- Part 1: Planning & Pre-Cruise Athens - September 28-October 1, 2022
- Part 2: Embarking Norwegian Jade, Ephesus & Patmos - October 2-3, 2022
- Part 3: Rhodes & Mykonos - October 4-5, 2022
- Part 4: Argostoli & Corfu - October 6-7, 2022
- Part 5: Santorini & Disembarkation - October 8-9, 2022
- Part 6: Prague: Arrival, The Augustine & Old Town - October 9-10, 2022
- Part 7: Prague Castle, Cold War History, & Musical Evenings - October 11-14, 2022
- Part 8: Barcelona: From the Vltava to the Mediterranean - October 14-15, 2022
- Part 9: Embarking Valiant Lady, Ibiza & Day at Sea - October 16-18, 2022
- Part 10: Virgin Voyages: Malaga Heights & Madeira Green - October 19-21, 2022
- Part 11: Virgin Voyages: Crossing the Atlantic & Miami Arrival - October 22-30, 2022 (Coming Soon)
Leaving Prague
After a final breakfast, we checked out of The Augustine and took a Welcome Pickups transfer to the Prague airport. Our journey to Barcelona would take us through London Heathrow, flying British Airways in their Club Europe class.
Mastercard Lounge (PRG)
After checking in, we headed to the Mastercard Lounge, which we accessed via Priority Pass. The lounge offered a decent array of food and beverage options, providing a comfortable spot to relax before our flight.
British Airways: Club Europe
Flight 1: Prague to London (LHR)
British Airways’ Club Europe is marketed as business class, though the physical “hard product” is a standard three-seat coach row with the middle seat blocked out. Despite being a relatively short two-hour flight, they still provided a full meal service. The beef goulash was surprisingly satisfying and hit the spot.
The Heathrow Connection
Connecting at Heathrow can be a challenge due to the sheer size of the airport. We had less than two hours to traverse the terminals and meet up with my parents, who were joining us for the next leg. Because of the tight window and the distance we had to cover, we didn’t have time to stop at a lounge, but we were relieved that everyone made the connection smoothly.
Flight 2: London to Barcelona (BCN)
The second flight was also marketed as British Airways, though it was operated by an Iberia aircraft. The configuration remained the same as the previous leg.
The meal for this flight was a lovely “afternoon tea” setup, complete with sandwiches, scones, and clotted cream.
Arrival in Barcelona
After landing, clearing immigration, and retrieving our luggage, we took another Welcome Pickups transfer to the Hilton Barcelona. By the time we checked in, it was already 9:00 PM local time. Exhausted from the travel day, we opted for the most convenient dinner option available—the McDonald’s located right next door to the hotel. It wasn’t exactly high Spanish cuisine, but it was exactly what we needed before heading to bed.
A Barcelona Morning
Breakfast at the Hilton
We started our first morning in Spain with a complimentary buffet breakfast, a perk of my Hilton Honors Diamond status. Although the benefit is technically only guaranteed for the member’s room, the hotel was generous enough to extend it to the other room I booked.
The buffet had a nice selection including cold cuts, breads and pastries.
La Sagrada Familia: Inside the Masterpiece
After breakfast, we took an Uber to La Sagrada Familia. Having learned from our last visit to Barcelona—where we couldn’t get in because tickets were gone—I made sure to book our timed entry through the official website way in advance.
It was absolutely worth it to see the interior. Pictures don’t do it justice. While the exterior of the basilica has a famously rough, lumpy, and organic texture, the stonework inside is surprisingly smooth and shapely. The way the stained glass windows fill the space with a literal rainbow of light is something photos can hardly capture.
The Tower Climb
Our admission also included a climb up one of the towers. While there is an elevator, it only goes up (you must walk back down the stairs) and often has a massive queue. We joined the majority of visitors “huffing it” up the tight, spiral stone staircase.
During the ascent, I spotted a tiny sign indicating an exit to a small balcony. It was very easy to miss, but my curiosity paid off. We were treated to a stunning panoramic view of Barcelona and some incredible close-up views of the quirky architectural details on the basilica’s exterior.
The journey back down was via another spiral staircase—this one looked down into a dizzying central void that definitely tested my lack of vertigo!
A Proper Spanish Lunch
For lunch, we found a restaurant just a few blocks away from the basilica. It currently goes by the name Hunger Station, though it may have been under different ownership or a different name during our visit, as the menu has shifted since.
We ordered a pitcher of sangria to share, which paired perfectly with our spread of traditional paella and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp). The place even offered dumplings.
Park Güell: The Whimsy of Gaudí
After lunch, we took a thirty-minute walk through tree-lined streets toward Park Güell.
Back in 2014, we hadn’t realized that the public areas of the park were free to explore, that only the most iconic features required a ticket, so we didn’t go in. Having missed out then, we decided to buy tickets at the gate to explore the entire grounds and not miss a detail. Even though the tickets had a later entrance time on them, the staff told us to go in.
As another Gaudí masterpiece, the park is filled with his signature organic textures, colorful mosaics, and whimsical structures. While it was certainly interesting to see the “gingerbread” houses and the famous lizard, I have to admit I was far more impressed by the sheer scale and light of the Sagrada Familia.
Evening at the Hilton
We took an Uber back to the Hilton to rest our feet and enjoyed a pre-dinner beverage in the executive lounge. It’s always a nice perk of Diamond status to have a quiet home base to regroup between excursions.
For dinner, we walked to a nearby mall to eat at Ribera Manero (which has since moved locations slightly). We enjoyed a fantastic seafood meal, but the absolute star of the show was the tallarines (wedge clams). They were so good that we ordered them twice—and I was so busy eating them that I completely forgot to take a photo!
On the walk back, we ducked into a local supermarket. It’s always interesting to see the cultural differences in grocery stores—in Spain, that meant seeing entire cured pork legs (Jamón) for sale as a standard item.
That wrapped up our brief stay in Barcelona. While I would have loved more time to dive into the tapas scene, this visit was really about positioning ourselves for the next big leg of the trip. Finally seeing the interior of the Sagrada Familia was the perfect send-off.
Tomorrow, we head to the cruise terminal to board the ship for our 14-night transatlantic journey on the Valiant Lady…stay tuned!
