He mentions something about a club, gives me directions and I’m off. I make way towards La Rambla. This famous boulevard, with five separate streets strung end-to-end, La Rambla (also called Las Ramblas) is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buskers, living statues, mimes and salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jewellery to beer.
Turns out I was heavily mistaken about the city having a lie in. Within what seemed minutes, hoards of people were everywhere. This is the first beautiful sign of a city that enjoys the afternoon siesta. Sleep during the day, party at night. So effectively, all major clubs and decent watering holes only start livening up around the 12 o’clock mark. I welcome this culture shock with open arms. We hit a few clubs, have a dance with the locals and stumble back to our humble abode, knowing that in the morning there will be plenty of diversity to experience.
One of the best ways to explore this culturally vast city is on the Bus Turistic. This hop-on-hop-off moving audio tour helps give you a general compass of the city while educating you on its history. Once you’ve seen all the famous buildings – that you will have no doubt taken photos of and will struggle to remember what city they were even taken in – and get off the bus you’ll enjoy a vibrancy that becomes obvious as you step foot into the colourful Gothic Quarter. You can then savour the beautiful panoramic view of the city from the top of Montjuich, by the magical fountain.
Taking in the city from here can be a jaw-dropping, heart-stopping experience that will leave you overwhelmed with awe. Not to be out-done with awe, Gaudi and Picasso, two of the greatest innovators of their time, have left behind numerous treasures for the discerning tourist to discover in Barcelona. Antonio Gaudi’s fantastic Guell Park which has been declared an artistic monument and world heritage siteby UNESCO definitely inspires. This is overshadowed by La Sagrada Familia – A temple of Gaudi’s most emblematic work, it portrays the greatest exponent of his genius, and a symbol of Barcelona all over the world. The building is no-where near completion and has been under construction since 1882 – they’ve still got another 30 to 80 years (depending on funding and resources) to go before it will be finished. Love it or hate it, the design screams out uniqueness and will definitely leave you with an impression of greatness for the past, present and also the future. Next stop is the Picasso Museum, which exhibits works from the “blue” and “pink” periods of this world famous painter – these are his earlier works, well before the Cubism Era. So much still to do… The Nou Camp, Olympic village, museums galore and the Poble Espanyol. It’s just one attraction after the next! I need more TIME!
My journey ended, for now, on the beach, playing with my toes in the sand and feeling the Mediterranean sun on my face. I have only touched a small part of the city and have loved every nook and cranny. I will definitely be back again to explore, love and enjoy this classically refreshing European paradise.
