Day 1 (afternoon/evening)

 Barcelona was the final stop of our 18 day long western Europe trip. It can get pretty exhausting towards the end of a long trip (more so in Europe, and even more so with kids), so we ensured that we balanced out all the sightseeing with enough time to relax (which included going to the beach, enjoying all the wonderful tapas and paellas, and watching the soccer world cup final, which happened to be on the last day of our trip!)

We arrived in Barcelona around mid-day after having taken a short flight from Nice, France. Another quick train ride, and we were right in the heart of Barcelona. Our hotel around the midway point on La Rambla was also about 500 meters from the waterfront, so we could not have had a better location as a base. After freshening up, the first order of the day was to head to a tapa joint. Though, we love trying the local cuisines, and stick to them for the better part of most trips, food is usually not of the highest priority for us – don’t get me wrong, we love to eat, however ‘where’ we eat is usually decided based upon what’s available at the location we happen to be in.

Barcelona though, was going to be an exception. We have been in love with Spain, ever since our first trip there a couple of years back – the country is beautiful, the people are warm and friendly and the food is amazing. We had decided in advance on a few restaurants we wanted to visit during this trip, and for the most part our choices did not let us down. (there is so much variety to the cuisine and the restaurants – not only in Barcelona, but also in Madrid and Andalusia, that I will probably have to write a separate blog about eating in Spain).

Anyways, it was already early evening, by the time we were ready to start exploring. We headed to the Gothic Quarter, or Barri Gòtic neighborhood which was only a 10-minute walk from out hotel. The area encompasses some the oldest parts of the city and includes the remains of the city’s Roman wall and several notable medieval landmarks (most notably the Barcelona Cathedral), which are connected by narrow medieval streets filled with trendy bars, clubs and Catalan restaurants.

TIP: The facade of the Barcelona Cathedral faces north-west and lights up really well in the evening, just prior to sunset. Try and be here around that time for some great shots!

Our plan was to spend a few hours in the Barri Gòtic neighborhood the next morning, so we got a glimpse of the highlights, familiarized ourselves with some of the main streets and headed for Placa De Catalunya, which is a large square in central Barcelona that is generally considered to be both its city center and the place where the old city and the 19th century-built Eixample meet. To get here we went a little out of our way and walked for a little bit on the Passeig de Gràcia – the ´shopping mile´ of Barcelona – filled with international chains and brands from around the world. As it’s also lined with stunning modernist buildings, it’s a great area to wander around for shopaholics and architecture fans alike.

While the kids had fun chasing the pigeons in the square, we sat on the benches and enjoyed watching the people pass by. The famous La Rambla originates from here, and after we had enough of people watching, we walked the entire stretch (about 0.8 miles) to get all the way up to Mirador de Colom. The tree-lined pedestrian only promenade of La Rambla is the artery of Barcelona and along its length are kiosks and vendors selling all kinds of paraphernalia and souvenirs. There are several street traders, performers, and pavement cafes and bars that line up the entire stretch along with historic buildings such as the Palace of the Virreina, the Liceu Theatre and the La Boqueria market.

A gelato stop somewhere mid-way along the La Rambla, provided enough motivation for the kids to arrive at the Mirador de Colom in very good spirits. This Colom more commonly known to the English-speaking population as the Columbus Monument is a 60 m (197 ft) tall monument constructed in honor of Columbus’ first voyage to the Americas. After, spending some time capturing the monument from every possible angle, we headed down to the waterfront which is just across the street. Dusk has always been one of my favorite times of the day to take pictures. We captured some precious shots and gave our tired legs some rest, while listening to the sound of the waves and see the sky turn dark.

It was the perfect way to end our first day!

Day 2

We started the day by doing a walk in Barri Gotic neighborhood. We spent about 2 hours starting from Placa del Rei and ending at Placa Del Catalunya, thus allowing us to get a closer glimpse of the earliest parts of Roman Barcelona and exploring the sights from the city’s medieval era. This walk also covered the Church of Santa Anaa, Fountain, Placa Nova, Cathedral of Barcelona, Jewish quarter, Roman Temple and Placa del Rei. The highlight without a doubt was the Cathedral of Barcelona. This majestic gothic cathedral was constructed from the 13th to 15th centuries. In the late 19th century, the neo-Gothic façade was constructed over the nondescript exterior that was common to Catalan churches. The roof is notable for its gargoyles, featuring a wide range of animals, both domestic and mythical.

