Barcelona-bound: Harpswood’s summer 2023 away trip

Following our incredible summer trip to Paris in 2022, in June 2023 we set our sights further afield to Barcelona with a few new team members in tow.

We met early on Thursday morning at St Pancras Station to catch the Eurostar to Paris where we would hop on another train bound for Barcelona. Our Barcelona expert Grace led the planning of the trip, using her knowledge of the city from having lived and worked there during her studies to plan the ultimate itinerary. 

After checking into our hotel in the trendy Eixample neighbourhood, the team headed out for tapas and an early(ish) night. 

Friday was packed with a series of interactive workshops, including pitching practice where the account teams went head to head with Harpswood’s ex senior journalists to tackle imaginary crises plucked from the ‘bucket of disasters’. 

The biggest surprise came when the team revealed a secret project they’d been working on for months to James and Abi. They’d been putting their writing skills to work to publish a faux magazine complete with a fake interview with Harpswood’s founder James, PR horoscopes predicting sell-in success and ‘news in brief’ brimming with inside agency jokes. 

Once the day’s work was done, Grace led us on a walking tour of the city en route to a beautiful rooftop bar in time for a sunset drink, followed by a late dinner where the tapas and drinks flowed. 

Saturday was a free day, and the variety in the way that it was spent summed up our team. Our resident foodie Steve Myall was up early to sample as much of the city’s culinary specialties as possible. The rest of us made an appearance at the hotel restaurant for breakfast at varying times before a relaxed day spent wandering the gothic quarter, enjoying the beach and shopping for souvenirs. 

We reunited in the early evening at a food market where we caught up on each other’s ventures. Impromptu dancing, a visit to the iconic El Gato statue, and perfect weather made the trip another unforgettable one. 

One could worry we’ve raised the bar for Harpswood’s away trips impossibly high - yet with new European offices just launched in Munich and Milan, we won’t be running short of incredible destinations any time soon…