To Barcelona, With Love is a heartwarming Hallmark romance that officially premiered on June 7, 2025. Featuring Alison Sweeney as Erica and Ashley Williams as Anna, this film is part of Hallmark’s “Passport to Love” collection. The story follows two women brought together by a book, a translation, and a deep secret—set against the lively, romantic backdrop of Barcelona, Spain.
The opening scenes transport viewers to cobblestone streets, historic landmarks, and cozy bookshops. The movie was filmed in Spain, not on a backlot, which gives it an authentic charm. The end product is a visually stunning experience that shows off some of Spain’s most famous and culturally fascinating places.
NetFilming takes you through all the filming locations that made this movie feel so real and magical.
Where Was To Barcelona, With Love Filmed?
The production team shot the movie mainly in Barcelona, with additional scenes filmed in Bilbao, a northern Spanish city. These real locations added a genuine European feel to the film. The team didn’t just use landmarks; they captured the atmosphere of city life—markets, parks, plazas, and the buzz of everyday activity.
Let’s look at the exact locations where filming took place.
Cathedral of Barcelona—Gothic Quarter, Barcelona
One of the central filming spots is the Cathedral of Barcelona, also known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. This beautiful Gothic cathedral is in the middle of the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), which is a historic district rich in medieval beauty.
The cathedral appears in many scenes, particularly those depicting Erica’s emotional journey. This venue gave the movie both visual elegance and historical weight. It included tall towers, old arches and a tranquil cloister with 13 white geese (representing Saint Eulalia’s age when she was killed).
Many of the nearby lanes and side streets were used to capture casual walk-and-talk moments, which made the movie feel more real.
La Sagrada Família—Barcelona, Catalonia
La Sagrada Família, the world-famous basilica constructed by architect Antoni Gaudí, is another big part of the movie. This unfinished masterpiece is famous for its lofty spires & elaborate facades. It is typically depicted in the background of romantic or introspective scenes.
Several significant moments featured the basilica as a backdrop, highlighting the area’s rich cultural heritage. This iconic structure brings authenticity to the story, especially since the characters are immersed in a city that blends art, architecture and love.
Even though La Sagrada Família has appeared in countless travel documentaries, its inclusion here feels fresh and intimate thanks to the narrative context.
Local Bookstores and Plazas—Real Neighborhood Spots in Barcelona
The movie also tells its story in Barcelona’s open-air plazas and independent bookstores. Alison Sweeney plays Erica, a translator who lives in the city. A lot of the time, her story is about snug corners of bookstores, handwritten notes, and peaceful times in cafes. A lot of these places were real, not studio sets.
People who lived in the area said they saw film crews along La Rambla and in Barceloneta Park, making scenarios that seemed natural and alive. This way of filming made the movie feel authentic and made people feel like they were really wandering through the city with the characters.
Bilbao–Bizkaia, Basque Country
The plot mostly takes place in Barcelona, but the production also filmed some scenes in Bilbao, a city in the Basque Country of northern Spain that is full of culture. Bilbao has a different look and feel to it in terms of its buildings and environment.
This city, known for its mix of old-world charm and modern design, especially the Guggenheim Museum, was used to reflect the more emotional and reflective parts of the plot. Though only a few scenes were filmed here, they add depth and variety to the visual storytelling.
When Was the Film Shot?
Filming for To Barcelona, With Love took place between late 2024 and early 2025. The shoot took about seven weeks, and most of the sequences were done by early March so that they could take advantage of the nice weather and cultural festivities like Sant Jordi Day.
The crew worked closely with local officials, residents, and a Spanish production team to access public spaces and authentic city settings. According to director Ron Oliver, filming in Spain “added an energy you just can’t recreate in a studio.”
To Barcelona, With Love Cast & Crew
Alongside Alison Sweeney and Ashley Williams, the movie stars Alejandro Tous as Nico, a charming bookstore owner who becomes part of Erica’s journey. Their chemistry adds an emotional core to the story and makes the setting even more meaningful.
The script was written by Julie Sherman Wolfe, known for her relatable Hallmark screenplays. This film also marks the beginning of a two-part series, with a sequel titled To Barcelona, Forever set to premiere later in 2025.
Here’s the full cast list for To Barcelona, With Love:
| Actor/Actress | Role |
|---|---|
| Alison Sweeney | Erica |
| Ashley Williams | Anna |
| Alejandro Tous | Nico |
| Miguel Brocca | Javier |
| Carolina Garrido | Nina |
| Raúl Yuste | Vendor |
How to Watch To Barcelona, With Love?
The movie premiered on Hallmark Channel on June 7, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET/PT and is available to stream on Hallmark+. You can also watch it on platforms like Philo, Sling TV, Frndly TV, or YouTube TV. For behind-the-scenes insights, listen to Alison Sweeney and Ashley Williams’ podcast, Mi Amor, where they share fun stories from the set.
To Barcelona, With Love—Behind The Scenes
Behind the camera, To Barcelona, With Love was more than just a romance—it was a heartfelt collaboration shaped by friends, spontaneity, and genuine enthusiasm. Filming took place in Spain in late 2024 and early 2025, with teams wandering through Barcelona’s twisting alleyways, market squares and famous buildings. The on-location shooting method imbued the film with a genuine energy that a backlot could not duplicate.
Director Ron Oliver shared how production seamlessly blended logistical planning with local flair. As Alison Sweeney recalled, “We were basically trying to do the same thing we do at home, but in Spain. So it was a lot of extra sort of moving parts for us” . His calm leadership helped the cast and crew navigate language differences and outdoor shooting challenges—while still capturing the spontaneous moments that made the film shine.
The casting of Alison Sweeney was driven by serendipity. According to co-star Ashley Williams, she pitched the story idea to writer Julie Sherman Wolfe while struggling with self-doubt. They realized they needed an actress who could translate and speak Spanish—and Alison happened to walk by and say she spoke it. “And that is how Alison Sweeney won the role,” Williams explained.
On set, the atmosphere was vibrant and full of camaraderie. Sweeney, Williams, and local actors laughed together in cafés, wandered through La Rambla and La Boqueria, and even recorded a podcast called Mi Amor. Williams shared that during filming in the market, “Spanish people [were] coming to get their food for dinner … and they’re just suddenly in the middle of our scene. … So you could feel the energy.”
Sweeney also praised the spirit of teamwork: “Filming in Spain was truly a magical experience. I am so grateful to have director Ron Oliver lead the charge. It was fun every day.” The local crew’s dedication made a big impression on her, and she noted how professional yet passionate everyone was—even creating custom crew T-shirts to mark the final day of shooting.
Together, these behind-the-scenes moments reveal a production built on friendship, creativity, and joyful spontaneity—qualities that shine through in To Barcelona, With Love.
To Barcelona, with Love Official Trailer
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