There were two more trips to Spain this summer: Bilbao & Barcelona.

Bilbao: June 14-16

We had been talking about it for a year – we finally managed to find a weekend to go visit Halia in Bilbao.

Bilbao is a city in north-central Spain, in the Basque country.  I can’t say it would’ve been a place I would have thought to visit if it weren’t for Halia, but nevertheless, it made for a great, relaxing weekend filled with great friends, food, shopping and beaches.

Barcelona: July 18-21

While sitting in a cafe in Bilbao, the three of us made an impromptu decision to book flights to Barcelona (this was my first time booking a flight on my phone!).

While I had been to Barcelona many times, it’s a city that never gets old – filled with great museums, beaches, food and drink, it’s a perfect way to spend the weekend.

While we spent some time in Barcelona itself, we also hired a car and drove to Alt Penedes for some cava tasting and Costa Brava for some time at the beach.

– Cava tasting: the most commercial choice is Freixenet which is great for a cava lesson and tour.  That said, I’d recommend some of the smaller places in the town, including Recaredo.