Morning at Café Casp
June 19, 2025
We started the day with breakfast at a café called Casp, just around the corner from our hotel. We ordered a panini, a croissant, and a latte for €6.70. The food wasn’t bad, but there was nothing special to praise either. The café had a 2.8-star rating on Google Maps, and we thought, “That sounds about right.”
Visiting the Sagrada Família
After breakfast, we took the B24 bus toward the Sagrada Família (see on map). However, we couldn’t pay by tapping our credit cards. The driver kindly told us, “Yellow buses are cash only.”
When we finally stood before the Sagrada Família, we were struck by its massive scale — much larger than we had imagined. Entering through the Nativity façade, we were greeted by the morning light shining through colorful stained glass windows. The light poured onto the floor, creating a breathtaking glow.
We took an elevator up one of the towers and then descended via a narrow spiral staircase. We had downloaded the official audio guide app, but the commentary was too long to follow while walking, and the passageways were too narrow to stop and listen, so we barely used it.
Seeing the tower’s decorations up close was thrilling — beautiful, charming, and bold. The Sagrada Família is still under construction, and walking down the spiraling stairs allowed us to peek through gaps at the dizzying drop below. It was both scary and fun.
When we sat on a bench inside the basilica afterward, the morning light had softened. The earlier light had been sharper and more vivid, but even now, when the sunbeams broke through, the colors filled the space like a living prism. The ceiling rose impossibly high — magnificent in every way.
We ended our visit by viewing the Passion façade, the underground exhibition, and the museum shop before stepping out into the sunlight again.
Churros Break at La Selecta de Xurros
We strolled through a park with a pond (see on map), but the sight of a seagull eating a pigeon’s remains shocked us. The heat in Barcelona was intense, and the park was crowded, so we decided to rest at La Selecta de Xurros (see on map).
We ordered five churros with hot chocolate for €6. The churros were freshly fried and delicious, with chocolate that wasn’t overly sweet. Still, we both preferred the churros we’d had in Ronda and Granada. I liked the ones in Ronda best, while my partner favored Granada’s. These churros were closer to the kind we can find in Japan — tasty but not particularly unique.
Lunch at Taco Bell
After leaving the churros shop, we had lunch at a Taco Bell near the Sagrada Família (see on map). It was lunchtime, so we patiently waited in a long line. I’ve always liked Taco Bell, so I didn’t mind.
Afternoon at Park Güell
We took another bus, this time one that accepted tap-to-pay. The ride was smooth, and soon we arrived at Park Güell (see on map).
It was brutally hot, with harsh sunlight and few places to rest. The cave-like stone walls were interesting, though they looked as if they might crumble at any moment. The main terrace was completely exposed to the sun, so we went down to the shaded area beneath it. A cool breeze blew through — it felt like a relief.
Looking back, the exhaustion from days of travel and the relentless heat must have gotten to us. There, in the cool shade, we ended up having an argument. We sat quietly for a while, calmed down, and eventually made up.
We walked over to the “Casa del Guarda” (see on map), but the line was so long that we decided not to go inside. The building itself could be entered for free without an extra ticket.
At the gift shop, my partner bought a lizard-shaped bookmark. Unfortunately, the two women at the counter were too busy chatting to even glance at her. When her credit card didn’t go through the first time, they didn’t stop talking — one just pointed at the card reader and said, “Doesn’t work.” When the payment finally went through, one of them held the item against her chest until their conversation reached a climax, then handed it over without looking up. My partner was understandably furious.
On the bus ride back, she muttered, “Gaudí’s Sagrada Família was incredible, but this park — and this city — are just boring!”
Dinner at Pirineu En Boca Barcelona
That evening, we went to Pirineu En Boca Barcelona (see on map), a restaurant run by a butcher shop. My partner ordered lamb chops, and I had a faux sirloin steak. We also shared Andalusian-style fried eggplant with honey.
The portions were generous, the atmosphere was warm, and overall, we were completely satisfied. My steak had cooled a bit by the time it reached the table, but it was still delicious.
For dessert, we tried sheep’s yogurt and “mató.” We weren’t sure what mató was when ordering — turns out it’s a type of cheese. The yogurt was quite sour, but drizzling honey over it made it wonderfully refreshing. My partner liked it too.
The total came to €69.95, and we left feeling that it had been one of the best dinners of our entire trip.
