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Montjuic - Castell de Montjuïc - Montjuic Fortress in Barcelona Barcelona Spanish City Break - Travel Tips |
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I had heard of the name Antoni Gaudí but did not know much about him. My trip to Barcelona changed that. I am now a fan of his work. In my opinion the two most important tourist sites in Barcelona are Gaudi’s Casa Batllo and then on the other side of the road Gaudi’s Casa Mila, La Pedrera. Get there early to try and beat the queues. If the queues are already formed it is still worth the wait. When you visit Gaudi’s Casa Batllo make sure you use the hand held audio guide so you understand and know what you are looking at and how it works. There are lots of cheap flights and inexpensive hotel, bed and breakfast, apartment, motel and villa accommodation. Renting a car is cheap but you will not need one to visit the city. Barcelona has elegant boulevards and attractive side streets. The Christopher Columbus waterfront has to be visited. Make sure you go to the Maritime Museum even if you do not like boats. You have to see the splendid richly decorated Mediterranean giant oared Royal galley warship. The Olympic village and the fort on top of the hill are an ideal place to spend an afternoon and take in the fantastic vista of Barcelona in font of you. To cool off try one of Barcelona’s long sandy beaches. How to get to the city from Barcelona Airport - Taxi How to get to the city from Barcelona Airport - Airport shuttle bus How to get to the city from Barcelona Airport - Train
If you just purchase a normal 3 Euro RENFE ticket to railway station Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gracia then you will have to buy another ticket to use the Metro. A T10 ticket will give you ten, Zone 1, journeys on the metro, FGC (FGC run train lines similar to the metro around the city centre) buses, tram and RENFE trains. The main city centre areas are all in Zone 1. A T10 ticket costs about 8 Euros. It saves you having to buy individual tickets for each journey. It also saves you money. A normal metro single journey ticket costs you 1.35 Euros. A T10 ticket will save you 5.80 Euros for 10 journeys The T10 ticket can be used for more than one person at a time. Each person must put the card in the machine and then pull it out completely from the ticket validation machine to release the turnstile. They must leave the card on the machine for the next member of the group to use. The T10 ticket is valid on the RENFE train to and from the airport but not valid on the Aerobus airport express bus service. You can see how many journeys you have left on your T10 ticket by looking at the LCD display of the ticket validation machine. If you need to travel outside of Zone 1 you can buy a different T10 zone ticket that will cover you for other zones. When you use the T10 ticket on a TMB bus you must validate the ticket by putting it in and out of the small validation box inside the bus. Keep the tickets flat. If you damage and crease them in a pocket or bag they will not work as they become unreadable. Say to a member of staff " Esta tarjeta no funciona" (this card does not work). They should then issue you with a new T10 ticket free of charge with the same amount of journeys left on it as the old card. When buying tickets make sure you have change. Some of the automated ticket machines will only accept coins. If you arrive on the very early plane the ticket booth may be closed. Buy a coffee or can of drink with a 20 Euro note to get some change before you go to the train station. If the ticket booth is open ask them for a free metro map "mapa por favour?" Reus Airport transfers to Barcelona Reus Airport - Bus to Barcelona Reus Airport - Train to Barcelona
Gaudi’s Casa Batllo From the outside the Casa Batllo looks like it has been made from skulls and bones. The "Skulls" are the building's balconies and the "bones" are supporting pillars. Gaudi, as inspiration for his creativity in this building used colours and shapes found in marine life e.g. the colours chosen for the outside of the building are those found in natural coral. The building was designed for Josep Batlló, a wealthy aristocrat, as an upmarket home. He commissioned Antoni Gaudi for this eyecatching building. Señor Batlló lived in the lower two floors with his family and the upper floors were rented out as apartments. The attention to detail Gaudi spent on his designs like how he used varying window sizes depending on how high the window was from the top of the building, are typical Gaudi. In this way he could ensure uniform lighting conditions in each room of the house. He also used Fish Fill shaped wooden flaps that could be opened and closed to make a natural chimney affect. Gaudi’s Casa Mila, La Pedrera The Barcelona industrialist Pere Milà and his wife Commissioned the building Casa Milà to be built by Gaudí between 1906 and 1910. It is also called ‘the Quarry’, La Pedrera’ a name it gets from its rippling gray stone façade. The wavelike pattern of the stone facade is highlighted by the wrought iron balconies. Each Gaudi balcony is different from the others. The Casa Mila was left to fall apart, but UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1984 and the Caixa de Catalunya (a big bank in this region of Spain) bought the building in 1986. After 10 years of restoration, it was finally opened to the public in 1996. It has quickly developed into one of the most important Gaudi cultural places in Barcelona. It is on 92 Passeig de Gracia. The nearest Metro stations are Passeig de Gràcia or Diagonal on the Metro lines L3, L5. The building is on a fashionable boulevard lined with small cafes and restaurants. Hotels and other accommodation are everywhere.
