Taste The Churros and Chuchos in Barcelona

When my daughter found out that I would treat her to a Milan, Venice and Barcelona trip last year, the first thing that came to her mind about Barcelona was - Churros! I am not sure why but yes, churros.

More than anything, it was the churros that got her giddy and really in the whole planning scheme to make the Euro summer trip happen. It was a short but so memorable and sweet for both of us. It was both the first time to visit Venice with my husband's cousins and Barcelona on our own. It was more like a mother-daughter bonding thing and I truly enjoyed my daughter's company. We should do this often.

Well, going back to the churros. :) Churros is one of the famous delectable desserts in Spain. It is a traditional dessert in Spain created by shepherds and evolved through the years. Many would make big churros and fill the middle part with chocolate or cream fillings. However, the ones that my daughter and I love are the plain ones where you dip in thick, hot chocolate.

We scoured the internet the moment we finalised our Euro trip. The first in our itinerary was to find the best churros near where we were staying in Plaça Catalunya. We checked Tripadvisor as well for recommendations and voila! We found Xurreria El Trebol near Passeig de Gracia and Diagonal Station which was few blocks from our hotel. It is actually located in Calle Corsiega.

As soon as we finished our tour in Montserrat and headed back to Plaça Catalunya, we traversed the stretch of Passeig de Gracia. It was easy to find and it was at the same side where our hotel was located so no need to cross plenty of streets.

Xurreria El Trebol is a small eatery that serves yummy churros. We were happy to find out too that they are open 24 hours on weekends. Although we didn't get to try that out because we already left the weekend after. But it's good to know because the next time we visit Barcelona, I will stay near that area again.

The churros at Xurreria El Trebol are really nice. We ordered and ate there in the small space provided if you want to dine in and I bought 8 and split in half for myself and my daughter. Trust me, we almost finished half of the lot even before we reached the hotel. They were yummy and really good, unlike the other churros we have eaten in the US and Japan.

We bought our churros with a cup of very thick chocolate. I also ordered few chuchos. It looked like an eclair minus the frosting on top but it is so soft and has a custard cream filling inside which made it more tasty. I really want more!

I forgot how much the whole stuff we bought but I can assure you, it wasn't very expensive. Not at all. I just can't remember the price but when you are there, they have the pricing on the wall. You won't miss it.

So, if you are in Barcelona and want to taste their traditional fried desserts like churros and chuchos, visit this churreria!  It's worth the walk!

Where to find it:
Carrer de Còrsega, 341
08037 Barcelona Tel: +34 932 179 594
Mon to Thu: 9am – 9pm
Fri to Sun: 24 hours
Nearest Metro: Diagonal

The La Rambla in Barcelona

Barcelona is a beautiful city in Spain. It is the first time I have visited this cosmopolitan city in Spain with my daughter. I am glad we took the short Euro summer trip this year.  A bit hot but fun!

I chose Barcelona over Madrid because I wanted to visit Montserrat since it is in Catalonia. So, while the intention was to visit the Monserrat Monastery, why not tour Barcelona as well so I would be hitting 2 birds with 1 stone.

There are plenty of things to do and see in Barcelona alone. Fortunately, I chose to stay near the Plaça Catalunya area where famous tourist spots are walking distance from our hotel. One of the nearby attractions is the La Rambla.

La Rambla is a long stretch of tree-lined pedestrian street with plenty of shops, hotels, kiosks, and establishments to see. It is around 1.2 kilometres long. It borders the Barri Gothic and the El Raval areas in Catalunya.

You can also find the famous La Boqueria here. It is their open market selling fresh fruits, candies, beverages like Spain's famous Sangria, and of course, the very sumptuous chorizo in many shapes, sizes, and forms!

We're lucky to have seen many things in this place. It is worth visiting when you are in Barcelona. Be mindful though of your belongings because there are plenty of pickpockets in the area due to the influx of tourists who easily fall prey to these petty crimes.

Here are some pictures I have taken in La Ramble. Do include it in your itinerary when visiting Barcelona.

Plenty of souvenir shops and food kiosks can be found in the whole stretch of La Rambla.

This is a church along La Rambla.

The many variety of merchandise found in La Boqueria. My daughter and I loved the fresh fruits!

Milan, Venice and Barcelona in a Week

Bonding with my daughter this summer for our mini-Euro trip was the best decision I have made to spend my bonus money. To some, it may not even be a good decision because there are bills to pay. I couldn't care less about the bills. Money will come and go but the time I spend with my daughter is more precious than money can ever buy. So, I decided to spend the bonus for this mini-Euro trip and my daughter and I can actually vouch for this - WE HAD FUN!

