Perhaps this is more of a guide to the different attractions of Barcelona and what I personally thought of them. Many, many websites and travel guides list these places as 'must see' and 'top ten' but I didn't always agree.
Parc Guell
A World Heritage Site and described by the TripAdvisor website as a "a must see if you are ever in Barcelona". Described by me as BORING!!
I was actually confused as to what the fuss was about. It was a park, yes, it had some pretty things in it, yes, but it was lameeee!!
Perhaps it was less exciting for me as I was riding solo and had no one to share the place with but still I can't imagine it being any better if I was surrounded by friends. Maybe it is more from the historical or architectural standpoint that makes this place worth visiting but those are two things that I am really interested in and still I wasn't that impressed.
So what is Parc Guell you may wonder? First off its pronounced Gway and not Guel, the double L makes a y sound. Second it is an area designed by the very famous architect Gaudi who we will hear more about later. He designed this area as a village but unfortunately due to issues with funds it was never completed. Later it was turned into a park but the initial structures remain.
Bored as I was I decided to make the most of my adventure for one and spent some time with the many artists and performers who fill the space. I took a photo with some musicians and also had my silhouette cut out for only 4euro. It was actually really cool.
Main area
me singing along with some musicians
more of the park
Sagrada Familia
Now here is something that when the travel guides write "must see" and "one place you have to visit in Barcelona" they are actually speaking the truth. This site is amazing. From the distance at first I thought it would be like any regular church but as I drew closer and closer I realised that this was something else. A fantastic medley of patterns and statues cover the exterior. Different scenes from the Bible are carved into the exterior of the church, each carving symbolic and filled with meaning. Nothing about this church is devoid of meaning. Every structure and frame, every tile and window has been created with a purpose of vision and each element unites to create a church that is beyond awe inspiring. It is really beautiful in the most unusual of ways.
Sagrada Familia is a church designed by Gaudi but not completed before he passed away in 1926. The church is still being completed and I can only imagine what it will become when it is done. Gaudi's inspiration in all his designs is nature. He mimics the styles and patterns of the natural environment in his built worlds.
Unfortunately on the day that I went to visit the weather was not its best and so we couldn't go up to the top of the towers where they say there is an amazing view of the city. Anyone who does visit this place should definitely invest in the audio guides, they give so much extra insight which really adds to the experience. The other great thing about Sagrada Familia is that it's a great place to visit when you're on your own. No need for friends.
one side of Sagrada Familia
interior, the main hall
more interior
La Rambla
Famous street of Barcelona, it reaches from the city all the way down to the beach. This street is great, lined with restaurants, cafes and shops it's one of those places you can keep coming back to. The street is divided into 3 lanes, the 2 outer lanes are for cars and the middle strip is for walking. This walking strip is filled with performers and street artists and those people that pretend to be statues.
My favourite part of La Ramble is the market that comes off it. Amazing market for fruits and vegetables and chocolate. There are tonnes of stalls who sell amazing fresh fruit juices in the most creative combinations like papiya and coconut and guava and dragon fruit and blueberry. Not that there was a juice with all of those mixed together.
posing dude who scares people as they take photos
me and my coconut and blueberry juice
lots of juice at the market
apparently this is exactly what he looked like
Barrio Gotico
The Gothic Quarter, really cool place filled with old churches and buildings. It even has a testament to my stick figure drawings which I really liked.
This area is right next to La Rambla and for the most part you walk up and down the streets and look at stuff so you can keep coming back to it. I really liked this area.
cathedral
testament to my stick drawings
old men
Camp Nou
If you are a lover of football then you will enjoy Camp Nou. If you are a lover of good football played by honorable clubs with players who don't spend most their time posing in their underwear and who aren't coached by men who get sent to the naughty corner then you will especially love Camp Nou. The Barcelona Football Club's home stadium, visiting Camp Nou is a visit to the history and making of this amazing club.
If football is not your interest then you will really get bored here, everything is about football. Also it costs a rediculous amount to visit this place so really don't come unless you actually have an interest. It is also slightly out of the way so yeah.
I personally loved it because I personally don't like Real Madrid.. teehee.
The museum was great and they give you a free audio guide so you get pretty descent descriptions of everything. Then you get to go down through the locker room and see where the away team showers and all that. You get to walk out to where the coaches and players sit but for some reason when I went they didn't let you sit on the players seats. The tour ends in this amazing cinema room with something like 10 projection screens and this amazing video of Barcelona victories and goals. Then, naturally, they lead you to the shop which wasn't as over priced as I expected.
where the players walk onto the field
the field
Antoni Gaudi
As Gaudi was from Barcelona the city is filled with his architecture which you can go to visit. There is his own home which he designed and also a home which he designed for some other family. Perhaps if only for interests sake and to tick them off the "things to do" list you should visit one of these houses. I say one because first of all it isn't cheap to visit and second they kind of all look the same. Really if architecture isn't your thing and if you really don't care about how the concave of the door handles is designed perfectly to match your palm then you really won't get much out of these places.
Both these houses are on the same street just a few minutes from each other and you can see the exteriors of both and maybe decide from that which you want to visit if not both. I visited Casa Batllo, it was interesting and for someone who studied design I got a fair bit out of it but I decided not to visit his other house.
inside Casa Batllo
exterior of Casa Batllo
Poble Espanol
This place doesn't even deserve a section. It's a big fake village type thing closed off by walls and you have to pay to go inside. When you go inside it looks exactly like all the streets outside which you didn't have to pay to walk down. The idea of the place is combining all the different areas of Spain into one place so each section looks like a different part of Spain. To me it all looked the same.
Only worth going to if you really want to eat at one of the restaurants inside otherwise I thought it was lame, this could also be as a result of my soloness but still.
streets that look like any other streets
a fountain
The Beach
The beach was alright, nice view. Lots of topless women, sometimes not so nice. Some overpriced restaurants surrounding it but worth going to especially if the weather is good.
Also I saw lots of families renting bikes and riding around and people on roller blades and skates. It's definitely that kind of area.
cool thing on the beach
So I think that's it for Barcelona, the shopping was great there and it was really easy to get around.
As I said before I love Barcelona and it's only a couple hours drive to the South of France which is something I'd like to do maybe next time.
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