Barcelona, capital of Catalonia, proud of its unique identity was our first stop, although initially not on our radar, as I wanted to cover just South Spain. But my younger daughter insisted that we cannot visit Spain and not see the Sagrada Familia church. She was right, Sagrada Familia was worth it, in fact if it was the only place we visited, a Spain trip would still have been worth it.
Barcelona sites that beguiled us include the following:-
Basílica de la Sagrada Família – Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece: What can I say, absolutely magical, and out of this world is the Holy family church. The Sagrada Família is a one-of-a-kind temple, the legacy of genius architect Antoni Gaudí, far ahead of its time. Today, more than 140 years after the laying of the cornerstone in 1882, construction continues on the Basilica, inspired by Gaudi’s vision. Gaudi’s design is organic and inspired by nature. I have never seen anything like it, the columns of the building look like trees. Gaudi said, “Nothing is invented, it’s written in nature”. The design portrays the story of the Bible etched in stone and has 3 main facades – Nativity Façade, Passion Façade and the Glory Façade representing the birth of Jesus, his death and crucifixion and the Resurrection. There is also a museum area which shows detailed drawings and information on how Gaudi designed the church.
Hours: April to September: Mon – Sat, 9 am – 8 pm; Sundays, 10:30 am – 8 pm https://sagradafamilia.org/en/tickets
Buy tickets at least 4 months earlier online, download the download Sagrada Familia app with audio guide ahead of time.
Hats, and anything that covers the head is not permitted and modest apparel required. Be there 15 mins before ticket time and you will go through security. Book first thing in the morning or late evening, as it allows you some time before the place is mobbed, but expect crowds at all hours. Our tickets were for 5 pm and it was crowded still but not unbearable. The audio guide allows you to meander as you wish, rather than being confined to a tour group, but can be confusing as it is a big church, and a guided tour may have its own value. We chose not to visit the towers as I heard it is narrow and claustrophobic. If you visit the towers, you’ll have to leave your backpack in a locker before entering the elevator and you need coins (50 cents or 1 euro) for this.
Walking Shoes for Europe
Park Guell: Another Gaudi landmark, this time colorful structures blended into nature. We went when the park opened at 9.30 am and walked through the main areas quickly as we had a flight to catch later in the evening. Tickets can be purchased at Buy tickets | Web oficial Park Güell | Barcelona (parkguell.barcelona)
Hospital de Sant Pau for interesting modernist architecture, often skipped by tourists. The clinic complex was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997 due to its “architectural uniqueness and artistic beauty” We chose to see the building from the outside but heard the exhibits inside are interesting and, there is a nice park within the complex. Tickets are 16 Euro to enter. Self-guided visit | Recinte Modernista Sant Pau Barcelona
Montjuïc: We went to the top of the hill for the views using a taxi but you can also visit the museum of Catalan art, the Palau Nacional of Montjuïc, at the top if you have time.
As part of the walking tour, we strolled through the Gothic Quarter or Barri Gòtic, which starts from the Barcelona cathedral. Barri Gòtic, is Barcelona’s birthplace, an atmospheric neighborhood that surrounds the city’s colossal cathedral. Barcelona’s cathedral has been a sacred place for over 2000 years from the temple during Roman times. In front of the cathedral, locals perform the sardana dance.
Parc de la Ciutedella (free), enter/exit via the Arco del Triumph: greenery, a serene lake, sculptures create a tranquil atmosphere, it can be crowded on weekends, you may find homeless and miscreants around so be careful.
Las Ramblas boulevard, is a lively and iconic street in the heart of Barcelona, starting from Placa de Catalunya. Subject to disagreement from some, but probably overhyped, overcrowded and teeming with thieves per reports, especially in the evening and night. We walked only a small part of the Ramblas, early morning when it was not crowded at all. Look for the opera house, Placa Reial (Royal Plaza) square on the Barri Gotic side. We chose to avoid Rambla de Santa Mònica, an arts center – one of the most popular stretches of La Rambla because of all the street artists and live statues but if you are ever going to be a victim of a crime or pickpockets in Barcelona it will probably be on this portion of La Rambla or in the adjoining El Raval neighborhood. (Recommended Travelon Anti-theft bags) Ramblas ends at the Columbus monument.
We did not have time to visit the Parque del Laberinto de Horta, a lovely park without many tourists, with an 18th-century neoclassical garden on a former palatial estate with an English hedge maze. It can be reached by metro (30 mins) from city. Nor did we visit the Picasso museum (😊 was not a priority for us) due to limited time.
Other Notes:
Taxis in Barcelona are efficient and well-organized; they’re easy to see (black and yellow) and easy to find at the exit of airport Terminals T1 and T2. While there is no standard rate from the airport to the city center, you can expect to pay around 30€-35€ for the 20-25 minute ride. If you have luggage, or more than 4pax, you can ask staff at the taxi rank at the airport to fetch you a larger minivan-type regular taxi, which will be slightly more expensive, less than 5 extra euros per car, 45 Euro or so. Look for the signs for the taxi rank when you leave any terminal building, you will find a staff member in a high visibility jacket. They will direct you to a taxi that is allocated to you. Uber is not reliable in most of Spain.
We enjoyed dining at these Barcelona Restaurants:-
- Alegoria Restaurant: C/ d’en Xuclà, 3, Ciutat Vella, 08001 Barcelona
- Brunchit – Eixample, C/ d’Aragó, 352, 08009 Barcelona, good food presented beautifully for breakfast
- La Rita : Carrer d’Aribau, 23, L’Eixample, 08011 Barcelona
- Peix (Pez) Vela: with a lovely view on the beach, and huge trays of Paella, on Passeig del Mare Nostrum, 19
- La Flauta : Carrer d’Aribau, 23, L’Eixample, 08011 Barcelona