It’s been over 15 years since I last visited Barcelona. At that time, I was thoroughly taken by the city with its beautiful big boulevards and unique architecture. Then, I only had a few days. This time, I was there for a conference and I had one day essentially to cram in as much of Barcelona as I could.
The day started at 8am with the obvious. With a namesake metro station, getting there was very easy.
One man has left an indelible mark on the city: Antonio Gaudi – the famous 19th century architect and builder. His towering (and still unfinished) creation, La Sagrada Familia, an amazing and creatively-warped Gothic basilica (consecrated by Pope Benedict in 2010) is the heart of Barcelona. Inside, the genius of the man tantalisingly reveals itself in every aspect of the basilica’s design – from tree-like pillars to glittering multi-hued stained glass windows.
The basilica is not expected to be completed until 2026, the centenary of Gaudi’s death. To avoid the queues for tickets, pre-book your entry online. You have to select the “slot” you want. The cathedral is amazing in the level of detail afforded to it by Gaudi and his successors. The sculpture above the main entrance alone is full of allegorical meaning. An official tour is probably the best way to learn about this architectural wonder but I was pressed for time.
Next were the other Gaudi creations include La Pedrera and Casa Batllo. They were only a short walk away from the Cathedral. Again, I chose not to enter but to marvel at the external architecture. I did not have time to visit Parc Güell this trip.
From there, I headed on to Plaça Catalunya – a massive square that is a hive of activity with people everywhere doing the kinds of things you’d do on a nice summer’s day. The famous Ramblas, a large boulevard with a pedestrianised centre wide enough to host restaurants and cafes, shops, kiosks and street performers. The road takes you all the way down to the water, where the statue of Christopher Columbus looks out in the direction of the New World.
To its left is the Gothic Quarter – filled with atmospheric buildings, evoking a Catalonian Paris. I decided to pop into Els Quatre Gats (or The Four Cats, to the non-Catalan fluent). A very early 20th century Art Deco feel is explained by the fact that the café was set up after its owner visited Paris and became inspired by the iconic Le Chat Noir (The Black Cat, whose posters have infiltrated artsy shops everywhere). It hosted the arterrati of Barcelona – the architects like Gaudi, and painters like a young Picasso. The food is inspired by its locale. I opted for the strange but delicious Ous estrellas de gallina de pagès amb gules i gambes vernelles a l’estil del Nord. In English, it simply means Northern-style free-range fried eggs with red prawns and baby eels. My friend had the Atlantic clams with sake and fresh dill. Both were great.
Hunger sated, the next stop was the Cathedral – a Gothic masterpiece dating back to the 13th century, but like everything else, you had to queue and buy a ticket. There was an antiques market in front, and we amused ourselves by looking at the strange and interesting oddities on sale. A bit more time was spent walking around the Gothic Quarter until we came to the Angels Door where there is a famous water fountain. Fill up your bottles here because the Spanish sun can be very unforgiving to your thirst.
Other interesting sights include the amazing Gothic-style architecture, the palace offices of the Catalonian government (very welcoming to refugees!), and the gorgeous Plaça Reial.
Now it was time to ramble down the Rambla to its end, passing the iconic Columbus Column. We walked along the waterfront and esplanade where vendors laid their goods out on beach towels or large cloths. From fake Louis Vuitton bags to selfie sticks, the (mostly) African sellers entreat and cajole passers-by to purchase these.
At the port, take the Transbordador Aeri del Port cable car all the way to Montjuïc. Note that this is different from the other cable car experience which is available on Montjuïc itself, which takes you higher up the mountain to the Castle. With the Port cable car, you have to go up a massively high tower (not for the faint-hearted) and the cable car zips high above the city giving you amazing views. Alight at the Torre de Miramar, where you can sit and enjoy a hearty meal or a cool drink in the adjacent Mirador restaurant while gawking at the amazing city below you. Expect to pay a premium for the location. Note: it was unbearably hot waiting to buy tickets for the cable car, with no seating or shade (until after you have bought the tickets). The company provides the use of large (and effective) umbrellas and two (somewhat redundant) fans but it can be a hard slog.
Satiated, we took a bus down to Plaça Espanya back to the hotel for a short siesta – the summer heat really takes its toll. Along the way, we passed the Magic Fountain which dances to laser lights every night.
We decided to eat where the locals eat – based on the recommendation of a user-driven website called Like a Local. We headed out to the section called El Poble Sec, formerly a poverty-stricken district but now starting to become popular due to its proximity to Plaça Catalunya. You can find another Paris-inspired venue here – El Molino, or The Windmill – based on Moulin Rouge. The restaurant we chose is called Can Eusebio. It wasn’t posh or swanky – in fact, it looked like typical greasy spoon. A selection of tapas was ordered and quickly arrived. It was in the middle of Euro 2016 and football match was on – the place was extremely rowdy with boos and cheers. We had two intoxicated Aussies at the next table barely two feet away, who kept ordering buckets (yes!) filled with bottles of Estrella beer. The website was right though: the food was homely, tasty and certainly hit the spot.
After dinner, we decided we would see the Ramblas in the night and it was awash with colour, people and lights. As we had a whole day travel card, we popped back up to La Sagrada Familia and took photos of it floodlit.
So, that was my Barcelona in one day – we missed out on Pablo Picasso and the other famous local son, Joan Miro and his art. We didn’t manage to get to the beaches. We could have but it was really about pacing ourselves without unnecessary stress, and being too tired to work the next day.
Links
- British Airways
- Catalonia Barcelona Plaza Hotel
- La Sagrada Familia
- Barcelona Metro
- Casa Batllo
- Teleferico (Cable Car)
- Els Quatre Gats
- Like a Local
