Europe owes me absolutely nothing. I was in awe just by the aesthetic, Spain had a vintage but homey like aura to it and Italy had an historic yet luxurious feel.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona, Spain
Where do I start… Europe has always been on my bucket list for some time now. So as you can imagine Spain was very much an highly anticipated trip minus the fact that the plane ride was an 8 hours. I did a straight flight and you can feel the pain when I say any flight longer than 5 hours should be in first class and only first class. Don’t get me wrong my comfort level was not bad at all only when came down to to trying to sleep and I wanted to stretch out but could not. When I landed the jet lag kicked in right away but I was elated. I did take a nap at the Airbnb after eating and site seeing for a bit. The food out in Spain compare to the states is a lot more fresh and well prepared in my opinion. Certain fast food restaurants had more menu options and healthier types of food. I also felt like the lifestyle out there was more active because everyone seemed to be more on bikes and scooters starting their day pretty early.
Tips for Spain:
Spring is a good time to travel to Spain
Prepare to adapt to the time difference
Try to experience at least one festival
Food is better up north
Use the local bus to save money
Bring a plug adapter (the outlets are not the same as America)
The Airbnb:
I stayed in a downtown like area of Barcelona. Everything was pretty much close by like restaurants and small shops. When I tell you it was a dream, no exaggeration. The “flat” was very open with floor to ceiling windows which made Mornings so much more special. The master bedroom and bathroom was def my type of vibe. High end but comfy would be best describe the feeling just staying there.
The Airbnb
Self care in Spain:
The weather in Spain around April is mid 60’s with a Mediterranean breeze which made the air out there a lot more soothing.
I made my night skin routine a little longer with soap & glory face masks depending on how much makeup I wore throughout the day. I also used my Dior under eye patches due to being jet lagged.
Soap & Glory Face mask
Dior Under eye patches
24 hours in Rome, Italy:
I took an hour plane ride from Barcelona to Rome and I did not regret it. Let’s talk about pizza in Italy and how authentic the vibe was out there. After visiting historic + touristy places like the coliseum, The Pantheon, etc. I went to get pizza because why would I go to Italy and not eat pizza?! I gave the pizza in Rome a 9/10 it was fresh and I could taste everything down to the basil. Italy seemed more fast paced to me than Spain and little bit more strict on covid regulations. I noticed in Rome they charged 1 euro to use the restroom which is kind of genius because that helps with keeping public restrooms clean but can also be annoying if you don’t have cash on you. From the original cobble stone roads to the pizza, Italy was perfection.
Tips for Italy:
Do not buy any chargers or electronics from people on the street (might not be legit)
Be aware of your surroundings
Bring cash
Book everything in advance