July in Barcelona is an exciting time to visit. With hot, sunny weather, the city is ripe for visiting the beaches, Montjuic mountain, or having a sangria on a rooftop bar. As one of the most popular months to visit, Barcelona is a buzzing city with plenty of outdoor festivals, seaside events, and of course,…
Author: Justine Ancheta
California native, churro aficionado, and mom of 3, Justine Ancheta writes fervently about Barcelona and Spain. Since 2008, she's been eating burnt onions (calçots) and tripping on cobblestones in the Gothic Quarter. She shares tips on popular attractions, exposes offbeat non-touristy spots, and gives insight on exploring Barcelona with kids. Her next Catalan culture challenge: top level of a human castle (castellers).
The Barcelona Pass: Save Time and Money
The Barcelona Pass: Save time and money If you’re looking to get discounts on Barcelona attractions, look no further. The Barcelona Pass is a fantastic deal if you want to save money with discounts and save time by skipping the line. What is the Barcelona Pass? It’s a special card that gives you skip-the-line /…
CosmoCaixa: An Interactive Science Museum in Barcelona
Remember this? Your physics teacher tells you to turn to page 137 of your textbook. He rattles on about a formula or a chart. You try to understand it, but you find the “hugs not drugs” posters on the wall much more intriguing. Yawwwwnnnn… So, how do you make learning science FUN AND EXCITING? You…
Vall de Núria, Spain: A Guide to this Magical Valley in the Mountains
Vall de Núria, Spain: A Guide to this Beautiful Mountainous Destination Imagine taking a 40-minute train ride in the mountains, then arriving at a rolling, lush, green valley. It has a beautiful building complex, a large lake, and is surrounded by rolling grass and towering Pyrenees mountains. One of the most stunning landscapes in Catalonia,…
Faborit Casa Amatller, A Modernist Cafe + Chocolate
Casa Amatller has one more reason to enchant modernist art lovers, who are seeking another experience of modernisme in Barcelona. The lesser-known neighbor to the famous Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller invites visitors to Faborit, the “urban healthy coffee shop”. For the stomach, Faborit serves sandwiches, salads, wraps, smoothies, coffee, and exquisite chocolate. For the eyes, the…
The Visionary Urban Design of the Eixample District, Barcelona
In 2008, when I first moved to Sant Antoni, a neighborhood in the Eixample district (pronounced ‘eshampla’) of Barcelona, I was overwhelmed by the endless blocks and blocks of buildings. And on each block, everything looked the same – fruit stands, bakeries, supermarkets, banks. Then more fruit stands, more bakeries, more supermarkets, and more banks. Barcelona urban…
Torre Glòries Mirador
Torre Glories Mirador The Torre Glories is a skyscraper in Barcelona, Spain. It has the tallest height of any building in Spain. The tower was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel who also designed the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris. The tower’s height is 143 meters tall and has 34 floors. Barcelona, the capital…
Good Spanish movies to learn about Spain
Good Spanish Movies to Learn About Spain Spain has produced some international hits by big-name directors like Pedro Almodóvar or Alejandro Amenábar. And of course, we’re familiar with Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardém, or Antonio Banderas, the most famous Spanish actors to hit Hollywood turf. But beyond these well-known names are a few other must-see films…
Where to eat the best paella in Barcelona
When visitors come to Barcelona, I’m often asked, “Where can I have the best paella in Barcelona?” There are literally dozens of places that vie for top spots. Here, I’m sharing which ones are on my must-try list simply because they’re a hit among locals in Barcelona. Eating paella is a time-honored tradition that brings…
Wandering the Whitewashed Streets of Sitges
Just 35 kilometers from Barcelona, Sitges is that ideal not-too-far-away escape from the city. Because of its microclimate, there are 300 sunny days of the year. And I can say that I’ve never witnessed a bad day at Sitges. Perhaps because the town is painted white and sucks up all that gorgeous light. (Yes, it does…