I've just returned from a week in warm and wonderful Barcelona and I'm sickened to be home in rainy Scotland. Barcelona, as many of you will be aware, is one of Spain's biggest cities but isn't the capital. It does, however, hold interest for holiday-makers worldwide due to the outstanding architecture, sporting links and proximity to beaches and museums alike.
I chose June to visit Barcelona due to the comparatively good temperatures (around 30 degrees in the afternoon, not humid but certainly warm enough for me!) and my love of the work of Antoni Gaudi who was, in my opinion, one of the world's greatest innovators. I stayed in a simple, noisy hotel (across from the Immigration Office!) towards the coast in an area known as Barceloneta but in conjunction with some ear-plugs this posed no problem. Barcelona is one of the few cities worldwide which clearly had forethought in the planning stages and boasts an excellently simple underground system - ideal for those tourist moments!
There are a host of places of interest to visit in Barcelona. The staples must include the Cathedral, a large gothic work which is free to visit and operational so flash photography is limited and it's a quiet area. I believe there are many pickpockets operating in and around the principal tourist sites, so vigilance is important. You'll also be confronted with beggars and street entertainers alike outside the Cathedral (one guy dressed up as Jesus Christ - I'm unsure how sacriligeous this was!). The Cathedral is part of the Barri Gotic, which forms part of the Old Town. This is a typically Spanish area, with winding narrow streets and pathways - many will be cobbled or have poor surfacing.
One such street is La Ramblas. This is a huge tourist draw. The mile-long tree-lined street was once a river, although this is not immediately obvious from the tourist shops, resturants and sex shops! At one end if the Colom Monument, a large tower in celebration of Christopher Columbus. At the other end is the Placa Catalunya where you will find a downstairs tourist information office (not the best, but good for those wishing to see further afield), a huge department store "Corte Ingles" and, once again, street entertainers and hawkers.
Outwith this area is the Eixample or 'widening' area. This is so called as it behaves as a modern extension to the Old Town and is home to one of Barcelona's most famous landmarks, the Sagrada Familia. I can honestly say it is my favourite building site! Designed by Antoni Gaudi, this imposing and unfinished temple is certainly worth a visit. I was lucky enough to go along on Portes Obertes (Open Doors Day) and although unbelievably busy (again, care with valuables), it was astonishing. The front and back entrances to the temple are almost complete, but less than half of the intended twelve spires (for each of the apostles) are finished. Work has been ongoing for over 150 years and continues due to public subscription. A worthwhile cause, I would voice. A visit at night is also required (well, for me at least) to see the Sagrada Familia bathed in light. Wonderful!
Continuing in that vein, another point of interest for me was the Casa Mila. This was Gaudi's finest work. He broke boundaries, quite literally, incorporating feminine curves to the building façade and has become one of the most influential Moderne designers. The rooftop terraces are worth a view also, with the mosaic chimney stacks a must-see for the fan. Three blocks south is the Illa Discorda, another work of Gaudi. This is a more colourful piece, with overtones of ice-cream parlours and sweet shops! (You can guess I quite like this guy's work, eh?).
In any case, after all that Gaudi worshipping, where else to relax but Parc Guell? This is filled with Gaudi work, and is also home to the Gaudi museum. The Gaudi museum is filled with furniture from Gaudi's home but is otherwise not of significance to the non-enthusiast. The Park, however, is a worthwhile venture, free entry and provides wonderful views of the Sagrada Familia, Cathedral and down to the Med. Entry is via a steep hill and sporadic stone stairs, so is not suitable for the less mobile. (Neither is the metro, which relies on stairs for access - thoroughly disappointing, although buses are of the lowered entry variety and seem to run good routes).
Also possible for sports-lovers is a visit to the Noucamp (or Camp Nou, as it's preferred name….). The museum is a good one, not too big and currently celebrating it's 15th year in operation. For a non football fan like me, I was impressed with the coverage of other sports and the history of the club was well documented using images and recreational models. After all that Gaudi, my beloved (and I!) were certainly impressed by the stadium. Seating 98,000 and standing room for 17,000 (although if anyone can tell us where the standing area is - we couldn't find it!) my other half was trying to enthrall me with the fact that it "really is a modern day Colliseum". I think I'll stick with mosaic chimneys, thank you! In the name of balance, we also visited the Olympic Stadium which is situated at the Montjuic (complete with an umlaut although my keyboard resists this punctuation!). Also at this area is the exhibition area, wheere the fountains and light show for the 92 Olympics occurs every Thursday-Sunday during the summer. This is a sight to behold but beware, it does get exceptionally busy. Also in this area is the Fundacio Joan Miro (a museum which interests me none) and the Contemporary Art Museum (ditto). One museum worth a visit is the Picasso Museum (near the Cathedral) which charts the progress of Pablo's work from the early stages to the 1970's. It also has a good shop, I managed to get a couple of poster sized prints for less than a fiver for both.
I'd go back to Barcelona in a minute, if I wasn't so tired! I'd say that this city has something for everyone - history and architecture for those who want it, beaches and fast food for those who don't. It's proximity to the likes of Sitges, Monserrat and Girona makes for an interesting location and locals are friendly. It's not the cheapest of European cities, but offers better value for money than it's UK counterparts. I wouldn't recommend going in July or August for two reasons - 1. Heat. 2. That's when the Spaniards tend to take holidays and it will be ridiculously busy. If I was to return, I would also go for a shorter duration, it is possible to see the majority of the attractions in a 4 day period without rushing. In any case, I hope you're as lucky as me and visit soon!
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