Here's what to see and what to do in Barcelona in 5 days and early autumn. Very interesting travel diary that will take you to discover the wonders of this extraordinary city.
Barcelona places of interest and attractions
Sunday October 6 2019 Rita and I leave Turin with a Ryanair flight (40 euros a / r in two omnia), bus to Barcelona (42 euros a / r in two), we arrive at the terminal (Arc de Triomf), then at the hotel, making the T10 ticket.
It is very hot around 28-30 °.
THEHotel Front Maritim it is a modern building, found via the internet on indication found in a travel story, large room, facing the sea, complete and spacious bathroom (with bidet), television with channels in Spanish, no wifi, but you can connect with the cable , two stations in the hall, but crowded and slow, restaurant, wellness center, 80 euros per night, metro at about 500 meters (Selva del mar station), some bus lines pass closer.
In the afternoon we start the visit, with the Gothic part of Barcelona, which for the Spain it has the same importance they have Granada, Seville e Cordova for Moorish art.
Barcelona clubs, pubs, disco tips for fun and nightlifeLet's go to the Church of Santa Maria del Mar, in Catalan Gothic style, is considered the most beautiful in all of Spain, built in the fourteenth century, has a facade with sculptures and capitals representing the guilds that promoted the construction, two octagonal towers, of which only one is original.
The interior is rather bare, with massive columns, very spaced apart, supporting the three naves, we also note the gothic rose window and the stained glass windows, we also liked the small square in front.
We leave the church and go towards the Picasso Museum, we pass through the narrow streets of the Born, and the carrer de Montcada which in the Middle Ages was the most important street in the city, the typical medieval Palau, are now the headquarters of important cultural institutions such as the Maeght Foundation (at n.25) and the Picasso Museum .
Note that the road is very narrow and it is difficult to see the buildings, we give up the museum for the length of the queue. We then move towards the Church of Santa Maria del Pi, it is open but covered almost entirely by scaffolding both inside and out, practically nothing can be seen.
Passing through the Via Laietana we come across the Palau della Musica Catalana, one of the masterpieces of modernist architecture, designed by Domenech ì Montaner, we admire the facade decorated with red bricks and columns with very colorful mosaics, with busts of great composers, it's late for the visit inside and there are no free seats for the evening symphonic concert.
We then wander around the characteristic and narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter, then we go to have dinner at The Merchant of Venice with Italian cuisine, of medium level, classic style, average prices around 20 euros per person, including wine and coffee, we were satisfied.
Passing along the promenade and the port, we see the many outdoor bars and restaurants, then finally to the hotel.
On Monday 7 October we buy 2 free circulation tickets for 3 days, about 15,00 euros each) and head to Piazza Catalunya, where we make a stop, to go to the institution tourism, we get tourist material (not very well stocked) and a detailed map of all transport (cost 1 euro) very convenient.
Shopping in BarcelonaBus 24 takes us to Park Guell, admission is free.
We enter through the main door, a marvelous spectacle appears to us for style and colors, we immediately see the two large stairways in the middle the famous dragon and fountains (dry), higher up the coat of arms of Catalonia, it is all a party of colors, difficult to describe , figures of fantastic animals covered with "trencadis" which are fragments of colored ceramic and majolica that create bright and multicolored surfaces, of the azulejos type, 86 Doric-type columns form the hypostyle hall and support a large semicircular terrace with an undulating balustrade with edges and seats with colored mosaics.
We must not be fooled by these architectures that seem taken from a cartoon, as they have historical and symbolic meanings, do not miss the sculpted tree trunk columns that support the viaduct.
We return to the sea, arriving in Drassanes in the square of the Portal of Peace where the monument to Christopher Columbus dominates which stands on a column about 60 meters high, there is an elevator to see the view, in front of us Port Vell, an elegant tourist port, we walk on a walkway, which is also a drawbridge ( la Rambla del mar), we reach the tidal wave, an elegant shopping center, full of shops of the most famous brands, built on the sea, among the various restaurants we choose to go to the Fressco, a self-service at a fixed price of 9 euros, including wine and coffee, you can take everything you need wants, many salads and vegetables, there are also 3 types of pasta, meat and fish, it is not haute cuisine, but the choice, considering the very hot day, satisfies us.
In the afternoon we go to the Sagrada Familia, the best-known monument in Barcelona, under construction since time immemorial, designed (not all) by Gaudi.
We carefully visit the outside, the appearance is grandiose, the church consists of three facades, only the facade of the Nativity was curated directly by Gaudi, the towers are more than 100 meters high, the temple is finely decorated in neo-Gothic style although it is not always easy to see details with the naked eye.
Admission is paid, I decide not to enter, while Rita enters.
We move toHospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul, considered one of the masterpieces of modernism and of Domenech i Montaner.
The hospital consists of a series of buildings that overlook a large garden, the red brick facades have the typical decorations, in stone mosaic and colored majolica, in particular we found interesting the mosaics depicting the history of hospitals .
