¡Bon dia Barcelona!

Gaudí. You can’t go to Barcelona without knowing this architect, whose work is ubiquitous in Barcelona. We only had one full day in Barcelona, so we had to determine which places to go to and which places we’ll just have to come back for on another trip.

Day 5

Vibrant colors of Casa Milà

We arrived at Barcelona Sants at 13:15. We tried to book our tickets to Italy in advance but we could only make reservations up to a certain point (in Valence). After settling in at Lullaby hostel, a hip hostel for the young, we headed towards Casa Milà or otherwise known as La Pedrera (the stone quarry). A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is an apartment house built by Gaudí for Pere Milà and his family. 

The attic of  Casa Milà

The architecture of this house is extraordinarily unique and artistic. The roof terrace has sculptures that function as ventilation, chimneys or staircases. From the attic, you could see the arches that support the roof terrace. Entrance to this building is €11 for a student.  

Roof terrace of  Casa Milà

Colorful mosaic tiles at  Parc Güell

We took the metro from Verdadero station and headed towards Parc Güell, a park with Gaudian architecture. It’s a bit of a climb to the park since it is on top of a hill. There is actually an escalator on your way up to the park. The park is one of a kind. Not only does it offer a good view of Barcelona, it also has creative sculptures and structures with colorful tiles.

Escalator to  Park Güell

View at  Parc Güell

From Lesseps station near the park, we decided to go back to the hostel by taking the Catalunya exit. Too lazy to consult the map, we ended up walking on the opposite direction, along La Rambla instead of Rambla Catalunya. Nevertheless, La Rambla was a lovely place to get lost in.

La Rambla

Day 6

We woke up early so that we could view Sagrada Familia before leaving Barcelona. Sagrada Familia is absolutely stunning! This is another work of Gaudi with intricate details from top to bottom. One of the attractions of this cathedral is that it has been under construction for about 150 years.

Sagrada Familia

On our way back to the hostel (with the help of the newly discovered GPS in my smartphone), we passed by Casa Batllao in Passeig de Gracia. Yes, this building with a colorful façade is also designed by Gaudi.

Barcelona is like a cross between Madrid and Paris. At least that’s what I think (Catalans, Parisians—please don’t kill me). What make Barcelona fascinating are the unique Gaudi architectures that are embedded in the city.  I wish that we were able to spend more time in Barcelona but at least I know that there are a lot of things in Barcelona to go back for.

Parc Güell