Hello my lovelies,
Hope you are doing well.
Today, I am back with an updated post on one of my favorite city, Barcelona. I cannot count the number of times I have been there the past 5 years.
I was literally kind of like running away from the Swiss weather every second weekends during these past years, chasing the palm trees and the sun, while shopping a bit too much and eating delicious local food (also a bit too much!).
Now, my personal situation has changed recently, am a bit sadden of course but it’s probably for the best, resulting in making me go there less than I used to.
Anyways, it’s time for you to discover the updated list of restaurants and hotels, which I really enjoyed eating and staying at the past years since my last update back in 2016, long time ago!
Where to eat in 2019
L’Olivé
Mediterranean Food
Big crush on this delicious and stunning restaurant situated at only 5 minutes by walk from the center and right next to Praktik Vinoteca Hotel (which I recommend you below). L’Olivé is definitely one of my new favorite restaurant in Barcelona and I can’t wait to go back to Barcelona with my girlfriends to have a wonderful night there. I love the atmosphere and the unique Mediterranean and a little bit vintage design of l’Olivé. The staff is very attentive, kind and professional and the food is to die for!
I recommend you to share the octopus as a starter and then to choose either the tuna tartar or the salmon tartar. As for the dessert, the crema catalana with coco ice cream was delicious too. Just speaking of it makes me crave for it big time! 🙂
Mextizo
Mexican Food
I looove Mexican food and my God, Mextizo restaurant in Barcelona is bomb! We ordered a couple of different tacos and these were the most delicious I have ever eaten in my entire life. No jokes! The food is so tasty and fresh, I can’t wait to go back and eat as many as I possibly can and of course also eat their delicious 3 chocolates dessert. 🙂 Oh Gosh I am SO hungry right now!!!
El Crudo Bar
Sea Food
Calling all sea food lovers here! El Crudo Bar in Barcelona is my go to restaurant when I am craving for fresh and delicious sea food. Can’t describe how yummy everything is there! Am hungryyyyy! Haha
9 Reinas
Argentinian Food
Although am trying to eat less meat since a couple of years, I still get to love having a tasty Argentinian meat from time to time. Not only the meat is absolutely delicious at 9 Reinas but so are their Argentinian wines.
We actually went there on my 29th Birthday and I don’t know whether it was planned or not but the waiters kept on bringing us free glasses of champagne.
I of course already got pretty drunk after just the first glass of delicious red wine, so I let you imagine how messed up our discussions went during that delicious lunch… I clearly said a bunch of stuff I had on my heart, which I really should have never spoken out loud!
Who knew me turning 29 years old and drinking too much Argentinian wine would make me cry like a baby, while continuing drinking my wine, champagne glasses and eating yummy meat all at the same time? Am officially in my almost 30 existential crisis.
Miss Sushi Aribau
Japanese Food
If Sex and the City was taking place in Barcelona, Miss Sushi Aribau restaurant would definitely be “the place to be” for Carry, Samanta and CO. This pink vibes restaurant is not only super cute and super girly, making it a perfect cozy place to have delicious sushi with your girlfriends, but it is also as I just said a yummy place for sushi lovers! I really like going there because their sushi are super fresh and so delicious! They make some specialties, such as the ones you can see on the second picture above; the Foie & Mango sushi were one of the yummiest sushi I ever had! And trust me, I ate a lot of amazing sushi in my life, especially when living in Singapore.
PS: Sorry for the bad quality of the pictures. I did not take proper photos, cause I was too hungry (as always), so I made Insta Stories and I literally just screenshot the video, to upload a picture here on the blog… #welcometoreallife ! 🙂
Mako BCN
Japanese Food
Here again, Sushiiiiii! Great place with delicious fresh Japanese food, situated in the center of Barcelona.
I recommend you to order the sushi with the paprika chips, like on the first picture. It was really good.