TIP: If shopping is on your list of things to do in Barcelona, you will find almost all the branded stores in the Eixample neighborhood.

We went a little out of our way to enjoy a very special lunch at an amazing Spanish restaurant (more on that later!). After lunch, we visited the Eixample neighborhood – Eixample, which translates as “extension” in recognition of its status as the newer part of the city, is a large area north of Plaça de Catalunya spreading left and right of Passeig de Gràcia. This area is famous for being home to most of Barcelona’s art nouveau masterpieces, and a high-class residential and shopping area. Also, along this road are La Pedrera and Casa Batlló, two of Gaudí’s characteristically dreamlike buildings. Its hard to miss them, as there will be a throng of people right in front of it admiring it and capturing it through their lenses. You can also go inside after purchasing tickets, though we opted not to after seeing the long queues in front.

From Eixample, we took the metro train to get to Park Guell. This is a public park comprising of gardens and several Gaudi works. While it is free to enter the park, you would need a ticket to see Gaudi’s work and I strongly recommend booking tickets well in advance. The park was built from 1900 to 1914 and was officially opened as a public park in 1926. In 1984, UNESCO declared the park a World Heritage Site under ‘Works of Antoni Gaudí’.The park sits on top of Carmen Hill, and it is decent climb to get there. However, you are rewarded with great views of the city after you make your way up. It was the perfect place for the kids to run around and for us to take a break and enjoy the views.

TIP: You must book tickets in advance to see Gaudi’s work at Park Guell. Book directly from the official website. The audio guides are great and provide a lot of details.

For the last stop of the day – our original plan was to visit the Montjuic Castle, which also allows you to enjoy beautiful views over Barcelona and is a great spot to watch the sunset. However, having already enjoyed some great views at Park Guell, we opted to visit Plaza Espana and see and Ciaxa Forum and see Magic fountains instead. The Magic fountain is a spectacular display of color, light, music and water acrobatics – mixed together in the right combinations, it was indeed pure magic! Performances take place at 30-minute intervals every weekend, with extended times during the summer season. The fountain sprays 700 gallons of water a second through 3620 with the highest water spout being 170 feet! 

TIP: Get to the Magic Fountains at least 45 minutes early and grab a good vantage point (the steps right in front of the main fountains is probably the best seat in the house).

The kids had a blast here and we headed out a few minutes before the show ended, in order to beat the crowds and make our way back to enjoy some tapas and call it a day.

Day 3 

We had promised the kids, that we would not return from Barcelona without making a trip to the beach. While the dads and kids did just that, the moms enjoyed some ‘me’ time. It was a Sunday, and though he beach was as crowded as it could get, the water was perfect in every way. The Mediterranean beaches have a special appeal, and we soon realized why. We could probably have spent the whole day there, however we had timed entry tickets to the Sagrada Familia for early afternoon, so we reluctantly made our way back to our hotel to freshen up and get ready for a visit to Gaudi’s masterpiece.

TIP: You must book timed entry tickets in advance to visit Sagrada Familia. Book directly from the official website. If for some reason, you do not book on time, and they are sold out, then try through some travel website or their onsite office right after you land in Barcelona.

The Sagrada is an architectural masterpiece, whose construction began in 1882 under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar. It was the inspiration of a bookseller, Josep Maria Bocabella who after a visit to the Vatican, was so inspired that he wished something similar be built in Barcelona. In 1883, when Villar resigned, Gaudí took over as chief architect, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms and dedicated the remainder of his life to the project. At the time of his death at age 73 in 1926, when he was run down by a tram, less than a quarter of the project was complete. Over the last century the project has progressed and is gearing up for completion by 2026 (100^th anniversary of Gaudi’s death).

We had purchased tickets several weeks in advance and were already impressed by the massive exteriors while we were approaching it. Upon entering the basilica, we were in complete awe of the magnificent interiors. Words cannot do justice, so here’s what we witnessed.

Our last evening in Europe, also happened to be the day when France was playing Croatia in the 2018 soccer world cup final. After having witnessed and celebrated the Les Blues semifinals win in Paris, I was already a little partial towards them. The game did not live up to the expectations of a world cup final, however watching it with the locals while sipping on some excellent ale, was an evening well spent. I can only imagine what the atmosphere would have been in Paris after France sealed the game!

This was one of those perfect days, when all of us were able to do something that we really enjoyed, and looking back, I don’t think we could have ended the trip on a better note.

Early next morning we took a cab to the airport to board a flight that would get us back home to LA!