{"id":1109,"date":"2018-04-13T16:25:58","date_gmt":"2018-04-13T23:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/blog\/?p=1109"},"modified":"2018-10-28T11:41:02","modified_gmt":"2018-10-28T18:41:02","slug":"things-to-do-in-barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/?p=1109","title":{"rendered":"Things to do in Barcelona"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Casa Batll\u00f3 by Gaudi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Capital of Catalonia and\u00a0Spain\u2019s\u00a0second city, Barcelona is utterly incomparable. It\u2019s one of a few must-see cities with its own identity. This is partly down\u00a0to a generation of early-20th-century artists and architects, like Antoni Gaud\u00ed, whose unforgettable buildings are like nothing you\u2019ll see anywhere else.\u00a0There\u2019s something to delight everyone in Barcelona. If you\u2019re a food lover then the city has a total of 20 Michelin stars, and if you want culture you\u2019ve\u00a0got an inexhaustible choice of beautiful buildings and events. Add to this clean urban beaches, world-class nightlife and so much great shopping you\u00a0won\u2019t know where to begin.<\/p>\n

Las Ramblas<\/strong> –\u00a0Never mind that a lot of locals shun this sequence of promenades that runs from Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya down to the Columbus Monument at the waterfront.\u00a0If you\u2019re a tourist it\u2019s one of those things that you have to do.\u00a0In summer you\u2019ll be under the shade of the tall plane trees and shuffling through the crowds that pass living statues, street performers, bird-sellers and\u00a0flower stands.\u00a0Occasionally you\u2019ll catch the whiff of waffles (gofres) being baked.\u00a0Once you get to the water you can keep going along the boards to visit the Maremagnum mall or Barcelona\u2019s Aquarium.<\/p>\n

Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/strong> –\u00a0This is where to begin your adventure through\u00a0Barcelona and the dreamlike works of Antoni\u00a0Gaud\u00ed.\u00a0His minor basilica is a project of incredible\u00a0scale and ambition that is still only around\u00a0three quarters complete more than a 140 years after Gaud\u00ed first became\u00a0involved.\u00a0When its spires are finished it will be the tallest church building in the world, and hardly resembles any religious structure you\u2019ll have seen in your life.\u00a0The Sagrada Fam\u00edlia combines several architectural styles including Catalan Modernism, Art Nouveau and Spanish Late-Gothic, but Gaud\u00ed\u2019s\u00a0masterpiece defies these kinds of definitions when you look up open-mouthed at the ceiling of the nave.<\/p>\n

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Casa Batll\u00f3<\/strong> –\u00a0Another of Antoni Gaud\u00ed\u2019s most postcard-friendly creations, this apartment block wasn\u2019t created from scratch but was a remodel undertaken at the turn\u00a0of the 20th century.\u00a0You won\u2019t need to have visited Barcelona to recognise the building\u2019s roof, the tiles of which are the scales of a great dragon.\u00a0Like all of his work the inside and outside of Casa Batll\u00f3 has that sinuous quality, with few straight lines, and dazzling attention to detail.\u00a0Take the mushroom-shaped fireplace on the noble floor, which like a cosy grotto was designed for couples to warm up in winter.<\/p>\n

Casa Mil\u00e0<\/strong> –\u00a0Also known as La Pedrera, as the front of the building looks a bit like the face of a quarry, Casa Mil\u00e0 was completed in 1912 and is another emblematic\u00a0Gaud\u00ed building.\u00a0It\u2019s one of several of Catalan modernist works to be UNESCO listed and was the fourth and final Gaud\u00ed building on Passeig de Gr\u00e0cia.\u00a0Architects will appreciate the contemporary innovations here, including the self-supporting stone facade and underground car park.\u00a0It was designed for the industrialist Pere Mil\u00e0 i Camps to be his family home, with apartments for rent on the upper floors.\u00a0The coherence between the design of the building and Casa Mil\u00e0\u2019s furnishings is a real joy to see, and it\u2019s all from a time when Gaud\u00ed was at the top of\u00a0his game.<\/p>\n

