When it comes to planning a holiday, step one’s always the same for us: straight on to Skyscanner, no messing. We’re not fussy on where we go — the rule is simple: wherever’s cheapest. So, we popped in ‘Everywhere’ for destination, selected the whole of December (none of this set-date nonsense), and let the budget decide.
Winner? Barcelona.
And who’s arguing with that? Sunshine, sangria, and shandy’s — all while folk back home are scraping frost off windscreens.
Booking Our Base
Once the flights were sorted, next stop: Booking.com. We found a cracking little hotel just by Plaça d’Espanya for £120 a night. Now, aye, it wasn’t the cheapest digs in town, but:
- It were clean
- It had a pool (which was absolutely Baltic in December)
- And it were 2-minute walk from the metro, buses, shops, bakeries, and cafes.
Split between two, that’s £60 a night each — not bad for a well-located base that felt safe and quiet at night. Plus, if you’re daft enough to fancy an ice-cold dip, that rooftop pool’s there for the brave (we gave it a miss, ta). Check this out and book it here.
Day 1 – Tapas & Touchdown
After checking in and dropping bags, we headed straight out to find food (obviously). Within minutes, we’d found a bustling little local tapas bar nearby — loads of locals, no English menu, but we managed to point our way to:
- Patatas Bravas
- Pan con Tomate
- Croquetas
- Two shandys (Claras)
Total bill: around €25 for two. Not too shabby for a full belly on arrival night.
Day 2 – Sightseeing & Sunshine
We kicked off with a pastry and coffee at a local bakery — they’re everywhere and a fraction of UK café prices.
Then came the walking — Arc de Triomf, Parc de la Ciutadella, and down to Barceloneta Beach. It was 16°C, bright blue skies, and the locals were out walking their dogs like it was spring. Felt like we’d got a second autumn.
After all that, we treated ourselves to paella by the marina near Port Vell — touristy, aye, but we found a decent spot where it wasn’t a total rip-off.
We finished the day with a mooch round the Christmas Market by the harbour — twinkly lights, odd Catalan nativity scenes (look up caganer if you dare), and festive music in the sun. Strange but wonderful.
Day 3 – Gaudí on a Budget
Barcelona’s famous for Gaudí architecture, but some of it comes with steep ticket prices. We did it our way:
- First, we walked to Casa Batlló for a gander at the stunning façade. Didn’t pay for the inside tour (€35? No ta), just snapped a few pics and moved on.
- Next stop: La Sagrada Família. Again, we admired it from the outside — and honestly, it’s so massive and mad, you get the full effect without going in.
- La Rambla was next — not our favourite spot (bit tacky and overpriced), but worth walking once.
- We ducked into Mercado de La Boquería, where we grabbed fresh fruit juice for €2 and had a wander round the colourful stalls.
After tea, we headed back to Casa Batlló around 7pm to catch the free evening light show — absolutely worth it. Magical atmosphere, and completely free if you’re standing outside.
Day 4 – Montjuïc Views & Shandy in the Sun
We decided to go uphill today — literally — and headed to Montjuïc. We took the Telefèric de Montjuïc (cable car), which set us back €15 return, but the views over the city and sea were stunning. At the top, we wandered around Montjuïc Castle grounds (free to enter) and soaked in the quiet.
We also walked through the Botanical Garden, which was surprisingly peaceful and also free. Bit of greenery to break up the city vibe.
We had hoped to see the Magic Fountain show, but turns out they drain them in winter. Instead, we strolled back down the grand avenue, past the Venetian Towers, and parked ourselves at a sunny terrace for one last tapas-and-shandy session.
Day 5 – Park Güell & Goodbye
Our final morning, we tackled Park Güell, which is a bit out the way — so we took the bus. We paid €10 each to get into the Monumental Zone, which is the iconic colourful tiled bit — very pretty, very busy, but worth the tenner.
After that, we grabbed our last bite and made our way back to the hotel, then on to the airport.
Tight Tips for Barcelona
- Use Skyscanner ‘Everywhere’ + ‘Cheapest Month’ to find hidden gems.
- Stay near a metro or major square — you’ll save time and energy.
- Pastries over Pret: Local bakeries are a budget traveller’s best friend.
- Tapas in side streets > main squares — better food, better prices.
- Don’t pay to see everything — Barcelona’s beauty is outside.
- Pre-book attractions like Park Güell if you do want to pay — walk-ins often sold out.
Spent nowt, saw loads — proper city break.
Got a question about our trip? Drop us a comment or find us on TikTok @tighttravellers or Instagram @tight.travellers.
Next stop: who knows? But we’ll be there with a brew, a backpack, and a budget.
Tight Travellers 