Christmas at the Santa Llúcia Fair The month of December is chock full of holiday-inspired activities in Barcelona. The downside is that you have to pick and choose which are worthwhile events because it’s impossible to fit them all in your agenda! Me, I never miss the yearly Fira de Santa Llúcia (Santa Lucia Fair) in the…
Category: Things to do
The Caganer, Another Catalan Christmas Crapper
We’re in a poopy mess here these holidays. Here’s a curious Catalan Christmas tradition that has to do with the act of defecation (other than the caga tió). And that’s the caganer, the “crapper”, or bluntly, the “shitter”. It’s a ceramic statuette of a person or fictional character squatting over a pile of poop. And it’s meant…
The Media-TIC Building and its Supergreen Design
It’s green everything. Its design, building materials, and even paint color. And it’s almost a net-zero building, meaning it relies on itself for its heating, cooling, and electricity needs. I finally got to visit the Media-TIC building during the 48h Open House Barcelona event. Its strange / modern / beehive / cubic design caught my attention while driving by one…
Can Framis Museum: Space, Light, & Modern Catalan Art
As 22@ currently grows as a hot technological and innovation center in the Poblenou area, remnants of the former industrial hub still stand. And Museu Can Framis preserves that memory. What was once was a textile factory is now a renovated museum of contemporary Catalan art. The museum opened its doors in 2009. Before that, it was two…
Get lost at the Parc del Laberint d’Horta
Get lost at the Parc del Laberint d’Horta Parc del Laberint d’Horta is the oldest park in the city. Off the tourist radar, this park sits in the Barcelona neighborhood of Horta and extends over 55 hectares. It was built in 1791 but became open to the public in 1973. The park gets its name…
Parc de L’Oreneta: Mini Train Rides in Barcelona
My son was obsessed with trains, and it was high time we took him to the Parc de l’Oreneta, a leafy park near Collserola in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi. While the park has lots to offer like hiking areas, playgrounds, ping pong tables, rich vegetation, and more, the steam train is the most popular attraction. The Parc de…
A Complete Guide to Casa Vicens
A Complete Guide to Casa Vicens The Casa Vicens, a family house in Barcelona, was commissioned by the industrialist Manuel Vicens and designed by Antoni Gaudí. It was built between 1883 and 1888. Its style is Catalan Art Nouveau with Neo-Gothic elements. The house has a façade of red brick with white stone trimming and…
Supersize It: Playing Big at Parc de Francesc Macià
Let’s say you want to feel tiny — just for fun. I’m talking “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” tiny. Well there’s a spectacular park in Catalonia where little ones (and big ones) can pretend they’re as big as their thumb. It’s at the Parc de Francesc Macià in Malgrat de Mar. It’s just one hour away…
Poblenou Street Art Worth Checking Out
If you’ve peeked at my Instagram feed, you’ll see that I’m a fan of Barcelona’s street art, especially around Poblenou. Every time I walk by, maybe every few weeks or so, I’ll catch new, eye-catching art that steals my attention + lands on my Insta feed. And if you’re familiar with Poblenou, you’ll know this Barcelona district…
Junk or Treasure? The Sunday Market at Sant Antoni
For movie fanatics, memorabillia collectors, book enthusiasts, frikis, or comic nerds in Barcelona, Sant Antoni’s Sunday market is for you. If you’ve never hit up the Mercat Dominical de Sant Antoni, you haven’t seen the rows and rows of vendors selling dusty books and music in all formats from yesteryear. Let’s say you can’t find Top…