Living the DINKS Travel Lifestyle in Barcelona, Spain!

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Barcelona, Spain located on the northeast side of Spain on the beautiful Mediterranean sea is a great destination for couples seeking romance, adventure, culture, Spanish architecture, great food and unforgettable experiences.

As DINKS we can indulge in the city’s finest spots, stay at stylish hotels, and enjoy unique itineraries tailored for two!

We've been to Barcelona many times and have explored it in-depth and can recommend some romantic spots perfect for two in Barcelona and the barrios (neighborhoods) that entail it!

El Born’s Hidden Courtyards & Passeig de Born– Wander through the medieval streets of El Born and discover charming, quiet courtyards during the day and at night visit Passeig de Born for some great nightlife/lounge spots.

Palau de la Música Catalana - Perfect for a live flamenco show or concert in a theater with amazing Spanish architecture. Here's the link to check their schedule of events - https://www.palaumusica.cat/en.

El Poble-sec Tapas Crawl – Explore Carrer de Blai in the El Poble-sec barrio for authentic tapas/pintxos. It's a pedestrian street only so you can walk hand in hand without worrying about cars!

Romantic Rooftop Bars – Find a rooftop terrace for cocktails with a gorgeous view for two! Some rooftop bars that we'd recommend are - Hotel Pulitzer and Hotel Ohla Barcelona.

Barcelona Beaches: There are many beaches in Barcelona, but the most popular is Barceloneta beach. You can take a sunset walk or sip cocktails at one of many beachfront bars. You can enjoy swimming, water sports, beach volleyball, and relaxing. There's also Sant Sebastiá beach that is right near the W Hotel. You can also walk north toward Somorrostro beach and many other small beaches that you can enjoy. Just remember, some of the beaches get crowded so, please watch your belongings!

Park Güell - We really enjoyed visiting this park. It can get crowded at times, but the lookout is amazing from the top of the park and you can enjoy the colorful ceramic mosaics, walk thru the beautiful gardens and visit the Gaudi house museum. We'd highly recommend that you book tickets in advance because they do sell out quickly. You can go to https://parkguell-entradas.org/en/ to check availability and prices.

Aire De Barcelona - If you're looking for a very relaxing experience for two, then we'd would highly recommend Aire. From thermal baths and various types of massages offered in a beautiful 18th century building. Overindulge in the Signature Wine Experience for two! You can book the different types of services at - https://relax.beaire.com/en/aire-ancient-baths-barcelona.

Sagrada Familia - One of the most famous basilicas in the world designed by Antoni Gaudi and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It blends Gothic & Art Nouveau architecture with nature-inspired shapes. It's important to get the tickets well in advance. The timed tickets sell out early. You can opt for a guided tour, which we highly recommend. They will explain to you all of the carvings and so forth on the inside and outside of the basilica. You can also go up in one of the towers, but please keep in mind there are quite a few steps. The elevator only takes you up so far. You can find out more information here - https://sagradafamilia.org/en/.

Cooking Classes - There are several cooking classes to choose from in Barcelona where you can learn how to cook together a great Paella (originally from Valencia) and make delicious authentic tapas/pinxtos. A few we'd recommend are - Gastronomic Arts Barcelona -https://www.gastronomicartsbarcelona.com/ and Barcelona Cooking - https://barcelonacooking.net/en/barcelona-cooking/.

Hot Air Balloon Flight for Two! For the couples that are adventurous, enjoy a hot air balloon ride over the Montserrat mountains that can include a wine tasting and tapas tour if you'd like. You can find pricing information here - https://www.barcelonaballoonflights.com/.

Hotel Recommendations for DINKS

As far as hotels are concerned, there are a lot to choose from! We've chosen a few that exemplify great customer service and guest experience for couples. We would recommend staying in centrally located barrios like the Gothic Quarter and Eixample. They are within walking distance to most major sites and attractions.

Hotel Neri (Gothic Quarter): Boutique, adults-only, 28 room hotel with a romantic rooftop terrace, seasonal pool & free Wifi.

