Historical Heritage Meets Contemporary Design in Mercer Hotel, Barcelona

I wasn’t sure we could take another step and the silent cursing that had been bottled up inside me was rising to the surface. Our cab driver had told us there was no way to get to the hotel in a car and dropped us at the bottom of an alleyway (it is important to note here that taxi’s can come in through another entry directly to the door!). An uphill alleyway at least 100 metres from our hotel with us carrying 2 large suitcases, 3 small ones, 3 backpacks, a pram the size of a small cow, a car seat and two tired children. Lazy son of a gun.

With a backpack strapped to my back I continued pushing the stroller uphill, it was fully loaded with 2 small suitcases in it, one backpack and a car seat. Mia was complaining as she pulled, or rather dragged, her small pink bag up the hill, while Caius was fearlessly running so far ahead I was switching between cursing the lazy cab driver and yelling at him to return.

Josh was pulling the two large suitcases and a small one. We continued our climb hoping that our hotel was somewhere on this cobbled alleyway.

We almost stumbled pass it. Hidden in the Gothic walls of the ancient city a bellman rushed to our aid welcoming us to the Mercer Hotel Barcelona.  We were quickly relieved of everything we owned, offered a cold glass of water, a packet of lollies for the kids to keep them busy, and a friendly, speedy check-in while we caught our breath.

Photo provided by Mercer Hotel

The Mercer Hotel is a 5 star luxury indulgence. The building was built on an ancient Roman defence tower dating back to 1st century AD. When you walk through it’s chambers across the ancient floors you can almost feel yourself going back to that time, but luckily enough with all the modern conveniences of the 21st century.

We were given a quick tour around the property and the library featuring original ancient walls was by far my favourite room. A perfect place to enjoy a quiet, relaxing read with your favourite book. While the hubby thought the rooftop pool with views over Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter was the place he would want to spend all day. 

After witnessing such beautiful and ancient architecture, it was a surprise, albeit a pleasant one, to find our suite finished with state-of-the-art elements. There was plenty of room for all of us as Mercer designed all 28 guest rooms in the hotel to be no less than 30m2 floor space. On top of that there was a beautiful window/balcony overlooking the hotel’s courtyard with its 17th-century columns and fragrant blossoming orange trees.

It’s easy to see why the hotel has received so many prestigious awards, including recognition as one of the 100 Best Hotels and Resorts in the “International Traveller Magazine”.

We decided to spend an evening in our delightful hotel to thoroughly appreciate the luxury on offer, and we were delighted when the turn-down service arrived later that evening with delectable chocolates and cold water. 

It was a leisurely morning the following day and we received the opportunity to witness the delightful breakfast service. The food served was simple, yet refined and executed with a high level of precision and quality. The superb personalised service was definitely the highlight for us. Every hotel staff member was warm and friendly. The central courtyard was a concert of aromas with fresh coffee brewing and delicate flowers adoring each table. Josh’s eyes kept drifting to the colossal chocolate cake and he wondered, could he really nibble on that for breakfast? Turns out he had no qualms with indulging in a sweet, rich cake so early in the morning. The breakfast of champions! 

The hotel is conveniently located in between the ancient walls with restaurants either side and a short walk to the Gothic cathedral, and walking distance to the waterfront. Despite the exclusivity of such a historical hotel, every time we passed through the lobby the staff were extremely welcoming, especially with the children.

Our two nights in Barcelona were truly memorable because of our stay the Mercer Hotel, from my naughty bedtime chocolates to exquisite décor. If you are looking for a bit of exclusivity without the exclusion then perhaps consider a stay at the Mercer.

Cram It: 48 Hours In Barcelona, Spain

15 days had passed since we disembarked our cruise ship in Civitavecchia but it felt like months. We had seen so much in such a short period of time on our Southern Europe road trip. But now it was coming to an end and Barcelona was a fitting finale.

Arriving in Barcelona we needed to find the location for returning our leased car. This was easier said than done as we ended up driving to completely the wrong spot. After some double-checking and finger-crossing, we tried another location which turned out to be the right one. Phew!

By the time we reached our hotel, we were all exhausted, having been on the road since early morning. The kids gobbled up some leftover spaghetti for dinner and were fast asleep in no time without a peep. Erin went foraging in the brightly lit streets and came back 20 minutes later smiling with a bag of Chinese takeaway. Yum!

The following day was spent discovering the city. We ambled through the centre of the city to find a bus that would take us to the world-famous Guell Park. On the way the kids found an unsuspecting flock of pigeons in a park. Normally Caius has no chance of catching fast-moving birds, but this time he got his hands on one. It was like a scene from the Road Runner when Wiley Coyote finally catches him and then doesn’t know what to do.

Guell Park was jam-packed with visitors. The sight resurrected suppressed memories of our Chinese school holiday torment in Hong Kong from 2012. Fortunately it wasn’t that bad, and the Spanish (and tourists) understood the value of courtesy. The architecture throughout the park was certainly unique. Antoni Gaudí, the designer, had quite a talent for creating whimsical masterpieces. Being a “park” we were hoping to find more things for the kids to do, but it was more of a “looking” park than a “doing” one. After an hour or so wandering around and taking the occasional snaps, we made our way back into town.

