Saturday – May 8th – Barcelona
Having no alarm and not having a wake-up call, we don’t get up until around noon. I’m pretty hung-over, but snagging a coffee and a bottle of water helps to mitigate that issue. we’ve decided to have lunch at Bar Velódromo, an art-deco cafe at the edge of Barcelona’s Eixample district. The Eixample also houses a ton of Modernista architecture that we plan on checking out once we’re full. Velódromo turns out to be very tasty, and after lunch we step outside into a lovely sunny day. We walk down Avinguda Diagonal, which runs — unsurprisingly — diagonally through the Eixample, toward the start of our Modernista walking tour. From there we wander back and forth along the uniform, square blocks that make up the Eixample, taking pictures of various structures.
We break off from the tour to hit two different places designed by Antoni Gaudí, arguably the most famous of the Modernista architects. The first, La Predrera, is an apartment building that’s still mostly inhabited. We’re able to check out the common areas on the ground floor, not to mention an example apartment, the attic, and the roof, which is covered in sculptures and provides some great views of Barcelona. After that, we head for Casa Batlló, which is Charlotte’s self-described “favorite building ever” and another example of Gaudí’s fascinating style.
Casa Batlló was originally built as a single-family dwelling, but has since been converted into apartments. Large chunks of it are still accessible, however, including the first and second-floor common areas, a lounge, the back-yard terrace (covered in mosaic work), the common staircase/elevator area shared by the apartments, and the roof. It’s much smaller than La Predrera, but in many ways more interesting, with each room showcasing unique design elements and many small alcoves to explore. Charlotte and I wander through, taking many pictures and enjoying the unique architecture. Barcelona’s Modernista houses are definitely a must-visit. We finish up the afternoon by checking out a few more houses, and then jumping on the metro to our final destination.
Sagrada Família is a cathedral on the western edge of the Eixample district. It’s Gaudí’s masterwork, which he never lived to see finished (it’s still in progress to this very day). It is a huge cathedral with multiple towers, arches, and an unbelievable amount of sculpture. I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that there has never been, and will never be, another cathedral quite like it. Unfortunately it had closed by the time we got there, but even just being able to walk around the exterior made it well worth the trip!
Tired and ready for dinner, we once again head for the hotel, and then for the mall down the street. We decide to try a different restaurant this time, which proves to be a mistake. Our waiter is a jerk, and the food, well, I’ll let Charlotte sum it up:
