We are excited about our day exploring Barcelona. Of course, there are plenty of sights to take in in this city, Spain’s second largest, with a population of 1.6m and a sprawling city centre of approximately 100 sq km. We know we cannot possibly fit it all in today, so we have planned our day around our visit to La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona’s famous unfinished basilica.
We start outside Barcelona’s World Trade Centre and pass the stunning building of Agència Tributària (tax office) and the Mirador de Colom, Plaça Portal de la Pau, on our way to discovering La Rambla. Here on La Rambla it is early and the street vendors are just setting up their stalls for the day with souvenirs, football merchandise, food and even potted plants for sale. We pass the covered markets (Mercado de La Boqueria) and continue on foot through the still sleepy streets to La Sagrada Familia where we have pre purchased tickets to view the Basilica with a 12pm tour.
La Sagrada Familia is an iconic structure with an incredible story. Beginning its long journey towards creation, the plot was selected long before construction began in 1882. When the original architect resigned a year later, Antoni Gaudi took over as chief architect. Defying tradition and an accepted order of construction, Gaudi began by building the Nativity Facade. He dedicated the rest of his life to the project, an inordinate amount of time given how little of it was actually completed in his lifetime before he died, rather dramatically, by being hit by a tram at the age of 74 (in 1926).
The rest, as they say, is history. Gaudi only ever saw the completion of construction of his original Nativity Facade with the basilica having essentially remained under construction its whole existence and is now, thanks to funds collected from ticket sales, due for final completion in 2026 an astounding 236 years after ground was originally broken on the site.
After our very detailed tour we cross over and sit opposite for a bite to eat with the Basilica as our backdrop. An Ionian ham baguette and a refreshing mango smoothie sets me back on course for some more sightseeing by foot. It is a perfect summer’s day, we stick to the shade and enjoy the Spanish architecture and streetscapes. Families meet for lunch at their local favorites and tourist season is in full swing.
We find Casa Milà, another Gaudi masterpiece, also known as La Pedrera or “the stone quarry”, due to its rough hewn appearance. This five story residential apartment building was built between 1906 and 1912 and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984 due to its undulating stone facade, twisting wrought iron balconies and structural innovations such as its self-supporting stone façade and free flow floor plan. The building itself is now a museum which can be toured as well as hosting exhibitions and cultural displays.
Next step on our self guided tour is Casa Batlló, another of Gaudi’s historical landmarks. This was a refurbishment project but is distinctly Gaudi, even if the style can only be broadly identified as Modernisme or Art Nouveau. The facade is decorated with a colorful mosaic that appears to make the whole building glow even though the local name for the building has rather darker connotations, Casa dels ossos (House of Bones). This is so for the building’s perceived visceral, skeletal quality, rather than anything particularly sinister. This ties into the appearance of the arched roof that has been likened to the spine of a dragon, a theory being that the top turret and cross represents the lance of St George having been plunged into the dragon’s back. St George, of course, being the patron saint of this region of Catalonia.
The house is one of a row of four houses here on the Passeig de Gràcia known as the Illa de la Discòrdia or Block of Discord. Named as such because the four Modernista style buildings not only clash with the otherwise harmonic architectural style of the neighborhood but also with each other, hence, causing discord.
A must on the Barcelona tourist trail for any young boy is a stop at one of the many football merchandisers. Our usual souvenir mainstay is a magnet, however, sometimes there is something special worth splurging on and today Jasper selects a Barcelona shirt emblazoned with Griezmann #17. He is excited about the purchase which seems to take an inordinate amount of time (although I can’t complain as I habitually shop alone for the luxury of taking my time to decide). I spend the hour sitting in the shade outside Skyping with mum in full view of the Illa de la Discordia and then wander along Passeig de Gràcia in and out of a few shops.
When said shirt purchase is complete we pass through Plaça Catalunya where very well fed pigeons are uninspired to dodge a racing 8 year old until the very last second. Another stroll down La Rambla and back to the Mirador de Colom ensues during which a gelato along the way completes the day.
Good To Know
Many of the sights in the city require tickets and if you are pressed for time (or even if you’re not, but want to help your planning along) it is a good idea to pre purchase. Try the following web sites for bookings:
Would I Return?
Yes. Keeping in mind that Barcelona is a large and spread out city, plan your visit well to make the most of your time. Group sites that are near to each other together and spend the day thoroughly exploring the area. Choosing two or three sites to visit in Barcelona is like having to choose only two or three items from a tapas menu when you want to try everything! Better to have your choice and savor the experience than being too greedy and not really enjoying the moment.
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