In the evening we go to the Paseo de Gracia, to see the buildings of modernism illuminated.
The passeig is a straight tree-lined avenue, not very long, elegant, on the type of French boulevards and Spanish courses, quite popular in the evening, I think it can be defined as the showcase of the architectural styles of Barcelona and modernism.
We focus in particular on the stretch known as "la Manzana de la Discordia", essentially an area with three famous buildings, the most striking, in my opinion, is the Casa Battlò by Gaudì, the facade seems to be taken from a horror film with its balconies depicting monsters (not to be missed), in the following days I will also visit the interior (rather expensive entrance), the courtyard with facades covered with blue trencadis and the terrace on the top floor with characteristic fireplaces and multicolored decorations in trencadis like Park Guell, inside it is not possible to take photos.
I point out that the theme is that of Park Guell (San Jordi and the dragon).
La Ametller House, it looks like one of the typical buildings of Amsterdam, in particular the balcony on the first floor is beautiful, with iron decorations, in the upper part beautiful windows that are designed to represent the letter A.
La Casa Millà (la Pedrera), much discussed work, we appreciate the wavy shapes and the vegetable-shaped iron decorations of the balconies, the building is very large, angular, about 6 floors and very wide.
Tuesday October 8, walk along the promenade, where we appreciate modern sculptures, then we go to the Joan Mirò Foundation, on the Montjuic hill, we can easily reach it after a short section of the funicular which can be taken at the same metro stop.
The exhibition is inside a white building, purposely built in a park, the works are exhibited partly inside (no photos) and partly outside in large white spaces, separated from each other (here yes can take photos), admission fee.
The exhibition contains a complete collection of the art of Mirò and other famous artists of the time who were part of the great artist's collection, in the outdoor exhibition space there are works with fantastic colors that the sunny day helps to make even more alive it is a feast for the eyes, for Mirò lovers it is not to be missed.
On the way back we stop in Plaque of Spain, with a monumental fountain, we notice the arena where the bullfights took place, and not far away the Palau d'Espanya, nearby is the famous magic fountain.
In the afternoon we walk the length and breadth of the Passeig, completing the visit of the buildings of modernism seen in the evening.
In particular we note Casa Lleo Morera del Montaner, of a more classic style, I continue until Fuser House, home to a hotel.
We then reach the beautiful and imposing Cathedral of Barcelona (la Seu), inside with three very large naves, the side chapels are in Baroque style, in one the famous Christ of Lepanto is exhibited, in the shape of an S carved in wood, then I go down into the crypt with the carved marble sarcophagus of Santa Eulalia, then I go to the gothic cloister, always crowded, it is lined with wide porch, with the famous fountain of the geese which has a sculpture depicting Saint George, the pavement with sepulchral tombstones.
After dinner we go to see the most famous churches that had illuminated us, a useless night tour because they are strictly in the dark.
Wednesday October 9, even today the sun illuminates our wandering, super summer clothing.
We walk on the famous Avenue, we notice the famous Mirò mosaic on the pavement, we visit the characteristic and colorful covered market of the Boqueria, then we go to the Royal Square, pleasant in the nineteenth-century style and with palm trees surrounded by arcades invaded by tables of bar e restaurants which also occupy part of the square, in the center the fountain of the Three Graces, tree-shaped lampposts designed in his youth by Gaudì.
We then head to the Rambla del Raval to see El Gat, a huge bronze cat by Botero (more than 2 meters high), then al Palau Guell by Gaudi, which we visit only from the outside, we notice the parabolic entrances and the wrought iron decorations.
We then reach the Romanesque church of Sant Pau del Camp, one of the oldest monuments of the city, whose construction dates back to around the year 1000, we enter from the ancient portal, inside the stone church is practically bare, the Moorish-style cloister is interesting, there is also a small exhibition of the finds from the excavations, the entrance is paid (I think 3 euros) but it's worth it.
In the early afternoon we take the boat to go around the port in order to have a more complete view of the works carried out, the twin towers are particularly noticeable.
Back to Gothic Quarter to take a stroll aimlessly, in complete tranquility and do some souvenir shopping, while Rita goes to see the Maritime Museum.
The museum is housed in the ancient shipyards of the fleet (Drassanes Reials), one of the most majestic Gothic buildings preserved in Europe.
Inside you are struck by the enormous space that these naves create, it almost seems to be in a cathedral.
Visiting the museum you can explore the entire history of navigation (maps, reconstructions of boats, etc.), the first submarine in the world is also exhibited, leaving a nice café-restaurant with a veranda on the Jardì del Rei. Then Rita goes to the beach to take a swim in the sea.
Thursday October 10 last lap on Avenue, then to the Boqueria, then we go to visit the Placa del Rei, a beautiful medieval square, is a monumental complex made up of imposing and impressive palaces built from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century.
In the afternoon departure for Turin even if we didn't experience the festive atmosphere of Barceloneta.
Barcelona pictures and photos
