Barcelona
Sagrada Familia
A few years ago I never really would have placed Barcelona on my list of “must see” places. I had heard a lot of great things about the city but no one could ever tell me why it was such a great place to visit. I can honestly say now after visiting, that it really should be on everyone’s list of places to see.
Unlike many other European cities it is cosmopolitan without pretense. It is at its heart a working city that accommodates tourism. The local population will treat you with what could be mistaken for indifference until you realize that the Catalan personality is actually very warm and welcoming if you make the effort to converse.
Barcelona is distinctly Catalan with its own language, local government and university system. Larger restaurants will ask you if you would prefer to speak Catalan or Castillan (Spanish). That is about the only accommodation you will get. Everyone there does understand Spanish, but they will only reply in Catalan. If your Spanish is pretty good it would be worth picking up a few Catalan words and phrases to ease your trip. A simple “Si us plau” (please) and “Gracies” (thank you) will go a long way.
The central part of Barcelona is relatively compact. It is very easy to walk to most of the important sights and museums from hotels in the Barri Gotic (the old city) or L’Eixample. The city also provides a well run bus for seeing the important sights called the Bus Turistic. With three choices of routes you can get a great overview of the city and choose to get on and off at any venue that catches your fancy. But clearly walking is the method of transportation chosen by tourists and the locals alike.
And just when you think you have tasted every style of European food, Catalan cooking adds a whole new dimension. It uses fresh, simple ingredients and combines them in a way that speaks of the local tradition. It is an amalgam of Spanish, French, and Italian cooking that is its own distinct cuisine.
Las Ramblas and Barri Gotic
Avinguda de la Catedral
Las Ramblas and the Barri Gotic incorporate the old city, which dates from Roman times, and the central shopping area which surrounds La Rambla, the central avenue designed for walking, shopping, and being seen. La Rambla stretches from the Columbus statue in the harbor area all the way up to Avinguda Diagonal in L’Eixample. The entire walk would take less than 30 minutes at a brisk pace. However, the pace on La Rambla is decidedly slow because there is so much to see.
St. Josep Market
One important stop on La Rambla is the St. Josep Market, the original central market for Barcelona. You will get an idea of the amazing variety of local foods and fresh produce. Although tourists walk through gaping at all the delicacies it is at its heart still a very important market for the locals. I am guessing it is also a great place to get some lunch. The lines at the prepared food stalls are three and four deep with locals at lunch time, so we did not get to sample anything at the market. If you can squeeze your way in you can get a very good lunch for 7 to 10 euros. We opted to eat at one of the cafes on La Rambla. Although these cafes cater largely to tourists at lunch, it is still an area where the locals come to eat. We followed a group of locals into a restaurant and had a very nice lunch; appetizer, entrée, dessert and a glass of wine for 11 euros. The food was outstanding.
Street Barri Gotic
The Barri Gotic is just East of La Rambla. It is a vibrant fully functioning neighborhood that incorporates the oldest parts of the city, some dating from the Roman times. As such it is a warren of narrow streets and small squares many of which maintain their charm from their original time of construction. Despite the cramped quarters, the Barri Gotic still houses the central Catalan Government and the largest and oldest Cathedral in the city. I found that maps were pretty useless in this area as the streets all intersect at weird angles. You are better off walking around on your own. The large square in front of the Cathedral is a good place to begin and end your journeys in the Barri Gotic . It seems all alleyways lead to the Cathedral.
Placa Rei - Roman Structures
Just to the East of the Cathedral complex is an area that incorporates construction from the Roman era. It is fascinating to see how the buildings use the Roman stone structure as their base. This area comprises some important museums and the structure that was the original library for the Aragonian Kings.
L’Eixample (lay-shom-ple)
Casa Mila
In Catalan l’eixample means “the extension.” This district of the city lies just to the west of the Barri Gotic and Las Ramblas, which comprised the largest share of the medieval city of Barcelona. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the city expanded to include the L’Eixample which was a well planned extension of the city formed largely in a grid pattern. The interesting thing about the grid is that the sharp corners were removed at each street intersection creating open airy spaces at the end of each block.