Barcelona City Beach<\/strong> –\u00a0Barcelona\u2019s beachfront boardwalk stretches for miles. It will take a good hour to get from Barceloneta to Diagonal Mar on foot, but it\u2019s a walk that really\u00a0helps you understand the city.\u00a0The westernmost beaches like Sant Sebasti\u00e0 are busier and more touristy, but are backed by Barceloneta\u2019s tight lattice of trendy shops and bars with\u00a0terraces and outdoor seating.\u00a0As you move along the waterfront after the Olympic Port you\u2019ll find a bit more room and more Barcelona locals.\u00a0Finally, just up from Platja de Llevant is the massive and new Diagonal Mar mall, revitalising a former industrial part of the city.<\/p>\n

La Boqueria<\/strong> –\u00a0This is an iconic sight and educational\u00a0experience in one. There\u2019s been a Boqueria\u00a0market in Barcelona since medieval times,\u00a0though this exact spot has only witnessed trade\u00a0for about 200 years.\u00a0That elegant and distinctive iron and glass roof you\u2019ll see was put up in 1914.\u00a0Whether you want to do some food shopping or just take in the sights and sounds of a bustling urban market it\u2019s a real eye-opener.\u00a0It\u2019s a grid of permanent stalls selling fruits, vegetables, cold meats, cheese as well as olive products.\u00a0The whole market converges on an oval plan of fishmongers in the centre.\u00a0Cool off with a beer and a tapa at one of the market\u2019s bars.<\/p>\n

Camp Nou<\/strong> –\u00a0In the western Les Corts neighbourhood is the 99,000-seater stadium that has been the home ground of FC Barcelona since 1957.\u00a0It\u2019s one of Europe\u2019s football cathedrals and even if you have no affinity for the team you have to visit Camp Nou to appreciate the dizzying scale of the\u00a0arena.\u00a0And if you are a fan you\u2019ll be in heaven, touring the stadium and browsing the memorabilia of one of the world\u2019s most prestigious teams at the museum.\u00a0The stadium tour is unavailable on or just before match days so keep an eye on the calendar.<\/p>\n

Park G\u00fcell<\/strong> –\u00a0Round off your Gaud\u00ed experience with a trip to this garden complex on Carmel Hill.\u00a0Many make the trip to this part of Gr\u00e0cia for those gorgeous panoramas over Barcelona from the park\u2019s main terrace.\u00a0You\u2019ll have seen these serpentine benches and their mosaics on postcards and in movies.\u00a0Elsewhere there are colonnades, fountains and sculptures, all in the architect\u2019s distinctive style.\u00a0If you still haven\u2019t had enough Gaud\u00ed you can enter his House-Museum, where he lived from 1906 to 1926, with furniture and decorative items designed\u00a0by him on display.<\/p>\n

Barcelona City History Museum<\/strong> –\u00a0The History Museum preserves a few Roman\u00a0sites across the Gothic Quarter, such as the\u00a0temple of Augustus and the Funeral Way on\u00a0Pla\u00e7a de la Vila de Madrid. But Pla\u00e7a del Rei is\u00a0where you can see Barcelona\u2019s ancient history in detailed layers.\u00a0You\u2019ll take a lift down to where the remnants of a garum factory, laundries, dyeing shops and parts of ancient Barcino\u2019s walls are all visible.\u00a0The site is large, covering 4,000 square metres, which you\u2019ll explore via elevated walkways.\u00a0As you rise through the museum building you\u2019ll step forward through time and enter the vaults of the Palau Reial Major, seat of the medieval Dukes of\u00a0Barcelona.<\/p>\n

Montju\u00efc<\/strong> –\u00a0This city district was developed for the 1929 International Exhibition and features several high-profile museums including the National Museum of\u00a0Catalan Art, the Museum of Archaeology and the Ethnology Museum.\u00a0Of those the art museum is particularly recommended, and the views of the city from its steps are stunning.\u00a0Below this, and also built for the exhibition was the Magic Fountain, which puts on light and music shows ever half-hour on the weekends. This is best\u00a0seen at night of course.\u00a0At the very top of the hill is the 17th-century fortress, which saw action in the Catalan Revolt in the 1600s as well as during the Civil War in the late-1930s, after which it was a prison.<\/p>\n

