Predicaments of a Fashion Lover: Exploring Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya, a community that is the heart of the city. Whilst we were in Barcelona we learnt of it's Catalonia heritage, something often forgotten with tourists as they race to the beaches or Sagrada Familia. I work in a spanish tapas bar with many who adore the city of Barcelona, and one wonderful girl who speaks Catalan so it was natural for me to feel so at home in the city. Spain is a country I adore, having spent every family holiday abroad there, but Barcelona is the place that makes you sit up and pay attention.

There's no words for Barcelona but if there had to be they would be; architecture, beer, warmth and friends. It's like the city revolves around being as approachable as possible, with big open streets and a sun that never seems to diminish. It's that kid in high school who smiled at everyone as they walked through the door, the one you remark years later "she was just so nice".

I'm a self-confessed architecture geek - you'll find me on a drunken night out exclaiming over the way that light hits the side of that building, oh my god do you SEE THAT? Ergo Barcelona is my Disneyland. Gaudí is my Mickey Mouse.

Antoni Gaudí's influence is everywhere, in Barcelona you can see which buildings are his or mimic his style by the neo-gothic and modern structure, something so easily noticeable as many of Barcelona's buildings have a more classical Roman look to them. Some pieces, like the Casa Batlló look like they've been built from a dream, bubbling up away from the straight walls, with a lizard scale roof. At night, the way this place is lit up is dreamy, the balconies looking like Phantom of the Opera masks smiling down to you as you pass. Casa Batlló is known as 'Casa dels ossos' or 'House of Bones' because of it's skeletal appearance. To me, it looks like the Garden of Eden once Adam and Eve had been banished. Slowly stripped back and dying.

I'm sure you will have heard of Sagrada Familia, because it's taking ages to finish. Like over a hundred years sort of ages. If you haven't, it's Gaudí's piéce de réstistance (ooooh big words) aka it's like the Titanic for Leo Dicaprio. The thing everyone remembers because it is Iconic. That's Sagrada Familia. If you climb up to Park Güell you will have the most incredible view of the city, and what's the thing to your left? That's the Sagrada Familia. It's so beautiful, incredibly beautiful. It's out of this world, because it's genuinely like nothing you will have seen before in your life. It's iconic for a reason and the length it's taking to be built is understandable once you see how much detail goes into every cm of stone. I captured a few photographs on my Instagram, are you following? Come join the fun!

It's always good to have a checklist of essentials for both inspiration and a reminder, I always forget something when I travel. Here's a list of my summer essentials :) HomeAway designed it and it looks THE COOLEST! What are yours? Let me know in the comments below!

For students in Barcelona? Hostels like Factory Gardens are a win, central enough everything is in walking distance. Just make sure your sandals aren't the blister kind. La Rambla is a gold mine for fresh juices and cheap street food - you can even sit and eat tapas for a fraction of the regular price in Barcelona. Beer is cheapest straight from the supermarkets, so hang out and make new friends over a few Estrellas.

Barcelona - where you don't need much more than a smile, a pair of trainers and a few euros. Just try not cry over the high-end designer shops as you walk to the beach.

Exploring Barcelona - Student Style