Having five days here in Barcelona is great. There is so much to see and while we certainly won't see it all we're able to move about at a fairly leisurely pace and cover a lot of the sights.
Most of Europe has been unusually cold for the past week or so and Barcelona is no exception. Today's high was probably around 45 and there was a fairly brisk wind blowing. I'd still much rather be here at this time of year than in the summer. The rates are much better, the crowds are much smaller and it can get pretty darn hot here in the summer.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record today was a "roaming around" day although we did have one item to check off our list.
There are two major cathedrals in Barcelona, the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Sagrada Familia. Both are huge and very impressive but of the two the most famous one is the Familia Sagrada.
The Cathedral of Barcelona was built between the 13th and 15th centuries and is very traditional in it's gothic design.
On the other hand the Sagrada Familia wasn't started until 1883 but the unusual thing about it is that it is still under construction. Equally impressive is that it is being built using much of the original design by the architect Antoni Gaudi who worked on this project for forty three years.
Visiting the Familia Sagrada is an absolute must if you're in Barcelona. Depending on which side you approach the church you'll be amazed by either the old facade that has been there from the early days of construction or the new impressionist style on the opposite side. Inside,
the stained glass windows,and ceiling that is over 60 meters high are fantastic and likely to leave you with a sore neck from looking up so often and for so long.
We last visited Familia Sagrada about five years ago and while we can't remember all the specifics we knew we were looking at things that didn't exist on our last visit.
If you do go don't be disappointed by the construction cranes that you will see. They've been there awhile and they're not going anywhere soon.
The good news is that the construction that was started in 1883 is scheduled to be completed in 2026. Interestingly 2026 will mark the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudis death.
We look forward to occasionally checking on the progress and seeing the finished product.
The end is near!
