A small almost prehistoric and super crowded bus takes us through asphalted roads. But what matters is to reach Barcelona. Between a mule on the road and some ditches here and there, we arrived at our destination. The airport is 20-30 minutes by bus from the city, but we took an hour to get there. Every second seemed infinite but now, another little piece of the world will be ours!
Barcelona: arrival
With a map in hand, a look at the bilingual dictionary and here is our hotel ready for a quick accommodation. We stay at an excellent 4-star hotel that is part of a large hotel chain. It is equipped with every comfort (wi-fi, mini bar, satellite TV, hairdryer) and is elegantly furnished. The property is located on the famous Avenida Paralelo just a few minutes from the avenues in the center of Barcelona (Las Ramblas). It is 50 meters from the metro station and buses.
So, without lingering over, I take a dip in the tangle of streets immediately. There is an immense liveliness that characterizes the Catalan capital and the multiculturalism and multi-ethnicity of which it is pervaded. A first taste of the city, in one of the most well-known areas (full center) of Barcelona in the world as it is visited 365 days a year by tourists and residents. Las Ramblas or, at least, part of it considering visiting every corner it would take some time and specially trained legs! We get involved by an enchanting scenery made of blazing lights, shops, actors, living statues, street vendors, street mimes.
Everything smells of life and being dinner time, we take the opportunity to savor some local dishes. Armed with a lot of patience waiting for a good half hour because of the kilometric line! We manage to sit at La Fonda d'Escudellers: a really nice restaurant near Plaça Reial, where you can eat very well and the wallet is not affected at all! Our palate has a sublime paella with meat, the Suquet di pix (a type of fish broth). To conclude in sweetness, we have Catalan cream and nuts fried with honey. We have a last glance at the lively Iberian evening and return to the hotel to be fresh and refreshed the next day.
Barcelona: first day
So begins our tour. We go out early morning because of the already very high temperature. But, above all, we do not to waste precious moments and enjoy our highly anticipated, albeit short, trip. For breakfast, we have churros on the move immersed in a very good chocolate!
We stay in the Las Ramblas area. From La Rambla de Canaletes, along the way, we come across monuments and places of great artistic and cultural value. We visit Font de les Canaletes. Legend has it that for those who drink from this is certainly the return to Barcelona. Reial Acadèmia de Ciencies I Arts is an important center of education and culture.
The Eglésia de Betlem is one of the rare examples of Baroque architecture in the city. Then singular buildings such as Antica Casa del Doctor Genovè has facades covered delightfully with blue ceramic tiles. Casa Bruno Quadros is an unusual structure adorned with umbrellas and, little further on is the Museu de l'Eròtica.
We arrive between a fan waving and another (bought strictly in a souvenir shop), in the Plaza de la Boqueria. We walk on a mosaic floor of Joan Mirò and admire the vast and well-stocked market of a thousand colors that stand here. And it is in these parts that we face the impressive Gran Teatre del Liceu. It is the city's main opera house, reopened recently following a fire that devastated it completely years before.
We eat something at a truly unique place with excellent cuisine. We took the Butifarra Blanca, the typical Catalan sausage served with the egg. We also order an Escudella (a Catalan soup made with different types of meat and vegetables served with rice or pasta and the excellent red wine of the house. We decided to go back because we could not visit the famous Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art. It houses works mainly of Spanish origin, in particular, Catalan.
Created by the American architect Richard Meier, it has helped to give back to what was once a somewhat disqualified area of Barcelona. We then enter the museum, where not only are paintings and sculptures exhibited, but also graphics, installations, video art, and computer art. It acts as a permanent art laboratory.
After the visit to the museum, which cost us an entire afternoon, we decided to take a look at the night movement and to eat in a nice place. We head to Plaça Catalunya, where we discover the Ovella Negra, one of the historic bars of the center. A characteristic rustic tavern where we finally enjoyed the sangria. It was cheap and really good! The most interesting thing is the large tables with countless diners: Catalans, tourists, and Erasmus.
The area is also ideal for fun and dancing. A few meters from each other are discos like City Hall, Living, The Roxy Blue, Arena. It is very tempting, with a free entry within a certain time!
Barcelona: second day
New day, another museum. In the morning we dedicate ourselves to visit the Museu Picasso, one of the most important local attractions. We are amazed by the continuous flow of people doing up and down the museum dedicated to the figure of Pablo Picasso. It is justified by the importance of the works that the structure houses inside, especially those of the first period of the artist (until he left Barcelona). There are, however, also important additions that have occurred gradually over the years.
After that, we look for the monuments of Gaudì, a must for every visitor who approaches Barcelona. Thus we discover that gigantic temple that is the Sagrada Familia. It is a sight that is nothing short of shocking and unique for its originality and majesty!
We also organize ourselves to see Park Guell. It is an almost magical space, full of buildings, works of tiles, sculptures, all designed and designed by the Catalan architect. But what arouses, above all, our curiosity is inside: what is the old authentic house of Gaudi, now a museum open to the public: unmissable!
Without realizing it, we spent more than four hours inside the park, so it's time to eat something! Trusting the suggestions of the guide, we choose to stop at a Spanish fast-food chain that offers excellent tapas (delicious appetizers typical of Spain) and the legendary patatas bravas (excellent fries with spicy garlic sauce). The quality is really good. The price is very cheap but, the portions are not large. It is located in front of Casa Battlò. Therefore, on a full stomach, it is time to make another stop at Casa Battlò. In fact, its name derives from the owner who commissioned the construction to Gaudì.
It's really impressive how this looks like a whole series of skulls (the balconies) and bones (the supports). We admire the figures present in the construction of this building: exclusively marine figures. Even for the main facade, a color has been chosen that recalls very much that of the coral.
Even the interior of the house was designed by Gaudì, and in fact, the furniture fully reflects his style. We decide to spend the remaining half of the day at the biggest stadium in Europe. The Camp Nou is "mythical", and almost a temple of Barcelona!
We make a quick visit to the teams' changing rooms, to the playing field, to the VIP stand, to that of the press. Finally, we move to the Museu Núñez which bears the name of the historic Catalan president. According to estimates, it is the second most visited museum in Barcelona. It is surrounded by trophies, historical photos, and videos. To close, we visit the ever-present souvenir store for friends!
Even with the regret of having been able to spend only a couple of days in this wonderful city and not to have fully savored all its peculiarities, we head to the hotel to take the suitcases and then straight to the airport (unfortunately). We leave Barcelona with intense emotions, images, and wonderful places.
We feel the warmth of a people, the effervescence of locals and tourists. We love the good food, good smells, a thousand colors and the desire to return once again. But, like any self-respecting gypsy, I have little space for nostalgia and, on the way back, there are new projects in view of the next destination.
