I just turned 31! It’s not a significant age by any means, rather just another indication that as life goes on it only gets better and better. Whether I’m 31 or 41, the number is not important when it comes to celebrating life.
The only thing that’s really important about birthdays these days is making sure you enjoy them to the fullest. Which can sometimes be difficult if you’re in a foreign country, or traveling the world, already taking on new adventures and exhilarating experiences everyday.
How do you make it different? How do you top taking a road trip in Spain for three weeks, dining on gourmet fresh fish in the Basque country and staying in quaint little cottages in the Pyrenees region?
Easy, have your birthday in Barcelona! Drive a Ferrari, get a baller apartment, hit the local absinthe bar until 4am and celebrate in true birthday style!
Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, about to get married, or just want a really fun weekend in Barcelona, this is the city that won’t disappoint. Take a look at how I celebrated my birthday in Barcelona and have fun planning your trip today!
Driving a Ferrari in Barcelona
Time to really treat yourself! If you’ve ever dreamed of racing around in a red Ferrari, then Barcelona is the place to give it a shot. For as little at 88 Euro you can have a drive through Barcelona in a bright red Ferrari California and feel like an absolute boss on your big day. Cruise up to Montjuïc Parc and get some of the best views of Barcelona. Drive on the old Moto GP track; put your foot down and hear the thunder as the motor roars into life at 0-100 in 4 seconds.
Trust me, when you stop at the lights people will literally start taking pictures of you in the Ferrari like you’re a rock star. The only downfall about this incredible experience is that after driving a Ferrari, everything else feels so bland! Don’t go from the Ferrari experience to a taxi! Walk off the exhilaration high for a little while, puff out your chest and strut about with confidence until it fades out naturally.
Drink Absinthe at Bar Marsella
At Bar Marsella (on Carrer de Sant Pau) you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the 1920s with Ernest Hemingway and Salvador Dali. The true drawing point to this bar is that vey little restoration attempts have been made since its original glory. All the old charms from over 90 years ago are still aging and evident all around the bar.
Old liquor bottles, caked four inches thick in black dust, line the walls; tattered patches of paint peal back from the roof; and stained mirrors advertise everything from old Coca-Cola to requesting patrons not to dance on the tables. Order a round of Absinthe, grab a small table and kick back with the local scene.
Renting an Apartment in Barcelona
Needless to say when it’s your special day you should be looking to do it in style. And getting your own Barcelona apartment is a well deserved upgrade from sharing a dorm or booking yourself into a little hotel room for the night. There’s nothing like having your own space to really kick it in. An apartment means you can chill your own beers in the fridge, cook up some mean breakfast the next morning when you’re starving and just lounge on the couch and watch movies when you’re inevitably hungover. You can even wash your clothes from any messy shenanigans that may have occurred the night before!
Accommodation in Barcelona is expensive, regardless of whether you’re in a 10 person dorm or getting a private room. So if you’re traveling with a few friends it can actually be cheaper to get a 4 person apartment for a couple of nights. We recommend getting a place in the El Poble Sec area. If you’re traveling alone, or simply want to meet people, than finding a good hostel is going to be your best option over an apartment. But don’t just book at any old place, be sure to do your research and find one of the best hostels in Barcelona.
It’s less than 15mins walk out of the main Gothic Quarter area of the city and it’s got a really great selection of local tapas bars along Carrer de Blai. Sit out in the street, with a 1 Euro beer and 1 Euro tapas (also called pinchos) and watch the evenings go by. El Poble Sec has a much more local feel to it compared to the hordes of tourists you’ll find along La Rambla and Plaça Reial (a main plaza in the Gothic Quarter).
Walk the City and Explore
As well as couple of really fun experiences, one of the best things to do in Barcelona is just walk around all the different neighborhoods to explore local life, street architecture and the abundance of cool tapas bars.
Like many tourists that come to Barcelona you can go on the hunt to find famous Antoni Gaudi works of art scattered all throughout the city: from the towering masterpiece of La Sagrada Familia (134 years in the making and still not completed) to the decorative Parc Guell. The architecture is fascinating and intricate for its time and has continued to drive visitors to the city in the thousands every single day.
For a fun music experience (that isn’t local to Catalonia, but is still amazing) see a Flamenco show. Sure it’s a little touristy, but there’s a reason why everyone flocks to see the shows. The music is rhythmic and the dancing is enchanting. For that half hour during the show you transcend into a space where music is your only reality and you’re intoxicated by the passion of strumming guitars and stomping feet.
The city of Barcelona offers many other exciting opportunities to celebrate a special occasion, but these are some of the more unique experiences that will ensure you have an amazing time. Here’s to many more years of excitement in your life!
