Barcelona - welcome to Catalunia!

So far, Barcelona has been our biggest disappointment. We were really looking forward to visiting it, as we heard really good things from friends and travel articles, but we found it to be overrated, and, quite frankly, lacking any sort of authenticity. Oh, and the Catalans might be happy to hear, it doesn't feel very Spanish either.

Whilst in Barcelona we stayed in an Airbnb for the first time, and that was not one of the greatest experiences either. The host was lovely, but the apartment itself was not very well maintained and cleanliness was lacking (and I'm being nice!).

When you think of Barcelona, it's impossible not to also think of Gaudi, the Catalan modernist architect. His buildings are a major tourist attraction in Barcelona, which makes you wonder what would have become of Barcelona without Gaudi. His work is creative and quite funky - although I'm not sure he'd appreciate my description of 'funky'.

However, unfortunately for us, at the time we visited, quite a few of his buildings were covered by construction works, which was annoying to say the least. Despite our curiosity to see the insides of the buildings, we chose not to visit due to the ridiculous entrance fees, which quite frankly are a rip off!

Casa Batllo

Speaking of rip offs, you have to pay 8 euros to visit parts of Parc Guell (not very big parts either!), another one of Gaudi's masterpieces, where you can also find his home. We chose not to visit that section of the park, but had a walk through the rest of the park, and that made for a very pleasant afternoon stroll.

Parc Guell

Parc Guell

Another disappointment whilst we were in Barcelona was the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's most famous work, still unfinished, more than a century later. It's finishing date is said to be 2030. When seeing it, we were not as awe-inspired as we thought we'd be, our reaction was more along the lines of 'Oh, is that it?' Apart from the cranes and construction works going on everywhere, the church has several different nuances, depending on when different sections have been built, which is understandable, but it also gives the building a shabby air. We were so disappointed by the exterior that we decided it's no point going inside, as the entrance queues were huge!

The Sagrada Familia

The Sagrada Familia

Although the most famous, Gaudi's not the only modernist architect to leave his mark on Barcelona. Josep Puig i Cadafalch and Lluís Domènech i Montaner are two others, whose works are also beautiful and funky, but, as they are less known than Gaudi, their buildings are less touristy. Barcelona's architecture is creative, different and colourful, which gives the city a very bohemian look and feel. No wonder it attracts so many artists!

Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau by Lluís Domènech i Montaner

Palau de la Música Catalana by Lluís Domènech i Montaner

Casa Amatller by Josep Puig i Cadafalch

As well as the cultural sightseeing, holiday makers often seek Barcelona as a beach destination, and for good reason! The city boasts a big, sandy and well equipped beach. There are volleyball courts, bars and cafes and toilet blocks every 500 metres or so. Plus, the water is surprisingly clean looking. Even if sunbathing is not your thing, it's very nice to take a stroll along the seafront, until you reach the marina.

Barcelona beach

Barcelona marina

Past the marina, we went up to Monjuic castle, situated on atop of a hill. We went in the evening, so the castle was shut, but from up there there were amazing views of Barcelona at night, all lit up - the views were improved by the music coming from the nearby festival that was taking place at the time.

Barcelona by night

Speaking of nice views, in, and around Barcelona, there are many places (or miradors) to grab a good view over the city. We visited El Carmel, which used to be an air raid bunker. Given that this is a bit out of the centre, it was a lot less touristy and we had the pleasure to see local youngsters coming up in groups for a hang out. It made for a nice break from the touristy hecticness found in the centre. The views from the bunker were amazing, and signs written in Spanish, English and Catalan informed us about the history of the civil war!

Barcelona viewed from El Carmel

One must do while in Barcelona is to have a stroll along La Rambla, the city's shopping street. It is bustling with life, and shops all along it have ingenious methods of attracting customers. While strolling along, you must go in the market there, La Boqueria. Be aware that it is seriously over priced, so do not do all your shopping there, more like buy a treat if anything takes your fancy.

Marlyn inviting you in one of the buildings along La Rambla.

If you go on one of the side streets coming off La Rambla, you'll find yourself in the old centre of Barcelona (El Barri Gotic), with it's cathedral, plazas and narrow steets. Just outside of the old centre there is the Parc de la Ciutadella, a very nice place to relax for a couple of hours as a break from sightseeing.

Parc de la Ciutadella

I know we haven't enjoyed many things in Barcelona, but one thing we really really enjoyed, was the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. During most of the time it's a normal fountain like any other (mind you, it's located in a stunning setting). However, for two hours, every night (at least in the summer), from 9-11pm, it becomes magic, displaying a show of music, lights and water. Basically, for 15 minutes at a time, different tunes are played, and the fountain dances in time with the music. It's a really nice way to spend the evening, something a bit different.

The location of the magic fountain

The magic fountain in action.

So, ultimately, for us Barcelona was best taken with a pinch of salt, nice, but extremely overrated.

P.S. Note that if you need to sleep in the airport in Barcelona, you will not be able to get much sleep, as the security guards come and wake you up at around 4/5 am.