Stories from Barca

Barcelona or "Barca" as famously known because of the football team FC Barcelona, was my last stop after an almost fully Italian holiday. I was sad to leave Italy but was also looking forward to see another city, another country, another culture. Barcelona is a big modern and classy city with a deep Gothic history of its own.

The La Rambla

On the first day of my visit, I went to The La Rambla, a long shopping street in the hub of Barcelona. La Rambla links the old and modern side of the city and is home to big brands, cafes, fancy hotels, souvenir shops, and numerous florists. Its easy to get here from anywhere in the city because of the convenient metro and bus system. Smart drivers saying Ciao (Hello) as you hop on a bus is a very friendly and sweet gesture to anyone who is from a foreign land. 

Port Vell

La Rambla also connects the main square-Plaza de Cataluna to the Christopher Columbus monument and Port Velle at the end of the street. The Port authority building by the side of Port Vell gives a fresh feel to the city. To get a better view of the city, a boat ride is recommended from this port!

Children performing on the streets

At the time of my visit, La Merce Festival was going on in the city so I got to see a lot of Spanish culture and merriment. During this time of the year, the Spaniards leave everything and only make merry. There are a lot of music concerts, street plays, human towers, live shows etc. The 5 day festival pays honor to the patron saint of Barcelona and also commemorates the onset of autumn.

The Columbus Monument

Barcelona also offers a lot of hop on and off bus rides for euro 26 (price may vary now) although the best way to see the city is through a bike :-)

Port Authority Building

The food in Barcelona was very Mediterannean. I was so excited to taste the Spanish tapas and chuuros (Spanish doughnut) and it was all worth it. I also got to eat the delicious Catalan cum Spanish rice dish-paelle! Very similiar to an Indian biryani!

Paella