Milan was the first stop. We stayed with relatives in Milan for 3 days. My hubby's cousins took us to the usual spot like Duomo, the Galleria and nearby places of interests we've seen the first time we toured Milan in 2008. However, this time, my daughter and I climbed the Duomo to see the Golden Virgin Mary on top of the church roof. Well, the experience was very enchanting but climbing up the stairs when you're not physically fit (I'm not an active person) had me gasping for air sometimes. I need to really, really work out because when you travel, there are lots of walking involved. I have just realised how "not physically" fit I was while climbing the stairs. It wasn't very steep but I lost count how many steps we have climbed to see the majestic Virgin Mary on the roof top. I'm glad my daughter was there to cheer me on and gave me encouragement to keep going because I was already throwing a hissy fit. I just had to tell myself it was a sacrifice I wanted to offer for the Lord so I needed the extra strength to climb the last few steps.

Seeing the top of Duomo is a must when you visit Milan. You'll get a bird's eye view of the town centre from the top. Aside from the great view, you'll see the Golden Virgin Mary, the details of the Duomo spires, and other sculpture that was there that time we visited.

Going down was a breeze. You now have an option to use the lift (and guess what, we did!) or the stairs. I wish they had installed that while going up especially for the elders who would need help climbing.

We had snacks at the nearby Galleria and went in the middle part of the Galleria where the peak of the glass dome is. Rumour has it that when you stand in the middle of the glass dome and make a wish, it will come true. My daughter and I wished and let's see. Hmmmm...

We walked around Galleria and the nearby places of interests then took the train back home. We slept early for our Venice day trip by car.

June 13 was Venezia day. It was a long drive from Milan. I think it was almost 3 hours and we had several stops in between to rest and grab snacks in Autogrill. I like the Autogrill because it has plenty of merchandise and the deli is fab! There are plenty of Autogrill along the way and I lost count how many I've seen.

Finally, Venezia (Venice) was on the horizon. Seeing the cruise ships around the port and the smaller yachts signalled the entrance to the famous Venice. We parked near the cruise ships port and walked towards the main entrance to Venice. We took the ferry to take us to San Marco rather than make pit stops elsewhere. San Marco is one of the famous sites to visit in Venice and we wanted to see it right away. From there, we just walked and visited different alleys and checked out shops. We had some snacks in a small deli near San Marco. We even got lost at some point because we didn't carry any map and relied to our GPS in the phone which was not much of a help if you are not familiar with N, S, E, W directions. We finally found our way back to San Marco Piazza and decided to just walk along the main canal route so we wouldn't get lost again. It was very hot that day and much as I appreciate the beauty around me, I could only take so much "heat" and we all decided to head back to the main train station of Venice which is also the main entrance.

It was another long drive back home and we left around 5:30 p.m. The sun was still up so we just took one pit stop to another Autogrill to refresh and unwind. We reached home almost around past 9:00 and amazingly, the sun was still up so we felt like it was not yet late.

June 14 was just a rest day as we headed to Malpensa Airport Terminal 2 in the afternoon. Our flight to Barcelona was not until 6:30 a.m. the next day. I have decided to book a night's stay at Moxy Malpensa Milan Airport because it was just in front of Terminal 2. We didn't want to cause any inconvenience to our cousins as they have to work the next day. The hotel was superb! I would book there again.

We checked out at 4:30 a.m. to give us ample time to have breakfast in the airport. The hotel was just a mere 3-5 minutes walk from the Terminal 2 of Malpensa Airport where we would board for our EasyJet flight to Barcelona. There were plenty of people already at that time so walking wasn't scary. Amazingly, there were some luggage trolleys outside the hotel's entrance door so we grabbed one and the walk was convenient for us. It was a bit rainy and dark but the place was already buzzing with people catching their flights and the nearby offices made the area ok. There were ample lighting as well on the posts so walking from the hotel to the airport terminal was ok.

My daughter and I decided to have our mini-breakfast inside the airport as soon as we passed the immigration and before we headed to the boarding gate. The flight left on time and was just more than an hour before we landed at El Prat Airport in Barcelona. Ola Espana!

June 15 to 18 was our intended stay in Barcelona. As soon as we arrived, we followed the signs leading to the baggage carousel and headed to the nearest exit. I was a bit surprised that we didn't go through immigration anymore. It's been a while since I travelled to Europe so the borderless travel concept seemed so foreign to me.

