Spain

My trip to Spain was pretty spontaneous, It was the start of August and I wanted to experience the white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters that was on offer. Visiting Majorca and Barcelona worked out to be the perfect combination for a quick five day getaway, with culture and natural beauty in abundance. After all who doesn't love warm weather and nice beaches? 

Majorca

I slightly underestimated how big the Island of Majorca or Mallorca (as the Catalans call it) is. Looking at a map it seemed like a place that could easily be navigated in a few days by public transport and foot however once I arrived I realized renting a scooter to get around the island would be the best option. The first day gave me clear blue skies and very warm pleasant temperatures, I was ready for the good vibes to roll in. After a bit of a hectic journey through the small city of Palma I made it to the hostel Sa Fita, nestled in a charming town called Esporles, one of the mountain areas on the Island. I couldn't have picked a better location to wind down and unplug from bustling life of London, with very little connection to the outside world and a beautiful mountainous backdrop, I knew I came to the right place to breathe in fresh air and soak up the sun. 

While in Majorca I was desperate to experience the Balaeric Sea, so I set off towards the west coast of the island. En route I was treated to jaw dropping views of valleys, forestry and my crystal clear blue waters in the horizon. The road there was actually pretty nerve wrecking with winding roads, one error and I would've plummeted off a cliff. In the end it was worth it though, I spent the afternoon sipping beers in sun and swimming in the cool clear water. Now that I think about it most of my days in Majorca were spent like this, it wasn't too bad at all. 

Barcelona

Unlike Majorca, I'd heard so much about Barcelona; the amazing architecture, beautiful gardens, Gothic cathedrals, and the unique vibrant Catalan culture.  In the three days I spent in Barcelona I got a taste of all the endearing qualities of the city, and boy I definitely wish I had longer! I covered a lot of the city by foot, walking around the city I lost track of the distances I covered simply because there was so much to marvel at. One day I walked from the main beach in Barcelona all the way to Park Guell, a 6 kilometer walk mostly up hill but again the surroundings made it enjoyable. Park Guell is one of the most famous attractions in Europe let a lone Barcelona with great views overlooking the city, amazing art and plants it was easy to see why.  

I really enjoyed the night life in Barcelona as well.I stayed at St Christopher's Inn, a fantastic hostel that encouraged people to get to know each other with large table dinners and drinking games that involved rotating seats. I headed out with my new friends to experience the Barcelona nightlife, the Catalans know how to party, even if they start ridiculously late. The club we headed to only filled up at 3am! Still the atmosphere in the bars and clubs was groovy and I had a good time.  Overall I met some great people, had some great laughs and got to experience great culture in my short stay in Barcelona. I will be back. 

Montserrat

On my last day in Spain I decided I wanted to get out of the city and do some good old hiking. Montserrat was only an hour train ride from Barcelona, the ride over was pleasant with great views of the countryside. The train arrived at the majestic Montserrat Benedictine Monastery, which was built on the mountain in the 10th century. From here there are multitude of hikes you can do, the one I chose took just over three hours and took me near the peak of the mountain. It was misty day which offered some really dramatic photo opportunities. Later in the afternoon I got really lucky and the sun broke through the clouds opening up blue skies and spectacular views.