First day in Barcelona (A College Student's Itinerary)

Here's an itinerary of places we explored on our first day in Barcelona: Barcelona's airport -> flamenco show in Poble Espanyol -> exploring the Gothic Quarter.

We planned our week in Spain in a really short time so we didn’t know what we were going into beforehand. We had booked a hostel located in the ‘Heart of the City’, also known as the Gothic Quarters.

It was the perfect location for us: there were various public transportation options from e-bikes, buses, trains, and e-scooters, to grocery stores, shopping centers, and tourist attractions. It is for those ready to walk and explore the local culture!

We're also college students with a limited budget & limited spending so we took advantage of the location. It was also safe, with all the tourists and locals populating the streets in the late nights and early mornings. Lastly, the language barrier wasn’t as obvious because most people spoke and understood English.

It was still fun to use my broken Spanish to buy from street vendors and local businesses!

Gothic Quarters

Our hostel was located on Carrer de Cervantes, a street full of life most of the day with tourists and locals. On the block, there are many supermarkets, bakeries, convenience stores, tapa spots, gelato stands, and bars. Other tourist attractions and spots such as the avenue La Rambla, La Sagrada Familia, Palau Güell, MOCO Museum, Casa Batlló, and Mercat de la Boqueria.

Running at the Barceloneta Beach Pier

When I travel, I like exploring either by running, walking, or biking. Barcelona wasn't any different and was extremely convenient due to the many piers and walkability. The first thing I do when I arrive for my stay is to find a running route nearby to get a feel of the surrounding neighborhood. I was able to navigate my way out of the Gothic Quarters, on

Plaça de les Cascades

We stumbled upon this gem during our walk to the Flamenco show. We wanted to walk and explore our neighborhood for the next 7 days. We weren’t planning to stop anywhere before our show, but this place caught our attention- the photos do not do it justice. It was a cloudy day but it added to the gloomy effect of the gothic architectural designs and structure of the palace. Just a warning though, the stairs to get to the top were a challenge - we didn’t expect so many stairs !

There’s also a working water fountain in front of the palace though we didn’t see the show when we visited.

When you get to the top - the VIEW! From the top of the stairs you can see everything — the street lights and whizzing cars created this beautiful movie scene that was mesmerizing. Unfortunately, since we were just passing by , we didn’t get the chance to visit the museum inside the palace.

Flamenco show at El Tablao de Carmen (Poble Espanyol)

Thankfully our flamenco show was a 5-minute walk from Plaça de les Cascades. We booked our seats in advance and had access to Poble Espanyol, including the museums and shops. Additionally, the ticket included the 2-hour flamenco show and a three-course meal: appetizers, tapas, and dessert! Flamenco originates from Andalusia in southern Spain and is an art form that includes singing, dancing, and instrument playing.

We started with olives, then fried garlic chicken with spicy mayo sauce, and a variety or tapas. Tapas are huge in Spain and is synonymous with snacks or appetizers. But tapas usually includes fried potatoes, french fries, and croquettes.

Exploring Poble Espanyol

Before and after our Flamenco show we were able to walk around Poble Espanyol. Since it was nighttime, a lot of the shops were closed. It was even a little spooky walking around since there was virtually no one else besides us. However, it was still beautiful and magical in this historical neighborhood full of stories and Spanish culture.