I go to Barcelona a lot. And I mean a lot. Whether it's with Shani or by myself, I spend a lot of time here. It's my favorite city (outside of Bilbao and NYC) for a reason. I've been there so many times for varying lengths of time that this blog may also end up being a "I might as well live in Barcelona" kind o blog instead of a generalized travel blog. Hope y'all don't mind. And if you do, don't worry, I'm not offended. We're not offended. My kind of travel ramblings isn't for everyone.
Anyway, since I go to Barcelona so often, and because I'm getting ready for what is hopefully going to be my first of 2 trips this year, I'll go ahead and break down what it is I pack whenever I go. Most of these are going to be geared toward those who identify as women and/or dress accordingly as I am one, but I'll do my best to include tips for men (and those who identify as such) as well!
* I am by no means popular enough to be sponsored by anyone, so any links are not affiliates or sponsorships! Just recommendations (but if any of these brands want to sponsor me... I accept!) *
Clothing
As I usually head to Barcelona during the off-season (I go in January/February and October), I'm avoiding anything for weather that's too warm. The warmest it gets when I go in winter is about 65 F/17 C, and that's if I get really lucky! It's usually around the 50s F/low 10s C, so I bring a lined jacket (I have a faux-leather jacket that works perfectly! Which reminds me... I should buy another one soon as this one is starting to fall apart on me, oops!) and a warmer coat for when it's nighttime and quite chilly (30s-40s F and high single digits C) and for when I land back home in New Jersey. Plus, if you're going to a football match outside, you need layers. It gets colder! I learned this one back in 2019 when it was in the upper-40s F /like 10 C when we arrived at Camp Nou and by the time we left it was in the upper 30s F/6-7 C! I was so glad I'd brought that coat, and I was wearing a thermal long-sleeved shirt with a Barça jersey on top, as well as a knit scarf. Oof.
I also bring a pair of jeans aside from my favorite compression leggings (you can get them here, not sponsored), especially since I can't wear compression socks that go past my ankles. I did that once on a 14-hour flight and I thought I was going to die. It was terrible. Anyway, these leggings are perfect for the plane. In terms of jeans, I go with skinny jeans since they go with literally everything and I'm an older Millenial woman so you can pry my skinny jeans from my cold, dead fingers. Plus, everyone in Spain wears jeans anyway.
In October, I generally bring the same except for the coat. Temperatures in early October are quite warm (But not warm enough for the beach, but if you're okay going swimming when it's below 80 F/28 C go for it! I love that you love that! I have an unfortunately low cold tolerance.), while in mid-to-late October they're a bit cooler (upper-60s F, high-10s to 20 C). Since I average about 30,000 steps a day when I'm in Barcelona I also make sure to have very comfortable shoes like the Adidas Superstar. They're cute and comfortable, especially with gel heel inserts. I might also bring a pair of cute flats that won't kill my feet (I like Tieks because the leather molds to my feet, and they have vegan options) and I did wear those before I got my Superstars. But whatever sneakers/comfortable footwear you have are great too. Last October I also brought a skirt with pockets with me.
(pictures with travel outfits)
I also check the weather within 10 days of my trip to make sure I have everything I need. If there's rain or unseasonably warm or cold weather, I make sure I'm prepared for that too!
If I do end up in Barcelona during the summer, I'm bringing flats or strappy sandals. Flip-flops are beach-only footwear in Spain, and even though strappy dresses and tops with skirts and shorts are perfectly acceptable, flip-flops are meant for the beach. I don't wear shorts personally so I go with the skirt I mentioned as well as tank tops and t-shirts, and cropped jeans or flowy cotton pants.
Accessories
I always bring a scarf! Cold necks are a thing of the past, and I also like to use them on the plane as an extra blanket. I also bring three types of bags with me: my Longchamp Le Pliage tote which I use primarily for the trip to and from the airport, which I then empty out and put all the necessities such as my wallet, camera, and coin purse with all my euros in it into my Le Pliage backpack. It's perfect for walking around the city and is small enough to not be constantly bumping people on a crowded street. I definitely avoid carrying a big backpack around due to the size (and the fact that it screams "TOURISTTTT"), and I anything larger than this backpack because I have back and shoulder issues. Adulthood, amirite? I learned last October that having to reach into my backpack only to have it out in the open while walking down the street was too much attention, so I started carrying around a canvas tote bag instead I could keep my camera and wallet in for easy grabbing.
Barcelona is also a sunny city, and even if it's cloudy, I wear sunglasses because I have very sensitive eyes and squinting is no fun. Plus, eye damage isn't cute. Sunglasses are.
In the summer, I'll try to have a scarf on hand so I can wrap it around my shoulders if I go into a church due to dress codes, or inside a museum where there's usually some level of air conditioning since I do get cold easily.
Personal Care
With how much I travel, I have an entire set of body and personal care products that never leave my suitcase, mostly in travel sizes because they don't take up much space. I'm generally okay with using the products provided by hotels, but in case there's an issue, I usually head to the closest Mercadona (a Spanish grocery store chain) and pick up what I need there. The prices for store-brand products are really good, and the quality is outstanding. I've found that most products I'd need in the States can be found in Europe at a similar price point with very few exceptions. I usually end up buying a ton of stuff to bring back to the States anyway, which is why I also pack fewer things than I'll need so I have more space to bring things back. There are also stores like Primor, Druni, Douglas, and Marionnaud that have both luxury and drugstore makeup and skincare options where I can find products I like even though I haven't bought much full-priced makeup and skincare (aside from sunscreen) in years. La Roche-Posay and ISDIN both have way more options and better prices in Europe anyway. Basically... I don't worry about forgetting anything because I can always buy it if I need it!
Is there anything you're wondering about regarding what to put in your suitcase to get ready for your trip? Let me know in the comments!
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