BARCELONA
C O M E S
U P
A C E S
BY JENNY PETERS
Barcelona, that timeless Spanish city by the sea, is undisputedly one of the world’s
most wonderful cities. No matter what barometer you use to judge a place,
Barcelona comes up aces every time. Love architecture? Check. Relish fantastic
food? Check. Fancy fashionable shops? Check. Like feeling the sand between your
toes? Check. Enjoy history and museums? Check. Adore the arts? Check. Delight in
finding friendly locals? Check. Seriously, Barcelona has it all.
All about architecture—and Gaudi
From the moment you arrive in Barcelona, you’ll realize the city is an architectural wonderland.
Before even setting eyes on Antoni Gaudi’s masterpieces, witness countless beautiful buildings,
from Roman walls and towers to the medieval Santa Maria del Mar to the modernist Palau de
la Musica Catalana, by architect Luis Domenech, to the floating triangle that is the Museum
of Natural Sciences. Find yet more architectural wonder at Richard Meier’s Museum of
Contemporary Art and Jean Nouvel’s geyser-like Torre Glòries, with a facade lit up by 4,500
multi-colored LED lights.
But it is the work of Antoni Gaudi (1852–1926) that truly defines the city. His eccentric fantasies of
architecture made him the father of “Catalan Modernism,” and he’s never truly been matched.
Each masterpiece — from the soaring La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, still under construction after
more than 100 years; to the surreal, fantastical Casa Batllo; Venetian Palau Güell; and the wildly
weird Casa Mila — is an experience in itself. Be sure to take the trip out to Parc Güell, too, Gaudi’s
outdoor fantasyland, where kids can frolic and adults get their gobs smacked by the tiled mosaics,
serpentine benches, colonnaded pathways, and fantastical fountains.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
SUMMER 2019 43 FLYWASHINGTON.COM