If it's Gaudi it must be Barcelona

Casa Batallo, Gracias Blvd, Barcelona. A well known Gaudi.


When we got around to making hotel reservations for Barcelona the rates to stay in the City were very high. Since we were using some of our Marriott points I was looking for any brand Marriott and I found an AC Hotel in the suburb of Sant Cugat. Sant Cugat was right off main highways and a train station close to the hotel and everything looked good so I booked it. It was also the hometwon of Xavier Cugat the famous band leader.

OrganiQ Restaurant, Sant Cugat.

We really enjoyed Sant Cugat. We found a very nice OrganiQ Restaurant for breakfast and the city centre was a typical medieval town. From there it was a very easy drive to Montserrat. When we returned in the evening we also found a very nice place in the City Centre . We learned from some other friends familiar with Sant Cugat that it used to be just a small town outside Barcelona but it has become a very chic community and desirable place to live and work.

Another busy street in Sant Cugat adorned with graffiti. The graffiti is everywhere. 

Our hotel was about a block away from the train station so we of course took the train into downtown Barcelona rather than drive. The cost of the train was less than parking so it was a simple choice. Most of the hotels we stayed in were Marriott hotel brands. Most of the nights we used Marriott points so that somewhat limited our choices but we always seemed to be in a good spot. The AC Hotel in Sant Cugat was a very nice place to be.

The St. Joan train station near our hotel.

As I was saying we took the train into Barcelona on both days since the station was so close. We were in Barcelona the first Monday and Tuesday of our trip. At the station many people got off and on the trains at the station because around our hotel were many office buildings. So people that lived farther out or closer in came to Sant Cugat for work.It was a busy station.

Front exterior of La Pedrera - Casa Milla.

Monday, our first of two days in Barcelona we took the train to the Gracias station because it was nearest our first appointment at Gaudi's La Casa Mila, La Pedrera.  The appointment wasn't until the

Some of the elaborate exterior designs of La Pedrera

afternoon so we took the opportunity to walk around the Gracias neighborhood ogling the shops, cafes, panaderias and streets that make up this very fashionable neighborhood. Ironically, about a week after we were here riots broke out in the Gracias neighborhood by Castelanos protesting against the Spanish government when several separatist leaders were jailed. But, when we were there it was a most pleasant urban neighborhood with interesting sites to us who have been in the jungle for a couple years.

Exterior shots of Gaudi's renovation of Casa Batallo

We stopped at one panaderia for a croissant and to refresh before going to La Pedrera. We had tickets for 1330 so we chilled with a chocolate croissant. About one o'clock we walked over and got in line for our 1330 showing and they did let us in early.

https://www.lapedrera.com/en

La Pedrera was one of Gaudi's last commissions. After this he focused almost entirely on the Basilica of the Sacred Family or in Spanish El Catedral de la Familia Sagrada. The tour of La Casa Mila began with an elevator ride to the roof after checking and getting our audio tours. The roof was

Looking up through the interior courtyard of La Pedrera.

elaborate and featured incredible views of the Gracias neighborhood including the Sagrada Familia.  The tour took us through the superstructure of the building and the original owner's apartment explaining much of Gaudi's style. Not only was Gaudi genius in his construction but his intricacies of design boggle the ability of anyone to comprehend the depth of his detail, the complexities of his insight and the attention to each planar change.

Views of the rooftop of La Pedrera

After being as guady as we could for one day we walked to the La Boqueria Mercado to survey the offerings, find lunch and see as much as we could in one day. In Spain the meal schedule is unlike what most of us have accepted.  Spanish meals consist of a light breakfast before 1000, a big lunch after 1400 until about 1600 and then a light dinner after 2000. Shops are open from 1000-1400 and then 1700-2000. Parking meters work the same way.

Some of the complex models that Gaudi built for construction of La Pedrera.

After about 1 km of walking we found the market and found an incredible vegetarian stand where we bought our lunches. The food was incredible. I had a veggie burrito and Linda had a veggie paella. After that we walked around the market and then went to a bodega to do some wine tasting.

Some of the period furniture in the model apartment of La Pedrera

On the way to the little Bodega we went past the Barcelona Cathedral and along many small streets.  Walking around Barcelona we saw many tourists despite it being the shoulder of the low season so I can hardly imagine how busy it would be in high season. The narrow streets were lined with cafes, tiendas and service vendors until we arrived at the small Bodega we destined for wine tasting.

 

Our "to-go" lunches from the market with a bottle of water

Scenes from inside the market. Everything looked great! 

 A Fruitbar
 

                                   A Meat vendor

 Meats and cheeses

More meats and wine

The quaint bodega, Bodega Maestrazago was just opening at 1700. A small place that you might walk past without noticing but when we walked in it went back quite far. We said we wanted to do

Linda at the Bodega during the wine tasting.

some tastings so we were led to the back where they had some tables and stools and explained their tasting offerings. We tasted them all and had a glass of our favorite and then assembled a few bottles to purchase. At the bodega we met a young American ex-pat that had moved to Menorca and was on

The Barcelona Cathedral.

the mainland to meet a friend for some travel. He had been in Spain for several years and established himself in business. He recommended a couple local wines. We bought our wines and walked to the train station to head back to the hotel.

The Basilica de la Familia Segrada from the roof of La Pedrera.

The next morning we got up and took the train back into Barcelona. Our mission for the day was to see the Basilica de la Segrada Familia (Cathedral of the Sacred Family) another famous Gaudi project
that is still unfinished. From there we were heading on over to the Barcelona Picasso Museum. On

Scenes of La Familia Segrada.

the way we saw many points of interest and stopped into the Chocolate Museum to buy some samples. The dark chocolate we bought was outstanding.

A sidealk cafe we stopped by.                                                                                                                                                                         

The Arc de Triumph

The Rambla mall.

A typical narrow sidestreet.









We stopped at a small cafe for some refreshment and rest on the way to to the museum and did the audio tour/ The Picasso museum like del Prado was very crowded making it challenging to see many of the works up close. But, we took our time and witnessed many of the works of this famous contemporary painter.

The entrance to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona.

When we finished it was time for lunch (about 1530 and we found a nice little vegetarian cafe not far from the museum. We then wandered around this historic area before walking back to the train station for the ride back to Sant Cugat and our hotel.

 Memorial to Pablo Picasso

Entrance to the Organica Born restaurant.

The Cathedral de Cristopher Columbus.

Harbor Plaza

We only spent 2 full days in Barcelona but we saw a lot. There is just so much to do there that even several weeks wouldn't be enough. The people were friendly the food was great and the sights incredible. Hopefully we will get back there again soon. 








Boatshow in Barcelona Harbor