Day three in port took us to Barcelona, the second largest city of Spain after Madrid, with a population of just over 1.6 million. After one day at sea and a whirlwind in LaGoulette, we were looking forward to something a little more ancient with a touch of modernism and maybe even a shopping mall.
Our tour was slated to take us through the city and show us the best of Barcelona. Our excursion included a bus ride past famous buildings by legendary architects, including a stop at the main attraction, Gauí’s Sagrada Família or “Expiatory Church of the Holy Family.”
After our tour, we had some free time in the city and made a stop at Maremagnum Barcelona, Shopping Center and Leisure Resort.
Arriving in the foggy Port of Barcelona. Weather, just under 65 degrees.
Gorgeous architecture and buildings, reminiscent of New York City.
First sight of statues and impressive building facades.
Always looking for signage and interesting type placement.
Museums, libraries and stores line the streets.
Very New York.
Many of these shots were taken from bus. Pardon the glare.
Impressive sculpture in the middle of the city.
Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí and Josep Maria Jujol, built in the year 1877 and remodeled in the years 1904–1906.
First sight of Sagrada Família is am impressive configuration of towers and cranes.
The facade features an almost unorthodox appearance with hundreds of statues and sculptures placed in true Gaudí fashion.
The church has been under construction since 1882, and is not expected to be complete until at least 2026.
Amazing details uncover something new each time you look at it.
More details of the front entrance.
Religious scenes are placed on multiple levels of the church exterior.
The project’s vast scale and idiosyncratic design have made it one of Barcelona’s (and Spain’s) top tourist attractions for many years
The church is to be consecrated and proclaimed a Basilica by Pope Benedict XVI on Nov. 7, 2010.
Another shot from the front.
The interior of the church is impressive. Pools of light shine from the stained glass.
Beautiful hand-made windows give color throughout the day.
A staircase leads to upper levels of the choir.
While still under construction, Jesus is wrapped to keep protected. He looks like a mummy in this shot.
More drawings of the building.
Back side of the building.
More modern than the old facade but just as impressive.
Type-gasm!
After the church we were taken to the old Olympic park. Here’s the torch used during the Barcelona ceremony.
Top of the mountain, overlooking Barcelona.
The port and the harbors on a gorgeous day.
Quick pizza and espresso.
The walking man looks Greek for some reason.
Residents basking in the sun at Maremagnum.
Barcelona’s largest indoor mall and leisure area.
Great view of the harbor.
Stopped for a quick bite of… more pizza.
Pesto pasta salad.
Great detail shot!
The harbor from the docks.
Hundreds of people pass from the streets to the shopping area.
Sea birds fly overhead as we walk back to port.
Port building with great details. Look at the blue sky!
Barcelona was amazing! Here’s the Columbus statue in the middle of the city.
One of my favorite stops so far, Barcelona was truly a great experience. The art and culture was right up my alley.
Next stop on our cruise through Europe takes us to Nice, Monaco and Monte Carlo!
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Just wanted to add something about one of the pics about 1/3 way down from the top. The caption reads "The projectu00e2u0080u0099s vast scale and idiosyncratic design have made it one of Barcelonau00e2u0080u0099s (and Spainu00e2u0080u0099s) top tourist attractions for many years". There's something that I really like about the photograph.
A comparison betwee the old style architecture and the single modern crane is making me wonder about how intricate the carvings are on the face and how long it must have taken the craftmen from years ago to construct the structure.
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