When I booked my trip to Spain, I originally intended to spend all 3 months in Madrid. It seemed like a good idea to save money by staying put, so I decided that a trip up north would run that idea to the ground. I figured since I was here to learn Spanish, it didn't matter where I went so long as I remained in the country. That mindset remained and didn't budge until a friend told me that missing Barcelona would be a big mistake; it didn't take long for my FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome to kick in.
Coincidently, my friend Paulina from uni (who I rendezvoused with in Ibiza,) had plans to go to Barcelona, San Sebastián, and Bilbao. After one conversation through skype, I decided to jump on board with her. Within a few days, we booked all the tickets for the hostels and buses to see the beautiful Catalonia and Basque Country regions, and it was absolutely the right decision.
I guess I'm just glad I caught the train before the last call!
Catalonia (Barcelona)
Barcelona was absolutely wonderful. It was a vibrant city with vibrant architecture. Even better, I got to explore the city with incredible people we met through the hostel! For those who plan to visit Barcelona in the future, I highly recommend Hostel One Sants! In all honesty, the idea of hostels used to scare me, but now I wouldn't have it any other way. Maybe I just got lucky with the hostels and the incredible people I've met through them, but so far my experiences have been 10/10.
