Welcome to Barcelona with Marta! This site is an initiative by Marta Rubio, a Barcelonan eager to share tips about her city with others. If you’re curious about who is behind Barcelona with Marta and what drives me, read on!
About Me
Hola, I am Marta Rubio, born and raised in Barcelona. From a young age, I have been fascinated by my city: a place like Barcelona leaves no one untouched.
In 2011, I started HolaBarcelona.nl, a website where I collect all my tips about Barcelona, aiming to show you the real Barcelona of the locals. In June 2020, the site was renamed to Barcelona with Marta, with the goal of making the site even more personal. Since 2023, all my content has also been translated into English 🙂.
From Barcelona to the Netherlands
Born in Barcelona in 1986 to a Spanish family, I have lived my entire life in the Horta neighborhood, on the outskirts of Barcelona. A wonderfully quiet area outside the busy city center, with lots of greenery and a family atmosphere.
I particularly remember how we always went to play in the park near Turó de la Peira on weekends and how much fun I had at the Laberint d’Horta. And then the neighborhood festivals, every September at a large esplanade nearby.
We always spent summers at the campsite (which later became an apartment by the beach on the Costa Daurada) or in my mother’s village.
Then I went to study Advertising and PR at the University of Barcelona and decided to go abroad after I graduated.
I had always dreamed of living abroad, so it came as no surprise that I moved to the Netherlands because of my Dutch boyfriend.
Between 2008 and 2023, I lived in the Netherlands. There, I pursued a master’s in marketing at the University of Nijmegen, followed by several jobs in the online marketing world. I learned to speak Dutch, bought a house with my boyfriend, and even became a mother to a wonderful boy.
From the Netherlands back to Barcelona
Our dream was always to return to Barcelona. And that dream became a reality in 2023: we moved from the Netherlands to Barcelona and now live in a lovely apartment near the beach outside Barcelona, but close enough to travel there daily!
The Creation of Barcelona with Marta
Soon after I moved to the Netherlands, I noticed that Barcelona was a popular city trip destination and many people were interested in my tips. So, I increasingly received requests from people going to Barcelona and kept making to-do lists with my recommendations.
It was my partner who, around 2010, came up with the idea of putting these tips online to help even more people discover the real Barcelona. I was very enthusiastic, and so it happened: in 2011, I started the website and what began as a hobby has now become my full-time job.
Being My Own Boss
At the end of 2015, I decided to take the leap to work full-time for Barcelona with Marta. Maintaining the website was already taking up a lot of my time and was almost impossible to sustain with a demanding role as an online marketer like I had.
Moreover, there were many exciting plans on the shelf that required more time and attention if I wanted to pursue them. Starting my own business felt like the right path.
In hindsight, it was a good move, and I’m still very happy I dared to take that step: now I can fully focus on my business and also have much more free time to spend with my family.
What I Do for Barcelona with Marta
Barcelona with Marta is a summary of my personal tips for your trip to Barcelona. I have written every page you see here myself. Having lived in Barcelona almost my entire life, I have visited many places and know the city inside out. The best museums, places to shop, tasty restaurants… you name it!
In Barcelona, I’m always looking for the best activities and addresses, so I can then share them with you. Because Barcelona is a destination with so much to experience, it’s definitely worth visiting more than once!
Furthermore
In addition, I am busy with motherhood, expanding my business, taking great trips, and mainly enjoying life, as we Spaniards do. Here are a few fun facts about me that you might not know:
- I love good food but was never really interested in cooking until I became a mother. Now, I really enjoy learning recipes from my mother and cooking myself.
- I have a real knack for languages. I speak 6 languages, although my German is not so good anymore. Before moving to the Netherlands, I took a year of Dutch lessons in Barcelona and did a lot of self-study. With that, I was able to land my first part-time job in a fashion store upon arriving in the Netherlands.
- In 2016, I became the mother of my son Mateo. We’re raising him bilingual (Spanish and Dutch), but he can also speak a bit of Catalan and English.
- As an online marketer, I have worked for some of the largest companies in the retail sector in the Netherlands (such as Kleertjes and Wehkamp).
- Reading and drawing are my other two biggest hobbies. As a child, I won several competitions in writing and drawing. So, my enjoyment in creating content for Barcelona with Marta doesn’t come out of nowhere.
- In Barcelona, I worked for a year at the history museum of Barcelona. I was often found at the Museu Monestir de Pedralbes and the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat (MUHBA Plaça Reial).
- I love traveling and prefer to plan my trips as well as possible in advance. My most beautiful travel memories are in Spain, America, Greece, Italy, and France.
- Since 2020, I also manage a second website, Holandia.es, which showcases the best of the Netherlands to the Spanish-speaking world.