Gaudi’s Cathedral - Temple de la Sagrada Familia Go into the museum first and it will give you a better understanding of what you are looking at when you go inside the building. Many tourists just stand outside and simply take photographs or observe from the sidewalks. I believe they are missing the essences and an understanding of Gaudi if they fail to go on the tour. I really suggest that you visit this extraordinary building early in the morning There is much to see and it gets crowded fast. Whether you love or hate this building, you will never forget the first time you set eyes on it. Before I went to Barcelona I was not looking forward to going around Gaudi’s works. It did not interest me. I am not religious and do not like going around Churches. I did not understand it. I was dragged along by my wife. Once Antoni Gaudi’s vision is explained to you and you see the real thing up close your perception and views change to appreciation and wonder. You can climb to the towers and admire the snail shape stairs, there is an elevator to the top. You can visit the crypt and see Antoni Gaudi’s tomb. The original project included 12 towers (the 12 apostles) of which only 4 (the smallest) are built. He received the commission in 1866 from a religious right-wing organization that wanted to build an “Expiatory Temple” as a reaction to the more liberal ideas that were running through Europe at that time. Gaudi died in 1926 when he was knocked down by a tram. During Spanish Civil War most of the models, plans and drawings were destroyed. The project continues following what present architects think were Gaudi’s ideas of how his cathedral should be finished. This being Spain construction is very slow. The projected deadline is 2022 for completion. Of the 4 facades only 2 are finished (Nativity and Passion). Gaudi’s Park Güell It is a pig to get to if you use the metro. The Park is very high up and the bus will take you to the entrance while if you take the Metro you have to walk uphill for half an hour along, not very attractive, dirty rundown side roads. I would definitely recommend taking the bus or taxi. Take the bus number 24 from Plaza Catalunya. Mr Eusebi Güell was the main patron of Antoni Gaudí's work. Park Güell was, designed as a real estate development for Eusebi Güell in 1900. During the levelling of the park a mineral water spring was discovered. Güell Park became a municipal park and was opened to the public in 1922. Gaudí planned and directed the construction from 1900 to 1914. It was built as a residential garden city based on English models. The plan was to have 60 single-family houses on the site but the project was financially unsuccessful and not finished. Only two were built. In creating the park he has used shapes, which harmonized with the landscape as can be seen by the curves on the upstairs balcony tiled seating area. His designs were very organic. Gaudi built a complex garden of staircases, animal like sculptures, curvy ramps, and viaducts. Since 1984 the park was declared a monument of world interest by UNESCO. Admission to the park is free.
