Barcelona

This summer, I spent two weeks traveling with my friend Grace before going to Copenhagen to start my study abroad experience. We started in Barcelona and there were so many wonderful buildings to see! We knew we wanted to see Southern France and Barcelona was the cheapest place to fly into near there, but I’m so glad we got to spend some time there!

 

La Sagrada Familia

First, we went to La Sagrada Familia by Gaudi. It is cool from the outside and unlike any other church I’ve seen but the inside is what’s really breathtaking. If you visit Barcelona, you have to go inside! You’ll need to reserve a ticket online but it is well worth it (just remember to print your ticket, don’t just have it on your phone!)

The details in this church were so incredible. I don’t know how Gaudi came up with it because it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Even the way the columns branch out into smaller columns at the top.

The lighting inside the church was incredible as well. My favorite part was how the stained glass reflected on the lighter surfaces of the ceiling and columns.

 

All in all, this was such an amazing church, from the stained glass to the ceiling design. And if you go there, be sure to check out the schoolhouse on the property. It has an undulating roof which is beautifully built. AND there’s air conditioning!! So on an especially hot summers day, it’s a great place to hang out and plan your next stop.

 

We rounded out our tour of Gaudi’s work by walking by Casa Milla and Batllo, and then going to Park Guell. If you’re only in Barcelona for two days, like we were, I’m not sure if I’d recommend Park Guell. It was kind of far away on the bus and, especially because of the construction right now, there isn’t that much to see.

That night, we went to the “Magic Fountain” which is a giant water fountain that does shows to music. While we were waiting for the show to start, we got caught in a downpour and got drenched!! From now on, I’ll always carry an umbrella!

 

Barcelona Pavilion

The next day, we went on a mission to find the Barcelona Pavilion and, funny enough, we had been right next to it at the Magic Fountain. It was so fun to see this building in real life after learning so much about it in architecture studio.

The simple form and extravagant materials were so beautiful. The house was populated by art and architecture students and their sketchbooks so we were right at home.

 

It was a perfect way to end our time in Barcelona and I wish we could’ve stayed in the city longer but I was really excited to visit Southern France next!

 

 

Picasso Museum

We also went to the Picasso Museum. It was in the Gothic Quarter which is a super cute, more historic neighborhood. The museum was free for students! Yay! And it was fun to see that Picasso did so many different styles of painting throughout his career. I would definitely recommend it, especially if you’re a student.

 

If walls could dream… they’d dream of staring at the ceiling of La Sagrada Familia all night!