Have you ever had every other person you meet, to whom you mention your travel plans, to Spain, excitedly chirp ‘Oh! You should definitely pay a visit to Barcelona! It’s a city I dream of settling in!’ or ‘Barcelona is a must-do!’?

How could I skip this marvel?

The happiness in this city is infectious! You can taste the myriad emotions in the air, particularly the liveliness. It is impossible not to plaster a smile on your face as soon as you set foot, awaiting to test for yourself, what the city has to offer.

It wouldn’t be erroneous to call Barcelona ‘Gaudi’s Masterpiece’.

It isn’t easy to describe the cheery state of being in a city so artistic. Having churro’s sitting outside an office done remarkably in red or the opportunity to capture a different picture every time you pass the same place: Happiness.

With a city as vast as Barcelona, it’s difficult to fit in, all the ‘Must see’ Gaudi architectural wonders.

We stepped into Sagrada Família on our first day. I’ve traveled a fair amount and yes, although each new place excites me, there are only a couple that I can say, will remain etched in my memory forever.

And that unquestionably includes Basílica de la Sagrada Família.

After devoting a couple of hours, we strolled through the street, gorged on tapas and later returned to La Pedrera (Casa Milà) for our visit. La Pedrera literally translates into ‘The Stone’. You’ll be surprised when I mention that once Gaudi’s ideas were translated, Casa Milà became the subject of ridicule – hence the nickname.

In addition to being ‘The Stone’ it was also called an ‘Easter cake’. People in the vicinity argued that the weird building by Gaudí would lower the price of property in the area.Wouldn’t you agree that the same people would now wholeheartedly have Gaudí design their home, at the drop of a hat?

It is definitely worth every penny to purchase the day+night ticket. The night ticket includes a magnificent audiovisual show highlighting Gaudí’s architecture.The dark sky +  a cool Spanish breeze + multiple projections on the chimneys and stairwells gripping your senses + a panoramic view of the city  = Mesmerizing.

After a whole 45 minutes, which passed by rapidly, we continued our night stroll to Casa Batlló. Gaudí converted the original bland building to a piece of art. Since it is bereft of any furniture, unlike Casa Milà, it would allow you to focus more on the zillion intricate details, if it’s architecture on your mind. Although we did not view Casa Batlló from the interiors, we were more than pleased to park ourselves on one of the benches nearby and chat away, promising to return the next day as well.

The next day before returning to Casa Batllo in the evening, we had to ensure we did not skip Parc Güell.Our Spanish trip was nearing an end, and I ensured we spent a couple of hours relaxing in the park.

Parks usually do not find a spot on my bucket list, but Gaudi had me spellbound with his style of architecture! The magnificent mosaic of a komodo dragon sits right at the entrance and it is quite a tussle to get a picture minus the horde of tourists milling around!

We would our way to the pillared hall at the top containing a horde of columns.The July heat had finally gotten to us and we decided to call one of the pillars our own and take delight in the shade 🙂

After taking-in some panoramic views of Barcelona, we decided to head off to the beach……

The artistic inclinations of people around the world never fail to amaze me, and Gaudí tops the list. He was a visionary!

Oh Barcelona! You beauty!

PRACTICAL DETAILS

Must see Gaudi architecture Barcelona

• Once you’ve decided on a day and time to visit La Sagrada, ensure you book tickets in advance, at-least a week before, from here. This is the site that the official La Sagrada website directs to, for ticket purchase.

• Tickets to Casa Milà can be purchased from here. If you’re planning to do the day & night visit, and are running short on time, I’d suggest you visit an about an hour or so before the day visits close at 8 pm in summer and 6 pm in winter. Then you can enjoy a coffee/dinner in the neighborhood and return for the night show.

• Although we did not pay a visit to Casa Batlló from the interiors, you can purchase tickets if required from here.

• In addition to Gaudi’s marvels we also visited the Montjuïc hill, for stunning views of Barcelona. You could trek for free or opt for a cable car ride that costs 11.50 Euros for a return fare.

• We then opted to walk down, from Telefèric de Montjuïc and en-route visited the Torre de Comunicacions de Montjuïc for a couple of minutes before heading off to Port Olímpic for scrumptious seafood

• The Parc Guell is a huge expanse, so wander around to find your spot! Ensure you pre-book tickets to the park here.

ADDITIONAL READS

My thoughts on La Sagrada Familia.Day trips from Barcelona you shouldn’t miss!

I’ve worked with architects before and they’re one of the most happiest set of people I know! Are you an architect? Which structure amazes you?

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