I will start off by saying that Barcelona was a wonderful
retreat from the cold weather of Angers, France (where I am studying). I did
not don a jacket the entire trip, and the scenery was beautiful. There are so
many things to see and do, that I am glad I took a few days for this trip; you
don’t realize how big a city is until you finally visit. Barcelona is a city
with lots of culture, great food, beautiful architecture, and a very lively
nightlife.
The first day in Barcelona was spent relaxing a enjoying the
city, which was very easy to do in the summerlike sun. I tried the best seafood
paella at a quaint little restaurant, and took the metro to the harbor. There you
will see a beautiful bridge and many, many tourists; my impression of the city was
that the natives really try to make everything as beautiful as possible. After the
stroll I went to dinner at a beautiful restaurant, Mirando al Mar, where I was
offered a complimentary glass of champagne and the best seat in the restaurant
(due to my indecisiveness on whether or not I should dine there). Mirando al
Mar definitely delivered on their promise; I was seated at a table with a
gorgeous view of the harbor, and was promptly delivered a glass of champagne. This
restaurant is in the mall, Maremàgnum, and I would highly recommend their
quality meals to anyone who wants a pleasant Mediterranean experience.
That evening I wanted to explore the nightlife of Barcelona that
I had heard so much about. I took the metro to the beach where there were
endless lines of people waiting to get into various clubs. However, within in
five minutes of exploring the area, I was offered a pass that would allow me
inside without a cover charge (apparently quite common in Barcelona). Once inside,
I was blown away by what I saw; mind you, I grew up in a small town and do not
have much experience with big clubs such as this. Everyone inside was so
energetic, the music was modern and hypnotic, and the building was a hybrid
beach house and modern big city lounge. I
stayed for a couple of hours, but it got a bit too crowded for my taste, and I traveled
back to my hotel to conclude a very relaxing day.
The
second day was much more touristy than the first, but equally enjoyable. I started
the morning at Sagrada Familia, the famously unfinished cathedral. It was a stunning
combination of old and new, and each section (inside and out) told a different
biblical story. After the cathedral, I walked up a mountain to the Teleférico
(cable car). I chose the tour that took me from the mountain to the beach, I got
a great visual of the entire city and it wasn’t outrageously priced. The whole
tour took about 15 minutes or so, and it got a little chilly because we were so
far from the ground! I concluded my adventures at Park Güell, a park that
features work from Gaudi and lots of intricate mosaic statues and seating. I visited
the park later in the day, so it was a bit difficult to find the mosaics as
they are only in one area of the park. However, once I did find them, I lingered
for about an hour because the artwork was just that beautiful. Barcelona is a
great city filled with culture and friendly people, I would definitely put this
city on my travel list if I ever get the opportunity to visit Europe again.
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