Tag Archives | Park Güell

The Fighting Couple’s 10 Best in Barcelona

If you spend much time on our blog you know we write a ton about Barcelona, Spain. Why? There are so many layers to Barcelona. The wonderful city has so much it wants to tell you.  For us, it is one of those places that around every corner is something new.  As we walked down the Las Ramblas, retracing the steps of Orwell and Hemingway you can’t help be feel a connection to the history of this place.  As you stare in wonder at one of Gaudi’s playful architectural creations you begin to understand the city and it becomes a part of you.

Those of you that have yet to visit this incredible city, here are our top picks:

Camp Nou

For you football fans Camp Nou is one of the world’s great cathedral’s of sport.  It is the home of the mighty FC Barcelona.  The sheer size of the venue is what is so unbelievable   Even if you are not super interested in athletics, you must tip your hat at the impressive expanse of facility.  Take a tour of the storied FC Barcelona museum.  It is a bit over priced, but for the exuberant fan, it is a must.

Yellow Tram

Tram to the top

Montserrat

Our next recommendation is not in even in Barcelona…It is the must see day trip outside of the city:  The monastery at Montserrat.   Pack a lunch for you and your loved one and board the train for the hour long trip north of the city.  We did a post recently about visiting the benedictine monastery check it out here.  Go for the views and the tram ride up and down the mountain.

The Opera House

We have a tiny confession   We have never been into the opera house.  We have stood in line for tickets twice, took pictures from the lobby, and dreamed about what it looks like on the inside.  But due to circumstance beyond our control we have never made it in.  That is why it is on this list.  We want to see it too!  If you do go, please let us know what you think.  Should we keep it on the list of must sees in Barcelona?

Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia Exterior

Sagrada Familia

We exited the underground right in front of the grand cathedral, walked out into the sunshine and there towering over me was one of the most interesting structures I have ever seen.  I stood looking at the exterior for nearly 30 mins!  It is a collage of biblical proportions in more ways than one!  The detail, the stories, the cast of characters just on the exterior of the church is impressive.   Then we walked inside!  I couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by the soaring ceilings inside.  This is one of those places that the pictures simply does not do it justice.  It is a must see on any visit to Barcelona.

Park Guell

Barcelona

Park Guell Barcelona

We have done a couple of posts on this famous park.  It is a bit of a hike to get to the park but it is so worth it.  The views from the plaza of all of Barcelona is breathtaking.  The park is another creation from the mind of Gaudi.  It is one of those iconic places that is on every tourist map for the city.  But  there is so much more than meets the eye.  Gaudi outdid himself on the design and function of the park.  The serpentine benches that line the upper plaza are a work of art.  The lower plaza has unique little design details that make it fun.  The columns that support the upper plaza are actually hollow and are used to collect rainwater from above!  The beauty of the park is that a visit any time of day delivers a great experience.

water feature

Magic Fountain Barcelona

 

Monjuic

We are lumping a bunch of different sites under this one heading.  There is a good reason for this.  We want to you see it all!  A great primer for seeing the mountain is to start at the Olympic museum atop the hill.  Wander around the many displays.  Get your bearings on where and what events were held.  Your next stop is of course the Olympic stadium.  Take you pictures and move on not much to see there.  Take in the views of the swimming and diving centers.  Walk through the parks and gardens.

The Magic Fountain

A great evening attraction is the magic fountain of Barcelona.  The mix of water, lights and if you time your visit right… music is highly entertaining.   On most evenings you can watch as water is launched into the air in a choreographed display that is memorizing   A word of caution, watch you belongings.  This is a favorite spot for the el pickpocket-itos.

La Padrara

We could of filled this list with just Gaudi related locations.   He is that good.  And there are enough Gaudi locations to fill many a list.  We are offering our recommendations for the best.  La Padrara is a wonderland.  There really is no other word to describe the feeling of wandering the bends and bumps within the apartment complex.  Being there reminds us the power of the mind to create beauty.  At every turn during your tour you are going to smile and be amazed at the level of creativity that Gaudi possessed.  Our hint, look for the details, they will amaze you.