The kids were worn out from the road trip and the long walk around the Guell Park, so Erin took them back to the hotel for a nap and I picked up a light lunch. We couldn’t have lived with ourselves if we visited Spain without trying some genuine tapas. They were bite-sized and pay-per-piece so you could have as many (or few) as you like. But the average piece cost at least €2.80 so the damage added up quick.

With the kids resting in the hotel, I headed back onto the streets with Erin’s parents to capture more of the sights. We grabbed a taxi and the first destination on our list was probably the most recognisable building in Barcelona - Sagrada Família (Church of the Holy Family).

This could be considered as Gaudí’s legacy to the world. Construction started in 1882 and he was still working on it at the time of his death in 1926. As funding for the project relied on private donations, progress was painfully slow. In 2010 it finally reached the half-way mark and is scheduled to be completed in 2026, a century after his death. We saw a scale model of the finished construction on-site and it will be even more impressive and opulent when completed. This guy didn’t have any problems with dreaming big!

After one more short photo stop, we returned to the hotel, picked up the kids and walked down to the harbour just a couple blocks from the hotel. This time we were equipped with the pram. It was a lovely walk, soaking up the atmosphere and watching the golden sun gently setting.

We were hoping to take the kids on the giant Ferris wheel that we had seen the previous day, but workers had started to dismantle it that very morning. Markets lined the street, which provided some retail therapy for the ladies. Afterwards, we found a nearby restaurant for dinner, but unfortunately the food was disappointing. 

The next morning we said our tearful goodbyes to Erin’s parents before catching a taxi to the airport. It had been a wonderful road trip, and even better to do it with family. Our next destination,Ireland, was just around the corner.

We really enjoyed Barcelona even though our stay was far too short. There is something intangible in the atmosphere of this city, and we loved the city buzz, rich culture and colourful history. And best of all, we finally ate some real tapas. 

My Kids Running With The Bulls In Pamplona, Spain

After a frightful morning in France when the police towed my car we were finally heading towards Spain.

It was late September when we rolled into Pamplona (check hotel prices…). We had no intention of running with bulls in July, but we did want to see where all the action took place and what we stumbled onto was much more fun than we could have hoped for. 

Pamplona

Pamplona is the historical capital of Navarre and is located in a rounded valley. It’s about 735km (457 miles) from Paris and 407km (253 miles) from Madrid. Thankfully it was only a day trip from our previous destination - Toulouse, France.

Pamplona is most famous for the annual San Fermin festival held in July, which includes the iconic running of the bulls. 

San Fermin Chiquito

San Fermin used to be held in September. I guess the weather was better in July so they changed the festival dates.

However on the original dates you can still attend San Fermin Chiquito or the Basque spelling San Fermin Txikito.

Quite by chance we stumbled upon this small festival that is held every year around 25thSeptember. It commemorates the martyrdom of the saint in Amiens, France. It runs for roughly four days and is well suited for families with children, but of course everyone is invited. 

Running Of The Bulls Festival

Parking was a mission and as we walked up the cobbled streets of this gorgeous Spanish town we noticed a swelling crowd. We found refuge on the side of the road as children gleefully started filling the alley like a torrential river. 

Children dressed in red and white lined up alongside children rolling bull heads like wheelbarrows. We had stumbled on nothing other then our very own family friendly “running of the bulls.”

We watched from a safe elevated path as the fanfare and bells and screaming escalated into a momentous thrust of energy. The “bulls” were released! Children and parents ran through the streets screaming and hollering, while wheelbarrow bulls and costumed men gave chase. It was so cute!

Once the crowd had subsided we walked down into the alley and joined in the fun. I was the bull and my kids ran like the clappers. The atmosphere was intoxicating and it didn’t even matter that we weren’t watching real bulls. We were taking part in a world-famous centuries-old festival. All quite by accident.

Check out our video:

Giants and Big-Heads parade

As we reached the top of the alley and into the middle of town we spotted the Giants and Big-Heads parade, much like the grown-up version of this festival. 

The parade of gigantes y cabezudos (in English giants and big-heads) features giant figures that walk the streets as you might expect. You will usually find around 8 figures which represent four kings and queens of 4 difference races and places (Europe, Asia, America and Africa). They stand at almost 4 metres in height, each carried by a dancer inside a wooden structure. Following the rhythm of traditional music, the dancing giants following bopped along. The atmosphere was electric.

There were many other characters lurking about, some giants, others just giant heads worn as helmets on human bodies. Once the parade was over the crowds contracted and we could easily make our way around town. 

The Rest Of Pamplona

During our unplanned, no-destination-in-mind wander around Pamplona we meandered past theCathedral de Santa Maria La Real, which housed a giant baby head sculpture outside it’s front doors.

We stopped at a few restaurants to soak up the scent of fresh tapas before choosing on a little hole-in-the-wall for dinner.

Music and laughter followed us around the whole evening as people celebrated in the streets and loitered in the pubs.

It was an exciting day. One that was completely unplanned and totally worked in our favour. I love random travel moments like that. And now I’ll always remember that my kids got to run with the bulls in Pamplona.

While in Pamplona we stayed in Hotel Avienda. But there are quite a few other affordable hotels in the area.