We looked for the Aerobus ticket booth so I could exchange the ticket voucher I bought online for our return trip bus passes. We boarded the Aerobus, and we arrived at Plaça Catalunya in less than 45 minutes without any traffic jam. From there, we just walked to our hotel.

The rest of the day was spent walking around Barcelona's famous plaza. More details of out trip in separate posts.

We had a marvelous time and wished the vacation was longer. We are definitely going back to Spain and next time we will visit other places like Madrid, Sevilla, and probably even go on a side trip to Lisbon.

There's another Euro trip in the offing but maybe next year when I figure out when due to my daughter's school roster.

Hostal Natura Barcelona Review

This is the first time my daughter and I visited Barcelona. I thought I would have a hard time looking for this property. I had to search the place and check the map several times. I even Googled it and checked the street view from where we would alight from Plaça Catalunya.

Hostal Natura Barcelona was not very difficult to find. After alighting at Plaça Catalunya from the airport, we just walked for 15 minutes and we were already in front of the hostel. It is tucked in a residential building so it does not have any lobby with concierge. You actually have to ring the bell and allowed to get inside. 

We were surprised to see a big room and it was enough for me and my daughter. It had basic amenities but no mini bar. There are vending machines in the hallway so you can buy hot coffee or sodas and water if you want. I also liked the fact that the hostel management provided us with a box of chocolates which my daughter and I loved so much. They were delicious and it's a rare treat to find a gift when you come to your room.

The room allotted for us was Room no. 3 which was in the middle. It didn't have a balcony but it has a small enclosure, like a pocket garden minus the plants that we have access to. The room was dark because the ceiling was high. Even if we switched all the lights on, it's just not as bright as I would like my room to be. However, the big window provided natural light even until past 8PM when the sun was still up.

The a/c works well but we couldn't change the thermostat as instructed because it was centralised. We were also asked to keep our TV in low volume esp at night. However, we found out that other guests were not as quiet as us as we would hear them bang the doors and talk loudly in the hallway. That didn't prevent us from getting a decent sleep.

They offer free wi-fi too!

The bathroom was just enough for us. The sink was too compact for use. The bath towels were replaced regularly during our stay and the room cleaned well.

The location is really great. There are nearby eateries if you want to grab a munch. There's a small grocery too in the same area where you can buy some essentials. Walking distance from the hostel is the Plaça Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia, Diagonal Ave. and during a nice weather, you can walk towards other places of interests too.

I would definitely recommend this place to my family and friends and I don't mind staying in here again in our next visit.

Hostal Natural Barcelona is located at Calle Roger de Lluria 33, ppal 2, 08009 Barcelona, Spain.

Nearby attractions:
Plaça Catalunya
Sagrada Familia
Las Ramblas
Casa Batllo
Diagonal Avenue
La Pedrera
Passeig De Gracia



My recommendation: 4 out of 5

I am giving this property a 4 star rating. It is located in a very nice place which is walking distance to Plaça Catalunya. There are nearby eateries and you can actually walk to some attractions. The hotel is very clean, spacious (for European standards) and quiet. Getting a taxi is not an issue as you can walk few metres away to hail a cab. There is a small grocery just a building away so you can buy some food and beverage when you get hungry as the hotel does not provide any food except for a coffee and soda vending machine in the hallway.

This hotel is perfect to unwind after a long day of walking in Barcelona. The price is just right for a European stay.

If you want to book this hotel in Barcelona or want to get great deals on your next stay, search and book here:
Booking.com
Disclosure:
This hotel review is my personal review. I have paid for this stay and in no way sponsored by the property nor Booking.com. I love to book via Booking.com because I always find a very competitive rate or great deals when compared to other booking sites. My opinion is 100% mine and may vary from yours

Visiting Montserrat Monastery in Barcelona

I have always dreamed on setting foot to any pilgrim site since I was young. I have planned for this visit to happen for many years. I am very glad to have set foot in Montserrat Monastery in Catalonia, Spain with my daughter last June.

Almost at the top of the mountain is the beautiful Montserrat Monastery.

Montserrat Monastery is an abbey perched on the Montserrat mountain since early 9th century. The mountain looks like the jagged side of a knife from afar and much so, at a close range.

There are many ways to get there. You can go there via train, car, bus or even on motorcycle.  My daughter and I decided to take the train so we could enjoy the 1 hour ride to the countryside from Barcelona's Plaça Espana.

The signage that would lead to the rail line towards Montserrat.

The Montserrat Monastery and the view of the beautiful Montserrat mountain from the train.

