Barcelona has always been on my travel wish list and so my husband’s upcoming 40th birthday was the perfect time to make it happen. We waved goodbye to the kids and grandparents and skipped to the airport with our hand luggage (it always feels so indulgent having a free hand when walking through the airport!) excited for 48 hours of sightseeing, relaxing and spending some quality time together.

We stayed at Soho House Barcelona, located in the Gothic quarter of the city and the perfect neighbourhood for exploring the narrow, winding streets, beautiful medieval architecture and charming little restaurants and cafes hidden away. Soho House is a firm favourite of ours, having stayed at the Farmhouse, Babington House and the Amsterdam one before. Yes you do need to be a member but they have recently relaxed their rules and now offer a reasonable yearly fee of £100 for a friends membership which gives discounts on bedrooms, soho home store and treatments.

The interior style of Soho House Barcelona is stunning where local artwork adorns the walls, rich mediterranean colours and soft, low lighting draws you in after a long day exploring. The Cowshed spa is beautiful, inspired by a traditional Spanish pharmacy, with a pool and gym and a wide range of luxurious treatments. I had the most incredible full body massage and Joe enjoyed a signature facial (I was envious of his glowing skin afterwards)

We had one evening meal in Cecconi’s which is in the hotel and was delicious with attentive service and it was lovely knowing we could just roll up to our room after a mountain of pasta. However, I would definitely recommend getting out and trying the local cuisine as that is a huge highlight when visiting somewhere new. We strolled along Las Ramblas and came across Placa Reial which is a very famous square known for it’s beautiful architecture, palm trees and fountain. We sat out at one of the many restaurants with a glass of wine and a tapas feast (the tomato bread is unreal - so simple but so good!) and spent hours people watching and chatting as the night fell.

Whenever I visit somewhere new I love using the sightseeing buses that are plentiful in most major cities. It is such a great way to see the major sights without walking for miles and if you have a limited amount of time. So after a delicious breakfast in the hotel we made the most of our bus pass and loved seeing the iconic landmarks - Casa Battló, La Sagrada Família, Park Güell, and Camp Nou, along with many other gems. It is well worth doing as you can hop on and hop off as many times as you like. We spent some time in Parc de la Ciutadella which was beautiful and much quieter than the other major parks and we also paid to go into the Sagrada Familia which was jaw dropping - we went at 5pm and the evening light coming through the windows was truly breathtaking. However, I’m not sure I would pay over £150 to do that again as felt it was overpriced despite it’s beauty.

Barcelona is the perfect romantic trip with plenty to do and see but also a really lovely city to relax and rejuvenate. Gorgeous hotel, delicious food and stunning architecture.

Have you been to Barcelona? Let me know your highlights.

Sarah x

I paid for our stay at Soho House and this viist was not gifted, discounted or sponsored. All opinions are my own and all photos featured in this post were taken and edited by me.

A weekend in Barcelona