In surveys, coal mining tends to top the list of most difficult jobs in the world. Sure, it's dangerous but do you know what's even more difficult? Being a tourist. Look up the definition of tourist in the dictionary and you'll find the following sentence - 'a person who travels for pleasure.' But the reality is that being a tourist is an exhausting affair. There's the constant battle with Time to squeeze in as many sights as possible during your short stay. There's the endurance testing 3 hour queues to get into said sights, usually under extreme weather conditions. There's the anxiety inducing practice of trying to find a restaurant that has something you vaguely recognise as edible on the menu - and after the plate of tripe in creamy sauce you unwittingly ordered arrives you then have to decide whether you are too embarrassed by your mistake and decide to stay and eat it or whether you decide to go on a search for a nearby McDonalds, with full knowledge that the Double Cheeseburger will taste nothing like the ones from back home. You also then have to contend with the language barrier, the convoluted metro system and the currency exchange rate which is fast depleting your bank account. And whenever you get your Canon 5D Mark II out to capture the sites you're visiting, a hundred other tourists are teeming around every shot, like red ants over a carcass, and it's taking all of your strength to keep from yelling at everyone to get out the bloody way. Oh, and don't forget you're meant to be having fun throughout all this - no pressure people!
Being a tourist is a tough gig, which leads me onto the third part of my guide on top 5 things to go see/do when in Barcelona.
Sometimes you need to step away from the tyranny of the guidebooks and head off the tourist trail to find the beautiful and unexpected.
3. Take in the Tranquillity
To the north of Barcelona, beyond the tourist map is the neighbourhood of Horta. A 7 minute walk from Mundet metro station, nestled behind an unassuming university campus is the oldest park in Barcelona, Parc de Laberint d'Horta. I only discovered this place after asking some locals about their favourite hidden spots in the city. I would never have found it otherwise, as it barely garnered a mention in my guidebook and there were no signposts directing people to the park. But once you manage to stumble across the elusive park, you will not be disappointed.
The park is built on the former estate of the Desvalls family and consists of two distinct horticultural styles. Upon walking through the entrance to the left is the Romantic Garden which was built in mid 19th century. What a stark contrast this is to the tourist magnet Parc Guell! I wandered around the gardens early morning and had the place completely to myself, apart from one of the gardeners tending to some flowerbeds. The early morning light playfully filtered through the slightly untamed woodlands. Luscious ferns and waterfalls abound in the Romantic garden - a beautiful, meditative space that invites you to explore its many meandering paths deeper into the heart of the park.
After the shady Romantic garden, the park opens up onto the earlier neo-classical garden built in 1791. At the centre of the garden is a hedge maze, made from trimmed cypress trees. If you are able to navigate the labyrinth you'll find a statue of Eros, God of Love waiting for you. On the highest terrace lies a pavilion, with a large pond behind it. The neo-classical garden is ordered and manicured with references to numerous mythological figures throughout. These clashing personalities work together but if I had to choose I'd say my favourite section was the Romantic garden and its secret alcoves. Wandering around the park, by myself, with the pale morning light trickling through the trees was a welcome moment of tranquillity, a magical hour, away from the hectic throngs of people and traffic in the city centre. Everyone needs a place to escape to and if you find yourself losing the will to live as you queue to enter La Sagrada Familia, sneak of to this secret park and regain your sanity.
Address: Passeig dels Castanyers, 1
How to get there: Take the green metro line L3 to Mundet
Or take the bus lines 27, 60, 73 and 76
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