As I stood in Park Güell among the artistic salamanders and mosaics and surveyed the city of Barcelona, it then dawned on me. This IS the finest city in Europe, one where every whim you could possibly have is satisfied. It had been four days since I arrived in the city, four days filled with amazing sights, architecture, countless tapas, and no end of culture and adventure.
Guest post by John Quinn (author’s bio in the end)
Barcelona has the advantage of being Spain’s second city. Like Florence to Rome or Porto to Lisbon, the cities grew not from the palaces of royalty but from the will of their influential residents. With that, they were able to create an original blueprint, one with shines through to this day. Barcelona’s beauty dwarfs that of Spain’s capital. I’m ever the believer that it’s the little things that make something great. And it’s in its subtleties is where Barcelona truly excels. Barcelona’s architecture left in awe and elevated the city above all others I had visited too.
Much of the architecture of the city comes from the birth of Modernisme in the late 19th century. A form of Art Nouveau its principal architects were Antoni Gaudí, Lluís Domènechi Montaner, and Josep Puigi Cadafalch. The ideology is of curves replacing straight lines, and the use of rich decoration throughout the exterior and interior. Montaner’s Castle of the Three Kings in the Parc de la Ciutedella was where it all began. The idea was taken further, but none more so than by Gaudi.
Barcelona grew from its Gothic Quarter after the demolition of the town walls. That new city was centered on Eixample district. This suburb became the playground of Barcelona’s Modernista masters, and the Passeig de Gracia became their showpiece.
Table of Contents
Gaudi the master architect
Barcelona perhaps owes much of its greatness to one man, but it is still indebted to many. That one man though is Antonio Gaudi.
Was he a genius or a mad man? In the words of Arthur Schopenhauer “Genius and madness have something in common: both live in a world that is different from that which exists for everyone else.”
But thankfully we too can live in that world and see his genius first hand. His designs flew into the face of Gothic and classical conventions. Gaudi didn’t invent Modernisme but he defined it.
Before Carlsberg usurped the word probably it could very easily have been applied to Gaudí. If he built a city park (spoiler: he did, and I stood in it), it would probably be the best park in the work. A devilish blend of Gaudi’s unique architectural style and a traditional green space helps elevate this city park above all those Europe has to offer. It embraced the architect’s ideas of naturalism more than anywhere else in the city. And yet it remains far from the defining feature of this magnificent city.
Take Gaudi’s houses. Casa Batllo is the closest I have seen to Disney. The playful colors, divine facade, and terrific stairs are nothing short of mesmerizing. Then there’s La Padrera. Nature turned into a building as the brochure puts it. Its wavy frontage belies the magnificent courtyard at its heart. Its roof terrace is literally its crowning achievement. Simple things such as chimneys and ventilation shafts were reinvented by the master. Finding myself here as the sunset was unplanned, but is one of my lasting memories of Barcelona.
Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter
Founded in the first century BC Barcelona has been with us for some time. A Roman settlement, it was called Barcino and was a walled town for much of its first millennium or so of existence. After a period of Muslim rule, it found prominence in the 13th century. This time of growth and wealth can be best seen in the affluence of the Gothic Quarter. This maze of streets that dissect its heart is indicative of its medieval origins. While much of the quarter’s buildings have more modern roots, the Palau Reiel Major, Palau de la Generalitat de Catalunya, and the Cathedral of Barcelona all date from the 13th to the 15th century. All stand as a reminder of a bygone time, and all are awesome structures.
There is no better place in Barcelona to just walk and get lost, and I duly obliged. I stumbled upon the Roman and medieval town walls, and Barcelona’s rather unusual Palace of Music, as designed by Montaner.
The Camp Nou
The passion and history of old Barcelona are carried through and on by its new heroes. Those on-field ones. They carry not only the pride of all from Barcelona, bit of all the Catalans. To be so successful in Spain carries as much a political joy as a sporting one. Seeing the team play in the cauldron that is the Camp Nou, is a Barcelona experience not to be missed. The stadium is one that will wow even the most fervent opponents of team sports. This marvel doesn’t need to be seen come game time though. The stadium has been the clubs’ pride since 1957, and I witnessed the largest stadium in Europe by guided tour.
Las Ramblas
Barcelona has a soul. In bucket loads. Naturally, I took a stroll down Las Ramblas. This mile-long pedestrianized street is Barcelona’s Champs Elysee. Scratch that. I don’t want to do Las Ramblas an injustice. As Europe’s finest street, its walk is full of shops, eateries, theaters, street performers, monuments, and in La Boqueria, the most colorful market going. Housed in an inviting glass structure, it really was an attack on the senses.
But the street has architectural prowess too. The Liceu, Barcelona’s opera house, reminded me of renaissance Italy. The interior houses one of Europe’s largest opera auditoriums, and one of its most impressive too. I think you can tell a lot about a city by its opera houses. It is not the only building of note here, of course, in Palau Guell we have another Gaudi’s masterpiece and the home of the Eusebi Guell. Guell was an industrialist and patron of the arts. The house is a perfect exhibition of the use of space and light, as evident in the central hall.
Montjuic
It would be remiss of me not to reflect on my ramble to Montjuic. A hill outside the city, topped by a castle, and one where every nook and cranny is filled with delight after delight. Seeing the cities finest structures from above, was the highlight of the cable car that took me to the top. And my descent took me to the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and down to the Palau Nacional. This huge domed building is a marriage of Spanish renaissance and classicism. And impressive. All the more impressive as the backdrop to the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, whose daily performances of lights and sound are one of the city’s highlights. Hearing the words of Barcelona by the immortal Freddie Mercury, was the perfect way to round off one of my evenings.
The Sagrada Familia
I can’t believe I’ve rambled this long without mentioning it. But it is good manners to save the best till last. Sagrada Familia will surely provide a quandary to the new 7 wonders of the world when its final block has been laid. Perhaps we will be due to a re-vote. The Sagrada is truly Gaudi’s masterpiece, one that has been in construction for almost 140 years. Only new technology has helped draw the completion closer. Yet the end is still not in sight, as engineers still work to realize Gaudi’s vision.
Styled with naturalism is mind, it is never more evident than when staring up at the ceiling, and I clearly visualized the natural canopy of a forest. This ideology is rampant throughout the building. The spiral staircases of the towers seem to enchantingly twist into oblivion. But not to forget the intention of servitude to god, the portals of the Sagrada tell the story of the new testament through the brilliance of sculpture. There are so many statues, its easy to spend an hour just staring at the outside. I spent an entire morning in awe and reverence of that church.
Barcelona is one of those destinations that are generally unforgettable. However, its architecture elevates it above all the competition. I was astounded by the Casa Batllo, bowled over by La Padrera, and blown away by the Sagrada Familia.
Author’s Bio
Hi, I’m John from Carpediemeire, a travel blogger based in Dublin, Ireland. My blog Carpedeimeire’s focus is on trips in Ireland and Europe, with a particular emphasis on short breaks in cities and road trips to rural locations. So you are as likely to find me in the depths of an urban castle as the heights of a remote mountain. I have a background of 20 years in tourism, and I favor a high energy flashpacking style of traveling.
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Further reading
For a basic summary about Barcelona’s sights, hotels, prices take a look at this weekend in Barcelona post.
If you are only in Barcelona for a short time, check out this Barcelona one day travel itinerary.
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