House of travel Spain, Portugal, Greece & Turkey 2017 | Page 15

Barcelona
Freddie Mercury put it this way: Barcelona,
Like a Jewel in the Sun. It was a song entirely
suited to a city that inspires passion and
immense flights of imagination. Stand beneath
the incomparable Sagrada Familia, the church
that extraordinary architect Antoni Gaudí
began working on in 1882 and remains a work
in progress. Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia,
rejoices in Art Nouveau architecture too but
there are also Gothic masterpieces. Wander the
Cathedral cloisters in the footsteps of the Knights
of the Golden Fleece. Stroll La Rambla – an 18th
century thoroughfare of flowers, trees, cafés,
street artists and markets. Barcelona comes into
its own at night – bars, clubs and restaurants
range from the chic to the Bohemian.
Our favourite things to see and do
Sagrada Familia – This giant stunning Basilica, one of Gaudí’s greatest creations,
started in 1882, is unfinished and has been under construction ever since.
Las Ramblas – A wide avenue running 1.2 kilometres north from the waterfront.
Famous for its street stalls where you can buy everything from lottery tickets to
jewellery. Alive with buskers, living statues, mimes and the itinerant.
Gothic Quarter – The nucleus of old Barcelona. It’s a maze of interconnecting
streets linking squares. Lots of cafés and bars as well as home to Barcelona Cathedral.
Park Güell – A Mr Güell