Barcelona

New York winters hit the depressing mark right around the end of February so we jumped ship and headed to the warmest part of Europe to fulfill our New Years Resolution for culture with a side of sunshine.  We spent the first two days in the countryside of Girona and biked around the Medieval villages eating the local speciality - tomato and garlic rubbed bread.  From there we drove down the Costa Brava, popping into picturesque beach front villages on the coast where houses tumbled down narrow roads right onto the pebble beaches. 

 

Once in Barcelona we stayed at the Hotel Arts per recommendations from close friends and not so close friends like Gwyneth Paltrow.  The hotel was beautiful and also a little confused because they mistook us for a businessman from Wayne, Pennsylvania and promptly upgraded us to a suite and asked us daily how they could improve our stay with hand written notes.  We rolled with the punches and had morning coffees on the wharf proceeded by intensive sight seeing where I dragged my man around the city for hours insisting on seeing every landmark so much as mentioned in my guide book.  This was a learning exercise - different travelers have different sight seeing styles.  Noted.

 

All in all Barcelona is a magical place because it combines so many enjoyable pastimes.  It is city for people that love to be outside, by the Mediterranean or walking through quintessential old world European districts like the Gothic Quarter.   The art is not showcased in large scale museums like the Louvre, it is mostly embedded in the city's architecture, like the Gaudi structures and estates.  Additionally, it boasts one of the best foodie cultures with more Michelin starred restaurants than I have ever seen so closely packed in one place (and don't even get me started on the tapas).  I love to hike, my guilty pleasure is admiring real estate, and I want nothing more than small portions so I can eat my way through an entire menu.  I think I've found my match.