Mandarin Oriental (Gothic Quarter) - This hotel is ultimate luxury! You can indulge in serenity at their spa. Whether having an amazing meal at their two indoor restaurants or enjoying dining alfresco with an awesome view from their rooftop. This hotel will not disappoint the most discerned DINKS!

Hotel 1898 (Between El Raval & the Gothic Quarter) - This hotel is in a touristy area (Las Ramblas), but if you enjoy being in a touristy area this one is for you. It has a large heated pool and 360-degree views of the city from it's La Isabela rooftop terrace. You can also enjoy a full-service spa & fitness facilities.

W Barcelona: (Barceloneta Beach) - This modern luxury hotel right on Barceloneta beach offers stunning views of the sea, beach & city. They offer spa packages for couples, a pool, evening entertainment with a bar/lounge.

Hotel Ohla Barcelona (Eixample) - This is a boutique luxury 5-star hotel. They offer a romance package with chocolate, a bottle of cava, in-room breakfast, etc.. with a spa. You can also hire a personal shopper, fitness curator, a bath butler (that's right they will draw you a bath with salts, candles, tea or a bottle of wine)!

Various Festivals in Barcelona!

Sant Jordi (Saint George's Day / April 23rd) - This is a vibrant Catalan festival that fills the city with book stalls, flower vendors and cultural events along Las Ramblas.

Nit dels Museus (mid-May) - Museums stay open until late at night with special exhibits, performances and unique experiences.

Grec Festival (June & July) - Around fifty venues in the city feature international productions, top local talent and unique experiences.

Primavera Sound - (late May/early June) - This a huge music festival that hosts many musical groups over three to four days. You can purchase a day pass or a full weekend pass.

Sant Joan (St. John's Eve/ June 23rd or 24th) - This a premier summer solstice festival featuring beach bonfires, fireworks and music right on the beach!

Festa Major de Sant Pere (June) - A traditional Catalan festival with street performances and local food held in the Sant Pere, Santa Caterina i La Ribera neighborhood.

Rock Fest (July) - For the DINKS about to rock, this is the place for you! This is a Friday thru Sunday festival of various rock and heavy metal bands that offers a three day regular and VIP pass with the VIP pass including your own bar, restroom, a welcome pack that includes a t-shirt, collector's ticket and a concert pass.

Festes de la Mercè (Around September 24th) - This is one of Barcelona's largest annual festivals. It honors the city's patron saint, Our Lady of Mercy with parades, live music, traditional dance demonstrations, human towers, giant figures & fireworks!

Festival Internacional de Jazz de Barcelona (October-December) - Multiple venues host world-class jazz performances from prestigious jazz musicians from around the world. You can attend free concerts, classes and lectures and meet with some of the outstanding artists.

Five Day Itinerary Idea for DINKS!

Day 1:

Arrival at hotel

Unpack and put away those packing cubes! Yes, packing cubes. If you don't have a set we'd highly recommend them. You can fit so much in them! These are our go-to packing cubes for carry-on travel that keep everything organized without overpacking.

We'd highly recommend to stay awake until the locals go to sleep. It might be a bit difficult if you've come in from a long flight, but it will definitely help with any jet lag you may have. It's okay to take a small short nap, but don't sleep your first day away!

Take a stroll through the surrounding area of your hotel to get familiar with the location. This will help tremendously to get your bearings when you're walking to other areas you'll know what to look for when coming back to your hotel. Check out the closest taxi stand and subway station so you know which one is the closest to your hotel.

If your flight arrived early, have a Menu del Dia (a fixed priced lunch that usually will include an appetizer, main dish, dessert and a beverage of your choice) for a great price! These can be found throughout Barcelona. Even though the price is usually very reasonable, they don't lack quality and/or flavor!

Explore the monuments and architecture in the area based on where you're staying.

