Nov 18, 2024
We took the morning train from Madrid back to Barcelona and checked into our hotel, the Sunotel Junior—a perfectly fine home base for the last leg of the trip.
The afternoon was dedicated to shopping. Naturally, we circled back to the caganer shop (because nothing says “Barcelona souvenir” quite like a tiny figurine of a pooping celebrity), browsed a few jewelry stores for gifts, and stumbled into an incredible stationery and card shop that made me wish I had a reason to send handwritten letters on a weekly basis.
For dinner, we followed a recommendation from one of Evan’s friends and lined up outside El Xampanyet well before it opened—good thing, too, because when the doors swung open it was instantly standing room only at the bar. We were tucked into a cozy corner next to a Canadian therapist with bright blue hair who was traveling solo, and we ended up chatting with her for most of the evening.
We shared spiced olives, octopus, and for Evan, a glass (or two) of cava that redeemed the bubbly letdown from the previous night’s food tour. The food was enjoyable for a lively, packed tapas bar.
After dinner, we made our way to the big outdoor market off La Rambla—only to find it closed. So instead, we wandered to the cathedral and sat outside listening to street performers sing and dance under the glowing lights.
We ended the night at Craft, the Pittsburgh-themed bar we’d visited earlier in the trip, where a folk band was playing. It was the perfect low-key finish to the day.
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