We start out in Barcelona. The first stop on our list is Basílica de la Sagrada Família. This grand church is roughly 566 feet tall and has been under construction for 140 years. It's expected to be fully completed by 2032.
A few metro stations down, we reach Hospital de Sant Pau. We didn't spend long here, but it's a beautiful place to visit.
This picture shows Casa Batlló and Casa Milà. These wonderful places are a short distance's walk from each other. Casa Milà and Casa Batlló were both created by the famed Antoni Gaudí i Cornet, the same great architect who designed the Sagrada Família. Directly next to Casa Batlló is Casa Matller, which was created by Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Another place we went to was Plaça de Catalunya. This is a large square in central Barcelona that is largely considered its' city center.
Mercat de La Boqueria is the most famous market in Barcelona. It's located on La Rambla, the most famous street in Barcelona. Because this famous market is on a famous street, it garners a lot of attention. We had fun looking around, but it was very crowded.
Spain has lots of wonderful squares, and Plaça Reial is no exception. It's a 6 minute walk away from the grand Mercat de La Boqueria.
This mansion is yet another place Antoni Gaudí desiged. It's grand structure greatly reflects his architectural style of Catalan Modernism. It's a 6 minute walk from Plaça Reial. We didn't go in, but that did nothing to deter from the beautiful architecture on the outside.
Plaça de Sant Jaume is yet another stunning square in the middle of Barcelona. It's a 7 minute walk from Palau Güell.
A 2 minute walk away from Plaça de Sant Jaume, El Pont del Bisbe is a marble crossing between two buildings. It's the focal point of some local urban legends. Regardless, the architect incorporated a skull and dagger motif to the bridge.
Cathedral of Barcelona is another beautiful church. It was constructed from the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries.
Plaça del Rei is another fourteenth century medieval public square. It's a 2 minute walk from the Cathedral of Barcelona.
Mercat de Santa Caterina is another grand market in Spain. It's very similar to the previously featured Mercat de La Boqueria.
For a nice change in the day from the wonderful squares, markets, and churches, we went to a Picasso art museum. This museum is a wonderful place to visit to look at refreshing art.
A 3 minute walk away from the Picasso Museum, the Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar is a very beautiful church. I can't confirm the authenticity of this statement, but it's said that the apostle James is said to have preached here.
Palau de la Música Catalana is a beautiful concert hall. It's very stunning and grandiose. It's also a 5 minute walk away from the Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar. I believe that we only stayed outside, but it's still a very pretty attraction.
This is the end of Day 1. We like to jam pack our schedules to see as many things as possible, so we can't really spend that long at any place. It'll keep happening for the rest of the trip, so be prepared!
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