BARCELONA (cont.)-2

Summary of places visited in Barcelona:

Ports - Vell (where Impulsive was for 8 months and will return to when she is back in the water)
and Olympic (where impulsive is on the hard stand)



Districts -
Barceloneta - the old fishing district by the sea
El Born ( within la Ribua on the far side of via Laietana)
Barri Gotic - with examples of Roman and Gothic architecture
el Raval - behind the Ramblas, where many rural Spaniards moved to during the industrial boom.
lÉixample - C19 expansion outside the city walls, built on a grid of wide streets with plazas


Placa : Sans Josep - art and craft market; a very attractive placa with buskers

Sant Josep´s Placa

Placa del Pi
Placa Nova (in front of the cathedral)
Placa Sant Jaume - Town Hall is here, and this has been Barcelona´s political hub since C15.


Placa Catalanya

Passeig de Gracia - A beautiful wide tree - lined street housing the upmarket shops and a gaudi paramount
The famous Ramblas, including the Boqueria market, El Theatre del Liceu and just off this very busy street , the elegant Placa Reial.

Boqueria market

Placa Reial



Santa Catarina market (modern)

Casa Llotja de mar - the Exchange building (another historic building)

Architecture:
Gaudi - known as the most famous architect here

Sagradi Familia

Details of tower ; the doves


la Sagradi Famillia - a temple
Palau Guell
el Park GuellPark Guell


The Gingerbread House Park guell


la casa Batllo´

Casa Battlo´

The roof of Casa Battlo´


La Casa Milas


Domeneck - Palau de la Musica Catalana.



The use of natural light, colour and steel (as opposed to the Gothic stone) are the main features of this building. This embodies Catalan patriotism with provincial and international reknown.
(we have a guided tour here and return for a concert of "Barber of Seville" which is an amazing experience)

Mosaic pillars

Inside Palau de Musica Cataluna


Hospital de la Santa Crue i Sant Pau, which was built in a setting of 360 acres.


Museums:
The maritime museum - housing a magnificently restored C15 galley. The building itself is a wonderful example of Gothic architecture where the sea used to come up to this area and the large boats were taken in for maintainance.

C15 galley


The Cathedral:



Dancing in front of the Cathedral

Santa Maria del mer - with its magnificent stained glass rose window.

Santa Maria del Mar


Artists:
Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum

Joan Miro Museum - Catalan artist

Montjuic Park:

View of Museo d´Arts from Montjuic gardens

Montjuic Gardens



Housing Joan Miro´s museum
Foundacion Juan Milo


Juan Milo sculpture



Olmpic Stadium and Diving pool
Museu Nacionial dÁrts de Catalunya (MnAc)

The square outside the Museu d´Historia de la Ciutat




Day trip to Monserrat:

Monserrat

Dancing outside the Basilica


This is a monastery built in mountains over 1,000m high. Its church houses the Black Virgin, the patroness of Catalonia.


Inside the Basilica-view of the Black Virgin

The public transport to this destination is very well organized, involving underground trains, trains; also cable cars and rack cars if you want to go the top.

Walking up to Sant Juan´s chapel (many wildflowers there)



Chapel Sant Juan



Bars and Restaurants:
Restaurants -
Tapioles 53
Sagradi, also a separate bar (off l´c. de lÁrgentaria)
Taller of Tapas (c. de lÁrgentaria - near Santa Maria del Mar)
Neyras (with a pianist and a grand piano)
7 Ports
Restaurants near the Ramblas in Street Pintor Fortuny, using fresh produce from the market and fresh daily menus eg Pintor Fortuny 25
Cuines Santa Catarina within the modern Santa Catarina market
Els Quatre Cats - which Picasso frequented (c/Montsio, near the Cathedral). The very best profiteroles are served here!
Ra at Gardierya Square - behind the Boqueria market
Cal Pep - in the el Born area
Group of small restaurants in Ave. Gaudi, a tree-lined street where you can sit viewing Sagradi Familia at one end and Hospital St. Pau at the other ( we went to the unlikely lebanese Aladdin rest/bar)

Hospital St. Pau

View of Sagrada Familia


Arola at the Arps Hotel (at Port Olympic)Entrance to the Arps hotel


Arola restaurant


Checking the map map with Ramon and Angeles



Lunch at Santa Catarina market

Bars-
Art and Schilling 01 (c/Ferran 23 (near Placa Reial)
Caelum (c/Palia 8 in Barri Gotic) for coffee and cakes: it is best to go downstairs to appreciate this beautifully renovated convent
Bar Mut
Cervesaria (c/ Mallorca)
Girac (c/ Mallorca) This is Jemma´s bar and delicatessen
Cava bar (near the Columbus statue)



Wushon bar/reataurant with Steve and Mark
in c./ Isobella

Nass Bar/restaurant in Barceloneta with Steve