The food is excellent, the wine is inexpensive, nice beaches are just a train ride away and it’s an easy city to get around but I’ve had a hard time understanding why Barcelona is a favorite city of so many people I adore. I just couldn’t find the soul of the city. Yes I know that’s why there’s chocolate and vanilla.

I was fortunate to have arrived on a day when FC Barcelona was playing. Not that I’m a huge sports fan but I always seek out a local game in any place I visit. It’s a great way to meet the people and experience their sports culture. (The fans didn’t sing as much as I anticipated) The game I attended started at 11pm, determined to make it a nap was a priority. FC Barcelona is owned and operated by their supporters. The club is worth $3.58 billion, making it the 3rd most valuable sports team in the world according to Forbes. The Dallas Cowboys and Real Madrid rank 1st and 2nd.

The night we attended the game Barça was playing Sevilla, a city I had previously spent some time in. The city of Sevilla, like their football team, was smaller and slower than Barcelona. These were reasons I preferred it and secretly rooted for Sevilla, not that it helped!

Some of you may think my bias has to do with seeing my nephew who lives in Sevilla, yes that was a huge bonus but nonetheless I enjoyed Sevilla much more than Barcelona. It is smaller and I felt like I was in an authentic spanish town and not a big international city. I loved getting lost in the narrow alleys of the old town and the gardens at Alcazar Palace were impressive.

In Barcelona I really enjoyed the Picasso Museum, the Gaudi buildings were cool, the beach was perfect and I explored the city with a friend but what can I say? I like chocolate and Sevilla more than Barcelona.