This blog is actually by popular demand, so here we are.

Fun fact, my husband and I used to travel internationally a lot before kids. It was one of our favorite things. And while PedsDocTalk is centered around parenting, health, and development, I also love sharing the things that bring me joy, like travel and connection.

So here’s this blog, written within a week of getting back, which I’m honestly proud of.

I hadn’t taken a one-on-one trip with a friend since I started dating my husband. Not because I didn’t want to, just life. Being pregnant, IVF, kids, schedules, everything fills up fast.

I’ve done girls trips with a group, but this was different. Just the two of us, me and one of my best friends. And honestly, it was the best.

We were completely on the same page, which made all the difference. We wanted to see a lot, but not feel rushed. We had open, easy communication if the itinerary felt like too much or if we wanted to switch things around. We wanted time to shop, because everything in Spain is beautiful. We cared about good food.

And we built in time to rest, including midday naps, which ended up being one of the best parts.

It felt easy, fun, and exactly what I didn’t realize I needed.

When we were deciding where to go, we knew we wanted Europe. I had never been to Spain, and my friend loves it. She’s been to other parts before, but it had been over a decade since she’d been to Barcelona, so it felt like the perfect mix of new for me and familiar for her.

Valencia actually wasn’t the original plan, but when we realized Fallas was happening the exact same time we’d be there, it felt like one of those meant-to-be moments. We somehow snagged the last room at a beautiful boutique hotel right in the middle of everything, which still feels like luck.

And it truly worked out better than we could have planned. We loved every part of it, Barcelona, Valencia, the energy, the food, all of it.

Here’s exactly what we did, what I’d repeat, and the little things that made a big difference.

Before You Go (Quick Tips That Matter)

Flights/Madrid Airport

We took separate flights. My flight connected through Madrid. As a warning, Madrid airport is huge. If you have a connection, give yourself extra time. There is no shuttle and I had to walk 35 minutes to get to my connecting flight gate on the way back home.

Apps to download

• The Fork app for restaurant reservations. You can also go directly to each website prior to travel—very useful for popular restaurants 
• Cabify-The “Uber or Lyft” of Spain. Very useful. Store your credit card info and works exactly like familiar ride-share apps 
• Google Maps-works better than Apple Maps in some parts of the city 

Timing + Culture

• Lunch is usually 1 to 3:30 pm, plan ahead or you’ll be hungry 
• Dinner is 8 pm to 10:30 pm 
• Many restaurants close between 4 to 8 pm, this is normal 
• Meals are slower paced, expect to sit and enjoy, not rush in and out 
• There is no tipping culture
• Knowing Spanish is a huge bonus. In Barcelona and Valencia, they speak Catalan so unique than Spanish. Many places speak English but more authentic restaurants and areas will speak Spanish/Catalan. If you are not fluent, you will get by! 
• Gaudí is a Catalan architect whose work is a huge part of what makes Barcelona feel so unique. His designs are inspired by nature, so instead of straight lines you’ll see curves, color, and details that almost feel alive. Some of the most famous spots in the city, like La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, and Casa Milà, are all his work. Even if you don’t go inside, just seeing them as you walk around gives you a real sense of Barcelona’s identity. I highly recommend going to all four of these. Go inside La Sagrada Familia. If we had more time, we would have likely gone inside Casa Batlló. Casa Batlló was my absolute favorite besides La Sagrada Familia. 
• Fallas is a cultural event so get curious and be respectful. In general-I believe so strongly in being a respectful tourist. I travel a lot and believe in respect for other cultures so try to learn, get educated, and have fun!  

Food Strategy (This Helps A Lot)

• Make reservations for dinner ahead of time. In the blog, I also include other restaurants recommended by friends and/or this community.   
• Do not rely on “walking in” at peak dinner time 
• Avoid restaurants right on La Rambla or Plaça de Catalunya, very touristy

Getting Around

• Walking is the best way to explore most areas, so skip any heels or flats and bring WALKING SHOES! I packed two pairs of walking shoes and one pair of sandals for dressier evenings. 
• Taxis and Cabify are easy and safe 
• If taking trains, Renfe is the official system; book ahead for better timing 

Safety Tips (Simple but Important)

• Watch for pickpockets, especially in crowded areas 
• Crossbody bags are key. This one was so clutch and cute and comes in various colors. 
• Don’t leave your phone on tables, especially outdoors 
• Don’t carry your phone in your back pocket or walk distracted 
• Be aware, not anxious. Just like any major city. Barcelona and Valencia is no different! 

