Blue Heart Journey: Barcelona's Historic Landmarks

While enjoying our first night in the hotel, I did a Google search on popular places to see in Barcelona. A few of the top selections were the Park Guell, Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, Picasso Museum, and Casa Batlló. We decided to visit a few, each on a different day. All these places received such rave reviews; it didn’t appear we would be disappointed with any selection.

On our second day in the city, we visited the famous Park Guell. It’s located far from the city centre on a hill overlooking Barcelona. A staff member at our hotel instructed us to get there by taking the Metro. He said all we needed to do was catch two trains and get off at the stop, Vallcarca. From there, he said we would walk right into it. Sounded easy enough!

Park Guell

The closest Metro Station to our hotel was Diagonal. We entered that station quite often over the course of our stay. Traveling by train in Barcelona was quite easy. The map was not difficult to read and there was usually a train station within walking distance from all the locations we visited. The ride lasted about 20 minutes. We exited the station at Vallcarca as directed, but didn’t see any park within sight. Douglas and I noticed a group of people going in one direction, to the right of the station. Since the Park Guell was listed as a popular place to visit, we made a good assumption that the crowd was most likely going to the same place we were. Just to be safe, as we were walking, we stopped someone that looked like a local and asked which way was the Park, in the best Spanish we could speak. She turned around and said, “Just walk up there.” We looked in the direction she pointed and “there” did not look anywhere near “here.”

Okay, our hotel attendant lost a few points with us because when he said, “Exit the train and you will walk right into it,” he failed to mention the steep climb that it took to get there. Douglas and I are all for exercising, but really! If I knew we were going to be climbing Mt. Everest I would have worn a pair of sneakers and some lighter pants. Douglas surely wasn’t dressed to tackle those hills. The weather was mildly warm that day, so I had on a pair of jeans, a ¾ length t-shirt, and a pair of flat shoes. I guess this is where doing some research ahead of time might have aided us a lot. When I heard about the park, the first thing that came to mind was Central Park in New York City. Now that park you simply walk into, not up to. There were not only extreme hills in front of us, there were also several flights of stairs to climb. We noticed a few escalators beside each flight of stairs. How thoughtful! But, Douglas and I stared that climb in the face and said, “Let’s do it.” We even opted not to use any of the escalators. At least at the end of it, we could say we got in a little workout for the day.

I didn’t keep track of how long it took us to get up there, but we finally reached the top with sweaty foreheads, shirts slightly sticking to our bodies and pants clinging to our legs. Our first thought was, “Whew, we made it!” Then we looked to our immediate right and saw another hill to enter the actual park. Little did we know, the entire park was filled with hills to further climb. Had we realized this earlier, I’m not so sure we would have elected to bypass those convenient escalators.

This park was constructed by a famous Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi. To give you a little history about the park, in 1900 Gaudi was commissioned to work on this site by Eusebi Guell. Gaudi and Guell were best friends. At the time the site was supposed to be an urban development intended for 60 single family residences. In 1914 the project became a commercial failure with only two houses built. In 1923 the Park was acquired by Barcelona City Council and is now one of the most famous landmarks in Barcelona.

Throughout our walk in the park we saw a few musicians playing unique instruments, serenading the people. There was a barrage of peddlers selling various trinkets. I did take notice to one of their items. A man was selling various styles of earrings that were hooked to an umbrella. It’s a pretty nice way to display jewelry while traveling.

Check out the video below of man playing a "Hang Drum"

The park was very crowded, yet still a peaceful environment. If we could go back, I would make sure to go very early in the morning. There are far less people touring the area at that time. Amongst the crowd, I noticed there were many women wearing dresses, skirts, flimsy sandals, etc. I was wondering if they climbed the same hill we did to get to the park. I later found out there is a bus stop near the main entrance that leads directly into the park. Once again the hotel attendant loses a few more points with me. My feet and thighs would have greatly appreciated that little tip. My favorite thing about the park was the amazing view you could see from the very top. It was absolutely lovely.

Inside the park was a large playground, plenty of benches to sit and rest, picnic areas, a small restaurant, a gazebo, and the two houses Antoni Gaudi built before the land was acquired by the city of Barcelona. Atop the gazebo area the ceilings were made of tiled mosaics that were quite stunning. The house has now become Gaudi’s Museum. There is a tiny entrance fee to tour the residence. Learning the history of the park helped me to appreciate its beauty and charm.

