Tasty Barcelona!

The Majestic Hotel & Spa is the perfect place from which to savour every bit of Barcelona, which I fully intend to do over the course of my four-day stay. After that I’m going rogue and setting sail on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic for a 7-night Western Mediterranean cruise. And you know how I feel about sailors…

On my first night, I decided to take a leisurely walk while getting a taste of the city—literally. The Tapas evening walking tour of Barcelona was the perfect way to learn to order tapas like a pro and combine gourmet cuisine with culture. Perfecto!

Our first stop left me three tapas fuller and one glass of wine happier, just the way I like it! Next we walked towards to La Rambla, Barcelona’s most famous (and pedestrian-only) street. Literally overflowing with quaint local restaurants, tapas bars and bird cages, La Rambla is the perfect place to really get to know the city and its people.

At 1.2 km long and winding its way right through the city all the way to the sea, it’s the one street in Barcelona that nearly everyone walks along—so if there’s someone you want to meet, chances are you will, on La Rambla!

Next was the Gothic Quarter. Built like a labyrinth and easy to get lost in, it is the quintessential spot from which to explore the city’s architecture and atmosphere. Many of the gourmet shops in the area are over 100 years old and there’s definitely something to be said about practice making perfect here.

Our last stop was at an old Basque bar in a historic, 14th-century building where we enjoyed some more tapas and another drink. I’ve been feeling very Cristina-like (Remember Vicky Cristina Barcelona?) and I have a feeling that I may have found my very own Juan/Javier there! His name even starts with a J: Josep!

I made plans to see Josep again but first I enjoyed my half-day tour of this exquisite Catalan city. A great introduction to Barcelona’s many famous sights, including several Antoni Gaudí masterpieces, the tour confirmed my thought that Spain is a bit of an unsung hero—often getting left in Greece and Italy’s dust.

Josep and I met up at the Mercat de la Boqueria, the largest outdoor market in the city, and had some chocolate con churros while people watching. Then we decided to take a cooking class (organized daily) and learn the art of Spanish cuisine from a true chef. We ended our evening at Los Tarantos, Barcelona’s oldest flamenco club, which has a decidedly sexy, cabaret feel to it.

I’m dying to find out what Kate’s going to be wearing the big day so I’m tempted to go to London and do a little snooping. What do you think?