Everything We’d Do Again (and One Thing We’d Skip)

Andrew and I just got back from the most incredible 10-day trip through Spain, France, and Italy with some of our closest friends, and I already want to go back (but we need our girls this time I can’t leave them again).

We started with three days in Barcelona before hopping on Harmony of the Seas, and I don’t think we could’ve picked a better itinerary. Every stop had something different to offer, but there were definitely a few places that completely surprised us.

Barcelona

We flew into Barcelona and stayed at the Hotel Arts, which I would book again in a heartbeat. The location was perfect, the staff was amazing, and it was the best place to kick off our trip. I went to their coffee shop every single day and still dream about those lattes wow.

The first thing we did was visit Sagrada Família, and my gosh..pictures truly don’t do it justice. If you’re planning a visit, go around 4:30 or 5:00 p.m. The sunlight coming through the stained-glass windows is unreal. We also did a guided tour, and I’m so glad we did because it made us appreciate everything we were looking at so much more.

That night we grabbed dinner at The Rooftop at Sir Victor. The rooftop views were beautiful, the appetizers were so good, and somehow one of the best burgers I had all trip came from a rooftop bar.

The next day we wandered the Gothic Quarter, had pizza and sangria at Avinyó 10, and then did a cooking class with Claudia. This ended up being one of my favorite experiences of the whole trip. We walked through a local market, learned about Spanish ingredients, then cooked everything together. It didn’t feel touristy at all—it felt like getting a glimpse into the culture of Barcelona.

Before leaving, we spent one full day doing absolutely nothing but relaxing by the pool with our friends at the W Barcelona. After walking miles every day and adjusting to the time change, it was exactly what we needed.

Harmony of the Seas

After Barcelona, we boarded Harmony of the Seas.

I knew it was a big ship, but I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. Even with thousands of people onboard, it never felt crowded. We had beautiful weather, smooth sailing (which is saying something I get motion sickness), and a relaxing day at sea before our first port.

Cinque Terre

Our first stop was La Spezia, where we took the train to Monterosso al Mare and hiked to Vernazza.

I’m not going to lie…this hike humbled me.

It was close to 100 degrees, took about an hour and a half, and felt like there were at least 500 stairs. I questioned our decision a few times, but every time we turned a corner, the views reminded us why we’d come. It was absolutely worth it.

Once we made it to Vernazza, we rewarded ourselves with lunch overlooking the water. I had basil pasta at Lucca looking over the water. It was easily my favorite meal of the trip. We finished the afternoon swimming in the Mediterranean, grabbing gelato, and taking the train back to the ship completely worn out.

Marseille

This was Andrew’s and my day to plan for our group, and somehow everything came together perfectly, thanks to our travel agent Sarah Smith!

We hired private transportation to take all 20 of us to the marina, where we boarded a traditional Tartan boat for the day. It honestly felt like a dream. Sunshine, wine, swimming, cliff jumping…it was one of those days you never want to end.

Our driver also recommended Mamet Augustine for lunch, and it ended up being one of the best restaurants we visited. If you go, order the Burrata pasta or the Truffle pasta.

Mallorca

Can we talk about Mallorca for a second? How was this place not already on my bucket list?

Out of every stop on this trip, Mallorca was hands-down my favorite. We hired a driver and spent the day at Purobeach Palma, and I honestly wish we had three more days there.

Everything about it was beautiful—the water, the views, the atmosphere. We barely scratched the surface, which just gives us another reason to go back.

Also…order the quesadilla and nachos. Trust me.

Cartagena & Alicante

Our last two stops were Cartagena and Alicante.

Cartagena was the slower day. We wandered around the city, grabbed lunch at Mano Mano (the pizza was great, but somehow the chicken sandwich was also solid), then headed back to the ship for naps. Andrew played volleyball with the guys, I read by the pool with the girls, and we just enjoyed slowing down for a bit.

Alicante was pretty, but if I’m being honest, it was probably our least favorite stop. We grabbed lunch (yes…Taco Bell in Spain 😂), stopped at a Wine bar, and then headed back to the ship early.

Honestly, after the week we’d had, all we wanted to do was soak up every last minute with our friends before heading home to our girls.

Final Thoughts

This trip was one for the books.

The food, the people, the views, and getting to experience it all with some of our favorite friends made it SO much fun.

If I had to give just a few recommendations, they’d be:

• Plan actives at the port stops, the two days we just wondered around weren’t my favorites.
• Book the cooking class.
• Do the Cinque Terre hike (even though you’ll complain the whole way 😂).
• And whatever you do…make time for Mallorca.
• Skip the specialty Italian restaurant on Harmony. We paid extra, and it ended up being one of our least favorite meals. The Main Dining Room was consistently better—and it’s already included.

Now excuse me while I try to figure out how to get back to Europe.

Thanks for being here !

<3 Mary Margaret