Gaudi's house/Museum

Gazebo / Mosaic tiles on the ceiling

We spent almost four hours at Park Guell. It is massive. Just when you think you have reached the top, there are more inclines to tackle. There are numerous trails off from the main road. Some are extremely narrow and make you feel as though you are walking through a desolate forest. The time and exercise were well worth it though. I would have to agree with the majority and say Park Guell is definitely a “must see” when visiting Barcelona. And as a bonus, you will receive a fabulous butt and thigh workout.

As we exited the park, there were several cactus plants with various names written on its stems. Douglas stopped immediately and looked for a sharp object. He began searching for an empty leaf that wasn't too far tucked away. The further inside the cactus plant you go, the more likely you are to come up with many thorns on your body if not properly covered. Douglas decided to inscribe our names on a leaf. He managed to only get a few thorns stuck inside his wrist. When he was done, we stepped back and admired our signature leaf, noting our three years of marriage. What a spontaneous and sweet act of love.

Sagrada Familia

On our third day in the city we visited Sagrada Familia (Church of the Sacred Family). Again, I did no research on the place prior to visiting. I almost wish I had. Sagrada Familia is one of the greatest religious buildings in the world. Upon exiting the Metro Station, all you have to do is look up and there it is. The church is massive. It is another one of Antoni Gaudi’s masterpieces. Gaudi began work on the church in 1883. I was most surprised to see the church is not yet finished. As of now, it is scheduled to be done in 2026, but no one can say for certain. When the church is finished, it will hold 8,000 people. Apparently Gaudi knew the church would not be completed in his lifetime. Therefore, he had plans drawn so that the church could continue to be built after his death using his sketches. He tragically died in 1926 at the age of 73.

The night prior, I read on the internet that tickets should be purchased online to avoid long lines. I almost hesitated because it was late and Douglas and I were about to go to bed. But we chose to go ahead and purchase the tickets online. When we walked up to the Catedral there was an absurdly long line stretching around half of the church. I knew then that Sagrada Familia had to be something special. Apparently, millions of people from all over the world travel to Barcelona every year just to visit this historic site. We avoided the lines and entered immediately. To our convenience we purchased tickets that included an audio tour. A pair of headphones would guide us through the developing masterpiece.

This is only half of the line

Church under construction while open to tourists

Headphones used for audio tour....available in several languages

Christian symbolism is present throughout the entire church. The temple depicts the life of Jesus and history of faith through three grand facades: Nativity, Passion, and Glory.

Guards playing dice

Three stages of Jesus' death: trial, condemnation, death on the cross.

Jesus being denied by Peter; Peter has his back turned (Ecce Homo)

At Jesus' burial site

Another view of Ecce Homo

Pontius Pilate washing his hands

There is such an exorbitant amount of detail both inside and outside the church. It is certain that you don’t have to be religious to appreciate the profound skill, technique, and vision that went into the design of this great work of art. During various parts of our tour, Douglas and I stopped to sit down and meditate while observing the many colors and intricate details of Gaudi’s design. An overwhelming feeling of peace and inspiration flowed through us, as we thought about the endless possibilities of things individuals can accomplish creatively, physically, and aesthetically.

Although Sagrada Familia is not yet done, the church is currently used for religious service. Upon completion the church will hold 8,000 people and choir stands built to accommodate 1,000 people. I can only imagine the weight on the shoulders of the choir director who assumes the responsibility of directing 1,000 members. Visit this link to read more about the Sagrada Familia and its greatness. My words and pictures hardly do it justice. http://www.sagradafamilia.cat/sfup/prensa/2010-09-01-01.pdf

The church is such a stunning piece of architecture. It is synonymous to Barcelona as the Golden Gate Bridge is to San Francisco. It does cost about $35 per person to tour the church, but I feel honored to have been a part of history simply by visiting. The construction of the church is funded through donations and entrance fees. I would love to go back and see its completion. The Sagrada Familia is truly another “must-see” when visiting Barcelona. Its size alone will blow your mind.