As the days grow shorter and the light of summer feels like a memory, I find myself longing for the effortless beauty of Spain in the summertime. My mind drifts back to gingham sundresses, crochet cover-ups, and the ease of slipping into a bikini before heading to the sea. It was a season that felt almost suspended in time, filled with warmth, spontaneity, and that unmistakable Mediterranean magic.
This year has been one of extraordinary travels for me, and I carry nothing but gratitude for the opportunities my work continues to bring. Each journey feels like a gift, an invitation to experience new cultures, places, and people while weaving them into the story of my own life. But when I think of summer, my heart wanders most often to Barcelona and the coast beyond—where the air hums with creativity, and the rhythm of life invites you to let go and simply be.
The Spirit of Barcelona
Barcelona in the summer is unlike anywhere else. It has this bohemian energy, a pulse that’s both modern and timeless, artistic and raw. There’s something about wandering the streets in the golden evening light that makes you feel both free and grounded all at once. I’d slip into a cropped halter top and low-slung jeans, blending in with the stylish locals yet feeling entirely myself.
Las Ramblas, with its bustle of voices and colors, is always alive. But tucked between its corners are quieter streets where balconies drip with flowers, where the sound of guitar music floats through the night. That’s the Barcelona I love—the mix of bold energy and soft stillness, a city that’s not afraid to embrace its contrasts.
Seaside Escape in Sitges
Just a short journey away is Sitges, a coastal haven where time seems to move differently. Here, life revolves around the sea—the horizon stretching endlessly, the waves whispering against the sand. My days in Sitges were stripped down to simplicity: a black bikini, sun-kissed skin, and the salt of the sea tangled in my hair.
There’s a freedom in places like this, where you can shed layers—both literal and metaphorical—and live with a kind of ease that feels rare in the busyness of everyday life. Sitges is colorful, playful, and liberating, a town that invites you to embrace your undone, carefree side. And maybe that’s why I return to it so often in memory.
A Summer of Gratitude
Looking back, what stays with me isn’t just the style or the setting—it’s the feeling. The laughter over late dinners in tucked-away tapas bars, the way the sun lingered late into the evening, and the freedom of moving through days without a script. There’s something incredibly healing about a season that encourages you to loosen your grip on perfection and allow yourself to live a little messier, a little freer.
This past year, I’ve been reminded again and again how lucky I am to do the work I do. Traveling the world, meeting incredible people, and experiencing cultures in such intimate ways—it’s a privilege I never take for granted. But more than anything, it’s the moments of stillness, of feeling rooted in a place, that I cherish most. And Spain gave me that in abundance this summer.
Carrying Summer Forward
As I sit here, far from the Mediterranean sun, I carry pieces of that summer with me. The gingham dresses folded away in my closet, the crochet pieces that still smell faintly of salt and sunscreen, the memories etched into photographs and my own heart. They remind me of a season defined not by what I achieved, but by how I felt: present, free, and deeply grateful.
Barcelona and Sitges will always hold a special place in my soul. They are places that feed the free-spirited, undone part of me—the side that loves life a little wilder, a little more colorful, and entirely unpolished. And while the seasons change and new adventures await, I know that summer in Spain will forever be my touchstone for joy.
Because sometimes the most perfect journeys aren’t about where you go, but about how a place makes you feel—and Spain made me feel endlessly alive.