Valencia + Fallas Specific Tips

• It is LOUD, like very loud. Bring ear protection 
• Fireworks go off all day, not just at night. One of the most annoying things for us was how civilians release fireworks and many times will release poppers or firecrackers near where you’re walking. It can startle anyone. Walk near walls and look around if this is something you’re not used to.  
• Ash falls from the sky during La Cremà. Bring an N95 mask if you stay for La Cremà
• Streets get crowded, give yourself extra time to move around

Packing Things That Actually Helped

Portable charger, your phone will be used constantly

Comfortable sneakers, you will walk a lot 

Layers, mornings and nights feel different. Traveling in March was PERFECT because it wasn’t cold and the brutal European summers haven’t started yet. Layering was the best and mixing and matching for minimal packing AND more space in luggage for all the shopping you can do in Barcelona. 

Crossbody bag for safety 

Earplugs and N95 for Valencia if you’re going for Fallas. 

Our Itinerary

Day 0: Arrivals, relaxation, good food 

Everyone arrived, naps, settling in

We stayed at Hotel Praktik Bakery, and we have nothing but amazing things to say. Rooms are small as is the case in many parts of Europe, but the location was stellar, the showers were warm with good pressure, and the hotel has a BAKERY at ground level. We had the most amazing pastries and teas/coffees in the morning. Highly recommend this hotel. 

Dinner: Elsa Y Fred: Reservations needed and HIGHLY recommended. Local spot with incredible food!

Day 1: La Sagrada Familia, Palau de la Música Catalana, Gothic Quarter, Rooftop vibes, and a Paella Class 

11:30 AM – Visit to Sagrada Familia. Reservations are needed and can be made directly through their main website. Highly recommend downloading the audio tour that comes with the admission. No need for a guided tour. It was so thorough and you can go at your own pace. It is stunning and worth the trip!

Walked to Lunch in Eixample at Sartoria Panatieri Pizza, which is one of the most highly rated Pizzerias in Europe! Much like all the food we had, everything is farm-to-table and you can taste the quality. We got the pizza with spicy chorizo, and it was incredible! We didn’t need reservations for lunch. 

Downtime at our hotel before we took a cab to Palau de la Música Catalana. This was a quick stop, and we got tickets beforehand. It was really, really beautiful, so if you have a moment—worth checking out. If it doesn’t fit into your itinerary, you can skip it. They also have flamenco shows and other shows. We sat and stared at the beautiful ceiling for 20 minutes before making our way to the Gothic Quarter. 

Walked Around Gothic Quarter 

We did our own little walking tour to major sites in the area. One of the best parts was just randomly walking through the tiny streets and going into the shops. I bought so many beautiful earrings from here and some souvenirs for the family. 

Here are the places we made sure to walk to/through: 

Start: Plaça de Catalunya. This is your entry point between modern and old Barcelona. Walk down La Rambla for about 5 minutes.

The Kissing Mural: A mosaic made from thousands of tiny photos. Worth seeing if you’re in the area. No need to travel to this area, especially for the mural.

Carrer del Bisbe + Gothic Bridge (Pont del Bisbe): LOVED this bridge and a quick walk from the Cathedral.  Look underneath for the skull and dagger carving 

Afternoon snack at Churros at Granja La Pallaresa for delicious churros with a walk back towards the cathedral. You can eat there or take it to go—I took it to go and walked back while enjoying my amazing churros.  

Barcelona Cathedral: The Gothic style of design is breathtaking. We walked around a market set up in front of the cathedral and sat and people-watched after all the walking we did. 

6 PM Rooftop drinks at Lamaro rooftop by the Cathedral: HIGHLY recommend. We did not need reservations, but it is first come first serve and WOW. Breathtaking. I am a sucker for a good rooftop, having lived in NYC for many years, and this one did not disappoint. The views of the cathedral at sunset were spectacular. We met with one of our PDT community members who is living in Barcelona.

