Few are the cities I return to. The urge to explore the new and undiscovered is almost always as strong as the urge to leave indelible memories untainted. But after an intolerable year in the UK of non stop freezing weather, the urge to experience Summer (on a tight budget) proved stronger still and last month I found myself wriggling my toes deep into the baking sands of Barceloneta Beach.
Surveying the scene before me, it was easy to spot my fellow sunshine deprived-Brits; their glowering red faces, backs and chests a testament to their commitment to soak up as much UV rays as possible even if the end result was not a pretty sight. This was what we were owed. We were owed Summer. We were owed this intense warmth. This warmth that allows us to revel in body exhibitionism without getting arrested; that unburdens us of time and instead hands us hazy hours to while away; that induces smiles and winks from strangers.
When I had first ventured to Barcelona, I had youth and a mischievous friend in tow. Together we danced up a storm in hidden bars far from the tourist trail, exasperated the local denizens of plump elderly ladies with our lack of Bingo etiquette, flirted shamelessly with cute skateboarders flipping tricks in Sants and frolicked at house parties with half-naked lesbians. Back then it was the energy of the city that captivated me; conversations in a tapas bar that would lead to the unexpected and unpredictable; there was an ease with which one could be impulsive. Whilst there was an awareness of the beautiful city I was scampering through , Barcelona’s lasting impression on me were the moments I experienced of exuberance, silliness and of laughing till my belly ached!
Several years later,I have returned to the city alone, older and wiser (well, the latter is certainly debatable!)and it's whilst ambling along the refreshingly cool
tree-lined boulevards of the Eixample neighbourhood that I see Barcelona clearly, as
if for the first time. The city is so spacious that it encourages you to
breathe deeply, stroll at a leisurely pace, look around you and take in the present. And that’s
when it hits me – how truly beautiful this city is! Barcelona is one of those cities, forever visited and forever talked about. Below is the start to my mini guide on the top 5 things to go do/see whilst there.
1. Gorge on Gaudi
La Sagrada Familia
Barcelona was the creative playground of the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. His distinctive style and modernist interpretation of Gothic architecture flourished around the city and now seven of his works have been declared World Heritage sites by UNESCO. The most famous of Gaudi's creation is La Sagrada Familia - the extraordinary Roman Catholic Church who's twisting spires dominate the skyline. Although this iconic building is still heavily cloaked under scaffolding and cranes (construction of La Sagrada Familia is in it's 131st year and is nowhere near completion) it still draws the crowds - by the bus loads! I lacked the 3 hour patience needed to battle the schoolkids and tourists to tour the interior but the beauty of Gaudi's buildings is how there is just as much detail to tantalise the eyes from street level as there is inside.
In the heart of the Eixample neighbourhood lies the imposing Casa Batllo, a residential home which was redesigned by Gaudi in 1904 for the Batllo family - his only brief being that he design a house like no other. He certainly succeeded. With his creativity unbridled Gaudi carved the facade with undulating lines and framed the multi-coloured stained glass windows with skeletal bones. Covering the entirety of the exterior are fragments of glass and ceramic mosaics, which shimmers iridescently when the sunlight hits them and makes the building appear to ripple like a disturbed body of water.
North of the city in the Gracia district is the municipal garden of Park Guell. Ignore your aching muscles and climb the narrow streets from Travessera de Dalt. The view from the main terrace of the park is worth the pain alone. Below, Barcelona and it's grid of calles and carreras unfurl before you, leading the eyes down to the Mediterranean Sea. The main terrace not only has one of the best views of the city but also has an amazing curved bench in the style of a sea serpent, which wraps itself around the whole of the area. If you're a tile fiend like me, you'll find yourself spending quite some time documenting each colourful and unique section with your camera.
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On the corner of Passeig de Gracia and Carrer Provenca stands La Pedrera. Compared to most of Gaudi's works, La Pedrera is less flamboyant and more austere but to me it is my absolute favourite and one of the real highlights of my trip. Being a two minute walk from my accommodation I would pass by frequently, bemused at the constant queue at the entrance no matter the time of day or night, but it never failed to slow down my pace to take in it's unusual features. Gaudi's familiar theme of undulating facades is present at La Pedrera in more extreme form and the iron wrought balconies appear like splodges of ink suspended mid-fling from the furious nib of a writer's pen. Somehow I became drawn to the building and decided I would patiently queue in the relentless Spanish sun and pay the €16.50 entrance fee.
Nothing could prepare me for the rooftop of La Pedrera. It is as though you are stepping into a Salvador Dali painting: A surreal dreamscape. Immediately there is a child-like impetus to rush to explore where all the different levelled stairways lead you to - through curved openings that frame Barcelona's rooftops and Barcelona's stark Klein blue sky and another will lead you to the foot of one of Gaudi's many twisting chimneys. These red clay chimneys are sculpted in such a way as to be reminiscent of medieval knights standing guard. Thick white mosaic chimneys also wind around themselves, allowing light and shadow to play against their form. To me it encompasses Gaudi's greatness - his playfulness and his ability to create liveable spaces that allow escapism from reality and the mundane.
So having overindulged on the architectural gems that Barcelona has to offer, stay tuned to find out where/what I next recommend to do in this picturesque city...
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