Gràcia

There is a lot to Barcelona, to state the bleeding obvious. It has thousands of years of history, a fantastic location on the Mediterranean, Catalan culture and language and a lifestyle perfectly suited to the climate. And it has Antoni Gaudi.

Our dip of the big toe into the sea of Barcelona started at Parc Guell, designed by the said Gaudi around 1900 and originally intended as an estate of luxury homes. It didn’t work out, and in 1926 it was declared a public park, complete with Gaudi’s stone carvings, concrete structures and mosaics. Based on elements of nature, its appearance seemed impossibly modern - or, perhaps, timeless. We wandered all around, took in the magnificent view of the city from the Greek Theatre and marvelled at the mind of the man who conceived it all.

Then, the incredible Sagrada Familia. The original architect retired after two years and, in what must be one of the best architectural appointments in history, Gaudi got the gig.

He adapted the original neo-gothic style to suit his own - let’s say original, if not way-out - ideas, and the result (as yet unfinished) was an absolute masterpiece. We were stunned by the design, internal and external, and astonished to find out that every element of the design had a reason related to either the setting or Gaudi’s profound religious beliefs. We have honestly never, anywhere seen anything like it.

What else is there about Barcelona?

The Gothic Quarter was great, crowded, narrow, winding streets, unexpected squares and a number of impressive churches. However, even the cathedral - Santa Eulalia - pales in comparison to its modern competitor.

We also walked from the impressive waterfront, where Christopher Columbus stands on a 60-metre column and gazes intently out to sea, all the way up La Rambla, a wide, partly pedestrianised and fully touristified boulevard that heads northwest to Placa de Catalunya, full of fountains, statues, pigeons and people. On the way, we called in at the market - La Boqueria - and marvelled at the chaos of people buying, selling, eating and drinking, all with the volume turned up to eleven!

We also took a ride up to Montjuic, where the views over the city from the steps of the Catalonian Art Museum (with conveniently-located food and beer shop) were also brilliant.

We stayed out of town a little and enjoyed shopping and eating local - once we got used to the fact that “local” means about 8:30 pm at the earliest! Even in our local area, the crowds out in the squares drinking and promenading - couples young and old, families with young children, young people out for the night - filled the streets with talk and laughter.

One more thing, for a taste of a different Catalan activity, Google “Castells “, a UNESCO-recognised activity that involves building a human pyramid about six people high then sending a five-year-old scurrying up to the top.Read more