Manzana de la Discordia
The L’ Eixample district is home to the largest number of structures using Modernist Architecture made famous by Antoni Gaudi and others during the late 19th and early 20th century. The most striking example of this is the Manzana de la Discordia, or block of discord, where architects and patrons alike tried to outdo each other with the fancifulness of their structures. Similar structures are spotted throughout the district. There is also a planned suburban community, now called Parc Guell, where Antoni Gaudi tried his Modernist version of tract housing. It never caught on so the land was given to the city to use as a park.
Sagrada Familia
The largest draw to the L’ Eixample is the Sagrada Familia; Antoni Gudi’s life work in building a temple to the Holy Family. Planning for the facility began in 1882 and the building of the structure is still continuing based on the designs of Antoni Gaudi and other modernists. It is truly a remarkable piece of art and architecture. I give a more in depth look in a separate section; Sagrada Familia.
Cine Comedia
L’ Eixample is much more than an architectural wonderland. It is a decidedly residential part of the city. As such it is populated with restaurants, bars, pastry shops and other upscale shopping. On just about every corner there is another restaurant or small wine bar offering a “menu del dia;” a fixed price menu usually consisting of three courses and a glass of wine. You can also nibble all day by eating some tapas as you stroll through the city. This part of the city is definitely a walking venue.
Montjuic
Placa de Sant Jordi
The other large area of interest for tourism is found at Montjuic, or the Jewish Mountain, named for an early Jewish burial ground found there. This area comprises many of the most important museums in the city, including the National Museum of Catalan Art, the Poble Espanyol, and the site of the Barcelona Olympic stadium. It is also a great place to get a good view of the city from the harbor to the mountains.
We visited the area at night so there are not many pictures from this district. It is a very popular area for tourism judging from the number of people getting on and off the Bus Turistic late in the evening.
Sagrada Familia
It is really impossible to describe the sheer magnitude of the undertaking going on during the construction of Sagrada Familia. The original planning for the church began in 1882, with Antoni Gaudi taking over full control of the planning in 1883. The facility is not supposed to be finished until 2026 which would mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudi. The architecture draws on themes from nature, with the intention being a more organic vision of what a church should represent.
Ceiling Detail
The Northern end of the structure is largely complete with construction continuing apace on the Southern end of the building. The vaulted ceiling is unlike any other church structure in Europe with base pillars topped with stylized “leaves” and upper structures meant to look like branches. The ceiling is then populated with more stylized flowers.
East Portico
The East portico depicts the Nativity and was largely designed by Gaudi. The roiling details are meant to represent waves on the ocean as the angels and cherubim look down on the scene.
West Portico
In stark contrast the West portico depicts the Passion and takes on a decidedly more modern, as opposed to Modernist, approach to the scene. The vision is much starker with very little ornamentation other than the figures themselves.
Pillar Detail
The Sagrada Familia is in need of a close look if you are in Barcelona. Unfortunately as the largest tourist attraction in the city it is very cramped and over populated with people chattering and taking pictures. We visited in November during the lowest part of the tourist season and it was still very crowded. I would suggest you try to get there at the opening of the facility in the morning to allow yourself a less harried look.
Monestir de Pedralbes
Monestir de Pedralbes Cloister and Church
While riding on the red line of the Bus Turistic we came across a section of Barcelona named Pedralbes (White Rock). It is a beautiful, low-key residential section of the city which includes the former palace of the King of Spain. Also located in this area is the Monestir de Pedralbes. Founded in the 14th century it is one of the oldest functioning convents in Europe.