People watching in an anarchist bookstore

If you know us well, you know we love to people watch.  There is no place better in Barcelona than in one of the many revolutionary bookstores.  This is where the red-blooded revolutionaries come to get more….. revolutionary.  Sip your beverage, read some Hemingway.  Take it all in at your own pace.

Barceloneta Restaurant

Calle L’Escar, 22, 08039 Barcelona, Spain (La Barceloneta)

Our last recommendation involves food.  The perfect ending to any visit to the inviting city of Barcelona is a dinner at the Barceloneta.  You are going to have to save up your Euros to splurge on this one but the return on the investment is huge.  Located on the city’s harbor, this seafood out of this world.

That is it.  Our quick recommendations for Barcelona.  Getting to Spain is easy.  There are direct Barcelona flights from all of the major hubs in the states and Europe.  Barcelona also has one of the most user-friendly airports.  Enjoy your stay in Barcelona! Send us pictures!

3 tips for Sun Seeking in the South of Spain

The Spanish do a lot of things very well: revolution, paella and SUNSHINE!  With its sun soaked beaches, lofty climbs, and vibrant cities, Spain continues to invite sun seekers from near and far.   We want to take you along to visit three of our favorite locations for the perfect holiday in Spain.  Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Gaudi BarcelonaThe Terraces of Barcelona

Let’s start our sun seeking tour at the heart of Southern Spain, Barcelona.  Barcelona’s mix of style, art, and warmth beckons sun seekers.  One of the central figures of the city is the renowned master architect Gaudi.  His thumbprint is all over the cityscape.  Barcelona is home to one of his masterpieces which is a sun seekers dream: Park Güell.  For the “un-Spanished” the word Güell is pronounced “Gwell”.   The park is actually an abandoned upscale housing development envisioned by Gaudi which included villas, an elaborate water collection system, shops and the highlight, the gardens.  Gaudi’s talent was injecting animals and nature themes into his designs.   The park is filled with little touches that create interesting finds at every turn.  The focus of the park is its outlining benches.  The tile benches surround the city facing portion of the park.  Gaudi elected to use a snake like theme, which creates these small intimate bends and nooks for sitting with your loved one enjoying the sun.

Getting to Park Guell is a little bit of a chore.  By Metro, Take the green line to the stop “Lesseps”.  From there follow the signs that lead to the entrance of the park.  It is a roughly a 20 minute walk.  It is located at the top of a steep hill.  The effort is well worth it!

Montserrat

TramThe next stop on our Southern Spain sun tour is the mountaintop location, Santa Maria de Montserrat.  This wonderful Benedictine abbey is located 30 miles west of Barcelona.  It is perfect for a daytrip outside the city.  From this wonderful perch you can take in one of the most amazing views in all of Catalonia.  There are a number of small hikes that you can take from the abbey.  This is going to sound a little crazy, but the food at the cafeteria of the abbey is actually really good.   There is not an entrance fee to the Montserrat Monastery but if you wish to visit the museum the entrance fee costs €6.50 for adults.  Of course, you are there for the sun.  Pack a picnic and take a walk across the smooth stones of the mountain top and take in the glorious sunshine.

Getting to Montserrat is half the fun.  Shrug off the easy way and forgo the cram packed tour bus.  Simply catch the Line R5 train headed toward Manresa at the Espanya rail station.  Tickets are very affordable.  I don’t think we paid over $20.  It takes about an hour to get from the Espanya station to the Montserrat stop.  Once there, enter the ticket office and purchase your tram ticket.  Pick a spot to stand near the windows and make sure your camera is set, because the ride up to the top is simply amazing!

Did you know that you can ask the Fighting Couple Anything?  Yes!  “Ask us Anything!”

Costa Brava

The grand finale in our sun seeking adventure is heading up the coastline to wonderful Costa Brava or “Wild Coast”.  The Costa Brava stretches from Barcelona all the way to the border of France.  If you are into sun, sand, and seclusion this is your place.  Unlike its twin sister Nice, France further up the coast, Costa Brava continues to be one of the great under-discovered locations.

