Barcelona
If you would like to follow my 15 day cruise then read the previous posts here:
Venice (1)
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Koper (2)
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Sarande (3)
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Split (4)
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Catania (5)
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Amalfi (6)
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Rome (7)
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Florence (8)
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Cannes (9)
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After a restful day in Cannes, France, our ship docked in Barcelona cruise terminal and we disembarked as early as possible. We know there would be a lot to see and we planned to spend the day walking around Barcelona with my parents.
First we got a bus to the top of the city to visit Park Guelle. It is Antoni Gaudi's park filled with beautiful buildings, sculptural structures and mosaics and as a whole forms a masterpiece.
Park Guelle outer walls
We walked up the final hill to find a cue already waiting for the park to open. We were soon able to buy tickets at the ticket machine at the gate on the right and began wondering through the beautiful park. Entry is free for local residents, so they will walk across the park to get to work or school, but other visitors need to pay the ticket fee. The park is a UNESCO heritage site.
Gaudi's home
We walked up the first path and immediately came upon Gaudi's home which is a museum. It was an interesting building with Pale pink walls and Green shutters and beautifully decorative designs above the windows. Even the steel balustrades for the balcony match the twisty design of the artwork above. The building sported a tower with small windows and a tall spire leading your eyes up to the sky.
The Aquaducts
Next we visited the Aquaducts with their centipede like legs holding up the belly of the aqueduct. They are made of individually placed stone.
It feels like miracle that the structure remains upright. It creates a glorious covered passage way that diffuses the light and makes a cool place to rest and take it all in.
The Greek Theatre
Next up was the Greek Theatre. The Theatre is the roof of the Hypostyle Hall below which we will see later. The roof forms a large flat "balcony" which was used as a theatre in the past.
The edges of the theatre are lined with seating areas all uniquely decorated in Mosaics. I can't imagine the amount of time spent and the people who helped to make Gaudi's vision a reality. The views from the theatre were magnificent and we could see across the city and all the way down to the harbour and our ship below.
Hypostyle Hall
Down below we explored the impressive Hypostyle Hall with its tall columns and Coll concrete floor. The columns were beautifully designed with fluting and crown moulding in what I assume is either sandstone or limestone. The ceiling and lower part of the columns are decorated in almost mother-of-pearl-like shards of tile from nearby factories. It seems that Gaudi showed an early interest in recycling and made all of his mosaics from broken or rejected tiles from the factory nearby.
The Monumental Staircase
We exited the Hypostyle Hall to by the Monumental Staircase. We were constantly surprised as we entered each area of the garden. Every single detail is unique and exciting.
This area was most likely the original entrance to the garden, but today it is used as an exit only. This area of the park was understandably very busy which made it hard to take a decent photograph, but hopefully you can see the incredible detail of the fountain making its way down the stairs.
We decided to take a stroll down the hills and city blocks to the Sagrada Familia, Saudi's life's work and test another World Heritage site.
La Sagrada Familia
This incredible church was start in the 1880s and is yet to be finished. I saw a recent post which suggested it might be finished in 2026. If that is so I would need to go back to see it once again.
The building has been shrouded in Scaffolding for all of its existence due its unfinished nature, so to see it is completely unveiled it would be a treat.
Although the design was from Gaudi, the changes in architect and builder are visible in the final product. The older buildings needing to be maintained and cleaned while the rest is yet to be built.
Tickets to enter were unfortunately sold out, but now we know for future visits that we should book well in advance.
We got the local bus to the shopping district and started WALKING! We got off the bus at Placa de Catalunya and then headed down side streets to avoid the crowds. Along the way we found Gelato with my folks, a museum and a Mural made up of tiny photos!
Casa de l'Ardiaca
Little did we know that this building is actually the City Archives housed in Renaissance Mansion from the 15th Century. We wandered the historical art and ancient posters and new papers from room to room and floor to floor. There was a gorgeous view from the terrace balcony above to the courtyard below which housed a fountain and many, many ferns.
We left inspired by the past and walked more historical streets. Every square and corridor seemed to be adorned with art. From wiry sculptures to shop windows teeming with chachkies and Kagelkakkies. And eventually to more refined art and the gorgeous Bull dog statue pictured below.
We walked La Rambla with the crowds and tried to memorise the experience of Barcelona. An interesting culture with a sing-sing sound and a rich artistic nature. The Gaudi influence in the architecture became recognisable even after just one day.
We made our way to the ship on foot, ready for a good rest and some food. The day had been a long one with lots of hills to start and our feet were tired. There is so much more to see. We missed out on the gondola ride and Id love to go back and visit the many parts of Barcelona that we missed. We got a good overview though, and were looking forward to Ibiza the next day.
Next stop, Ibiza!!!!
//:# (!worldmappin 41.41454 lat 2.15263 long Mediterranean Cruise: Barcelona (10) d3scr)
