Away Game: Barcelona, Spain
A return visit to the city that completely changed the way I travel
Away Game is a format that showcases journeys as they unfold. Live dispatches from unfamiliar places. Notes, stories, and reflections on the thrill of discovery. Mostly photos, with some shorter-form writing intertwined.
Away Game: Barcelona, Spain
In 2017, I went on a ridiculous trip. Needing a few extra summer credits to finish undergrad on time, I enrolled in a course through the school of Kinesiology called “Legacies of the Olympic Games.” The class had nothing — absolutely nothing — to do with my major, but the premise was too good to pass up: a three-week program studying the economic and environmental impacts of hosting the Olympics. The session would take place on location in Europe, using three former Olympic hosts as case studies: Munich (1972), Rome (1960), and Barcelona (1992).
We started in Lausanne at the IOC headquarters on the coast of Lake Geneva. Then bussed to Munich, where lectures were held at the sprawling and lush Olympiapark. An overnight train took us to scorching hot, deeply historic Rome. And finally, we flew to Barcelona.
Every stop on the journey was memorable, but Barcelona lit me up in a way no other city had. The octagonal blocks felt like they were opening themselves up to passersby. The hustle of Catalonian restaurants slinging tapa after tapa overflowed into the streets. I’d never considered myself an architecture or design person until I encountered Gaudí’s intricate curvatures and vibrant mosaics. The city was bright, cheerful, and flooded with golden sun. I walked for miles every day — roaming and exploring pockets of the town flanked by Gothic structures, ducking into shops and cafés to momentarily take respite from the heat.
Right away, I knew Barcelona was a place I’d want to revisit. But like many of life’s deeply impactful moments, it took time for me to recognize the influence that time spent in Barcelona would have on me.
Reflecting on it 8 years later, I was, and still am, massively inspired by Barcelona. It was my first time exploring a city with no agenda — just genuine curiosity. The experience set me on a path of seeking adventure in cities around the world. Traveling with the intent of connecting with cultures by living like, and even taking on the personas of locals (read: daily sauna sessions in Stockholm, grilled pork over rice streetside in Saigon). The time in Barcelona gave me the confidence to venture on my own — the self-assurance to be great on my own.
I made it back to Barcelona in 2023 as the first stop on a three-month solo trip around Europe, which only deepened my appreciation for the Catalan capital. With a few more dollars in my pocket to dive into the food scene, the city popped in an entirely different way. I experienced the same sunny energy, witnessed the mesmerizing architecture, which, paired with their humming restaurant landscape and passionate specialty coffee culture, took Barcelona to the next level for me.
I’m currently making my way back to New York from Puglia, but felt the call to roll through Barcelona once again. It’s where I’m writing to you from today. My feelings about returning to great cities are similar to my thoughts about revisiting restaurants: the more you visit, the deeper you can connect, the better it gets. Hitting the ground running in a familiar place — having your bearings, stopping by your established favorites, adding new hits to the mix — is a damn good feeling.
I find myself drawn to the charm of Gràcia above all other Barcelona neighborhoods. It’s in my hall of fame of European hoods, no doubt (along with Kreuzberg, Berlin, and Nørrebro, Copenhagen). Gràcia feels like a quaint village within the bustling city. The narrow streets with slightly sunken roads (or elevated sidewalks, depending on how you look at it) weave but rarely curve. Walking along a dead quiet street, then turning a corner to discover a lively square, is an unbelievable sensation.
Gràcia mornings are best spent at SlowMov for the best coffee in town. In the late afternoon, you can seamlessly transition from carajillo to crisp Estrella at Bar la Camila. And as day turns to dusk, settling in at the chef's counter at Berbena is one of the best restaurant experiences you’ll have anywhere in the world, bar none.
Barcelona is one of the rare cities where the somewhat touristy classics are honestly really good. You’ll hear more English than Spanish at El Xampanyet, but the octopus couldn’t be more tender, and the beer couldn’t be colder. For a 20ish % more authentic experience, Bar del Pla will lay down crispy oxtail, and mussels in tomato broth, alongside a damn good natural wine selection.
Design elements for some of the trendier spots, like CASA TAOS, Origo, and el rectangle, feel like they draw inspiration from a truly international pool. Scandinavian minimalism, Japanese functionality. Breezy, soft neutral tones, clean lines — elements you’ll find throughout the Mediterranean. With vintage tilework, ornate ceilings, and heritage details that feel distinctly Spanish.
Barcelona is a city I don’t see myself getting tired of. It’ll always be highly visitable — as a destination, or a pit stop. Every time I depart, I find myself reflecting not just on what I liked or inspired me, but on how much I’ve grown. Barcelona is my measuring stick, my way of understanding who I was, who I am, and in some ways, who I’ll be. I think that’s what special cities do — provide a backdrop for self-discovery, and inspire you to keep pushing forward on whatever journey you’re on.
A few more standout shots from this week — Gràcia, Eixample, Poble Sec:
My full list of hits in Barcelona is available here for paid subscribers.
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If you don't mind my asking - what camera do you use? Those shots are beautiful