We spent a second day wandering around so we could see more of the neighborhoods and popular spots.

But first, brunch! We ate at The Benedict. It was two doors down from our apartment and had a little line of people waiting for a table. The service was friendly, they spoke English, and the meal was delicious. Bonus points for the super cute decor.

Happy and full, we headed toward La Rambla. This popular street has a large paved walkway in the middle where tourists can shop from vendors tents or eat at the outdoor restaurants. If you want to people watch, this is a great spot. At one end is the iconic Christopher Columbus statue, marking the spot where he landed when he returned from the new world. The other end is the bustling Placa Catalunya.

We continued walking up Passeig de Gracia and got our first glimpse of architect Antoni Gaudi’s work. Casa Batllo is a stand out facade on a street of designer clothing stores and high end jewelry shops. A friend of mine described it as a mermaid building, and the sparkly, colorful, mosaic exterior couldn’t be described any better.

We headed across town and ended up in El Born, a neighborhood right next to where our apartment is. This was my favorite for obvious reasons (our last name is Born, hey-oh!) but also because it was fun to walk around. A lot of small windy streets but you somehow keep ending up in the same little plaza. Bars and cafe’s are everywhere, and pay attention where you’re walking because a moped could zoom by at any minute. This is the “cool” neighborhood where you try to fit in and sheepisly wish you weren’t carrying your hell0-I’m-a-tourist camera around your neck.