A Barcelona Short Break

I only spent one weekend in Barcelona. It felt like a few heartbeats, but unlike other whirlwind visits to big cities, I immediately felt at home.

My two besties were flying in from London for a girls getaway. Three to four days is the average length Expedia travellers stay in town. We had no plans and wanted to see what Barcelona would unveil. What we found was a fun-loving city with a rhythm that’s hard not to get caught up in. To get your trip started, head to Expedia’s Barcelona Holidays.

One big street, the pedestrian-only Las Ramblas, is really all you need to know to get around. From there everything seems to flow. Tapas and sangria bars spill onto the footpath, there’s too many to count, while buskers and street performers attract crowds under the leafy trees.

Barcelona’s big landmarks are great for getting orientated. At the turn of the 19^th century famous architect Antoni Gaudi was let loose in Barcelona by the city planners. There don’t seem to be any rules to his gravity-defying, whimsical designs, which are photogenic from any angle.

Gaudi’s most famous piece of work is the Sagrada Familia Catholic church, still unfinished and now classed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. His apartment blocks Casa Mila and Casa Batllo look like gingerbread houses with curving rooftops and twisted metal embellishments. Park Guell’s curving mosaics and dramatic staircases are the perfect foreground to fantastic city views. You could easily spend your weekend on a photo shoot with the city playing willing model, showing her good side around every turn.

Or you could get cultural and go to the MNAC (Museum National Art de Catalunya) for your fill of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance art. Happily, it’s also home to a sought-after terrace bar with great views of the city.