The complex comprises the church and convent (oddly called a “monestir” or monastery in Catalan) which are set around a three-tier cloister that provides access to the main rooms and the day cells used by the nuns for prayer. The museum contains many rare works of religious art and furniture which the convent collected over its history. The nuns gave up the cloister complex in 1983 but still carry out their religious observations in the main church and are now housed in a more modern building nearby.
Courtyard
The convent has a number of collections which are associated with the everyday life of the nuns. Many of the objects are pieces that the nuns brought as their “dowry” to the order when they joined the convent. The collection spans from medieval times all the way up to modern times. Much of the Catalan craftsmanship can only be found in this part of Spain.
Herb Garden
Being a cook and sometimes herbalist, I was most fascinated with the exhibit on medicinal and culinary herbs that were grown on the grounds of the cloister. The museum maintains a garden laid out in a fashion similar to a medieval garden, with groupings of plants based on their culinary or medicinal properties.
Wood Fired Ovens
I also followed one of the nuns into the old kitchen after she let herself in with a pass key (she was carrying a guitar case just like Maria in “The Sound of Music”). I asked if I could take a look around. She giggled and moved on so I guess it was alright with her. You could see the areas where there was an open fire for cooking and the more modern improvements in the kitchen. The food was passed into the refectory or dining room through a small hole in the wall.
Street Outside the Convent
If you are looking for a little quiet time in Barcelona this would be a good morning diversion. The whole time we were at the convent I think we saw at most about six other people. After visiting Sagrada Familia it was a welcome respite.
The Food
Tapas
It is really hard to characterize the food offerings in Barcelona. One thing it is not is a haven for American fast food. I am not sure whether the government has banned this type of food altogether or the real estate is just too expensive. But thankfully you never see any golden arches or Kentucky-fried anything.
This is not to say that there is no fast food in Barcelona. Most of the fast food will be found in the pastry shops that seem to be on every corner of the city. Not only can you buy anything to take care of your sweet tooth, you can also pick up a sandwich and a bottle of wine for a quiet lunch in the park or your hotel room. One of the most enjoyable meals we had was from one of the pastry shops which offered “flautilla de perna gra” which was a narrow loaf of bread, or ficelle, sliced down the middle and filled with a strip of Serrano ham. We washed it down with a bottle of Rioja and did not stop smiling for the rest of the afternoon. It was quick, satisfying and delicious. What else could you ask for?
You will also find that there is nothing terribly fancy about Catalan cuisine. A common lunch is a plate of local pork sausage with white beans and a lemony garlic sauce. Judging from what we saw at the local restaurant at lunch, a braised pork hock seems to be the national dish. A common appetizer is a “pastis” or pie which is essentially a crustless quiche made from eggs, cheese, cream and blended with an assortment of ingredients.
And what would Barcelona be without tapas? It seemed like it would be a cliché but people really do stop off from work and grab a glass of wine or sherry and nibble on a plate of small delicious tidbits that run the gamut from squid, to marinated vegetables, to olives wrapped in Serrano ham. We spent one full evening trying out this type of food. It is a very interesting way to nibble through an evening, while soaking up more of that Rioja. And I found my new favorite form of bread. It is basically a grilled slice of baguette which is then rubbed with a little garlic and a little fresh tomato. We had so many plates of this “free” bread the restaurant owner actually started charging us.
The key with Barcelona, as with any city in Europe, is to go off the beaten path a bit. I always want to go where there is a group of local people hanging out and I just order “whatever they are having.” Many of these places have a hard time holding more than six people at a time. But what they lack in size and ambiance they usually make up for with some great home cooking.
The Port
We traveled to Barcelona to take a seven day cruise around the Mediterranean. We left from the cruise ship port which is also a sight to see. It is one of the most modern ports in Europe and is fast becoming one of the busiest. The process for embarkation is swift and uncomplicated. I suggest that you buy your liquor at the duty-free shop before entering the ship. A $20 bottle of vodka on shore will cost you close to $100 on the ship.
Unloading at Night
It is a great place to begin and end a journey. I am looking forward to returning to Barcelona soon.