Hola! We had a great time in Barcelona. From the charming gothic quarters to endless bowls of paella, this city is a place you don't want to miss. Fortunately, all the taxi's were on strike while we were there, so it gave us time to explore this beautiful city on foot. Throughout the city, you will see the influence Antoni Gaudí had as well as some of his most famous buildings including Casa Batlló, Park Güell and the well known La Sagrada Familia. Gaudí's work is known as Catalan modernism and its unique style distinguishes it from the surrounding structures.
Any trip to Barcelona would not be complete without a trip to La Sagrada Familia, and it is as grand and beautiful as you can imagine. The church first started construction in 1882 and is still not complete! Many events happened throughout history that has slowed the construction such as the Spanish Civil War and not being supported by any government or official churches. Since the church is still under construction today, it has a more modern feel than the other countless churches in Europe. The stained glass has an almost watercolor look to it rather than the traditional religious scenes. The towering columns are meant to mimic trees in a forest. While on a trip to Europe, it is easy to get churched-out after going to a new church in every city, but I promise this one is definitely worth the trip. The church was built solely off of private donations and ticket sales. In June 2019, a building permit was issued to La Sagrada Família granting them €36 million to finally finish construction. They have only been working on it for 136 years at this point. Construction is estimated to be completed by 2026, the centenary of Gaudí's passing. When booking your ticket for this incredible landmark, I highly recommend getting the audio tour rather than a private tour. The audio tour is included in your ticket if you chose to go up in one of the towers and provides great information on the history and purpose of the building. Book your ticket to La Sagrada Familia here. (Pictured is a view from one of the spires)
Park Güell is a quaint park that overlooks the city! While there is a park entrance fee to visit the municipal gardens and Gaudi's home, the surrounding park is free to roam and offers spectacular views of the city. I recommend to go early in the morning and booking your tickets in advance to avoid the crowds. If you head to the park early enough in the morning, you will be able to catch the sunrise over Barcelona. You can find tours online that include La Sagrada Familia and Park Güell but if you wanted to buy them separately you can book your tickets here. (Pictures is sunrise at Park Güell)
La Rambla is a popular tourist destination that is filled with places to eat, find a souvenir or just enjoy a stroll down the tree-lined street. The Street goes from Plaça de Catalunya to a beautiful marina (great place for a sunset). We were exploring the strip and stumbled upon the Mercado de La Boqueria. I am a huge fan of markets while I travel. I think they provide an excellent insight into the lives of the locals, and this market is one of my favorites that I have been to around the world. They have such a diversity of foods from vibrant fruits and vegetables to fresh meats from the butchers. A few of the stalls in the back offer service right at their stand with the freshest ingredients from the market. This market is definitely worth the stop, even if you only want to wander through the stalls and enjoy the smells and sights. (Below are some photos of the stalls they had)
One thing that I highly recommend is to go see a FC Barcelona match at Camp Nou. Even if you are not a sport fan, you will have a great time. As soon as you enter the stadium you feel the energy. This city has so much passion and loyalty to their club and they let it show. They shout endless chants in support of their club many of which we did not understand so we just yelled nonsense the whole time to fit in. Win or lose, Camp Nou will give you a fantastic local experience unique to Barcelona. And remember FC Barcelona is "Més que un club."
Barcelona is also a great location for day trips. We ventured out and went on a tour of the northern coast of Spain including Girona and Costa Brava. Girona is a medieval city filled with ancient architecture. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, Girona is featured as King Landing, Old Town and Braavos in Season 6. The steps of the Girona Catherdral can easily be recognized as the steps where Margaery is to begin her walk of atonement (S6 E6), but we do not advise yelling "Shame" at people as they walk through the streets. There is also a border wall, Passeig de la Muralla, that takes you around the whole city and has towers you can climb for breath taking views. Last but not least, you have to stop by the Onyar River. This river flows through the center of Girona and has various bridges connecting one side to the other. The waterfront area is home to restaurants, boutiques and countless places to take the perfect picture.
We also were able to spend some time in Costa Brava, which is a wonderful coastline in northeastern Spain. This coastal town is a great place to relax by the beach and enjoy some of the freshest seafood. We enjoyed our time at the beach collecting sea glass and taking in the beauty of the coastline and colorful boats. Since we went in January, it was too cold to get in the water. During the summer this would be a perfect honeymoon destination! It was peaceful, relaxing and romantic.
Overall Barcelona exceeded our expectations! We would definitely be going back when they complete La Sagrada Familia to see the final product.
