Barcelona

Sunday morning, we bade farewell to the beautiful Costa Brava and hit the road for

BARCELONA!

We were blessed to attend church at a local ward there.

One of the things that Nathan had on his wish list of things to do was to rent electric bicycles.  With only an afternoon to spend seeing the sites, Barcelona provided the perfect opportunity to travel at a faster pace!  None of us had tried this before.  Electric bikes are awesome!  Need a little burst of speed?  Just push a button and you surge forward.  It's a little tricky near crowds, but it is a blast to tour around a city in this way.  We also made some fun friends from Bath, England on our tour.  We look forward to visiting with them during our time in the British Isles in the spring.

The Basilica of La Sagrada Familia

This famous church has been under construction for more than 100 years with the first stone being laid in 1882.  The architect is also famous, Antoni Gaudi.  Gaudi is responsible for designing many of the sites in Barcelona.  Although he died in a tram accident in 1926, the plans have moved forward.  The interior was finished in 2012.  The exterior has only 8 of 18 spires completed.  The plan is to complete the entire church by 2026 - the 100 year anniversary of Gaudi's death.

Barrio Gotico - Barcelona's Gothic Quarter

This is the oldest and most historically-rich area of Barcelona.  

We loved taking in the sites and sounds of this wonderful neighborhood.

Barceloneta Beach

Our tour led us through a number of the barrios, down the La Rambla, and along the very busy beachside area known as Barceloneta Beach.  The area teams with people, performers, shops, and attractions.  In fact, due to the cooler weather, the beach was the only uncrowded spot we saw!

El Raval

One of the most interesting neighborhoods we rode through was one that only a few years ago, would not have been considered safe as it was the central location in the drug trade.  However, a huge regeneration plan has been underway in the barrio known as El Raval.  While we were warned that pickpockets still abound, we were delighted with the charm and diversity of the this fun neighborhood.  Please note:  When riding an enormous cat, NoFear advises that one wear a helmet!