Rest a little before heading out to enjoy a delicious Catalan meal at one of the many restaurants in the area. Don't forget, dinner usually starts late around 9pm!

Day 2:

We always tend to do the Hop On Hop Off buses when visiting cities for the first time. Barcelona offers two - https://barcelona.city-tour.com/en/ and https://city-sightseeing.com/en/17/barcelona. It gives you a great sense of direction where everything is at and what neighborhoods you'd like to go back and explore. We will usually ride the whole loop at least once and mark on the map that they give what areas or landmarks we'd like to go back and check out. We'd encourage everyone to get off the bus and explore the areas that look the most interesting to you. There's so much to see and do in Barcelona that no matter what stop you get off at you'll find something interesting!

Day 3:

Museum day! If you're into museums we'd highly recommend visiting the Picasso Museum in El Born. There's also the Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar that is nearby or visit the Fundació Joan Miró a modern art museum or the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya on Montjuic Hill (beautiful city views included). You can also take a cable car ride to the top of Montjuic Hill if you'd like.

After a day of sightseeing wonderful museums freshen up at your hotel and go on a tapas crawl in El Poble-sec starting at 8:30pm. Believe us, the tapas may be small, but they are so delicious and it will fill you up fast!

Day 4:

Visit the famous Sagrada Familia in the late morning/early afternoon so that the sun will be shining thru the magnificent stained glass windows. After visiting the Sagrada Familia there are many Gaudi houses within the area that you can see as well. Our favorite is La Casa Batlló. We'd highly recommend experiencing the Gaudi cube on your visit to La Casa Batlló. For tickets to Sagrada Familia we would highly suggest going thru them directly at - https://www.sagradafamiliatickets.org/en/ and for any of the Gaudi houses the tickets can be purchased thru the website for each (Casa Batlló, Casa Milá (La Pedrera) & Casa Vicens) that you would like to visit.

Grab a bite to eat at one of the many delicious restaurants in the area.

Day 5

Take a day trip to Montserrat! This takes up most of one day, but it's totally worth it. The views are amazing and so is the drive. We'd recommend taking some snacks to enjoy on your way there and back. There are several different tour options to choose from. The tour that we took was thru Catalunya Bus Turistic which left from the Barcelona Nord bus station. It was a very relaxing drive to and from and we had a great guide that was very knowledgeable. We didn't feel rushed at all! You can find their information here - https://www.catalunyabusturistic.com/en/easy-montserrat. Just make sure that you know the correct bus number at the bus terminal because it's usually packed full of a lot of people and buses! There are also private tours as well, but most of them are shorter visits.

Arrive back at your hotel, eat dinner at a nearby restaurant and get your packing cubes ready for departing this magnificent city!

Optional Extras

Check out Revolver records. This place is amazing if you're into vinyl records. They're located at - Carrer dels Tallers, 11, Ciutat Vella. You can find all kinds of music here from all over the world.

A wine tasting tour for two! Barcelona Wine Tours offers various tours to choose from either with a group or private. You can find their information at https://www.barcelonawinetours.com/.

You can also find private sailing excursion along the beautiful coast at https://www.sailingexperiencebcn.com/.

Check out the various markets within Barcelona. The most famous one is La Boqueria on Las Ramblas, but there are others that are just as nice and a little bit less crowded like Mercat De Santa Caterina and Mercat de Sant Antoni.

Extra DINKS Tips

Book popular experiences like wine tours, Park Güell, Sagrada Familia, all Gaudi houses, cooking classes, spa treatments, tour to Montserrat or rooftop dinners in advance. They fill up quickly!

We've used public transport for easy city travel and also Uber with no issues. Just remember to watch your belongings in or near the subways! For added peace of mind while traveling, we’d highly recommend an under-clothing travel pouch. It’s slim, discreet, and perfect for carrying your passport, credit cards, and money under your clothes.

Visit in spring or fall for fewer crowds and better hotel/airfare rates! Also, just a friendly reminder, it's cheaper traveling on a weekday then a weekend!