In May 2024, daughter Jill and I cruised the Mediterranean, with port stops in Spain, France, Italy, and Malta, and spent two days sightseeing in Barcelona. Our holiday was memorable from start to finish!
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Mediterranean Holiday.
This story, part of a series, is about our first day in Barcelona.
Click HERE to read a short introduction to our Mediterranean Holiday.
This story, part of a series, is about our first day in Barcelona.
Jill and me at Les Quinze Nits
Barcelona, Spain (May 9, 2024) Barcelona, I read, was one of the most frequented cities in the world, with more than seven million tourists per year attracted by “the city’s enchanting architecture, rich history, and vibrant culture.” Well, you can add Jill and me to this list, as we visited Barca, as the city was once known, not once but twice on our Mediterranean Holiday.
Why Barcelona…and why twice? The answer is simple—it was the embarkation and debarkation port for both of our seven-night cruises, with a day in port between the two. I’ll save our ‘in-between’ day for a future story.
This story, then, is about our ‘fly in’ day—the day Jill and I arrived in Barcelona.
Why Barcelona…and why twice? The answer is simple—it was the embarkation and debarkation port for both of our seven-night cruises, with a day in port between the two. I’ll save our ‘in-between’ day for a future story.
This story, then, is about our ‘fly in’ day—the day Jill and I arrived in Barcelona.
We flew to Barcelona on a red-eye flight from Philadelphia (after flying cross country from Phoenix to Philly last evening). We landed at 9AM, and after we cleared customs and retrieved our luggage, Jill and I were transported to our hotel, Arc la Rambla, located in the city’s Gothic Quarters. Check in was easy-peasy, but...
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“Your rooms will be ready at three,” we were told. “You can store your luggage in the lockers at the end of the hall.”
And that was what we did. We also purchased day passes for Barcelona City Tour—a Hop-on Hop-off service with two routes (west and east), more than 30 stops close to the main sights and attractions, and an audio guide in 15 languages (En ingles, por favor). Late morning, Jill and I boarded an East Route bus at Stop 4, about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. |
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On the way, we passed Monument a Colon—the Columbus Monument—a 130-foot-tall column topped by a 24-foot-tall bronze statue of Christopher Columbus, completed in 1888 to honor his first voyage to the Americas.
Once on board the bus, our immediate destination—our first stop—was Sagrada Familia, the largest Roman Catholic Church in the world. “Jill, have you been to Sagrada Familia?” I asked. “I think so,” she replied. “And you.” |
“Yep, it was the first landmark mom and I visited when we were here in 2017. It was grand—unlike any church I’d seen before.”
We saw several landmarks along the way, including Port Vell Harbour, Museu Historia de Barcelona, and Teatro Nacional. We also rolled past lovely, multi-story buildings that reflected a blend of Gothic and modern architecture.
We saw several landmarks along the way, including Port Vell Harbour, Museu Historia de Barcelona, and Teatro Nacional. We also rolled past lovely, multi-story buildings that reflected a blend of Gothic and modern architecture.
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A mix of old and new, I thought, like so many of the other great cities in Europe I’ve visited.
The grounds around Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (Basilica of the Sacred Family), which stands in the northern part of the city, were densely packed with sightseers—after all, this is the number one tourist attraction in Barcelona—and we meandered through the crowd with care (lest our pockets be picked, we were forewarned!) to view this most unusual-looking church from all sides.
“Dad, I was wrong—I’ve never visited this church. It’s amazing!”
The grounds around Basilica de la Sagrada Familia (Basilica of the Sacred Family), which stands in the northern part of the city, were densely packed with sightseers—after all, this is the number one tourist attraction in Barcelona—and we meandered through the crowd with care (lest our pockets be picked, we were forewarned!) to view this most unusual-looking church from all sides.
“Dad, I was wrong—I’ve never visited this church. It’s amazing!”
That was an apt description for this UNESCO World Heritage Site designed by the world-renowned architect, Antoni Gaudi. The neo-Gothic church, with 18 soaring towers and a dazzling, highly decorative exterior, was commissioned in 1883, and while Gaudi thought it might take 10 to 15 years to complete, construction—unbelievably—was ongoing, with several more years of work yet ahead.
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“I wish we had time to go inside,” I lamented. “Perhaps on my next visit…”
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Our next planned stop was Parc Guell, also designed by Gaudi, but first things first—it was time for lunch. We happened on Braseria Cal Ramon, on Avenida Gaudi, as we walked from the church. The outdoor terrace was full, so we took a table inside.
The Catalan-inspired menu included tapas, pastas, grilled meats and vegetables, seafood, and more. Jill ordered Mixed Paella, while I opted for Seafood Paella—prawns, calamari, mussels, and clams. It was delicious…and filling. For dessert, we shared Flan de la Casa—a homemade crème caramel, much like crème brulee. |
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“Uhh…” I began as we finished our lunch, my eyes on my phone screen. “Parc Guell is out…as in ‘sold out’ for the day according to the park’s website.”
“Too bad,” Jill replied. “Where to, then?”
“Let’s ride a bus to Stop 15, where we can transfer to the West Route.”
“I’m all for riding the bus, but I’ll stay on until we reach our hotel, as I have work to do ahead of our cruise.”
“Too bad,” Jill replied. “Where to, then?”
“Let’s ride a bus to Stop 15, where we can transfer to the West Route.”
“I’m all for riding the bus, but I’ll stay on until we reach our hotel, as I have work to do ahead of our cruise.”
I disembarked for a closer look, and as I walked toward the arch, I Googled its name and this was what I learned: It was built in 1888, in the Neo-Moorish style using red brickwork, as the main entrance to the Barcelona Universal Exposition—Spain’s first international world’s fair. The words ‘Barcelona rep les nacions’—Barcelona welcomes the nations—adorned the front frieze, while “the pillars featured stone-carved bats, the emblem of King Jaume I.”
