Day 2: Tours by Louis

Our first tourist attraction was barely 5 minutes away from where we were staying – Casa Mila – and was soon followed by Casa Batllo, both Goudi masterpieces, of course the latter was covered in scaffolding as usual when we travel to these places.

These visits were broken up with a bit of high street shopping, where Louis got some sunglasses in H&M. The H&M shop had so many mirrors and dead ends it was like a museum of illusions.

We followed the Barcelona equivalent to the Champs élysées and it took us through the Parc Ciutadella, past the Parliament of Catalonia and a really impressive waterfall.

The walking had started to take its toll on us and so we headed to the beach, which stretched as far as the eye could see. A pizza to share and even more potatas bravas and wine, we were soon replenished for our walk to the Cathedral.

There are lots of bicycles in Barcelona, and lots of bike stations that you can download an app and off you go. Not here though, it’s only for residents of Barcelona! Back to walking it is then!

The marina was full of impressive yachts that were bigger than most of the surrounding buildings. Right in front of them, the infamous street sellers all along ‘Barcelona’s pickpocket street’. We managed to get through unscathed but I had a brief scare when Anna had stopped and taken interest in a fake Gucci bag. Luckily they didn’t get us!

Through the cathedral and gothic quarters, we visited the Barcelona Cathedral and Santa Monica Church – fair play to them anyway, an overall 9/10 church, except it was a bit cold at times, especially between pew 15 and 35.

We also stopped for some wine at La Vinya, one of the top 8 tapas bars to visit in Barcelona. It was here that my old foe, the man who sells roses, appeared. Trying to sell me a rose through the window, he even came inside before being gently ushered back outside by the barman. Nearly Interrailing: Day 16 all over again.

Having walked 24,000 steps over 14km, we walked up through the markets of La Rambla, past the Marilyn Monroe actress enticing people to the market place, bought ourselves our new Barcelona bracelets and finally found a lidl. Anna’s favourite shop.

Tortellini for dinner in the apartment, it was nearly game time and we went back out to watch the Barcelona match. Liverpool were also playing and not one bar in Barcelona was showing it, would you believe it! 0-0 the final score and it was well and truly the end of the day for us too!