Strap in, because this edition of the newsletter is our longest one so far! We covered lots of ground – two beautiful (but very different) Spanish cities in one week.

Last weekend we took the train from Seville to Granada and (unexpectedly) stepped out into much cooler weather. Granada sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at roughly 730 meters (2,400 feet) above sea level.

Those snow-capped peaks, along with the steep streets leading up into the Albaicín neighborhood, gave a feeling of being tucked away in a remote place. After getting a little lost, we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the city from our Airbnb.

On the morning of our visit to the Alhambra, we woke up to a blistering rain storm. We almost, almost, didn’t leave the house, but decided to brave the elements and make our slow, slippery way down the hill and into town. Street closures foiled our attempts to reach Alhambra on foot, so we finally found a bus.

By the time we reached the palace, we were late for our ticketed time slot and sloshing around in wet socks. Despite having a reputation for the utmost strictness for punctuality, the staff had mercy and let us in.

Construction of Alhambra was begun in 1238 by the ruler of the Emirate of Granada, the last independent Muslim state on the Iberian Peninsula.

During this era, the Alhambra was a self-contained city separate from the rest of Granada below.

Photos don’t do it justice. The interior is stunning - every wall is carved in intricate Islamic art. We saw its influence in the rest of the city, in ways we hadn’t experienced yet in Spain.

Four pairs of wet socks (and a few hours) later, we treated ourselves to churros and chocolate. As luck would have it, the rain stopped just as we returned home. Oh well!

The next day we visited a small, charming restaurant called El Rincón de Julio that Shruti had her eye on. We indulged in a rich Oxtail stew and an “Alhambra Especial” cerveza.

Our time in Granada was over quickly, but we clocked many miles of walking its diverse streets. We visited tiny bookshops, eclectic market stalls, and cozy tea rooms.

One of our favorite discoveries was the appearance of the granada (pomegranate) in different ways across the city, which Shruti documented:

On the morning of our flight to Barcelona, we woke to yet another rain storm. This one had been going all night, and Nate was afraid our flight would be delayed (or worse).

Everything turned out alright in the end, but Granada didn’t let us go without one last dousing; we boarded the plane directly from the tarmac, so the plane entrance was exposed to the elements. The rain was coming down at just the right angle to wet exactly two seats in the front row. Guess whose seats those were?

Turns out the rain in Spain can also be found inside the plane!

Barcelona in comparison has been much more sunny and dry. Nate took to the Airbnb immediately, which has lots of natural light and a nice, homey feel to it. We’re staying in the neighborhood of Poble Sec, which is very walkable, but just far enough from the city center to feel quiet at night.

Of all the cities we’ve visited so far, Barcelona feels most like New York. There’s a diverse, metropolitan air to it, along with many quaint little secrets to discover. It’s chilly but sunny, so everyone is still out chatting over coffee and walking their dogs. We’ve walked along the water and wandered into the Gothic Quarter, with its tiny shops and closely huddled buildings.

On our third day in Barcelona, we visited the Sagrada Familia church, which has been under continuous construction since 1882. It seems to morph into different styles from one section to another, mixing bright “Art Noveau” splashes with more traditional Gothic carvings.

On 30 October 2025, Sagrada Família became the world's tallest church when a part of its central tower was lifted into place and reached 162 meters (530 feet).

On our way back home, we just happened to stop by a coffee shop to use the restroom. The vibes were right, so we grabbed a table and looked over the bakery items. Nate picked out what seemed to be a basic chocolate croissant.

Boy were we wrong. This bad boy was a Nutella-filled revelation. We’re still thinking about it, days later. So if you’re ever in the area, check out El Fornet.

Like our favorite moments in Lisbon, Seville, and Granada, we’ve enjoyed “picking a direction” in Barcelona and wandering. But more so than those other cities, Barcelona seems to have something for everyone.

It also feels more spacious in its sidewalks and plazas, which makes for more peaceful ambling without having to contend with cars and motorcycles (at least for Nate).

The highlights keep coming, so we’ll taper off the long-winded ramblings and just share some more photos:

This brings us to our last full day in Barcelona. We’ve been grateful for the sunny weather, but we’ve been even luckier to escape the torrential rains and flooding that are now hitting the region we just left.

Spain has been a whirlwind. In Portugal, we spent 14 days in one city, whereas in Spain we’ve spent 19 days in three cities. We’re looking forward to France, where we can park ourselves in Montpellier for a week and visit family.

Until next time!