Blanes is approximately 2 hour train from Barcelona, via R1. The ticket costs about €8 one way. You can also take a bus which costs exactly the same but is a slightly shorter trip. I however do prefer the train as the track runs next to the coast almost the entire duration of the trip. The views are absolutely stunning on a beautiful day. 

Blanes is perfect for a night or two stay. We stayed at CozyCatalonia and the price was really affordable given that it was off peak tourist season. The hotel has breakfast included and is only 300m from the beach.

I was so prepared to lie in the sun but what I wish I knew earlier is the fact that Blanes is a very rocky beach. There‘s not so much sand as it can better be described as pebbles. 

Some of the first things that you will notice is Sa Palomera, a rock formation/viewpoint that separates Blanes bay in 2 sections. Towards the left side you‘ll find plenty of bars and hotels catered to tourists in summer but closed otherwise. If you keep walking to the right past Port de Blanes, you‘ll find a path that takes you past Marimurtra Botanical Garden to Sant Francesç Beach which is definitely worth the visit. The total trek is mostly uphill and about an hour long. 

Lloret de Mar is another town worth a visit in Costa Brava. Just 5km from Blanes, this town is accessible via €2.90 20 minute bus from Blanes. There are buses to get to Barcelona from Lloret de Mars but it‘s required to buy it in advance as seats sell out quickly. 

Lloret de Mar is also very charming, with gorgeous waters. It is a very touristy spot and there will be deck chairs to rent as well as plenty of watersports available, ranging from jet skis to paragliding. 

So don‘t miss out on the smaller cities when you book your next flight to Spain!

What better to do on Valentine’s weekend than visit the party town of Spain? A friend and I spent 5 nights in Barcelona from Monday till Saturday. Everyday was jam packed with activities all thanks to OneFam Hostels. We stayed at the Les Courts branch and I couldn’t recommend it even more. There are 5 sister branches which all meet up for activities together. Our stay included free vegetarian dinner every night, walking tours every day and pub crawls at night. The volunteers come from all over the world and they’re really friendly. The showers are clean (the water pressure is better than my own shower at home) and the rooms are great, equipped with lockers (bring your own padlock) and curtains. 

Something to remember about Barcelona is the city-tax of €5+ per person per day in Barcelona. 

I joined 2 tip-based tours this trip, one was the Kickstarter tour around the Gothic quarter of Barcelona and the next was a tour around the area of Arc de Triompf. I loved the Arc de Triompf one!

The Picasso Museum has free entries on Wednesday and Thursdays for students and reduced prices (half off) for adults after 4pm. It was such a good exhibition, one you definitely won’t want to miss out on. 

La Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell are by the famous architect Gaudi but tickets must be bought online. There’s also a few Casa’s by Gaudi which are so worth a visit. These unique architectural places really give Barcelona it’s charms.

There’s also Barceloneta Beach which is a lovely place to watch sunset. Port Vell is a walk away as well and there’s plenty of places to sunbathe or enjoy a drink by the water. The beach side clubs and bars include, the Mood, the Room, Shôko, Opium and Pacha. You can get free entry on certain nights if you reside under One Fam. 

Montjuic Park is a lovely walk. There’s a museum on the top of the hill too. 

Barcelona is quite a walkable city but the metro system is so great. T-casual is a ticket that is valid for 10 trips, bus or metro. Hola Barcelona is valid for unlimited trips for 24/48/72 hours, however not including night buses. Normal trips are €2.60 per trip. You can also get a monthly Barcelona pass for only €20+ which is definitely your best option if your trip is more than 3 days. The metro is very conveniently connected via underground tunnels, so you can easily change metro lines without ever having to tap out of the metro. 

What are you waiting for? Book that trip to Barcelona because Barcelona is waiting for you!