10 Photos: Gaudí Architecture, Beaches and Sangria in Barcelona
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
In his travel photo essays, TPG Contributor (and professional photographer) Patrick T. Fallon includes tips on exploring destinations, redeeming miles, gaining elite status and improving your own photography while traveling. Between TPG posts, follow his photo work and travels on Instagram. (All photos by the author.)
With the need to earn a few more Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) to maintain my American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum status, I decided to take a run from Los Angeles to Barcelona via Miami — adding 14,078 EQMs round-trip — for a very welcome week of visiting friends and relaxing in Catalonia.
While I was lucky enough to have a friend in the La Barceloneta neighborhood who generously let me stay with him, the W Barcelona offers a prime waterfront location close to the city's best beaches and nightlife — rates start at 208 euros (~$227) or 20,000 Starpoints per night in February. When I first arrived in town, it was raining and cloudy, but fortunately I was able to soak up a few days of sunshine. Relaxing on the beach is fantastic, but be aware of the relentless pickpockets that roam the area and take only the bare essentials with you.
If you do find yourself in Barcelona on a poor weather day, all is not lost. Buy your tickets for La Sagrada Família online ahead of time using a foreign transaction fee-free card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and make your way to this stunning structure created by legendary Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. You will see many of his works around Barcelona, but this is truly the most stunning. Under construction since 1882, the Basilica features detailed depictions of well-known Biblical stories on the outside and plenty of colorful stained glass designs on the inside.
With an online ticket you can skip the lines and head straight into the church courtyard for a closer look at the exterior artwork, as well as the beautiful stained glass windows and architecture inside the building, all inspired by nature.
Park Güell, also designed by Gaudí, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the monumental zone within the park requires the purchase of a 7 euro ($8) ticket, there are plenty of areas that are free and open to the public as well.
Take the metro or bus, walk to the top of the hill to Park Güell and work your way down to see more views of the city.
Barcelona is probably best known for its nightlife, pub crawls, festivals, night clubs and carnivals. I happened to run into a Correfoc (traditional Catalan fire run) in the plaza outside my friend's apartment that was quite the sight — #Correfoc is also a fun hashtag to explore on Instagram and get a sense for what this was like.
For lunch one day we went to El Vaso de Oro for some delicious calamari tapas, croquettes and padrón peppers. After visiting the Picasso Museum — which unfortunately does not allow photos — I wandered through the alleyways of the Gothic Quarter pining for some sangria and found the cozy ambiance of Salterio to be perfect.
If you're planning on going out for the evening, keep in mind that the metro runs until 2am on Friday night and does not close at all on Saturday night. The crafted gin & tonics and super-strong mojitos at The Lime House were a fabulous start to the evening — this hotspot was cash-only so I used my Capital One 360 debit card to avoid racking up foreign ATM withdrawal fees.
The Mercado de La Boqueria is a great place to explore local flavors and enjoy a bite while snapping some photos. Pick up some nuts, fruit or freshly sliced Iberian ham and see this lively, colorful market in action.
One of my favorite traditions is to send "old school" postcards to friends and family back home whenever I travel, but I find it harder to find stamps and a mailbox now that social media and email have taken over. After heading to the Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) early, I learned that postcard stamps can be bought in the cigar and tobacco shop outside the arrivals area of Terminal 1 — just go upstairs to find the yellow post box near the VAT Refund Desk before security.
While this was my second visit to Barcelona, I'm sure I will return again soon in the summertime. Hopefully next time I'll be able to catch an FC Barcelona football match — and of course, a few more sunny days at the beach.
What are you favorite things to do in Barcelona?
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.