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Destinations

We lived in London and spend a lot of time traveling all over the continent. Hotels in Europe can be tricky to fit families into, pricey, and in high demand. Let us know if you need help because we have benefits at luxury hotels in every major European city and beyond.

All Europe Articles

LONDON

20 Things I’d Do on a Dream Trip to London

Visiting London? These are the things I’d do on a dream trip to the fabulous city I used to call home.

DESTINATIONS

Experience Parisian Chic at Five-Star Hotel Regina

A review of our stay at Hotel Regina, a five-star luxury hotel in the heart of Paris that is family friendly and across the street from the Louvre.

DESTINATIONS

A fruit and vegetable stand at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona

Take a Peek Inside Barcelona’s Famous la Boqueria Market

One of Barcelona’s most popular attractions is La Boqueria Market (Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria), a public market located just off La Rambla. It’s home to a number of prepared and fresh food vendors as well as fantastic, casual places to eat.

Many residents of Barcelona find it touristy and prefer to shop at quieter markets. But that doesn’t mean that you should skip La Boqueria. Many of Barcelona’s best restaurants buy produce here, signaling high quality and professional trust of knowledgeable vendors. Apples are rosy red and unblemished, candy is molded to perfection and seafood looks like it was just plucked from the ocean. Between the vibrant colors, sounds and smells… walking inside is a very sensory experience.

Plus, when visiting Barcelona, you’re probably going to wind up in the area and it’s a fantastic place to stop for a healthy juice, cup of fruit, and souvenirs. I could easily walk to the market from Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona.

Fresh juice in a variety of flavors is sold all over La Boqueria Market in Barcelona.

Early mention of market actually dates back centuries—even as early as 1217 when tables merely set up for selling meat. In about 1840, the market was moved to its current location on La Rambla but its steel roof wasn’t added until 1914.

If touring with kids, be mindful that there is candy galore: gummies, truffles, and other artisanal glory all over the market. My daughter would have gone crazy here. It’s busy so you’ll need to keep an eye on them.

Gummy candy in all shapes and sizes at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona.

And, there were popsicles and other decadent treats.

Popsicles at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona

Gifts to buy in the market include Spanish olive oil. I was grateful to have taken a food tour with Devour Barcelona prior to visiting La Boqueria so that I had a sense of the types of oils I liked as well as what to look for. The variety is staggering so I highly recommend doing a bit of research before entering the market as there wasn’t any olive oil tastings that I could see.

I thought the flavored salts were also intriguing.

Flavored salts at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona

I purchased several packs of a candy native to Barcelona called I regret ethat I don’t have a photo

Two Places to Eat at in La Boqueria

I also highly recommend that you do a little research before deciding where to eat in La Boqueria Market.

BarCentral had a few outlets spread around the markets that were all packed. We got lucky and snagged seats

Bar Central serves delicious seafood tapas at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona.

Ultimately, we decided on the gigantic seafood sampler paired with rose.

A giant seafood plate at BarCentral in La Boqueria Market in Barcelona

Believe it or not, this was a pre-dinner snack.

A few days later we returned to La Boqueria to pick up last-minute gifts. My friend had read about Bar Pinoxto, and judging by the crowds, a lot of other people had, too. Patiently, we held our ground and snagged seats. The wide range of tapas was worth the wait.

Tapas at Bar Pinotxo at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona

Merchants accept cash and credit cards. Depending on exactly how much shopping you do, purchases may be eligible for a VAT refund.

Be sure to research what kind of edibles you can bring back. While it’s tempting to load up on cured meat—and the vendors will vacuum seal it for travel—it just might not be allowed.

Vendors selling fruit at La Boqueria Market in Barcelona

Anyway, I just wanted to show you some pictures I had taken at the market and recommend it as a thing to do in Barcelona. Have you been to La Boqueria?

DESTINATIONS

See why Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona is one of the best luxury hotels in the city.

Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona Review & How to Book VIP

See why the chic Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona should be your luxury hotel of choice in this fantastic Mediterranean seaside city and how best to book in.

DESTINATIONS

Discerning travelers will enjoy a private Seine river cruise in Paris with River Limousine

What It’s Like to Take a Private Seine Cruise in Paris

A private cruise in a Venetian water taxi custom-made for the Seine river proved to be one of the highlights of our family vacation in Paris. The perspective of the bustling city is different from the water and as far as I know this is the most luxurious way to experience it.

The company is called River Limousine—a recommendation by Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris—and it’s so popular that there was only one date and time to choose from during our family vacation in Paris. The truth is that I was hesitant to book this cruise. I wasn’t sure if my daughter would find it interesting and I was worried that a Eurostar train delay would result in missing it entirely (and forfeiting quite a bit of cash in the process).

The second the champagne cork popped onboard, I exhaled an enormous sigh of relief. The decision was indeed a good one.

River Limousines Boarding Location

Despite direction from the concierge desk, our taxi dropped us off in totally the wrong spot. A nice gentleman then directed us down the river. Boarding happens at the Champs-Elysées Batobus stop between the Pont Alexander III & the Pont de la Concorde (on the side of the river opposite the Eiffel Tower.

My advice is to keep the River Limousine phone number and boarding directions with you as if you’re late, they won’t make up the time (which is unfortunately what happened to us).

What It’s Like Onboard River Limousine

We drank champagne during our private Seine cruise with River Limousine in Paris. Extraordinary.

The Venetian water taxi is quite elegant inside with sleek wood detail and cream leather seats. An opening in the roof allows guests the opportunity to stand up and let the wind blow through their hair (with champagne class in-hand) as the boat sails calmly down one of the world’s most famous waterways. It’s so fun to pass under some of the 37 Seine river bridges this way.

A bottle of champagne—though you can arrange for more—as well as soft drinks and juice are included in each cruise. The boat was staffed by two men who were quick to refill our drinks and impressively well-versed in Parisian history.

Our cruise first headed in the direction of the Eiffel Tower and turned around shortly past it. Next, we cruised toward the Ile de la Cite, circled the island and then returned to the boarding point (some of the sights are featured in the top slideshow). Right before docking, my 8-year-old was given the opportunity to drive the boat which was pretty neat.

My daughter briefly drove the River Limousine boat down the Seine in Paris

We were on the river for about an hour total, which meant that since we were 15 minutes late due to the taxi mix-up, they must allow another 15 minutes to allow for boarding and disembarkation (if anyone has had a different experience, I’d love to know about it).

It isn’t just the boat and its amenities that makes this cruise so different than the others. The lack of summer crowds was refreshing, of course, but the three of us left with a sense that what we’d just done was quite extraordinary.

Tips for Planning Your Luxury Seine Cruise

Book well in advance especially if visiting during peak season. We were told that the most popular times are during sunset and at midnight. I can only imagine how beautiful the night view is with the Eiffel Tower lit up in the distance. Keep in mind that the sun sets quite late in Paris during the summer—near 10:00 p.m. when we were there in June.

Our turnaround time from Eurostar to hotel to river cruise was incredibly tight so I asked the concierge whether or not it was possible to arrange snacks onboard. They said canapes could be arranged so I agreed to the €100 price. Thoughtful as they were and as last-minute as the request was, to my surprise it was a set of five drugstore boxed sandwiches. The sandwiches probably did help save my daughter from being hungry-tired which made them worth the money but I’d recommend that you not do the same. Stick with the champagne and sodas.