But What About Barcelona!

My time in Spain would not be complete without a trip to the one and only Barcelona! For my last weekend I packed up my bags and did my own version of planes, train, and automobiles to Spain's famous eastern costal city. It is a never-ending debate which is better: Barcelona or Madrid? To which I will respond with a basic answer: they are both great for different reasons. What I loved about Barcelona was the feeling of the city. Unlike Madrid it was a vibrant city with many unique elements and Mediterranean influences. 

We began our first day with a tour of Park Guell as we learned more about Antoni Gaudi and the great impacts he had on the city. I always feel lucky when I get a good tour guide and ours did not disappoint. First and foremost, it was colder in Barcelona this past weekend, a mere 50°-55°, which was frighteningly cold for residents of the city, though not cold to me. We arrived to see our tour guide sporting two winter coats, gloves, and a hat to which I had to choke back a laugh. She proceeded to walk us through the life of Gaudi as she explained the architecture of the park. Gaudi based all of his work on nature, refusing to include straight lines unless they were absolutely necessary. This, combined with his use of recycled tiles to create different mosaics, became the trademarks of his work. Our tour guide was convinced no one would come to Barcelona now if not for the work of Gaudi! 

Throughout the rest of Saturday we wandered throughout Barcelona, visiting the Barcelona Cathedral and shops in the Gothic quarter. We ate at a lovely Spanish restaurant named Andurina and enjoyed a meal filled with traditional Spanish foods and sangria. 

Wanting to take part in a bit of the night life Barcelona is known for we visited a bar called Paradiso which made the top 50 bars in the world list in 2022. This bar was perfect for us! We had wonderful waitstaff, amazing food, and unique drinks. This bar is known for its inventive mixology, incorporating different flavors and extravagant displays of the drinks too! Our Saturday night was well spent here, and I would recommend to anyone traveling to Barcelona. 

On Sunday we woke up early to enter La Sagrada Familia for mass at 9am. By going to mass you receive free entry into the Basilica and an amazing opportunity to celebrate mass in such a beautiful place. I think both the inside and outside of La Sagrada Familia are stunning and unlike anything else. Of course, this iconic landmark should be in your list if you visit. 

We spent the remainder of Sunday exploring different parts of the city and finishing the day with something I was extremely excited for... tickets to a FC Barcelona game! While they usually play their futbol games at Camp Nou, the stadium is under construction meaning their games are currently played at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. We hopped off the subway and made the walk to the stadium around the Palau Nacional de Montjuic toward the stadium. For a moment it felt like I was back in America making a walk to any sporting event I frequent in Wisconsin. However, though parts are similar there were many differences during the futbol game. 

We grabbed some water and popcorn and took our seats in the lower section shockingly close to the field! I am grateful our visit landed on a game against a team who supposedly was not very good, making our tickets cheaper than normal. As the game began cheers erupted especially the most common "Barca! Barca! Barca!". What was most shocking to me as we sat and enjoyed the game was how Spaniards whistle when they are angry, unlike Americans who turn to booing. Futbol isn't a sport my family watches often, so I enjoyed being a part of the crowd!

Remember when I said the team Barcelona was playing was not good... well they scored a goal early in the game and Barcelona was never able to answer, making the final score 0-1 with Barcelona losing. So, as we filed out with the sad fans, I couldn't help but smile after experiencing something truly one in a life time! 

My trip to Barcelona closes out my time here in Spain and it was the perfect trip before my last week of teaching. It became clear to me why people frequent the city because it truly is a lively place filled with so much to do! Besides the great views and experiences, you cannot go wrong with a visit to the beach, something I was unable to do, but alas and excuse to come back in the future. I cannot help but feel extremely grateful for all the amazing trips throughout my time here and hope to keep traveling in the future.