When I share with friends, family, coworkers, etc. that I am going to Barcelona for a month, the most common reaction is: A MONTH?! To which I reply: yes, a month.

My decision to go for a month was intentional: sure, I wanted an extended vacation, but I also wanted a tiny glimpse into what it would be like to live abroad. As much as I want to see acclaimed sights and landmarks, I also want to know what it feels like to wake up in a rented apartment, find my favorite neighborhood cafe, become a regular at a bar, have time to wander around without an itinerary, and enjoy leisurely afternoons with the luxury of time on my side.

I felt like the only way to really accomplish that was to stay for a longer period of time. I had roughly thirty days of accrued PTO, and Airbnb offers reasonable monthly rates, so I set my sights on a month-long stay… somewhere!

I knew what I was looking for and what I wasn’t. I wanted a European city, but didn’t envision myself as a Jenna in Paris or Rome kind of girl — not yet, anyway. I wanted a walkable city with great public transit because I knew I didn’t want to rent a car. Trust me, Europe does not need a native Massachusetts driver on its roadways. I wanted a place that was easy to navigate solo, with enough history, architecture, and art to keep me curious. I wanted great restaurants, culturally rich sites, beautiful views, and warm weather.

I wanted it all.

Spain has been on my radar for a while. I liked that it offers a European country with a warmer, slightly laid-back climate. It has history, architecture, beaches, cities, day trips, and top-notch cuisine. It feels like a place where sightseeing could happen at a slower pace, and where the culture is centered around long lunches, plazas, and late evenings.

After a little research, I landed on Barcelona. Pragmatically, it offered exactly what I was looking for: a walkable city on the warm Mediterranean coast with great public transportation, an abundance of places to visit over a month, beaches, and day-trip possibilities.

But outside of the logistics, I was drawn to the tiny streets of the Gothic Quarter, with ancient ruins serving as the backdrop for residents on their way to work. As a whole, the city is laced with old bars to disappear into, local markets to buy provisions for my apartment, and plazas to bask in the sun and read a book purchased from a neighborhood bookstore. Barcelona has the feeling of being somewhere layered with culture and history. It isn’t just a destination. It’s a place where I could imagine building a little routine in a city oozing with character.

As far as solo travel goes, Barcelona felt extremely approachable. It is a city where being alone wouldn’t feel too strange — but will I pass on the sunset cruise? Yes. It has museums, cafés, plazas, neighborhoods, shops, and cultural sites to enjoy solo, with enough stimulation without requiring a buddy. It feels like a place where I can learn to be content dining alone, move at a slower pace, and cultivate memories that are uniquely my own.

I know a month somewhere does not make me a local, and I know Barcelona is a real city with real residents, real issues, a complicated relationship with tourism, and far more complexity than anything I can absorb in thirty days. But I wanted to choose a place that gave me enough time to be curious beyond the surface.

By the end of this trip, I hope to have a favorite place to relax, a few strange and wonderful facts about this historic city stored away, and a bar that I’m convinced makes the best vermouth cocktail. But mostly, I hope to leave with a better understanding of Barcelona, a few recommendations to share with others, and a little more confidence in my capability to create a rhythm all my own somewhere new.