Fundaci\u00f3 Joan Mir\u00f3<\/strong> –\u00a0Just like Gaud\u00ed, Joan Mir\u00f3 was a\u00a0quintessentially Catalonian artist, and a visit to\u00a0his museum will give you a more vivid picture\u00a0of Barcelona\u2019s spirit and style.\u00a0The Fundaci\u00f3 Joan Mir\u00f3 was set up by the\u00a0artist in the 60s to encourage contemporary art in Barcelona, and Mir\u00f3 worked\u00a0closely with the architect Josep Llu\u00eds Sert on the museum building\u2019s design.\u00a0This means there\u2019s a harmony between the venue and the work inside it that you won\u2019t find very often.\u00a0Within there\u2019s a large collection of the artist\u2019s work, including sculptures, drawing and paintings.\u00a0There are also temporary exhibitions of 20th and 21st century art, and all sorts of collaborative and educational projects going on.<\/p>\n

Gr\u00e0cia<\/strong> –\u00a0If you wonder what life is like in the small towns of Catalonia then a visit to Gr\u00e0cia is a way to find out.\u00a0This area wasn\u2019t even part of Barcelona until the 20th century, and thanks to its layout of tapered streets and little squares, feels like a different place.\u00a0It\u2019s a young, stylish and cosmopolitan area with students and artists, so there\u2019s a multitude of bars, cafes and independent shops to be found.\u00a0If you come to Gr\u00e0cia during the Festa Major in August the area is transformed as the residents come together to decorate individual streets in\u00a0imaginative ways to be the best in the neighbourhood.<\/p>\n

Palau de la M\u00fasica Catalana<\/strong> –\u00a0This turn-of-the-century concert hall is yet another piece of Barcelona\u2019s UNESCO-listed heritage.\u00a0It was built by Gaud\u00ed\u2019s contemporary, Llu\u00eds Dom\u00e8nech i Montaner for the Orfe\u00f3 Catal\u00e0, a Barcelona choral society.\u00a0This was at a time when investment and commissions by wealthy Catalan industrialists were helping a generation of artists and designers to create a new\u00a0sense of Catalan identity.\u00a0The hall is a sublime venue for opera, symphonies and folk music, so have a look at the schedule when you plan your trip.<\/p>\n

Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya<\/strong> –\u00a0This is the best meeting point in the city. It\u2019s right at the bottom of the posh Passeig de Gr\u00e0cia and at the top of Las Ramblas.\u00a0If you\u2019re waiting for friends in the evening for a meal or getting ready for a shopping expedition by day nowhere in the Ciutat Vella or Eixample will be\u00a0more than a few minutes on foot from this grand square.\u00a0Barcelona\u2019s flagship branch of El Corte Ingl\u00e9s is right here, and if you\u2019re new to the city and want to get oriented you could go inside to pick up a map.<\/p>\n

Eating in Barcelona<\/strong> –\u00a0International food is superb in Barcelona, especially when it comes to Japanese-style noodle bars, which have become popular recently.\u00a0Another trend is pintxos, Basque-style bar snacks in which delicious things like croquettes and fish are served on a piece of bread held together with a\u00a0toothpick (pincho).\u00a0For a typically Catalan snack there\u2019s “Pa amb tom\u00e0quet”, rustic bread covered in a mix of tomato pulp and oil. This often serves as a base for sandwiches\u00a0or bocatas.\u00a0For a main course here on the coast nothing beats arr\u00f2s negre, rice simmered with cuttlefish or squid, followed by rich crema catalana for dessert.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Capital of Catalonia and\u00a0Spain\u2019s\u00a0second city, Barcelona is utterly incomparable. It\u2019s one of a few must-see cities with its own identity. This is partly down\u00a0to a generation of early-20th-century artists and architects, like Antoni Gaud\u00ed, whose unforgettable buildings are like nothing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eu","category-things-to-do"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1109"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1187,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1109\/revisions\/1187"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lenkatraveler.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}