When you enter the park there is a grand staircase with fountains and the city's mascot, the mosaic lizard greeting you. Go up the stairs and you will come to large doric columns near an area called the marketplace. Above this area is a grand plaza ringed by the famous tiled, curving benches. To the side and back of the plaza are these unique natural stone pillars. Beyond this is a vast natural park with winding pathways through wooded areas. At a very high point in the park is a little tower with 3 crosses on it. Montjuic Montjuic Palau Nacional - National Palace Montjuic - Castell de Montjuïc - Montjuic Fortress The best thing about the Castell de Montjuïc is that it is an excellent place to get a view of the Barcelona skyline, Barcelona’s Container port, the ferry terminal and the blue Mediterranean Sea. Catch the Metro to the station Avenida Paral-lel. It is at the bottom of the funicular railway that then takes you most of the way up the mountain to the Olympic pool. It is still a long walk up hill in the hot Spanish sun to the fort. Personally I would take an air conditioned taxi. It is the best way of getting to the fort. It may not seem a long way to walk on the map but by the time you get to the top you will need a change of clothing because of the heat. Montjuic - Poble Espanyol - Spanish Village
Montjuic - Jardins de Mossen Costa i Llobera - Cactus Gardens Parc de la Ciutadella In 1888 the park was used for the Spanish Universal Exhibition. Many beautiful buildings gardens and fountains were constructed for that show. The Cascada is one of Barcelona's most remarkable sites. The baroque style monumental Cascade Fountain and artificial lake, located in the grounds of the Parc de la Ciutadella, were designed by Fontseré in 1875. Gaudí worked on this project as a young architectural student. He was an apprentice at this point in his career so it does not bear many of his hallmarks. The fountain is loosely based on the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Along one of the paths near the Cascada is a life-size statue of a big Woolly Mammoth. If you're travelling with children, they will love it. The park also contains a Zoo. You can also rent boats on the lake. The Citadel Park Museum of Natural Science is housed in a red brick building locally known as the Three Dragons Castle. It was designed as a café and restaurant for the Universal Exhibition in a Catalan Gothic and Mudejar architectural style. As a contrast the Geology Museum is housed in a neoclassical building. It was the first building in Barcelona constructed specifically as a museum. The museums are closed on Monday. The ticket boot offers a combined ticket at a cheaper rate. Ideal if you were going to visit both buildings. Parlament de Catalunya - Parc de la Ciutadella
Las Ramblas Las Ramblas can be split into different sections each with its own name and characteristics. At the seafront is La Rambla de Mar where you can find the beach, an aquarium, restaurants, movie theatres, popular nightclubs, the maritime museum in the old royal shipyard buildings and a statue of Christopher Columbus pointing out to sea. In one part known as the Rambla de Santa Monica, you will find street artists drawing and performing. The next section is known as Rambla del Centre followed by Rambla de les Flors home of flower sellers stands. This is also where you find the century-old Boqueria Market. Inside this market you can find the freshest produce, meat, fish, and dried fruits. The next section is called La Rambla dels Ocells (avenue of the birds), because of its many places selling birds and small animals. Lastly is the section called La Rambla de Canaletes which was named after the fountain Font de les Canaletes. Legends says that whoever drinks from this fountain will forever keep returning to Barcelona. The whole street is never h dull. It is crowded at all times of the day. Make a point of finding a café with seating outside. Sit down with a cold drink and watch the world go by. Please be aware of pickpockets and bag thief’s. In any large city in Europe there are always thieves about. Barcelona is no exception. Always put your bag strap around your leg and do not leave phones, wallets, purses or cameras on café tables. Distraction thieves will come up to you to ask a question and the next thing you know your property has gone. There are a number of interesting buildings along las Ramblas. One of the strangest is the Bruno Quadros House or the Umbrellas' house. The owner made his fortune selling umbrellas. Look at the building façade and you will see he has used them to decorate the building. If you are traveling with children get them to look for the Chinese dragon in the corner. The building called the Teatro Principal is the oldest in the street dating from the 16th Century. It was the main theater. It is not a theatre any more but have a look at the collection of busts depicting actors of long gone eras attached to the outside of the building. WARNING - There are hustlers running "tricks" where you will have to guess where the ball ends up underneath some cups or find the card. A member of the crowd will always guess correctly and win some money. They are hustlers as well, friends of the man doing the trick. This is the con. It makes members of the crowd think they can win as well. As soon as they start to play having put their money down on the table the hustler uses slight of hand to make sure they do not win. Look out for eastern European women suddenly picking up what looks like a gold wedding ring near your feet. They will ask if it is yours in good English and then ask if you want to buy it from them for 20 euros as they do not want it. If it was real gold that would be a bargain but as it is a polished 30cent bit of plumbing copper pipe you will get ripped off. Notice these women have already spotted that you are tourists and what language you speak. Be very careful if an eastern European woman asks you for directions on a map. Whilst you are speaking to her your bag is being opened by her friends who are now behind you and steal items from your bag. Street Performers moving statues - This is not a con but understand that you are expected to pay at least 1 euro to the street performers dressed as living statues if you take their photograph.
