During the Euro summer vacation with my wife we stopped in Spain as well after Greece.
DAY 16 – Saturday 20.06
( (Night at: Hostel Central & Basic, Barcelona )
We woke up at 7 am, packed everything, and had breakfast at the hotel before checking out. Then we walked to the car, and luckily it was still there. We started driving around the island, although it was incredibly windy all day. Our first stop was Kolymbithres Beach, followed by Monastiri Beach and the Monastery of St. John’s of Deti (Μοναστήρι Αγίου Ιωάννη του Δέτη). Unfortunately, the wind was so strong that it was almost impossible to enjoy either place, so we didn’t stay long. We then continued to Naousa, where we stopped to take a few photos around the iconic spots before getting back on the road.
Our next stop was Lefkes, which turned out to be one of our favourite villages on the island. We loved wandering through its quiet streets and visiting the Church of the Holy Trinity (Ιερός Ναός Αγίας Τριάδος Λεύκων), which was absolutely beautiful.
Afterwards, we drove towards Marpissa, but by then we were starving and exhausted from the heat. Instead of exploring the village, we stopped at a supermarket to buy some ice creams and Pepsi before continuing towards the beaches. Our first beach was Golden Beach, but it was so windy that we barely got out of the car, only stopping long enough to take a few photos.
We then drove to Faragas Beach Bar & Barbarossa Restaurant. It was much more sheltered from the wind, but it was quite busy and we didn’t feel like eating there or stay there, so we decided to continue.
Our final beach stop was Piso Aliki Beach (Παραλία Πίσω Αλυκή). We relaxed in the car for a while, Carmel had a short nap, and afterwards we walked along the beach and took a few more photos. Before heading to the airport, we stopped to refill the car with petrol.
We then drove to Paros Airport, returned the rental car, and waited for our flight. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 8:10 pm but was slightly delayed. We landed in Athens at around 8:50 pm before boarding our connecting flight to Barcelona at 10:50 pm. We arrived just after 1 am, took an Uber to our hostel, completed the self check-in, and went straight to sleep after another long travel day.
DAY 17 – Sunday 21.06
( Night at: Hostel Central & Basic, Barcelona )
( Bishop’s Bridge, Barcelona )
We woke up at 9:30 am and headed to 365 for breakfast before joining our free walking tour at 11 am. The tour was a great introduction to Barcelona and took us through some of the city’s most beautiful and historic areas.
The tour started near Barcelona Cathedral, where we learned about the history of the city before walking through the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter. From there, we passed some of Barcelona’s most important historic buildings before continuing towards the charming neighbourhood of El Born. We visited the beautiful Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar before the tour came to an end. After the tour, we went to McDonald’s for lunch and stopped by Carrefour to pick up a few groceries before heading back to the hostel for a short nap. Later in the afternoon, we returned to the Gothic Quarter to take more photos. During a free walking tour, it’s often difficult to stop and take pictures, especially of each other, so we wanted to come back and enjoy the area at our own pace. We spent some time around the beautiful Pont del Bisbe on Carrer del Bisbe before walking to the Arc de Triomf, where several street performers were entertaining the crowd.
From there, we continued through Parc de la Ciutadella, enjoying a relaxing stroll while watching people exercising, playing music, having picnics, and simply enjoying the afternoon. Afterwards, we walked all the way back to the hostel, which turned out to be quite a long walk, and went to sleep after another day exploring Barcelona.
DAY 18 – Monday 22.06
( Night at: Hostel Central & Basic, Barcelona )
( Park Güell, Barcelona )
Tour: https://gyg.me/pWo33jLK
Woke up at 7 am and headed to La Boqueria, arriving early before it became too busy it was quite price so we bought just a juice. We wandered through the colourful market before taking the metro towards Park Güell. On the way, we stopped at 365 for breakfast before continuing to the park. We had tickets for Park Güell at 9:30 am and spent the morning exploring its colourful pathways, unique architecture, and beautiful gardens. We also stopped at the famous mosaic bench and viewpoint, where we took plenty of photos overlooking the city. Afterwards, we walked downhill through the charming neighbourhood of Gràcia, enjoying the quieter streets and local atmosphere.
Our next stop was Casa Vicens, which we admired from the outside, before continuing along Passeig de Gràcia to see Casa Milà. We decided not to go inside since we already had tickets for another of Gaudí’s masterpieces later that day.
For lunch, we stopped at 100 Montaditos before heading to Casa Batlló for our 3:30 pm entry. Visiting the inside was absolutely beautiful, and it quickly became one of our favourite experiences in Barcelona thanks to its incredible architecture and immersive design.
Afterwards, we stopped at Carrefour to buy a few groceries before returning to the hostel around 5 pm for a short rest.
In the evening, we took the metro to the Sagrada Família for our 7:15 pm entry. We stayed until closing time, and visiting the basilica in the evening turned out to be an amazing decision. It was much quieter, allowing us to really appreciate the stunning interior and the colourful light filtering through the stained-glass windows. Afterwards, we returned to the hostel, took a shower, and went straight to sleep.
DAY 19 – Tuesday 23.06
( Night at: B&B Caesar, Napoli )
( Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona )
Woke up at 7 am and headed to the Sagrada Família to take a few more photos while the area was still quiet and peaceful. We brought the sandwiches we had bought earlier and enjoyed them for breakfast while sitting outside the basilica. Afterwards, we took the bus to Parc de la Ciutadella to take a few more photos before returning to the hostel to pack our bags and check out at 11 am. Before leaving the area, we stopped at a small nail salon near the hostel where I had our gel polish removed.
We then went back to La Boqueria to explore the market properly and take a few more photos. For lunch, we chose Column Restaurant, where we tried some traditional Spanish dishes, including jamón ibérico, paella, and crema catalana. It turned out to be one of our best meals in Barcelona. In the afternoon, we took the bus to Barceloneta Beach, where we spent some time walking along the waterfront and enjoying the atmosphere before making our way to the airport by metro. Our flight departed Barcelona at 8:25 pm and landed in Naples at 10:25 pm. Once we arrived, we ordered an Uber to our accommodation. Since self check-in wasn’t available, the landlord met us at the entrance and showed us to the apartment. After such a long travel day, we went straight to sleep.