The Montserrat Monastery is not at the very top of the mountain though. You have to take another funicular train to reach the top and from there, enjoy the breathtaking view of the Catalonia landscape, and also enjoy the nature's trail there, and the Santa Cova and the Sant Joan.

This is a beautiful view from the train while traversing the side of the mountain before we reached Montserrat Monastery.

We didn't visit the upper part of the mountain but we immensely enjoyed our time in the Benedictine grounds. There is a Black Madonna inside the Basilica in Montserrat. Some of the places you will visit there has entrance fees so it was mostly going around the grounds and walking towards the trail behind the monastery.

There are souvenir shops and museums. You can also view the beautiful landscape of Catalonia from the monastery grounds. And if you are feeling adventurous, you can go up  by taking the funicular.

I can go on and on about the beauty of the Montserrat Monastery and the mountain where it is. For us, it is another check mark in our bucket list.

Here are some of our snaps taken in Montserrat Monastery. Enjoy!

The Monserrat Monastery grounds at the Montserrat mountain in Catalonia. 

Beautiful, jagged, rounded, and even some pointed edges of the Montserrat mountain as the backdrop of the Monastery.

This is the view from the hiking trail behind the Monastery. 

The Basilica that houses the Black Madonna.

More photos of the Monastery grounds.

The alley that leads behind the Monastery,  hiking trail, and food outlets.

The museum near the Monastery grounds, just in front of the rack train station.

Such a beautiful view from where we were standing.

This is the long stairway that leads to the Basilica and the atrium.

My daughter and I had so much fan marvelling at the beauty around us. Visiting the Montserrat Monastery while we vacationed in Barcelona was one of the highlights of our summer Euro trip.

If you are visiting Barcelona, do not miss the opportunity to visit the Montserrat Monastery. It is a great experience if you want to enjoy nature, and also to enhance your spirituality.

Taking the Aerobus From El Prat Airport in Barcelona to the City Centre

Traveling from El Prat Airport in Barcelona to the city centre is easy when you use Aerobus. It is a big bus that plies from the airport to major areas going to the city centre and stopping last at Plaça Catalunya.

I bought our return tickets online from the Aerobus site (www.aerobusbcn.com) and printed the confirmation to exchange at the Aerobus ticket booth in the arrival area or to the driver of the bus as indicated in the site.  I have paid €10.20 for return for myself and daughter.  A small receipt was printed for our return journey and I just had to keep them to use again on the return leg.

The bus is very easy to find. There is a big sign outside the arrival area in Terminal 2 where you can board the Aerobus. Waiting time is not much. There are buses leaving every 5 minutes. You can check the timetable from their site.

It stops in major areas in the city like Plaza Espana, Gran Via-Urgell, Plaza Universidad and lastly, Plaça Catalunya. And if you're planning a trip to Barcelona anytime soon, consider getting hotels around those areas so you can just alight on any of the major stops and walk towards your hotel which we did in Plaça Catalunya.

You can take other modes of transportation like taxi and public bus from the airport to the city but we preferred to use the Aerobus service because it has wifi, purchasing was like a breeze (and you can purchase directly from the driver as well), there is a wide luggage compartment inside the bus itself so you can keep an eye on your belongings as compared to other airport bus where you stash your luggages in a special compartment outside.

Using the Aerobus service is one of the cheapest, most comfortable way of getting to your city centre destination in Barcelona.

Salve and Hola Summer Trip

The travel bug has bitten once again and I have been very busy with work to finish so I can go on leave this coming Friday without any pending stuff to think of.

Yup, my daughter and I are off to Milan, Italy and Barcelona, Spain for a whole week. I have surprised my daughter about this trip because she thought we wouldn't be going anymore since she exchanged the Euro trip of 2016 to an 18th birthday debutante ball instead. Well, I don't think I can let this opportunity pass. I want to give this Euro trip to her, albeit, we are visiting only 2 countries this time due to my lack of leave credits. I would have loved to venture on other countries from East to West. Maybe next year.

We're staying in Milan for 4 days and will fly to Barcelona on the 15th of June via EasyJet. I wanted to go by rail but there are plenty of stops, changes and we won't be able to sleep within the 16 hours or so train ride.

I booked a not-so-fancy hotel near Plaça Catalunya. It's the last stop if we will ride the Aerobus from El Prat Airport in Barcelona. It's also walking distance to most notable tourist attractions in the area so it's a good place to start.

We'll be visiting Montserrat too and I'm mapping out our directions and budget as I plan to travel on our own so we can experience the train ride and the cable car ride towards the mountain top where the Monastery is and the Black Virgin of Montserrat's figure can be seen.