Mercat Boqueria - La Boqueria market - Las Ramblas Barcelona Port Vell A magnificent walkway made of wood leads you from terra firma to Moll d'Espanya, where you can visit the spectacular Acquarium, IMAX theatre and the Maremagnum (a shopping mall). The walkway has a very attractive wavy design. There are a number of benches. It is a real pleasure to sit and watch the people, ships and seagulls. The Maremagnum tries to promote itself as the place to go for nightlife. Don’t go. The clubs are poor and the bars are very over priced. Barcelona's aquarium boasts 8000 Fish, including 11 sharks in in total 22 basins filled with 6 million liter (1,5 million gallons) sea water. Basin 17 features an 80m long tunnel from where you can observe Mediterranean deep sea fish, including sharks. The Port Vell old Customs house is a beautiful turn of last century building. It was built between 1896 and 1902 in neoclassical style and it has some beautiful sphinx with wings on top of torrets. The architect Enric Sagnier was a follower of Gaudí's style and he mixed Modernist and the Neo-Gothic design in this building, It is rich in engravings and sculptures. There are lots of Barcelona's coat of arms along its façades. The Spanish coat of arms is over the main gate between two big eagles If you like small boat trips than take one of the Port Vell tourist ships called Las Golondrinas (The Swallows).They departs from the Old Harbor many times during the day and take you on a small cruise along the Barcelona coastline. Barcelona Monument a Colon - Christopher Columbus monument
Barcelona Maritime Museum Barri Gotico: The Gothic Quarter The Cathedral has been constantly updated over the centuries with impressive additions such as the late 19th century facade. The square in front of the cathedral called the placa de la seu is worth a stop for a coffee or tapas. The entrance to the Cathedral can be found along the beautiful C. del Bisbe Irurita. If you carry on walking down that road you end up in the magnificent square, Placa Sant Jaume. It was the historical and political heart of the city. It contains to elegant buildings that face each other, the Ajuntament and the Palau de la Generalitat. The impressive Palau de la Generalitat in Placa Sant Jaume was the home of Catalonia’s parliament in the 15th century. The facade stands out from the rest of the buildings as it is more late Renaissance than the earlier Gothic exterior style of the other buildings. It has undergone many structural changes over the years. It is open to the public on April 23rd and September 24th. The Ajuntament in the Placa Sant Jaume is Barcelona’s Casa de la Ciutat or town hall. It was first used as a seat of power for the counsel of 100 Consell de Cent in the 14th century. Except for the front entrance the exterior has lost much of its Gothic features. It is open to the public on Saturday or Sunday between 10am-2pm. Most of the interior was badly damaged during a bombardment during the Spanish Civil War. It has been restores and the grand staircase is worth a visit. If you are lucky there may be some special exhibition being held. In the 1920’s an ariel walkway or bridge was built between two of the old buildings. They modelled this medieval gothic reconstruction on the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. It has become one of the most photographed bridge in Barcelona. Most tourists go away believing that it is very old. You will find it above the road called Carrer de Bisbe on Calle Bisb. There are always proficient street musicians in the area playing expensive musical instruments. They add a mysterious and enchanting feel to the area. When I was there a flea market was in the Placa Reial on Sunday, the Placa del Pi on Monday and in front of the cathedral on Thursday. Look on your map for the town square called Placa de Sant Josep Oriol. It is one of the prettiest in the Gothic quarter surrounded by some of the quaintest little streets, lined with cafes and restaurants.