Walked to our 8 pm Paella Cooking Class at The Paella Club– This was a must-do! Make sure to book in advance. So fun, GREAT food, and we got to cook our own Paella and meet many cool people. I enjoyed that there were two of us at each cooking station, and we all made a different paella and then sat down to try them all. 

Day 2: More Gaudí + Shopping + Amazing Dinner + Flamenco 

9:00 AM – Cabify to Park Güell. We bought tickets ahead of time. Make sure to use the audio tour associated with your admission, or at least use the map to see the amazing spots within the park. I am Gaudi-obsessed. The blend of nature and man-made architecture is stunning.  Take your time here; the views are worth it.

Cabify to Shopping in Passeig de Gràcia: We particularly visited El Corte Inglés, Zara, Mango, and Stradivarius. But enjoy what you like, and can swap this out for other sites or downtime if you’re not into shopping. We had lunch at a ramen shop near this area, which was nothing to write home about, hence why I’m not including it.

Downtime at the hotel after shopping 

6:00 PM: Dinner at Bar Cañete: Make reservations in advance for this Michelin restaurant. HIGHLY recommend. I loved the vibe where you are sitting around a bar. Very personal. Our waiter Angelito, was so funny and fun. The only recommendation is that I wish we didn’t have to rush to our flamenco show. In retrospect, I would’ve either done an earlier dinner or a later show.

7:30 PM: Flamenco Show at Casa Sors: I was worried this would be a very touristy experience, but it was absolutely incredible. I was so moved, and we both got teary-eyed watching this beautiful show. It was about an hour long, and the acoustics in the room made it so powerful. You should buy tickets in advance, and you have options for just the seats, with drinks, or a meal. I highly recommend just getting the tickets to the show and eating somewhere before or after. It was very worth it. 

Day 3: Final Day in Barcelona: Day trip to Montserrat + Rooftops + Amazing Last dinner 

7:40 AM – Guided Montserrat tour pickup: This was a last-minute addition we added a week before our trip, and we LOVED it. We did a guided tour which included transportation, a tour guide, a ride up the cable car, and a guided hike down the mountain with stops at the monasteries. The tour pickup was close to our hotel, and the drop off was at the same location, which was from 8 am-2:30 pm. We grabbed lunch at the cafeteria in Montserrat. 

Afternoon: After being dropped off, we walked immediately to Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and Casa Batlló. I LOVED Casa Batlló. My favorite Gaudí site. We didn’t have time, but I would’ve probably gone inside to see the interior.

Late afternoon: Quick shopping and rest at the hotel 

6:30 PM: Rooftop Drinks at Majestic Hotel (La Dolce Vitae). This is a first come first serve bar as well for drinks, or you can make reservations for eating. I would try to make reservations if your party is larger. We met with 7 PDT community members here, and it was incredible. More amazing views of all of Barcelona.

9:30 PM: Dinner at La Pepita: After the rooftop, we walked to dinner. An incredible last meal in Barcelona. A local favorite for tapas. Everything was fabulous. Highly recommend this restaurant! 

Day 4: Travel to Valencia + catching Fallas 

10:15 AM: Train to Valencia (Barcelona Sants). We had booked the train prior and it was easy to access via a cab and navigate. Can someone please get the U.S. on board with a better train system?!

1:13 PM – Arrive in Valencia We walked to our hotel, which was close to the train station. We stayed at the YOURS Boutique Hotel, it was gorgeous. Even with all the Fallas noise, it wasn’t overly loud. You could still hear fireworks, which is expected during the celebration, but with earplugs, it was barely noticeable.

Afternoon: We walked around and got meals at local spots. Reservations were very hard to get during Fallas so we went to whatever was open. We saw the sculptures and enjoyed them without a strict plan.  We got an afternoon nap before dinner.

8:30 PM : Dinner (E Pazzo Italia). Make sure to make reservations. Loved this place for Italian food. Skip the focaccias and just get the apps if you’re not that hungry (that’s what we did). The Meat and cheese platter and burrata were excellent. 

Day 5: Valencia Highlights + Fallas

Morning: We took a cab to City of Arts and Sciences, which was STUNNING. Recommend visiting this if you’re in Valencia and walking around in the morning before crowds arrive. 

