Next stop: Barcelona

A month ago, my friend spontaneously asked me if I'd like to travel to Barcelona with her and two of her friends in June. I'll admit that, even though I have been blessed to have travelled so much in my 19 years of living, the farthest I've dared to go and explore on my little own is London. From Newcastle.

So when the offer came up along with a promise that flights and hostel prices would be kept as low as possible, I agreed to a 5-day mid-June adventure in Barcelona, prompting the question: what exciting things do I want to see there? I definitely want to do and see the typical things that tourists in Barcelona do, but what have my 'Barcelona-off-the-beaten-track' Google searches resulted in? Below is a list of the things I'm excited to experience in Barcelona, whether it be a standard tourist magnet, or something slightly underrated.

1. The Sagrada Família. No tourist can claim to have been to Barcelona and not been remotely interested in checking out a few of Antoni Gaudí's masterpieces. The Sagrada Família has to be the most famous of them all, as it is an incomplete piece of work, and there has been much controversy as to whether the construction done after Gaudí's death has adhered to the architect's vision and design. Regardless, just looking at the images on the web make want to be on site and marvel at the intricate details of each aspect of the church.

2. Tapas. As a self-confessed food lover, I can't wait to have late tapas lunches in Barcelona. I've been to several tapas restaurants before and have established what my favourites are, but I'm sure that nothing beats the real thing and that I'll discover more delicious little snacks there. Speaking of food, I heard that the seafood in Barcelona is to die for.

3. Picasso. The artist spent much of his early life in Barcelona, and I can think of nothing better than spending a warm June afternoon walking in his footsteps to explore this city that he loved, and then take a look around the Museu Picasso. Aside from Picasso's, I've read that there is so much art to explore in the city, including at the Fundació Juan Miró Museum.

4. Flamenco. I've always admired this type of dance that's full of character with a dash of sensuality, but have only gathered this admiration from movies and Youtube clips. As a result, I'm dying to see this performed on the streets of Barcelona. I'm not quite sure if flamenco dancing is characteristic of the city, but the romantic in me might even want to learn a few moves if I come across one of those street artists.

5. (Window-) Shopping. Where I come from, shopping is a must for visitors, so I can relate to Barcelona's status as a place with unique offerings in the shopping department. However, my wallet is going to have to watch out if I just can't resist the temptation to buy something.