I spent two weeks in Spain for my 30th birthday, beginning in Barcelona before making my way south along the coast.

Barcelona was everything I had hoped for as an architect. I visited Sagrada Família, where the light filtering through the stained glass created an interior unlike anything I had seen before. I also toured Casa Batlló and visited Casa Milà, experiencing Gaudí’s work up close. Outside of architecture, the city felt vibrant and familiar. It was great to hear a foreign language I understood for the most part. I picked up a wine-colored bag from Longchamp—my usual travel souvenir—and spent my days exploring with one or two booked events each day and the remainder of the time open for shopping, sitting at cafes, and spontaneous decisions.

From Barcelona, I took the train to Córdoba to visit Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba, a space that holds both Islamic and Christian histories. I continued on to Granada, where I met up with my friend and visited the Alhambra which had been on my list for years. From there, we rented a car and drove to Frigiliana, a Pueblo Blanco tucked into the hills. The narrow streets, whitewashed buildings, and blue doors reminded me of Greece. We continued on to a quiet beach where families gathered and the water was clear and intensely blue.