We then took a cab to see various Fallas sculptures and then had lunch.

La Mascletà (Plaza del Ayuntamiento) at 2 pm: I went outside to listen to the fireworks that happen at 2 pm every day during Fallas. I couldn’t see it since it’s in the plaza, but you can feel the vibrations in your chest. It was beautiful to see hundreds of people in the streets celebrating this even when they couldn’t see it. If you’re sensitive to sound, put in your ear protection.  

After the fireworks, we walked to Iglesia de San Nicolás, also called Valencia’s Sistine Chapel. There were two moments on this trip I got emotional—one was the Flamenco show and the other was the light show at the church. We happened to enter 15 minutes before the light show, and it was stunning. The light show runs Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 19:30, Saturdays from 10:00 to 18:30, and Sundays from 13:00 to 20:00 and happens on the hour. Highly recommend visiting the church. You can buy tickets beforehand.

Evening: We had dinner from food stalls at the festival. In the future, if we visit Valencia outside of Fallas, there are many highly recommended restaurants I’m putting at the end of this blog. Due to closures of restaurants and lack of reservation time slots, we didn’t get to eat the famous Valencian paella. But that just means another trip!

After dinner, we watched La Cremà. At 8 pm, they burn the children’s sculptures located throughout the city. At 10 pm, the large sculptures, and at midnight, the large sculpture in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. We didn’t go to see the midnight one since it was so crowded and late. I am very into cultural events and enjoyed this so much. I do recommend an N95 mask the night of La Cremà as there is a lot of smoke. The next morning, the streets were clean like none of this had happened. For more about Fallas and the cultural significance, read here. This website is incredible for all things visiting Valencia, including the Fallas schedule. This is one of those events I think you should see once in your life (that is, if you can handle noise, fireworks, crowds, and burning sculptures).

Other recommendations in Barcelona and Valencia as recommended by friends and our PDT Community

Barcelona

Food: Ultramarinos Marin, La Alcoba Azul, La Flauta, Vinitus, Cal Pep, La Gastronomica, Blavis restaurant, Bar Brutal, Arume 

Sights: Hop on/hop off bus, Food Lovers tour, La Boqueria Market, Fabra Observatory Night Tour, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya

Valencia

Food: Llisa Negra, Casa Carmela, Restaurant Navarro, Canalla Bistro, La Pepica 

Sights: Plaza de la Virgen, La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange), Turia Gardens (Jardín del Turia), Central Market (Mercado Central), Oceanogràfic- Part of the City of Arts and Sciences. One of the largest aquariums in Europe, great if traveling with kids, but honestly impressive even as an adult.

Final Thoughts

This trip was about connecting with my best friend, exploring a new country, and laughing and loving life. It was about walking more slowly, sitting longer at meals, and remembering there’s a version of you outside of your routine and outside of motherhood. 

I also want to say this clearly, because I think a lot of moms feel it but don’t always say it out loud.

It is a privilege to travel like this.

I hadn’t taken a trip like this in over six years, since becoming a mom. Not one-on-one, not across the Atlantic, not this kind of time away. There are real barriers: finances, time, childcare, work, health, all of it. I see that and respect that fully.

And at the same time, I also know how hard it can feel to step away. The questions creep in. Will my kids be okay? Are they too young? Should I be doing this?

From both a personal and developmental lens, I truly believe that anything that helps you feel more like yourself again, more regulated, more present, is meaningful. When you come back feeling restored, your kids feel that too.

I went to a birthday party the weekend after I came back and multiple people told me I looked lighter and happier. And I get it, I felt lighter.

And I think that’s the part that matters.

Because this isn’t really about the trip itself. It’s about what it gives you.

At the same time, I want to say this with honesty and respect. Not everyone has the ability to take a trip like this. When we hear “TAKE THAT TRIP,” I recognize there are real factors, finances, time, childcare, work, and health, that make something like this possible or not.

But if you do have the ability, in whatever form that looks like, a few hours with a friend, a day to yourself, a local weekend, or a bigger trip, it’s worth making space for.

Because coming back to your life feeling like yourself again is one of the most important things you can give your family.

And honestly, that stayed with me more than anything we saw. Okay, maybe Gaudí’s architecture and the jamón ibérico had an impact on me, too.