Amidst riots and protests, we did get to experience some of what Barcelona has to offer. Our bucketlist still has Barcelona on it. It would be a great city to explore freely without worry.
Arriving in Barcelona on Saturday morning should have been an exciting adventure. Unfortunately the night before was a little crazy with the protests and it took the anticipation of our visit away. We said goodbye to our wonderful cruise ship friends and headed off to our hotel. We had booked a hotel on the outskirts of town fortunately, so no unrest outside our doors. This part of Barcelona is by the convention center and not far from the ocean. Diagonal Mar is new and modern with great restaurants and shopping close by.
We spent most of the day on Saturday in our hotel room, trying to come up with plan B. Our original plans included cooking and mixology classes in downtown Barcelona. However, we opted to avoid that area due to the crazy vibe happening. Nothing like this is offered in the Diagonal Mar area, sadly. We headed to the mall across the street to find food and drink. What else can you do but eat, drink and get happy?
Sunday we decided to suck it up and at least take a Hop-On/Hop-Off bus tour of the city. We figured we would be safe without getting off in the effected areas. And we would be able to see the sights. Very glad we did! Barcelona is a beautiful city with amazing architecture. The Green Line bus picks up right outside our hotel and we were off. Streets in downtown we lined with police to maintain a peaceful presence. We did see lots of protesters, but we did not see any riots. Thank goodness our adventure was calm!
Without getting off to explore, things tend to meld into one another. But of course the most amazing sights to behold always stay fresh in your mind. The Sagrada Familia was stunning! I can only imagine how beautiful the inside was. Here are a few of the best shots I got of the intricate architecture on the outside. I must say Gaudi was a very gifted man! Too bad he did not live long enough to see it finished. But then again, it may go on longer than a lot of us will be able to witness it. Enjoy the photos.
Park Guell is where Gaudi lived for sometime and we were really looking forward to visiting here. We did get off the bus and walked up the hill to the park. I expected to see the tile wall surrounding the park, as my imagination pictured it that way. I have to say that was a bit of a disappointment. The famous tiled wall was sectioned off and is really a very small part of the park. I did manage to capture a bit of it in a photo. It was amazing, just not what I expected. Worth the walk? I am not sure.
Continuing on our journey around the city, we saw the Futbol Club, Anella Olimpica, the Olympic Stadium that was the center of the 1992 Olympic games, the World Trade Center and the Port Olympic. This was constructed for the 1992 games, and completely regenerated the marina and its surroundings. It was used for sailing competitions then and is now a modern seafront neighborhood, with a casino if you wish to try your luck. The cruise ports were also completely renovated for the Olympics and are super modern and beautiful. And there is the iconic Port cable car that cuts across the city’s skyline to Montjuïc.
Arriving back at the hotel, we learn our flight home has been rearranged to leave the following morning, cutting our time in Barcelona a day and a half short. Which is fine, the protesters are not gone yet and there is still crazy things happening in the city. We were grateful for our time there and what we were able to see, but resolve to return one day and experience what we missed. All in all, this was a great trip. One you can have when you sail around the Mediterranean Sea. So many wonderful ports to visit. So much great wine and olive oil to taste. And lots of amazing people to meet! I encourage you to contact us today to start your next adventure!