You must definitely add Barcelona, Spain to your bucket list. Hello and thanks for traveling with us again. My name is Paul Scopel with You, Me and The Dock. I have been absent for awhile with my travels. However, I am back and ready to go! Barcelona is a beautiful city that lies on the shore of the Balearic Sea - a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea.
One of my favorite cities in Barcelona is the community of Catalunya (pronounced; Catalonia). All you need to do is mix the ingredients of art nouveau design with the combined styles of Paris and New Orleans, add the Mediterranean fed Balearic Sea, and you have the beautiful makings of a fabulous city. Let me share with you the intricacies that I found in this world class tourist destination. So, sit back, grab your favorite wine and enjoy!
Barcelona is not shy about attracting attention to itself or its culture. Over the centuries it has hosted Summer Olympics, the 1888 and 1929 World fairs, and launched global explorers. Each event has left its mark on the city giving it a charm and warmth like the turning of pages in your favorite novel. Barcelona’s metro area is home to 4 million people. Like the waves of the Mediterranean sea, undulated history has washed over the city with it’s distinct districts that feature separate layers of architecture, history and culture.
The centerpiece of Barcelona {shown right} is Placa de Catalunya. With it’s magnificent fountain and huge open square that covers approximately 4 city blocks, serves as the city’s transportation hub. Here is where you can catch bus tours, city buses, taxis and airport shuttles. It is perfect to use as a focal point to orient yourself to the city as it separates old and new Barcelona. We began our excursion at the 12 o’clock point of this plaza to explore the newer Eixample Barrio. The “Newer” is a relative term as the Eixample was developed in the 1850’s to provide space for a bursting Barcelona.
Two key streets running north in the Eixample are Passeig de Gracia (the shopping street), and La Rambla de Catalunya (the eating street). Eixample began to grow immensely through the latter half of the 19th century. Wave after wave of unique buildings in the Modernisme {art nouveau style; shown upper right} neighborhood were birthed during this renaissance of Catalunya. Modernisme has a flamboyant taste in modern art, architecture and literature. As an example in the Eixample, innovative designers cut the corners off of every city block resulting in continuous buildings having 8 sides on the block. It is a captivating site with it’s tree lined streets, splendid balconies, and 8-sided pedestrian squares at each intersection. I spent much of my time venturing around these magical blocks that make up this very distinctive area.
The Passeig de Gracia is the main shopping street. Its treelined avenue is bordered by two - one way streets that provide pedestrian friendly right-aways and service vehicle access. Local and neighboring community residents, along with a plethora of international tourist traverse to this beautiful upscale shopping mecca. Many of the European fashion stores have set up shop on California’s famous Rodeo Drive.
On Passeig de Gracia, I found one of my favorite restaurants. The El Nacional is known for its authentic cuisines that are served in a traditional setting. There are many stunning restaurants and bars featuring fresh seafood, steak, pasta, and desserts all under one roof. Right next door is QuQu tapas café which serves tapas (Spanish appetizers) all day. The restaurants offer a variety of dishes that use locally grown ingredients. The heart of Barcelona’s cuisines can be found here.
On Passeig de Gracia, there are some main tourist sites as well. They include Casa Mila and the nearby Block of Discord. The Block of Discord is a city block long collection of curvy Modernisme building facades vying for your attention and acceptance. In Barcelona, the Modernisme - art nouveau school of architecture & design - exploded as Antoni Gaudi and others led the Catalan movement during the late 1800s.
Our term “Gaudy Looking” stems from Gaudi’s name and works. One look at his brilliant creations and you will understand. The liberal use of ceramics, stained glass, the forging of wrought iron, color, shapes and carpentry are woven into masterpieces for buildings all around the city. I visited four of Gaudi’s awesome creations. They were the Casa Mila (a.k.a La Pedrera or Stone Quarry), Parc Guell, Sagrada Familia church, and Casa Batllo {pictured upper right} in the Block of Discord. The surreal roof line and tiles of Casa Batllo appear to be scales on the cresting back of a dragon representing the Biblical battle of St. George, who slayed the dragon.
