My favorite Airbnb: an airy apartment in Barcelona with a double balcony and lots of light
It was a moment that my partner and I had dreamed of since booking our trip to Barcelona: a real Spanish Vermouth Timesipping the herbal cool drink as the sun sets and lingering over a selection of Catalan cheeses and olives before the tapas bars nearby waved for a late dinner.
But we weren’t in any Barcelona restaurant. It was more like our Airbnb’s sleek kitchen with the balcony doors open, looking out over the quiet Eixample district. Earlier in the afternoon we had bought the vermouth and other goodies from a local wine shop around the corner from the rental, at the suggestion of our extremely helpful host, Laia, who even offered to translate for us over the phone because the store owners didn’t. I don’t speak English, because no tourists frequent there.
The trendy kitchen was one of the main reasons we booked the Airbnb Barcelona, with its charming Smeg fridge and brick ceilings lined with wooden beams that stretched out into the open living area. We had wanted to stay somewhere comfortable but with a design that still made us feel like we were in Spain, and somewhere within easy walking distance of at least some of the city’s main attractions.
As the rental was located in the central Eixample district, it was an ideal base for sightseeing. We were able to walk from the apartment to the majority of places we wanted to visit (many of which were recommended by our host). We walked to the Picasso Museum, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Mar, Gaudi’s Casa Batlló, and even the Sagrada Familia, which was a 20 minute walk away. We also wandered into countless tapas bars in the area on Laia’s recommendation, including one in the neighborhood that has been in business since the 1930s.
Although the apartment is comfortable, it is really more suitable for couples or solo travelers-it was full of clever design elements, like a space-saving sliding barn door leading to the bedroom. Other creature comforts included Wi-Fi, powerful air conditioning, a comfortable double bed, a spacious bathroom with a rain shower head, a washing machine, as well as kitchen essentials like a Nespresso machine, electric kettle and dishwasher.
But the best feature of the apartment had to be the two balconies. This is where I felt like a real resident of Barcelona—even though our stay was only a few nights. Sipping cafe con leche on the ledge in the morning while watching the neighborhood unfold, clinking glasses of crisp Albariño in the evening, and allowing the night air to fill the apartment while you slept was deeply satisfying.
During our stay, I felt like I was carving out a little piece of the sprawling city; like next time i’m in town i’ll have a quaint base to return to, somewhere both modern and warm that will allow me easy access to all the activities vibrant Barcelona has to offer .
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