Barcelona is a modern city with beautiful tree lined streets and parks at every other turn. The waterfront boardwalk is well equipped for the summer months. The beautiful white sand shoreline is packed with cafes and restaurants overlooking the calm, blue ocean.
The city is also rich in architecture. The works of Antoni Gaudi, stand out from the rest and have become attractions in their own right. The Sagrada Familia is definitely one to visit. While still under construction, the detail on the outside is amazing and the inside is breath taking. Every little detail has a meaning and place within the design. A lot of the inspiration for the design was taken from nature and the white interior along with the stained glass windows give the place a real magical feel.
Tibidabo Mountain which is home to an amusement park, a telecommunications tower, and the Temple de Sagrat Cor, is visible from most of the city. It is possible to walk the whole way up, but we walked up half way and then took the funicular (small and steep rail car) the rest of the way. The amusement park on the church grounds has a dozen rides and is the oldest in Barcelona. We didn't try out the park but rather enjoyed the view and the sunshine.
Living with a football fan we could not go past the Camp Nou stadium without a look. It is a huge stadium and home to the famous Barcelona Football Club. It was not the most impressive stadium I have visited, but when it is full on game day I'm sure the atmosphere would be like no other.
Guell Park was also designed by Gaudi. The entrance is very crowded, but once you get up higher in to the park it is a nice place to take a relaxing walk through the trees and enjoy the views of the city.
At night there is no shortage of restaurants to try. Most offering their variation on the classic tapas and paella. On our first night we received such large portions of paella that we couldn't look at it for the rest of the trip! Sadly I felt that the selection was a little limited, maybe due to being such a touristy place. Saying that the sangria was always tasty and we got to try some dishes we had not tried before which is part of the fun of being somewhere new.
I am so glad we got to visit Barcelona before our return to New Zealand. It is a beautiful city without too much hustle and bustle. I would love the opportunity to go back to Spain one day and explore what else the country has to offer.
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