Barcelona – or ‘Barthelona’, to those in the know.

Barcelona lies on the northeastern shore of Spain, south of France on the Iberian Sea along the Costa del Sol. Its culture is a mixture of Arab, Roman, European, and a touch of Visigoth. It is the fourth richest city in Europe. Catalan is the native culture and local language, and Spanish is the general language. There are 1.6 million residents of the city center, and 4 million in the whole city.

I thoroughly enjoyed our extended day in Barcelona, where I got a full day's tour of the city and then a fun dinner and show that evening.

The Barri Gothic Quarter is at heart of the oldest part of the city. The remains of the Roman city wall were visible at times as I admired the medieval architecture. It took some time for the sun to rise high enough to warm the narrow city streets, so it was a brisk morning walk along the pedestrian streets. We visited the Gothic-style Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Santa Eulalia, dating back to the 13th century. The cathedral was breathtaking – the artistry and design of the building which has survived all these years is a wonder to behold. Eulalia is the co-patron saint of Barcelona. She was martyred at the age of during the persecution of Christians in the reign of emperor Diocletian.

 

 

The cathedral always has 13 white geese in residence – no more, no less. Legend has it that the number is 13 because that was Eulalia’s age when martyred. The geese live in the cloister in the appropriately named Well of the Geese. 

We were given a bit of time to wander around the square outside the cathedral before meeting to continue our tour. There was a veritable garage sale in the square, with lots of metal and estate jewelry on sale under tents. I stopped at a bakery, and I tried a chicken and pimento empanada. Not bad. Not to-die-for either, but pretty good.

Then we walked to the most crowded spot in Barcelona. La Sagrada Familia is one of Barcelona’s iconic landmarks. Around 1866, a congregation of devotees of St. Joseph wanted to build a church in his honor. The first architect abandoned the project shortly after starting due to disagreements. Antonio Gaudi took over a year later and began executing his vision of combining the human and the divine. Three generations of architects and builders have been involved in this project so far. Fathers brought their sons to work with them to teach them the trade so they could continue to build Gaudi’s vision.

The construction is funded completely by donations and admission tickets. Gaudi was a bit of an odd duck – his designs are non-linear and fantastical. The church has intricate spires, endless mosaics, and detailed stained glass. The church is full of symbolism and catechism. You can spend days wandering around experiencing the artistry, and it’s not even completed! The church is currently scheduled to be completed in 2026. And it is not a cathedral – it is just a church. He once said, “The straight line belongs to Man, the curved one to God." That’s why you will be hard-pressed to find a straight line in any of his designs.

The crowds around La Sagrada Familia were horrendous. We couldn’t go in, but just admiring the outside took some time, with our guide explaining much of the symbolism Gaudi included in his design. I must admit that at first, I was not at all impressed with the building, but as I learned more about it and got to study the detail and appreciate the craftsmanship that has gone into it, I have become an admirer.

Sycamore trees line the streets of the city, shading the wide pedestrian walkways.

We drove by the Barcelona bullfighting stadium, which is a beautiful building and has been turned into a lavish shopping mall now that bullfights are banned in Catalonia since 2014. There are other cities in Spain that still host bullfighting.

Las Ramblas is Barcelona’s famous shopping promenade with all the high-end stores. Unfortunately, there was no time for browsing or window-shopping.

La Pedrera, locally known as Casa Mila, is one of Gaudi’s finished works. 

We went up Montjuic Mountain, about 700 feet above Barcelona, the site of the 1992 Summer Olympic Village that is still in use. There are parks, fountains, and museums for everyone to enjoy. We stopped at MNAC, the national art museum at the top of the mountain, to take in the views of the city.

All of Barcelona at our feet

The National Art Museum

In the evening I went to a historic park where they have relocated many historical buildings into one place. They also have a museum and shops with artisanal crafts for sale. At a beautiful white plaster and wood beamed restaurant, we enjoyed a delicious traditional dinner and a flamenco show.

Wandering the streets of the historical park

Dinner time!

 

 

Ole! What an amazing show! The performers have all studied their craft for years and it was all so natural and fun. It was like they made up the steps as they went along, playing off the music and each other. I can't say enough good things about it. I had the best time.

The way they use their feet and hands to create such complex rhythms blew me away.

As the sun set over Barcelona, we headed back to the ship and on to another port.