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I said goodbye to Jill at Stop 15, and after a short wait I boarded a bus, whose western route included 19 stops. This time I sat in the open-air top deck, where I enjoyed a panoramic view of the city as the bus motored along its route. But I didn’t make it far, as I soon spotted a large arch that looked like Arc de Triomphe in Paris (which I’ve not seen in person) and Arch of Constantine in Rome (which I have visited). According to my city map, this was Arc de Triomf.
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The Arc de Triomf was stunning…and a great backdrop for photos! And it stood at the start of a wide promenade that stretched to Parc de la Ciutadella—Citadel Park.
Should I follow the promenade to the park, I wondered, or continue my city tour by bus?
Eeny, meeny, miny mo. I followed the promenade to the park…and was soooo glad I did!
This 77-acre park—the city’s only green space, with a lake, zoo, and several museums—was created in the mid-19th century with Barcelona’s “sights firmly set on the 1888 Universal Exhibition.”
Should I follow the promenade to the park, I wondered, or continue my city tour by bus?
Eeny, meeny, miny mo. I followed the promenade to the park…and was soooo glad I did!
This 77-acre park—the city’s only green space, with a lake, zoo, and several museums—was created in the mid-19th century with Barcelona’s “sights firmly set on the 1888 Universal Exhibition.”
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The weather was picture perfect—upper 60s, mostly sunny, slight breeze—and there were hundreds of people (perhaps thousands) who seemed to enjoy an afternoon in the park: Some read while others sketched and painted; many listened to live music or strolled the meandering paths; and friends and couples rowed boats on the lake or fed the ducks and geese. While it wasn’t a ‘quiet space’—how could it be with all of this activity—I found it to be very peaceful and picturesque, and a wonderful place—an idyllic setting—to spend an hour or so this Thursday afternoon.
I made my way back to Arc la Rambla on foot—an easy route to follow using Google Maps—and as I neared the hotel, I ‘discovered’ a square, Plaza Real, lined with a handful of restaurants.
There’s sure to be one here to our liking for dinner, I thought.
There was—Les Quinze Nits, which translates from Catalan to English as ‘The Fifteen Nights.’ (Sorry, I haven’t a clue about the name.) And this time, Jill and I snagged a table for two on the terrace when we reached Les Quinze Nits early evening!
Here, too, there were hundreds of people—those who congregated in the square or merely passed through, as well as folks having a drink or dinner, as Jill and I were about to do.
Somewhere in the square, we heard a musician strum a guitar, and in front of a nearby restaurant, we watched two acrobats display their strength, one holding the other inverted above his head. And we eyed a hawker—a tall, thin man dressed in shorts and a tee shirt—as he sidled up to our table with stems of roses in one hand and beaded necklaces in the other.
“Roses for sale. Necklaces, too,” he said in heavily accented English.
“Gracia pero no,” replied Jill.
He moved to the next table, and then to the next, so on and so forth, repeating the same words, sometimes in English, sometimes in Spanish, and sometimes in Italian, without making a sale. It was a tough way to earn a living, for sure.
There’s sure to be one here to our liking for dinner, I thought.
There was—Les Quinze Nits, which translates from Catalan to English as ‘The Fifteen Nights.’ (Sorry, I haven’t a clue about the name.) And this time, Jill and I snagged a table for two on the terrace when we reached Les Quinze Nits early evening!
Here, too, there were hundreds of people—those who congregated in the square or merely passed through, as well as folks having a drink or dinner, as Jill and I were about to do.
Somewhere in the square, we heard a musician strum a guitar, and in front of a nearby restaurant, we watched two acrobats display their strength, one holding the other inverted above his head. And we eyed a hawker—a tall, thin man dressed in shorts and a tee shirt—as he sidled up to our table with stems of roses in one hand and beaded necklaces in the other.
“Roses for sale. Necklaces, too,” he said in heavily accented English.
“Gracia pero no,” replied Jill.
He moved to the next table, and then to the next, so on and so forth, repeating the same words, sometimes in English, sometimes in Spanish, and sometimes in Italian, without making a sale. It was a tough way to earn a living, for sure.
Take me to Barcelona and I won’t want to order sangria anywhere else in the world.
~ Anonymous
~ Anonymous
When our waiter was tableside, Jill ordered a selection of tapas, including a bowl of clams. Moi? I selected the traditional Andalusian gazpacho as my starter and duck confit for my entrée, with a half-liter of sangria to quench my thirst. Excelente!
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And for dessert, Jill and I split a Tim Baon—layers of flavors and textures that included a creamy turron ice cream, crema Catalana, and chocolate sauce. I know…what’s not to like!
And that was my day.
I didn’t see everything that Barcelona has to offer. In fact, I barely scratched the surface. But I’ve long since learned that I can’t ‘see it all’ in a day, and that less IS more. Still, I enjoyed my taste of the city’s enchanting architecture, rich history, and vibrant culture, and I was satisfied that this day was a great start to my Mediterranean Holiday.
Tomorrow, we board the MSC World Europa to begin our first seven-night cruise. I look forward to sharing more experiences and memories with you in my next story.
And that was my day.
I didn’t see everything that Barcelona has to offer. In fact, I barely scratched the surface. But I’ve long since learned that I can’t ‘see it all’ in a day, and that less IS more. Still, I enjoyed my taste of the city’s enchanting architecture, rich history, and vibrant culture, and I was satisfied that this day was a great start to my Mediterranean Holiday.
Tomorrow, we board the MSC World Europa to begin our first seven-night cruise. I look forward to sharing more experiences and memories with you in my next story.