There really is nothing quite like a girly weekend away with your closest girlfriends where it’s nothing but sun and fun, and more importantly no boys (sorry lads). It’s the perfect excuse to eat yourself silly, drink too much, enjoy some well deserved R&R and paint the town red with your best gal pals. And what better place to unwind and catch some rays than the glorious Catalan capital, Barcelona.
So if you’ve got a girly weekend on the agenda, say adios to regular routine and escape to the Spanish sunshine for the time of your life. We’ve got the key ingredients for the perfect girly weekend in Barcelona, so leave the hard stuff to us, and you just worry about finding some bikini bargains in the sales!
Brunch with your besties
Brunch in style – we’re talking Sex and the City/Carrie Bradshaw – style, at the trendy Flax & Kale. If you fancy a hearty but healthy breakfast, their delicious selection of pastries, breakfast bowls and ‘Super Breakfasts’ will go down a treat, and are a great way to kick start your day.
With flavours from the weird to the wonderful, they also offer a fantastic variety of cold-pressed juices, veggie-nut milks and smoothies. Each exciting concoction is a revitalising burst of flavours that’ll leave you feeling healthy and refreshed, ready to kick start your day in Barcelona.
Carrer dels Tallers, 74
Psst! There are loads of places to enjoy a delicious brunch in Barcelona. Check out some more of our favourites here.
Shop ‘til you drop
The thrill of the hunt also holds true for girls and shopping. It would be almost rude to come to Barcelona with the girls and not spend at least one day running retail riot, wouldn’t it? And what’s more, despite the Catalan capital being one of the top locations in the world of fashion, it is relatively cheap compared to Europe’s trend setting capitals, London, Paris and Berlin.
A shopping metropolis, Barcelona is swarming with enough stores to make a shopaholic hot under the collar and for even Victoria Beckham to break a sweat. First things first, make a b-line to Barcelona’s most exclusive shopping street, Passeig de Gràcia, in other words, the Fifth Avenue of the city. This wide boulevard is lined with all the major luxury brands: Gucci, Michael Kors, Chanel and Hermes, as well as upscale boutiques, and not forgetting your go-to high street stores such as Zara, Mango and H&M.
Tip: There are several fantastic places along Passeig de Gràcia where you can enjoy authentic and delicious Spanish tapas. Txapela and Tapa Tapa are both affordable and great places to enjoy a range of classic tapas dishes, such as the famous patatas bravas.
After all, shopping is retail therapy, so if you’re not willing to traipse up and down this grand avenue, one of Barcelona’s retail complexes may be better suited to you. Maremagnum, Diagonal Mar, Las Arenas, and L’illa Diagonal are amongst the many fabulous shopping centres located throughout Barcelona where you can enjoy a top class shopping experience. Boasting hundreds of shops, restaurants, bars, museums, cinemas and children’s playgrounds, they’ll be sure to satisfy your shopping desires and more.
Bask on the beach
A chance to cool off in the Mediterranean Sea is a welcomed way to take a break from all that sightseeing. Head to Barceloneta beach, one of the city’s most beloved beaches, thanks to its sheer beauty and lively atmosphere.
Here, you can make the most of the beautiful Barcelona sunshine and end your day looking like a bronzed goddess- does life get much better than this? Yes, this means finally being able to kiss goodbye to your best friend, the love of your life- your St Moritz tanning mousse. And what’s more, a day out at the beach doesn’t cost you a penny meaning you can save up for the more important things in life, like cocktails.
If you’re looking for a quieter place to chill to the sound of the waves, take a look at our Ultimate Barcelona Beach Guide.
All that lounging on the beach can be thirsty work, so why not stroll over to one of the well known chiringuitos that line the beach for a refreshing cocktail or soft drink. If you’re feeling peckish, Makamaka (Passeig de Joan de Borbó, 76) is a must and where you will find the mother of all burgers. With massive dishes under 10€, it’d be foolish not to finish a day of tanning here.
Biking in Barcelona
Biking around the city is a fantastic option regarding sightseeing and what’s more, it’s also environmentally friendly. With an expanding number of fully integrated cycle lanes and plenty of open spaces and parks, namely Parc de la Ciutadella, it’s a fun and enjoyable way to discover the city. Traipsing around the city on foot can be somewhat exhausting and time consuming so this is a great alternative see Barcelona’s most famous sights including the Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, Park Güell and Plaça Reial.
Dinner and drinks – now we’re talking!
