Finding Peace In Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, Spain is a great tourist destination because not only is it an urban vacation, it also has the beach on one side and mountains on the other. It’s suitable for practically all types of travelers, but what if you just want to relax? Many guides on Barcelona, Spain will tell you the best places to see, but not many will tell you the best places to chill out.

Relaxing In Barcelona, Spain

Fountain | (c) Photo By Harriet Freeman

First and foremost, if you’re coming to the city for peace and quiet, it’s definitely not a good idea to follow the advice of the mainstream which is “Stay near La Rambla or around the Gothic District”, whilst these places have character and are well connected; it’s also where the nightlife is most active, where you’ll find the most crime, and where you might just end up having some sleepless nights! If you’re looking for some nice places to stay, the most recommendable place to stay is in Eixample and Gracia. They’re central districts (Eixample more so) and are a lot better noise-wise when compared to the Gothic district.

Egeria’s Pond | (c) Photo By Harriet Freeman

What about if you’re looking for Barcelona attractions but don’t fancy the hustle and bustle of the beating track? For the thousands of tourists that flock to Park Guell, you’ll barely notice even a handful at Park Laberint D’Horta, a beautiful park that has been featured in films like Perfume: The Story of a Murderer. It’s the perfect place to take pictures, have fun with the family in the maze, or feed the geese, ducks and peacocks. The best part is while they will soon be charging for entry to Park Guell at some point this year, the Park Laberint D’Horta is free to enter on Wednesdays and Sundays. Definitely the perfect place in Barcelona, Spain for partners to take a romantic stroll as the park theme was built around love.

Boxwood | (c) Photo By Harriet Freeman

If you go to Montserrat, make sure you don’t go with a tour group. Not only will it be cheaper, but you can also go at your own pace and use the cable car to get magnificent views. You can catch a train from Plaza España and the return ticket for a 30 minute trip is €24.25. It’s wonderful to go in the mornings on a weekday because it is more peaceful. Otherwise you may have to face trains crowded with tourists later in the afternoon. The monastery also gets really crowded so you may want to keep your personal tour away from that area. It is a shame that this location gets more and more crowded each day, but keep in mind that Montserrat is a mountain that you can hike at your own pace. At the top you can sometimes see Majorca (depending on visibility) and if you’re willing to venture, you can find tranquility here. Keep in mind there are uncharted woodlands that surrounds the area. So stay safe.

So make sure when you come to the Catalan Capital, you take a day off for yourself. In the end, it’s not that hard to find peace in Barcelona, Spain – you just have to know where to look.

About The Author

Having been an expat in Barcelona for over 5 years and eventually entering the tourism industry; I made it my priority to become somewhat of a guru on all things Barcelona. As an accepted expert on Barcelona at allexperts.com, and a frequent blogger on the city; I aim to keep all of my readers in the know about the Catalan Capital.