Pastries and coffee from Farggi in Placa Catalunya
- Attend Women’s Barca vs Roma soccer game at Camp Nou Stadium
- Dinner and catching up with my Spanish family friend
*favorite day 4 memory: touching the game ball at the Camp Nou soccer game when it came over the goal
Day 5:
- Sagrada Familia tour and climbing the church towers
- Quick brunch at 365
- Explore Santa Caterina market and Gothic quarter
- Lunch at La Boqueria market
- Shopping at Plaça Catalunya
- Meet w Spanish family friends before dinner
- Dinner at La Lubina for paella
- Clubbing at Opium, one of the beach discos
*favorite day 5 memory: buying a unique pair of cowboy boots from my favorite Spanish boutique
Day 6:
- Bus to Tossa de Mar (small town in the Costa Brava region) for a day trip
- Explore Muralles de la Vila Vella, a castle in the town
- Smoothies and relaxing on the beach
- Bus back home to Barca
- Traditional home-made Catalan dinner made by my Catalan family friends
- Drinks at a local bar with friends
*favorite day 6 memory: eating traditional Catalan food, conversing in broken Spanish with family friends, and learning more about the Spanish culture from locals
Day 7:
- Train back to Madrid
- Check into Cats hostel
- Shopping on Gran Via
- Churros at San Ginés one last time!
- Dinner at Taberna 4 Tapas
- Walk around the city
- Tried the famous Spanish McDonald’s KitKat McFlurry (to my surprise, it was quite subpar unfortunately)
*favorite day 7 memory: Our last dinner of tapas and wine
Day 8:
- Fly back to LAX and drive to SD
*favorite day 8 memory: drinking coffee and driving back to San Diego with my roommate at 3 am and going to class a few hours later!
Overall, it was a successful and very tiring trip. I am so grateful for the new friends I met and the old friends I reconnected with in Madrid and Barcelona. Even though I barely slept and walked 25,000+ steps a day, I wouldn’t change a thing! I am already counting down the days until I can go on my next adventure!