The weather is not as inviting anymore because it's hot. I don't like summer weather but hey, I plan to lose weight so maybe a lot of sunshine, perspiration and walking can do the trick.

So, I won't be blogging much again. I know I've been quiet lately. I haven't even posted much of the tours I have taken in Amsterdam and here's another one coming. Allow me to take it all in and will definitely share pics and posts about Barcelona. It's the 2nd time we are visiting Milan and we will be staying in my hubby's cousins' place. Hope to see the Milan Expo 2015 and Venice this time around. :)

Save Money with City Travel Passes When Travelling on a Budget

While big cities are exciting, they are also very expensive. Since there is usually high demand for their attractions, you will be assaulted by long lines, expensive taxi services, and expensive hotel rates if you stay close to the city. If you’re not takinga guided tour, a city pass offers you a way to cut down on your spending, allowing you to enjoy more for much less. Here are some cities that have great offers.

Barcelona

Barcelona’s charm is only rivaled by the culture of the city. A beauty to behold, a trip to this romantic Spanish city will leave you in awe. To properly explore the city, you have the option of three different city passes: the Barcelona Museum Pass, Barcelona ARQUEO ticket, and the Barcelona Card.

The Barcelona Museum Pass and the ARQUEOticket offer access to different types of museums. The Museum pass allows you to visit 7 art museums, while the ARQUEOticket caters for 5 history museums. As such, your choice of purchase depends on whether you prefer art or history.

The Barcelona Card is more encompassing, giving you access to 18 museums, as well as other entertaining activities and unlimited transport on public means. In order to get the best value for your money, buy the five day card and indulge yourself in culture, history, and entertainment as you take advantage of your card.

Paris

There is little wonder why Paris is the world’s most visited city. From its beautiful museums, lavish hospitality industry, and romantic connotations, the appeal of this city is universal.

There are three major city pass types available for this charming city: Paris Museum Pass, Paris Visite Pass, and the Paris Pass. As the name suggests, the Paris Museum Pass gives access to museums, 60 of them in total! With the six day pass, unless you visit 10 per day, you will not be able to cover the whole array available.

The Paris Visite Pass gives you access to unlimited public transport. If you are going to be in the city for most of your time, then you should consider it.

The Paris Pass seems to combine the benefits of both the Paris Museum Pass and the Paris Visite Pass, with a bit more to add. Not only do you get access to 60 museums and unlimited public transport, you also get shopping discounts at Galeries Lafayette, a river cruise, a two-hour bus tour, as well as a one hour wine tasting experience. If you want to see if it’s worth it, checkout this review of the Paris Pass.

Rome

Home to some of civilization’s greatest achievements, Rome is one of mankind’s most important cultural cities. What makes it even more significant is its access to the Vatican, the world’s smallest country, and home to the Roman Catholic Church.

To enjoy Rome properly, you can choose the Roma Pass. This will give you concessions on museums and museum exhibitions, discounts on collaborating events, and free public transport use. You will also be able to access the Medical Service for Tourists (MET Travel Health) at a discount.

The Vatican grounds

Trevi Fountain

The famous Coliseum 

Alternatively, you can opt for the OMNIA Vatican & Rome pass. It will allow you to jump queues at museums, enjoy unlimited transport in Rome, as well as free entry to Vatican City museums and historic sights. You also get concessions for museums in Rome. If you are planning to visit both the Vatican and Rome, then this will work for you.

(Photos used are the personal property of Ria C of www.riatravelbug.com)

Where To Next?

I just got back from my trip and I am already researching on of places to go to next. It has been a while since we travelled to Europe. I think a trip there will be a respite from the Asian and US vacations we have had in the past.

I am thinking of the budget now and where we could possible go to maximize our Schengen visas. We all know,  Schengen visa is not cheap and it is not issued on a long basis. So, you are lucky to get 60-days multiple-entry visa but you will have to cough out a big amount of cash to go back and forth in Europe.

My daughter is suddenly interested in Portugal and Spain. And I am relieved because our company just recently launched a non-stop service to Lisbon and Barcelona. We already have a Madrid flight last year so these 2 additional routes is really a good news. We can all use our sub-load tickets here. I just hope the flights don't get overbooked or we're in trouble.

So, our Tokyo plan may be moved again some other time when the situation is stable. I still feel queer about going to Japan now. It can wait.

I just hope we have an increment and a substantial bonus next year so I can treat my husband and daughter to another European tour.