For my favorite brunch places and healthy spots in Barcelona, check out my posts:
FAVORITE BRUNCH PLACES IN BARCELONA
NEW FAVORITE SPOTS IN BARCELONA
Where to stay in 2019
EnjoyBCN Apartments
If you are planning a trip to Barcelona with your friends, whether it is just for a vacay or to celebrate a birthday or a hen/bachelorette party, I highly recommend you to book one of the EnjoyBCN apartments. We booked that place two years ago for 8 people to celebrate my best friend’s 30’s birthday and we really had a blast!
We first spent 1 night at two apartments in the EnjoyBCN GAUDI BUILDING near la Sagrada Familia and then got upgraded to a Penthouse in the EnjoyBCN MIRO BUILDING near plaça Universitat, at the center of Barcelona.
Both were nice but the penthouse obviously blew us away! There’s even a direct access to an amazing rooftop swimming pool and BBQ place. I am still dreaming this penthouse could be mine forever haha.
Ps: The reason why we got this upgrade was due to the fact that there has been an issue with one of our flats during our first night at the Gaudi Building near la Sagrada Familia.
We told the staff of EnjoyBCN right away and they reasonably quickly came up with the solution of moving us to the penthouse for the next 2 nights we were staying in Barcelona. A little weird-funny adventure that ended up making us feel so fortunate! 🙂
So really, if you are looking for a short-stay apartment in Barcelona for you and your friends, EnjoyBCN is the way to go! You will have one of the greatest time of your life in Barcelona for sure! Thank me later! 😉
Here are some more pics of how the penthouse looks like exactly:
And here is how the apartments in GAUDI BUILDING, near la Sagrada Familia looked like:
Praktik hotels Barcelona
Praktik Vinoteca
I have stayed at many hotels in Barcelona for the past 5 years and I have not actually written a lot of reviews on them, which is a pity because I often get questions from you on Instagram.
One of my favorite place to stay when I am back in Barcelona is the boutique hotel Praktik Vinoteca. The rooms are quite small, but they are very clean, the bed is super comfy, the room is white with some touches of wood, black and gold, its full of natural light and well-designed. Really perfect for a short stay with your friends or your lover.
It is a nice and simple boutique hotel (there is no spa), located at only 5 minutes walk from the center of Barcelona, yet it is a pretty quite area, which is amazing. There are some of my favorite restaurants situated nearby and you can literally do everything by walk since you are so closed to the center and everything.
The closest metro station is the one from Passeig de Gracia, only 5 minutes away from Praktik Vinoteca hotel, and from this metro station, you can easily go anywhere in the city in no time, thanks to its good metro lines connections.
In addition to its amazing location and nice and clean features, this cute boutique hotel is a perfect place for wine lovers. By the way, upon your check-in you will get a complimentary glass of delicious wine, which makes you feel welcome and at home the minute you got there.
The staff is nice and the breakfast is tasty and has a great variety of continental and Spanish breakfast. I really like the breakfast area as it is a very lovely place not only to start the day but also to have a glass of wine later on with your lover or your friends. I especially love the cute outdoor patio, which is sunny and nicely designed too.
Now, since I recently got a new phone, I forgot to back it up since April 2017, meaning I lost ALL my photos, contacts and so on! But I found some lost conversations and pictures from back in 2017, which was pretty strange I must say… #LIFE.
Hence, I am adding below the pictures you can find on Praktik Vinoteca‘s website. Yet, everything you see on the pictures below, you get.
Reception Area
Lounge Area, next to breakfast area
Breakfast Area
Outdoor Patio
We chose the “Exterior Double Room”
The “Exterior Double Room”
Small Open Closet in the “Exterior Double Room” and the glass doors opening on a small corridor, where you have the toilets on one side and the shower on the other. Be aware that the shower glass is transparent!
Toilet side, with sliding door
Fresh and clean white towels and some bathroom amenities
If none of these two places to stay seduced you, feel free to check one of my other Barcelona hotels review:
LIFE IN BLACK & WHITE AT EUROPARK HOTEL BARCELONA
I really hope this helps and that now you have a better idea on places to book for your next trip in Barcelona. 🙂
Thanks for reading, big hugs and I see you here on the blog again soon!
Muaks, Muaks,
