Barcelona | Catalonia

A vivacious city with an unrestrained energy, bursting at the etched tile lined sidewalks with things to do and see, Barcelona offers both urban charm and and coastal beauty to her 1.7 million residents and a constant slew of globetrotters. Barcelona is the capital city of Spain's Catalonia Region. From the eerily haunting twists and turns on the dark streets and medieval squares of the Barri Gothic, to the extraordinarily matchless Gaudi architecture, there is a constant sense of wonder and amazement instilled as you explore.The beauty extends far past the man made facades and what lies behind them to the sparkling teal blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of Tibidabo and Montjuïc.
Palm Tree lined harbor fronts sandwich beaches equally fit for sunbathing and partying, while mountain tops reached by funicular train and cable car provide stunning views of all that lie in their foothills. We opted to visit Montjuïc instead of Tibidabo, we felt as if this area had a little more to offer for our tastes - and we absolutely wanted to ride the gondola - or Telefuric as it is called in Spain. Technically not a mountain but a broad hill with a flat top it is home to the Castell de Montjuïc. We couldn't get enough of the commanding views of the city and had a fun time exploring the castell.No visit to Barcelona would be complete without a stroll down Las Ramblas and stopping to enjoy a cava and a sangria along the way.Las Ramblas is a famous promenade that starts at Placa Catalunya in the city center and ends at the Columbus Monument at Port Vell.The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc located in front of the Palau Nacional at Placa Espanya gathers a crowd on Thursday through Sunday evenings with a dazzling spectacle of water and lights set to music. Free shows are every 30 minutes (from 9pm-11pm) and definitely worth checking out.Head to the Eixample District, a large area of the city created in the late 19th century to view the famous modernist buildings. Eixample (ay-shoomp-la) means "expansion" in Catalan. They are located on the "Illa de la Discòrdia" or Block of Discord along Passeig de Gràcia.

The architectural styles of the buildings are vastly different, clashing with not only each other, but the rest of the neighborhood as well. The most striking among them are Casa Batllo (above) designed and built by Catalonian Architect Antoni Gaudi and Casa Amatller (below) designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Just down the street is another prominent display of Gaudi Architecture - Casa Mila or as it is more commonly known La Pedrera.We toured both Casa Batllo and La Pedrera - each fascinating for their unconventional and completely irregular construction displaying an organic style attributed to Gaudi's constant inspiration from nature. The roofs of these buildings are like an adults playground!His most notorious work of all would have to be La Sagrada Família - a Roman Catholic Church displaying his personal interpretation of Gothic architecture as it combines with curvilinear modernism. Perhaps the most intriguing fact is that the construction of La Sagrada Familia commenced in 1882 and currently, it is still being built. If that isn't enough, Gaudi also designed an entire park. Park Güell was originally a 15 hectare private garden estate which was never finished. The public park is located further north of the city center in the Barri Gracia. Park Güell is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the longest park bench in the world. It is a completely stunning scene and a gorgeous example of how Gaudi blended architecture into natural surroundings. Finally, to round out the Gaudi experience, Palau Güell located just off Las Ramblas on Nou de la Rambla is worth a visit if you can dedicate time for another self guided tour. Here you learn about Gaudi's dynamic relationship to the wealthy Catalan Industrial Entrepreneur Eusebi Guell. Their business partnership and friendship resulted in years of collaboration and fostered much of Gaudi's inspiration behind this incredible mansion. The mosaic rooftop chimneys were probably one of my favorite parts, but the Palace in its entirety a sight to be seen.You'll want to leave plenty of time to spend in the aforementioned Barri Gothic. We wandered the tangled labyrinth of streets in this ancient neighborhood both during the daytime and at night. While exploring the narrow corridors we stepped inside the Catedral de la Santa Cruz y Santa Eulalia (also known as the Barcelona Cathedral.) The interior which I did not photograph was breathtaking.Once I stepped into the garden I captured a few shots of the fountains and palm trees. This church is extraordinary, I would definitely make it a point to wander inside; despite how many churches you may have already seen along your European travels.Art and history lovers have their choice of museums from one dedicated to Picasso (that houses his earlier sketches and lesser known paintings) to the Fundacio Joan Miro, the Museu d'Art Contemporani (MACBA), the Museu National D'art Modern (MNAC) and even a Museu de Historia dedicated to the cities two thousand year existence. After Madrid we were feeling a little "museum-ed out" so we decided to focus in on just one, giving the Fundacio Joan Miro a few hours of our attention was completely worthwhile.I did not know much about Miro prior to the trip but I grew to love his artwork immensely. His paintings and sculptures are equally though provoking and fascinating. I would have loved to visit all the other museums but beach days at Barcelonetta, beers in the sun and Gaudi took precedence.Saving the best for last, the cuisine that is defined of course by the iconic tapas, both modern and classic, and just as notably, the famous seafood and rice dish of Paella, is remarkable.

The restaurants and tapas bars embody the spirit of the city, from trendy to traditional, Spanish to Catalan, eating out in Barcelona, specifically at the Michelin starred Comerc 24 was undoubtedly a highlight of the entire trip.

A visit to this beautiful, crazy, thrilling, spectacular city has everything an open minded European traveler can appreciate. Visually stunning buildings and streets steeped in both ancient history and art nouveau, Mediterranean beaches to soak up the hot sun during the day and experience the nightlife scene long after it goes down, combined with impressive museums, cathedrals and an eloquent culinary scene; Barcelona is the best of the best, in essence, five days of my life I will forever cherish.