When it comes to ticking things off my bucket list, I have my head clear and my mind focussed 😀
Do you think anyone would want to have ‘facing a gruesome accident but managing to get out alive’ in their bucket list? Well, I did tick it off my list 😛
Brushing aside such not-so-sane things, I do have some travel goals and Europe was always on the list and I wanted to do one backpackers trip with strangers before I turn 25. And yeah, it’s done now (atleast, a little part of Europe)
Spain and Portugal exploration happened to be my first leg of Europe journey. To all those people who wanted to know about how I have planned the trip, about the backpackers group and about my experience in these two countries- this blog post, the upcoming one and my Instagram posts would answer all your queries. I will be pitching in my suggestions about the places to visit, the places you could skip and also, the precautions you need to take based on my personal experience.
Let’s get started!! 😀
Mumbai > Barcelona > Ibiza > Madrid > Lisbon > Mumbai
BARCELONA
5 days and 4 nights stay
Accommodation : Generator Hostel
Main Places to Visit:
La Sagrada Familia – Renowned for its captivating Gaudi architecture and magnificence. Book your tickets online and they don’t allow post your time slot (Be on Time).It will be a guided tour provided you make it on time. By the way, it is still being built!! (since a century almost
)
Gothic Quarter – Old city of Barcelona. Explore the place on foot. Has a plethora of options for restaurants and clubs. Night life is good here.
La Rambla – You can’t miss this street. It is one of the best to witness the vibe of Barcelona city.
La Barceloneta – Seaside neighbourhood of Barcelona lined up with good restaurants along with a splendid view
Things to Do:
Cycling tour in the city ( they are going to show you some of the best streets in Barca)
Try Sangria and Aperol Spritz if you are into wine and alcohol
Try Paella, Tapas, Churros, Croissants when in Spain (Food)
Camp Nou (didn’t visit as I am not so much into football) and Opium (popular pub) are two things which have good feedback but I couldn’t make it. Try those if you find time.
IBIZA
2 days and 2 nights
Accommodation : Amistat Island Hostel
Main Places to Visit:
Sant Antoni de Portmany – Town on the west coast of Ibiza (party place). Explore port area for night life.
Dalt Vila – It’s the old town of Ibiza which should be explored on foot. Such amazing fairy tale streets!!
Castell de Eivissa – You might want to visit this place to get a good panoramic view of Ibiza.
Things to Do:
Boat Party – You should not miss on this. A unique experience all together. Costs around 6-8k per person.
Watch the sun go down with wonderful live instrumental music and some wine at/ near Café Mambo in Sant Antoni de Portmany. Have to say, my best sunset so far.
Amnesia is apparently an amazing pub you can visit in Ibiza. We chose to party by the sea-side with some good wine and good company !! (my way of partying 😛 )
MADRID
3 days and 2 nights
Accommodation : Sun Gate One (best hostel in the entire trip)
Main Places to Visit:
Royal Palace of Madrid – One of the most popular places in Madrid. We didn’t enter inside though!! We were enjoying the view with some good live music 😀
Gran Via – This street is always buzzing and is the best for shopping 🙂
Toledo – It’s on countryside, a 45 min ride from Madrid. You can find many local travel agencies conducting a day trip to Toledo. Historically significant place!! Again, explore this beauty on foot.
Also, Stadio Santiago Bernabeu if you are interested in football 🙂
I didn’t find Madrid interesting though!! It mostly had the busy city vibe with good partying and shopping places. Teatro Kapitol is a must visit pub if you are into partying.
Alert : Pickpocketing is damn prominent in Spain. Be very very careful with your belongings!! You never even notice it, they are too good at it.
Backpackers Group
‘When in City’ is one such travel agency which frequently does backpackers’ trips across the world every year. Well, there are enough pros and cons when dealing with this group. So, weigh those if you are planning to join their trips
Pros being that you might end up meeting really cool people like I did. It could be a coincidence too. Of course, more than anything else, people you are with, is important.
Cons being that you are going to overpay for their not-so-good service and their not-so-experienced team. You end up paying a premium compared to other such groups. They have limited knowledge about the best places to explore (atleast in case of Spain and Portugal)- had received misleading guidance at times, and you will also see them become stingy (mostly in case of accommodation) – which was so disappointing for many of us. Their packages include only accommodation at hostels, internal flights and a trip guide ( International flights , visa charges not included). Many things in their itinerary require additional payment. So, take note of all those.
So, before you go ahead, decide if you are okay with the cons and then take a call.
Well!! These are some suggestions based on my travel experience. DM me on Instagram for more details. Would always love to help you guys 🙂
Hope this post is helpful for those planning to any of these places!!
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Photos by Rishabh Kumar, Prathamesh Dharanghutte
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