There are even some Roman ruins not far from the Cathedral. The Roman towered entrance to Barcino is still visible. Though they have now been incorporated into more modern buildings, much of the old Roman walls and towers still exist. If you like roman history and architecture below the Plaza de la Seu and as a part of the Palau Episcopal and Casa de l'Ardiaca, you can still see remnants of the old Roman aqueduct that was used to bring fresh water into the city from the surrounding hills. Behind the cathedral and near the Carrer del Bisbe more of the Roman walled city is visible in other areas of the Barri Gotic. There are some signposts which display a map and a description of what it is that you are looking at. They also detail a "Roman Walk" that you can take to see all of these old parts of Barcelona. There are remnants of an old Roman Temple near the central part of an old Roman settlement which stood near Plaza Jaume. This is a hard to locate. From Plaza St. Jaume go down the street towards the metro station. Take the 2nd left, the alley curves off to the right. The Centre Excusionista Catalunya is in front of you. Go inside and it is off to the right. I was only able to see it from a distance through an iron gate. There are more remains of the old Roman settlement in the history museum which is underneath the Casa Padellas. The building called Casa Padellas was built for a noble family in the 15th century it now houses the Museu d'Historia de la Ciutat - the History of Barcelona Museum . It is a great example of a Gothic mansion. Attached to the Palace del Rei Major you can walk through it and see the excavated Roman town, the Capella Reial de Santa Agata, that served as the palace chapel. On the outside are more remains of old Roman walls which were used as part of the fortifications of the palace. You will find it along the road Carrer del Veguer and Via Laietana In the Plaza de la Seu you will find the imposing building called Casa d l’Arcadia. It has huge Square towers. This is an archive building which used to be the house of the Archdecon. There is an inner courtyard with many trees and a fountain. You can climb the inner staircase and look down into the courtyard and over to the cathedral. There are remnants of the old Roman wall on the interior as well. The Royal Square - Plaza del Rei represents a smart court yard of the big Royal palace - Palau Reial Maior. The palace has been constructed in 13th century. It is believed that Christopher Columbus was granted an audience with King Ferdinand and the Queen Isabella to ask for financial support before his trip to Central America. (He was not the first European to discover America. The Vikings had settlements in Canada as far back as 1000AD) You will find the entrance to a medieval gothic cloister on Bisbe St. The gate of the cloister comes from the ancient cathedral but the cloister was built between 1350-1448. It is surrounded by high gothic windows and chapels on 3 of its 4sides. On the forth side there is the old Sala Capitular, today the Santísimo's Chapel where the 16th century Lepanto's Christ is guarded. Near the fountain you can always find 13 ducks. The number 13 refers to Saint Eulalia, who was 13 years old when she was tortured and killed by pagan Romans. Very close to the Cathedra in Barri Gotico is the Salcador Dali museum where you can see some of the masterpieces of this Catalan painter.
The Barcelona Jewish Grand Synagogue had been forgotten for centuries. It was discovered by chance in 1995 when the building was sold. The knew owner realised what this building was. The main façade looks towards Jerusalem. Excavations by archaeologists have discovered remains of 1st century roman walls. In the year 212AD documents record the Roman Emperor giving permission for the construction of a building for the cult of Jewish citizens. On the walls of the synagogue a map was found showing the position of the building inside the ancient roman forum of Barcino (Barcelona).This synagogue could be the most ancient synagogue in Spain and maybe in Europe. Barceloneta - Mar Bella beach - Icaria Beach - San Sebastia Beach It gets quite crowded in the summer. You may want to try a beach further up the coast near another marina full of expensive pleasure boats. It is called Icaria Beach. The nearest Metro station is called Ciutadella-Villa-Olimipica Yellow Line, L4. When you get out of that metro station you just walk down the road called Carrer de Ramon Trias Fargas. The beach and marina is at the bottom of the street. We went for an early Sunday morning stroll along the beach. We got out at the Barceloneta Metro and made our way to the beach. We walked north along the beach promenade towards the Olympic marina. We had breakfast in one of the Beach cafes before catching the Metro back into the city at the Ciutadella-Villa-Olimipica metro station. You can also get to the beach from Poblenou Metro station on the Yellow Line, L4. This beach south of the other two beaches. You will have to walk for about 20 min along the road called Carrer de Bilbao. Unofficially it is a nudist beach but you do not have to take off all your clothes if you do not want to. Clothing is optional. Spanish law says that it is permissible to be nude anywhere as long as it does not cause a disturbance. There is no such thing as an official nudist beach in Spain. It has become a nudist beach by locals not objecting. The Barcelona beaches are safe clean beaches but as on any beach be careful and look after your property There are pick pockets about. They sit near you and the moment you look elsewhere they are gone with your things! Barcelona Accommodation Tip
The Picasso Museum Tap Water Useful Spanish phrases Other Websites by the Craig Moore
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