Barcelona

Barcelona… how do you begin to write about a city that’s been immortalised in art, in films, in books, in food! Our itinerary in a city usually goes something like this. The first day we literally just wander and see where our feet take us. We don’t bother about sight seeing. We often get lost and this is the best part. We end up with a real sense of the city and a feel for what makes it tick. Barcelona was no different. We meandered through the alleyways of the gothic quarter, losing all sense of time and place. The sun was shining but down here it was shadowy and cool. Graffiti covered most of the walls and when we stopped for a coffee and had the best pastries we’d tasted in a long time, it was no surprise we couldn’t find our way back there the next day. Day two is usually our sight seeing day. Of course we visited the Sagrada Familia, where architecture and art combine into a mind bending display of Gaudi’s genius. The interior of the church feels like an organic structure, almost like a cave. The pillars could be stalactites and stalagmites; the patterns on the vaulted ceilings look like mineral deposits formed over thousands of years. It’s no surprise people feel emotional when they step inside the space. It could be another planet if you block out the thronging crowds. Two days is really not enough to get to the heart of Barcelona, and we’d love to come back for another try.