Barcelona, Spain

I have to say I didn’t have high expectations of Barcelona (mainly because I hadn’t read too much about it) but boy did I have a hard time leaving! This city is often viewed as the stylish, modern and chic place in Spain. No wonder why there were hordes of tourists everywhere! My favorite part of Barcelona is the non-traditional architecture.

The architecture I’m implying is the late 19th to early 20th century style known as Modernism. The most famous Modernist is Antonin Gaudi. Gaudi’s and other modernists’ works are all over Barcelona (there’s even a map to show the places) and it was impossible to visit them all.

Highlights of Gaudi’s works include the unfinished church La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. I especially enjoyed Park Guell because in addition to the famous curvy seating area, there were sweeping views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean. The L’Eixample district contains many Modernist works, including Gaudi’s famed La Pedrera and Casa Batllo.