Some of the best beaches on the Costa Brava are near Palamos.  The Platja de Castell with it’s warm sand and relative seclusion is one of the areas finest.  The sapphire colored water is so inviting!  You can also follow the old smugglers trail to a wonderful ocean viewpoint on the east end of the beach.  Bring or rent a sand chair, open a good book, and soak up as much sun as you like.

There are a number of different accommodations levels, everything from wonderful resorts like the Rehana Royal Beach Resort to more rustic abodes.  Access to the beach is the key.  We highly recommend you have a car for traveling the Costa Brava region.  Public transport is scare and unreliable.

So these are our recommendations for sun seeking in the South of Spain.  Tell us, what is your favorite places to seek the sun?  Island destinations?  Swanky resorts?  Leave us a comment below.  See you in Barcelona!

My Day With Gaudi

Those who look for the laws of Nature as a support for their new works collaborate with the creator. –Antonio Gaudi

There is a long list of things the Catalonian region (Barcelona, Spain) has given to the world: amazing paella, an incredible football team,  and one of the greatest modernismo architects: Antonio Gaudi.

We are going to take you on a visual day tour of the greatest Gaudi masterpieces in Barcelona.  You are going to see futuristic designs, wild abandoned whimsy and holy edifices that rival the best of Rome!

First off a little primer on Gaudi:

The most famous architect of the 20th century was born in Rues (or just outside, depending on what account you believe) in the Tarragona providence of Catalonia, 50 miles south of Barcelona.  After enduring a childhood troubled by rheumatism, the son of two coppersmiths travelled to the Catalan capital to enroll as a student at the Escola Technica Superrior d’Arguitectura where he duly studied from 1873 to 1877.  Even his professors did not quite know what to make of his work, and when he was awarded the title of architect in 1878, Elies Rogent, the director of the school, declared:  “Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius?  Time will tell.”  http://www.barcelona-life.com

Lets start our tour!

 Park Guell

One of Gaudi’s wealthy patrons wanted to build a par for the blue bloods of Barcelona.  He wanted to build a gates community before the advent of gated communities.  He wanted a park setting with fountains, dramatic vistas and swanky amenities.  Gaudi was up for the challenge.

Barcelona, Spain

Park Guell sits atop a gentle hill with views of the city, the sea and another piece of Gaudi’s handiwork the Sagrada Famila.

barcelona spain

Today you can stroll through the park setting and take in some amazing vistas.

Barcelona Spain

 Casa Mila-La Pedrera

At the top of the mighty tough fare Las Ramblas is the Modernismo masterpiece, La Pedrera.  La Pedrera means The Quarry.  It is the precious gem of Barcelona.  The apartment complex was commissioned with money made in America by married couple Roser Segimon and Pere Mila.

The address quickly became the pinnacle of success.  The façade of the building reflects the rolling waves of the sea.

Barcelona spain

 

Perhaps the most photographed part of the structure with its unique statues and fireplace chimneys.

Barcelona spain

 

Sagrada Familia

Gaudi has been nicknamed, “God’s Architect”.  While this might be a little presumptuous, one cannot argue his dedication to integrate what he say in Creation with a capital C into his creations with a little c.

The construction of the Sagrada Familia predates Gaudi’s involvement.  It began its construction in 1882.  Shortly there after, Gaudi was brought in and completely transformed the scope and design of the project.  Gaudi employ his skills building the cathedral until his untimely death in 1926.   At his passing the building was a little over 25% complete.  The Sagrada Familia is still a work in progress.  Gaudi’s grand vision outstripped his lifetime’s devotion to building.

When objections were raised as to the extended completion date of the Sagrada Famila, Gaudi said:

“Don’t worry, my client isn’t in a hurry.”

Since then the project has been on again off again.  It is projected that the completion date will be around 2026 the centennial of Gaudi’s death.

Gaudi Barcelona Spain

 

Barcelona spain

Gaudi’s work is on full display in beautiful Barcelona.  Don’t miss it!

 

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