barcelona sights

Our apartment on el Born was super centrally located in Barcelona, and the perfect base for running all over the city and getting to the different places we wanted to visit. But the Gothic Quarter was truly beautiful in its own right, and I loved making it our home away from home.

Being right in el Barrí Gòtic meant that we walked around a corner and ran straight into the Barcelona Catedral. Stunning does not even begin to capture the vision.  The detailing on the cathedral was so intricate, it was mesmerizing- like the most beautiful hand-tooled lace. I swear, I was more interested in Christian houses of worship on this trip than I’ve ever been before or since! 

As we walked through our neighborhood, I kept exclaiming over one pretty detail after another.  I was obsessed with the flowers and the wrought iron,  not to mention those quatrefoil sidewalks.  In typical blogger style, I get excited over gorgeous doorways. I hate being so basic but I can’t help it when they are this pretty!

I make a point of visiting parks and community spaces when we travel, and nearby Parc de la Ciutadella was no exception. It was the perfect place to sit and soak in the sunshine for a bit, to plan our next activity or rest our feet.

Walking between nearby buildings, we came across a little courtyard. We’d sometimes sit for a moment there, and enjoy watching the world go by. One day it was occupied by by some Spanish children and a gentleman with bubbles. Like kids the world over, they were pretty cute, and an audience gathered to watch them frolic.

We made sure to go walking down by the Balearic Sea. Barceloneta along the water was so beautiful, and the docks were filled with sailboats.  The breeze was brisk and the weather was too cool for beaching and sunbathing, but we still reveled in the salt air.
  

We’d planned to check out Sant Pau Recinte, but arrived to find they were closed for a private event.  I’d heard raves about the interior architecture and gardens of this former hospital, so I was disappointed to miss out on those. But we enjoyed the beautiful exterior and made the most of it.

 While touristing, we made a spontaneous executive decision to skip Palau Guell. The afternoon line seemed longer than reasonable and we’d walked our feet sore, so we decided to prioritize happy hour. We grabbed a few quick pictures and headed for siesta time at home.

A little leisure time was perfect, because we had amazing dinner reservations that night.  Get excited, because details on that’s up next…

loveRavayna

This is one of those times where no matter how gorgeous the photo, it is impossible to do the insane beauty of this place justice.

The size and scope of the church from outside, and sheer quantity of artwork within, is really simply beyond.  More than once, I looked up and found myself completely awed.

 We had one or two people advise us to skip the Sagrada Familia, or to only do an outside walk by. I can’t imagine feeling that way! Granted, it was crowded with tourist and school groups, and not exactly what I’d consider a peaceful place of worship.

But surrounded by rainbows of glorious morning sunshine streaming through all the stained glasswork, the hubbub seemed to fade.

It’s crazy to me that after 133 years, there is still 15 or 20 more of construction ahead, but I understand when I see how incredible it is, and it will be even more so when the scaffolding and curtains are removed.

It’s crystal clear to me how and why this is so renowned. It is gloriously beautiful, and seeing its growth towards completion is one of the (many) things I’m looking forward to about a return trip to Barcelona.

loveRavayna