Enjoy a fabulous evening at the Moritz Factory, the perfect place to catch up with the girls and get the drinks rolling in. El Velódromo provides an exclusive dining experience with its impressive menu devised by the exceptionally talented Jordi Vilà. This guy certainly knows the meaning of quality food, and with a Michelin star to his name, you know that you can expect the best from him.
Each of his tasty creations are inspired by Catalan cuisine and use only the highest quality and local ingredients. Keeping in line with the factory’s theme, you can also expect several beer-based dishes such as the utterly divine, Moritz style “siscentó” tapa. To top it all off, the restaurant stays open until the early hours of the morning, so you can stay here for the duration if you fancy.
For all you wine connoisseurs, the Moritz Factory is also home to the stylish wine bar, Bar à vins. Small and intimate, this place can be somewhat deceiving to the eye with its modest size. With over 400 prestigious Catalan and French wines, from sparkling and sweet, to red, white and rosé, transport yourself to a wine lover’s paradise.
Ronda de Sant Antoni, 39 – 41
Calling all those running for the title of the ‘Queen of Shots’, a short walk down the road will take you to the wonderful Espit Chupitos. Put your shotting skills to the test with their extensive selection of shots, 500 to be specific, and some truly ingenious creations. With so many tempting concoctions available, choosing your shot can be tricky business, however, all you chocoholics simply must try their ‘Willy Wonka’ shot. A delightful combination of chocolate liqueurs topped with whipped cream and smarties will have your sweet tooth singing with joy.
Carrer del Consell de Cent, 268
Alternatively, head to the nearby Raval to the trendy and stylish cocktail bar, Marmalade. Here, you can enjoy its laid back and sophisticated bohemian vibe and fabulous selection of cocktails. Its Gin Fizz and Nicky Lauda Saua are particular winners and always go down a treat!
Carrer de la Riera Alta, 4-6
A sumptuous spa day
An overwhelming obligation for any holiday with your girlfriends is a guilt-free pamper day. Barcelona is full of tiny oases of calm where you can escape the ordinary to a sanctuary of ultimate luxury and relaxation and seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city. The sophisticated Yhi Wellness Spa and Metropolitan Sagrada Família are amongst the many spas in Barcelona where you can spend the day in a cocoon of pampering without breaking the bank.
Boasting a unique experience for complete wellbeing of the mind, body and spirit, the Yhi Wellness Spa offers massages and beauty treatments with 100% natural products. This place incorporates a spa with a hydro zone with hydro massage pools, hydrotherapy showers, a dry sauna and a steam room and what’s more, a spa day here is less than 100€.
Av. de Sarrià, 50
Experience the crème de la crème of cosmopolitan luxury with the lavish Metropolitan Sagrada Família spa. Within the changing area there is a hydro massage pool, a Turkish bath and a sauna whilst in the public space you can find two swimming pools, a pool with ‘thermoludic’ effects, a sauna with a TV, bi-thermal and steam showers and an ice fountain.
Carrer Provença, 404
A giggle at the Erotic Museum
There’s nothing quite like laughing until your sides split with your best friends. Experience the manifestation of eroticism over time at the Erotic Museum which includes Kama Sutra, erotic art and sexual records from ancient times to today. There is also a mini cinema showing vintage pornographic videos, which after a glass of champagne in their newly opened garden can be very hard to watch with a straight face!
There are several interactive exhibits providing several picture worthy opportunities and shocking trivia that’ll leave you speechless for hours. You’ll end your experience in the museum sex shop which is ideal for purchasing novelty gifts for those less fortunate friends that were unable to come to Barcelona.
Las Ramblas, 96
Bevving at Barcelona beach clubs
Barcelona knows how to throw one hell of a party. Many of the beach clubs lining Barcelona’s Port Olympic are open until 6am, so be prepared to party ‘til sunrise and enjoy an unforgettable night. Pop your heels on and dance the night away at one of the city’s best beach clubs like Opium Mar, Pacha, CDLC, Shôko and Danzatoria. Often flyers are handed out along the strip which offer free entry before 1am. Drinks are notorious for being slightly expensive once inside, but with seafront terraces and amazing views of the glistening Mediterranean, they’re totally worth splashing out on.
Many of the beach clubs have previously welcomed international DJs with the likes of Tiësto, Avicii and Steve Aoki making an appearance. They are also known to have been the official venues for celebrating after parties for A-Listers such as Madonna, Coldplay and Lady Gaga. So make sure you dress to impress as who knows who you could run into!
Leave a Reply