Casa Mila {pictured right} is a fortress of apartments that is four streets away from the Block of Discord. It grabs your attention with its ‘swirled ice cream’ looking chimneys. Each floor has four apartments that are dissected by two huge open-air shafts in the center - from the roof to the first floor. These shafts, which are quite an engineering marvel, allow maximum light and air to the apartments.
Your ticket allows admission to the roof with its unique chimneys and city views. Gaudi proclaimed that conventional roof tops are ugly and resemble bald heads with a single hair. His creations of waves, spires, armies of chimneys and ventilation shafts are an architectural treat. At night, a special light and music show turns the roof lines into an ethereal dreamland.
In the accessible attic is an interesting museum that describes his techniques. The attic {pictured left} served as storage and laundry areas for the tenants. Gaudi sought to incorporate glimpses of nature in Casa Mila. He fashioned the exterior and interior walls, balconies, and ceilings with his very unusual and elaborate designs. Gaudi combined his ingenuity and design to create maximum efficiency.
Gaudi also created the wrought iron art {shown lower left} that resembles seaweed on the building’s balconies. The artist phrased a slogan that said, “There are no straight lines in nature” as he appropriated these themes into his works.
There is a beautifully designed stairway {pictured right} on the first floor that leads to a most unusual residence. To save time and not have to wait in long lines, we purchased tickets ahead of time by googling Casa Mila. The internet was a useful tool on this particular occasion.
From the rooftop of Casa Mila, you can see Gaudi’s unfinished crowning achievement. The monumental Sagrada Familia Church, which translated means, “Holy Family Church.”
From its beginnings in the 1880’s, the massive temple seats approximately 13,000 people and will not be totally completed until 2026. It is the largest - unfinished - Catholic Church in the world.
Eventually 18 towers will spring from the top of the church; 12 spires representing the apostles - 4 for the Gospel writers Mark, Luke, John and Matthew - a larger tower to honor the Virgin Mary, and the tallest spire for the Lord Jesus.
Construction began on the Nativity’s façade between 1893 and 1936. It was the first columns to be completed. Each of the three facades {shown right} provide a glimpse of the nativity and the birth of Jesus. This detailed scene represents Gaudi’s passion. The massive statues are repeated in three different settings of the nativity, which are seen through the eyes of the Mary, Joseph, and the Lord Jesus.
Inside the massive church are towering columns of stone that support it’s ceiling. The surrounding upper deck is a 700 seat choir loft. It rang out heavenly music when the Pope came to consecrate the church. In spite of what we saw today, it is hard to imagine there are at least 10 more years remaining to complete this amazing church. As I said before, purchase your tickets online to avoid endless lines. This is clearly the number one tourist attraction in Barcelona!
Another worthwhile spot is Park Guell. Gaudi was granted free rein in developing 45 acres of land to build a garden city with residences and a park. However, the development became a financial disaster. Today, it is a worthwhile respite from all the city’s chaos. I recommend observing the park from a tour bus and return later by taxi for a longer visit. The Park Guell is a one mile - uphill walk, followed by a lengthy ticket line.
Running parallel to the Passeig de Gracia is La Rambla de Catalunya. This shaded and pedestrian only street offers a variety of restaurants that feature indoor and outdoor seating. Do not confuse this with the Gothic style pedestrian street called “The La Ramblas”. It is hard to get lost in the Eixample. Don’t be afraid to venture out from these two streets and explore the stunning architecture and outdoor cafes.
Before the day was over, we stopped and enjoyed some delicious tapas at a highly recommended restaurant named Ciudad Condal Cerveceria. Take a few moments to stop and smell the roses, drink a cup of coffee or sip on a glass of wine and enjoy a plate of tapas. In my next Barcelona article – part 2, we will explore the area south of the central Placa de Catalunya. This will include the older Gothic area of Barcelona, the market, the beach, the Olympic area and of course, our favorite restaurant(s). I can’t wait to share the rest of my adventures with you. My week in Barcelona is a treat I will never forget. Stay tuned!
Author: Paul Scopel
Photographer: Paul Scopel
Formatting & article layout: Anthony Scopel
Associate editor: Maureen Scopel
Technical support & digital mastering: Matt Kemper
Publisher: You, Me and The Dock
