I made a deal with my friend that I would cover the flights
if he covered the hotels. As part of
this arrangement, I picked the flights and he picked the hotels. I was partial to the W Barcelona, but since
it wasn’t my dime, we were at the Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona (FPBS). We anticipated spending most of our time
sightseeing, so it should not make much of a difference.
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| Barcelona Spain |
The Air Canada flight landed around 8AM and we were quickly
through customs and to the taxi stand.
We went to the hotel to drop off our bags, grab a map, and start looking
around the city. The FPBS is in a
business area of town and four subway stops away from city center. The room was a normal sized room by European
standards with a weak air conditioner that was loud and clunky. I picked the free breakfast SPG Platinum
amenity and enjoyed the morning spread. There was usually a long wait at the front
desk, but the agents were friendly and somewhat helpful.
Antoni Gaudí is an architect that left his mark on
Barcelona, a very unique mark. The three
places to go and see his work is the church of Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell, and
Casa Batlló. Sagrada Familia is a basilica
that is still under construction. The
church is beautiful and worth the €10 to visit. Parc Güell is a large park in the north of
town. It has some very unique design elements
and the world’s longest bench. Casa
Batlló is a house built, and completed, by Gaudi on the main shopping
boulevard. It is an amazing architectural
sight.
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Sagrada Familia |
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| Parc Güell |
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| Parc Güell |
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| Parc Güell |
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| Casa Batlló |
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| Casa Batlló |
Picasso worked in Barcelona for some time and there is a
decent Picasso museum in the old town.
It follow’s Picasso’s works through his life. There aren’t any iconic works on display,
bigger museums and private collectors have those, but it is still an
interesting collection that shows his evolving style over time.
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| Church Close to Picasso Museum |
The Old Cathedral in downtown was my favorite spot in
Barcelona. I will always go into an old
church and always be impressed. The
Barcelona Cathedral has a lovely courtyard off the side and it is peaceful and
relaxing. I grabbed a seat and cleared
my mind. It was a wonderful experience.
The beach at Barcelona is a big deal. Like its why most people visit
Barcelona. It’s huge and packed with
people. My friend and I were on a
sightseeing trip, not a beach holiday, so we didn’t spend much time on the
sand. It looks like a great spot for a
beach holiday and I want to return and be a beach bum for a few days on another
trip. If you are doing the beach, stay
at the W Barcelona. It’s on the beach
and looks like an amazing hotel.
The monastery at Montserrat is a day trip into the
mountains. It has a beautiful church and
miles of trails through the hills with breathtaking views.
Barcelona is a great walking town with numerous cafes that
all look great and are worth a visit.
Jamon Ibiricos is plentiful, though up to $100 per pound, and a taste is
required on any visit. We stopped at
Pernil 181 and had our picture taken in front of the wall of hams. We also picked up 100 grams of ham to have in
the park outside. It’s only a few blocks
(downhill) from Parc Guell and worth a stop.
When our three days in Barcelona were over, we headed back
to the new terminal at BCN to continue the trip to Vienna. I need to return to Barcelona and do a proper
beach holiday; definitely staying at the W Barcelona, but maybe not in July or August.
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| Not the Four Points by Sheraton Barcelona, but Close By |
