We've been waiting a long time for this trip and it is finally here! Jonathan is on a sabbatical from work so we decided to take advantage of it and travel. We really wanted to spend time around the Mediterranean, so I pitched the idea of doing a vegetarian Mediterranean cookbook to my publisher, Abrams, and they loved the idea! It's going to be called THE FOREST FEAST MEDITERRANEAN and it'll be 100+ vegetarian small plates inspired by food we are trying on this trip. It is slated to be out Fall 2019!!
We will be gone 3 months in all, and are hitting up 4 countries in the western part of the Mediterranean: Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. We are of course traveling with our 2 boys: Ezra recently turned 3 and Max is 9 months. They aren't in school yet, so we figured this is as good a time as any to take them on the road!
Max at our apartment in Barcelona
Our first stop is a month in Barcelona, where we are currently and we are LOVING it. Despite living in the forest, we love city life and miss NYC (where Jon grew up), so we knew we wanted a good chunk of our time to be spent getting to know a new city. He speaks Spanish, so that was a draw, and I love tapas! The warmer, southern climate was also a draw since we are traveling in fall/winter.
We rented an apartment in the Eixample neighborhood which is central but not touristy. It's been a great location with lots of cute cafes and restaurants. We walk almost everywhere and we've had lovely warm fall weather so far. We have been doing a lot, but also come home daily for siesta (our kids' naptimes!) which makes it feel relaxed. We love spending evenings outdoors in different neighborhood plazas. Many of the plazas have a playground across from an outdoor cafe where we can order a cocktail and some Patatas Bravas while watching Ezra play. (Why does this not exist more prevalently in America?!)
Warm evening in a plaza in our neighborhood for drinks and tapas before dinner.
The Gaudi benches at the famous Park Guell
Park Guell detail, Barcelona
Placa Reial- Barcelona
At the Sagrada Familia Cathedral by Gaudi in Barcelona
We have done some day trips outside the city to Sitges (a beautiful old beach town), Montserrat (take a cable car up a mountain to a monastery), and Girona (a stunning medieval town full of cobblestone streets).
The 4 of us on a day trip from Barcelona to the ancient town of Girona
Follow along on Instagram @theforestfeast where I post what we are doing daily. I'm posting additional photos on Instagram Stories and on Facebook as well. Check out this post for my Barcelona Travel Guide with restaurant recommendations.
Until soon....Adios!