Saturday, November 29, 2014

My Barcelona - Part II

Here is some more from my trip to Barcelona ...

Tibidabo mountain top and the buildings on it are visible from almost every part of the city. There you could see a beautiful white church - Temple de Sagrat Cor, the amusement park and Torre de Collserola (the telecommunications tower). 
The mixture of a church and amusement park may seems quite peculiar, but somehow the Catalans made it work. I think that a day spent there is really worth it!


Tibidabo could be reached by bus, bicycle or car. But the best way, if you ask me, is by the historic blue tram (Tramvia Blau) and them with the funicular railway (Funicular del Tibidabo).


Expiatory Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sagrat Cor): 


I find the interior rarely beautiful.


 The views from Tibidabo are amazing ...



You could even see Montserrat mountain and the monastery in the distance:



The amusement park is the oldest in Barcelona and still has most of the original rides.


The park was featured in the Woodie Allen film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona :)



On the way back to Barcelona we chose to skip the charming blue tram. And we chose well :) The neighborhood is amazing and there are some of the most beautiful houses I've ever seen.



Relax with a cup of coffee ...


Back in the heart of the city - Plaça d'Espanya


The Venetian Towers, next to the square are modeled on the bell tower of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. Originally one could climb up to their tops and admire the city from above. Unfortunately today they are closed to the public.

From the two towers begins the avenue, leading to the Palau Nacional.


The building is constructed for the 1929 International Exhibition in Barcelona. Since 1934 is has been home to the National Art Museum of Catalonia.





A walk at sundown on Montjuic hill ...





There is plenty to see and do in the area. One of the interesting sights is the open-air museum Poble Espanyol (The Spanish Village). It was build for the 1929 Barcelona International Exposition and the plan was to throw it down after its end. However, luckily for us, it was preserved due to the great success it achieved. 

  
  

And after wining and dining in Poble Espanyol, it is time for the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. There are no words or pictures, that could describe it. You just have to see it for yourself ...







If you find that interesting, you might also want to check My Barcelona - Part I.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

My Barcelona - Part I

Barcelona is the capital city of the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain and the country's second largest city.
The city is full of life and really versatile with its cultural, historical and modernistic sights, art and museums, sports, entertainment and exhibition facilities, beautiful parks, hills and beaches.   
Several days or even a ween is not nearly enough to explore everything, that Barcelona hes to offer. Unfortunately a week was all I had and I really wanted to make the best of it. 
Here is the fist portion of my journey in photos ...

Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's masterpiece, combining Gothic, Art Nouveau and Biomimetic styles of architecture.   


The construction started in 1882 and Antoni Gaudi become involved in 1883, devoting his last years to this project. The anticipated completion year is 2026 - the centenary of his death. 




A view from one of the towers at Sagrada Familia and its staircase:


Park Güell - another piece of Barcelona, marked by the work of Gaudi. 











A walk down the Passeig de Gracia ...






 The statue of Christopher Columbus:







The Barceloneta beach:




Barcelona is a great place for gastronomy and wine lovers! There are lots of markets, charming little restaurants, bakeries and tapas places, interesting street food. But one has to be cautious as all over the city there are many Asian restaurants (and not the kind for traditional Asian food) that serves cheap and not so great food. 



La Boqueria - one of the best markets in Barcelona, situated on La Rambla street. 


Don't miss the opportunity to taste a glass of Sangria - it just goes great with everything :)


This was only small part of my Barcelona trip ... Stick around for more :)