Date of trip: February 2009
When I traveled to Spain two years ago, many people chastised me for not making it to Barcelona. It is widely considered the country’s best city and I was told over and over that I needed to visit. This year, several airlines began offering direct flights from the U.S. to Barcelona so Will and I decided the time was right.
I was concerned about theft as I’d heard it was worse in Barcelona than anywhere else in Europe but I found the safety there comparable to any other big city. As long as you are aware of your surroundings and hold on to your valuables, you’re unlikely to have an issue.
Highlights:
-Architect Antoni Gaudi is Barcelona’s most celebrated resident. He created so many buildings in the city that it is impossible to visit without bumping into one of them. Gaudi’s projects are bold, colorful and generally devoid of sharp, severe lines making them warm and playful. They invoke childhood fantasies of secret, magical places you would never expect to find in the real world. Among his most popular creations are the residential buildings Casa Batllo, known for its brightly colored facade, and Casa Mila, famous for its wonderfully detailed roof. His Park Guell, is a failed housing development but serves as a public park with colorful passageways, benches and a beautiful dragon fountain. The park is also home to many Quaker parrots so you’re likely to see or hear them in the palm trees there. Gaudi’s crowning achievement and the most visited attraction in Barcelona is the cathedral, Sagrada Familia. Although construction began on the Sagrada in 1882 and Gaudi worked on the project for over 40 years until his death, it remains a work in progress. It is absolutely astonishing to visit such an ambitious project and know that many people will work on the church but never see it completed. Although visitors can tour the inside of the cathedral, it is mostly filled with construction equipment. You can take an elevator to the top of one of the towers, but it is very narrow up there and it gets crowded so I suggest visiting early if it’s something you hope to do.
-Although he’s overshadowed by Gaudi, architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner was also important to Barcelona. He designed the Palau de la Musica, frequently called the most beautiful music hall in the world. It sits in the city’s old quarter and hosts a variety of performers from all over the world. So many details jump out at you in the Palau but my favorite is the stained glass ceiling that dips into the hall like a giant, glittering raindrop. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photographs. To get inside you must attend a performance or take a guided tour. Tickets for tours can be purchased online one week in advance and this is recommended as they are popular. Montaner also designed the Hospital de Sant Pau, located a ten minute walk from the Sagrada Familia. While most hospitals are sterile and drab the Sant Pau is cheerful and inviting and is actually pleasant to visit.
-The Picasso Museum is hard to find in the alleys of the Barrio Gothic but it’s worth it. The museum holds a wide variety of early and lesser known works including pieces from his blue period and a collection of his ceramics, my favorite Picasso genre.
-Artist Joan Miro also lived in Barcelona and the Fundacio Joan Miro pays tribute to him with a collection of over 14,000 of his pieces. Although Miro was very prolific and has work displayed all over the world, I loved seeing so many in one place. I particularly like his sculptures and textiles of people. The foundation is located in the Parc de Montjuic and can be reached via funicular from the Parallel metro station.
-In 1992, Barcelona was hosted the Summer Olympics and most of the action took place on Monjuic in an area now known as the Olympic Ring. There is a sports stadium and a pavilion as well as an Olympic Museum. I was impressed by how massive the site is and the beautiful view of the city from the top of the mountain.
-La Rambla is the main street in Barcelona and one of its most famous landmarks. It is jam packed with people, street performers, vendors selling souvenirs and pet birds and, unfortunately, pickpockets. It’s hard to say what makes La Rambla so popular. The attraction seems to be the crowd itself. Having lived in NYC, I found it less impressive than others might, but it is definitely part of the the quintessential Barcelona experience. It is safe, but the swarms can be overwhelming and distracting so be sure to hold on to your bag and your companions so you don’t lose either.
-It is unusual to find a big city the contains a beach so it’s always interesting to us when we do. We headed to Barceloneta Beach because we wanted to see Frank Gehry’s Fish sculpture which we’d seen so often in photos. It was too cold for a swim, but Will did venture down to the water so he could touch the Mediterranean Sea for the first time.
Barcelona is part of a section in Spain known as Catalonia. Although the natives are mostly fluent in Spanish and English, they have a language of their own called Catalan. They also have their own flag and their own customs. Catalonians are proud to distinguish themselves from the rest of the country and as a result Barcelona is different from other parts of Spain. It is more cosmopolitan, fast paced and diverse. With so much happening and so much to see, there is truly something for everyone in Barcelona but if you love architecture it really is a place you can’t miss.
For more pictures, please visit my Photo Gallery or click on any of the photos posted above.
Barcelona Links:
Barcelona Official Site
Sagrada Familia
Casa Batllo
Palau de la Musica
Hospital de Sant Pau
Picasso Museum
Fundacio Joan Miro
