5 things to do in barcelona

Las Rambas… totally touristy but if this is your first trip to Barcelona it is a must. It’s almost a mile long, pedestrian street that is actually 5 old short streets. Originally it was a sewage stream but quickly became a tree lined center of the city used for festivals, sports and markets. Join the throngs, buy some tat, have a drink in a sidewalk café and keep your wallet safe, the area is renowned for pick pockets.

Sagrada Familia…Antonio Gaudi’s basilica is still not finished after 140 years. If it ever is completed the spires will make it the tallest church in the world. The incredible mish mosh of styles is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. People either love it or hate it. Buy an advance ticket and climb to the top of one of the steep spires… coming down can be a bit scary.

Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi… Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Park Guell…. Textile magnet, Josep Batllo hired Gaudi to design his house because he loved Park Guell. There are no straight lines in the house because  Gaudi claimed they don’t exist in nature. Casa Mila was finished in 1910 and was his last civil project before he died. The roof tiles are meant to remind one of snowy mountains while the chimneys are based on medieval helmets. The Park Guell was originally planned as a residential estate, but only one plot sold….luckily Gaudi was able to build the fantastic fountains and terraces.

Fundación Joan Miro is a museum honoring and founded by one of Spain’s most famous 20^th century sculptors and  artists, Joan Miro as a place for young artists to experiment in contemporary art. He donated tons of his own art to get it up and running and was one of the original board members when it opened in 1975. Make sure to see “man and woman in front of a pile of excrement”

La Boqueria started as a few meat stalls back in 1217.  It didn’t become an official, legal market until 1826. The current metal roof was erected in 1914. Now there are more than 200 stands in Barcelona’s oldest market selling the most amazing selection of gastronomic products. It makes for a fabulous wander.