Barcelona – The Mecca for Solo Travelers

While Greece has my heart when it comes to courage and boldness, Barcelona has my heart when it comes to solo travel.

It was the first real adventure I embarked on after I started studying. Just the search for a decent Airbnb turned out to be an uphill battle. After canceling two reservations, I finally booked a room in a shared apartment. My host was a Nigerian woman, and her space seemed good enough for everything I planned to do.

Since I didn’t have much money, I booked a roundtrip ticket with Flixbus. From Heidelberg to Barcelona—just two days on the road. I was happy, excited, a bit insecure—but determined to go.

I looked up all the major sights: Park Güell, La Sagrada Familia… I was excited, but also anxious. After all, I was about to spend two full days on a bus just to get to Spain and back. I did my research and found that the T-10 ticket would be the best option for my seven-day stay—ten rides for around 10€, each valid for 75 minutes. That would cover about five days of travel to and from the city.

So, I packed my bags and, on April 2nd, 2019, boarded my Flixbus headed to Barcelona. We rode through Switzerland and France, passing cities like Perpignan, Montpellier, and Geneva (side note: Geneva is one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland—pity I couldn’t stay!).

On the morning of April 3rd, I arrived at Barcelona’s bus station. Tired but excited. My first little adventure, all by myself. A mix of pure thrill and a bit of dread—worried about getting lost… or kidnapped (though, honestly, who would want to kidnap me? 😅).

My accommodations were in Cerdanyola del Vallès, about 17 km outside of Barcelona. After getting lost multiple times, I finally made it. My host, Linda—a kind Nigerian woman—welcomed me and gave me a quick tour of her two-bedroom apartment before heading off to work.

And then there I was: in a quiet apartment, in sweaty clothes, absolutely exhausted. I couldn’t help it—I jumped straight into bed. I know, I should have taken a shower first… but I barely made it in! So I slept. And slept. And slept.

Eventually, I woke up—hungry and eager to see the city. I checked Google Maps and found a supermarket about 10 minutes away. Of course, with my questionable sense of direction, it took me longer than that. I walked back and forth (and back again), but finally found it. I pretended my few Spanish phrases made me a native and somehow managed to buy what I needed and make it back.

(Oh, and yes—I did shower before I went to the supermarket. 😉)

Since I had already bought my tickets, I decided it was time to finally see Barcelona. I hopped on the next train and headed to the iconic Sagrada Familia—the Roman Catholic basilica designed by Antoni Gaudí and one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

I just walked around, soaking it all in. My heart full, my head buzzing.

That was Day One in Barcelona.

Here’s a picture to make it even more memorable.