barcelona revisited - día dos

Barcelona - Friday 3rd of December - 28752 steps

Before breakfast we visited Palau Güell in El Raval. On the rooftop we were surprised by the spectacular view over the city.

We had breakfast on the terrace at Gran Torina on the inviting Plaça del Duc de Medinaceli.

We continued our walk along the harbour to Barceloneta and wandered the straight streets of the neighborhood. We walked across the Playa de la Barceloneta and enjoyed some empanadas de pollo we bought at Baluard, the best bakery of Barceloneta, at the sculpture L'Estel Ferit (better known as the four twisted cubes).

In the afternoon we thoroughly explored the El Born neighborhood and traversed Parc de la Ciutadella.

Time for another refreshment with olives and tapas on the terrace at Bar Bodega Flassaders 1956 on Plaça de Jaume Sabartés, before we continued the brisk walk to Sagrada Familia.

The construction of Sagrada Familia is always in progress. This time we were able to admire the new huge star on the second tallest tower of the basilica. The star is 7.5 meters wide, weighs about 5.5 tons and is made of steel and glass. We were just a week early to see the star illuminated for the first time, but it was impressive anyway.

Near the Sagrada a garage door was opened just as we passed and we saw our orange Mini Cooper parked in front of the Sagrada.

Via the Passeig de Gracia we walked back to our hotel. We couldn't wait to take off our shoes and lie down before the evening program starts.

ciudad multicolor

Barcelona in color.

The blue of the sky and the sea.

The green of the trees, the parks and the innumerable urban jungle balconies.

The yellow and black of the taxis and the red of the buses.

The pink of of all trees in bloom and the blossom carpets on the pavement. (we even came across a 'pink' greyhound dog)

The bright colors of the waving laundry, balloon vendors and street art.

And obviously the myriad colors in Gaudí mosaics...

few bcn favorites

A few of my new favorite BCN spots to eat, drink and shop some vintage stuff. It had been a few years since we visited Barcelona, long enough to discover new places.

Try to visit El Nacional, an 'urban jungle' restaurant with different areas. The hundred year old space, was formerly used as a café theatre, leather factory, car dealership and a private garage. El Nacional is located on the Passeig de Gràcia 24 Bis, in a small small street between Zara Home and Mango Kids. The courtyard and entrance full of plants is already worth a visit.

Have a drink and tapas on the colorful terrace of Ocaña café on Plaza Real.

Vintage shopping at PNB store (Product National Brut) in Raval. They sell vintage clothes, some awesome furniture and vintage pieces. They had a few beautiful unique gigantic letters in store, impossible to fit in your hand luggage and unfortunately they don't ship anything.