Barcelona, ​​the journey of love

Located in the West of Spain on the sunny and windy Mediterranean coast, Barcelona is an ideal destination for those who love nostalgia with beautiful nature and unique architectural works such as La Sagrada Familia church, Barri Gotic old town, Arc de Triomf, Casa Batllo building, Guell park... This second largest city in Spain (after the capital Madrid) owns a huge amount of cultural and artistic heritage, the world of villas, castles, churches with bold Renaissance architecture.

A busy and leisurely day at Barca

What could be more enjoyable than starting an autumn day in Barca with a cup of milk coffee and some pastries in the city center along the Rambla. After a stroll in the early morning sun, my boyfriend and I arrived at Plaza Catalunya to attend the program.“Free walking tour”with a young guide and passengers eager to learn about the city. We moved to the old Barri Gotic, passing the Palau de la Música Catalana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next was an extremely famous place: the Picasso Museum, which has the largest collection of works by the famous artist Pablo Picasso. Barcelona has many museums, but the most special is the Barcelona History Museum, which houses important underground archaeological sites from 2000 years ago.

Although we only stayed at the Poliorama Theatre (Teatre Poliorama) for a few minutes, we had a chance to experience the typical Spanish Flamenco dance, following the lively melody and the exciting dance moves of the instructor. That afternoon, we got to try authentic Spanish Tapas, appetizers made from many different ingredients such as cheese mixed with olives, bacon, sausages, etc. You will see tapas used in almost every meal of the people here. Of course, Cava is indispensable, a sparkling wine made from grapes using the traditional method and mostly produced in the Penedes region in the Northeast of the country.

Our busy day continued on the small streets near La Rambla before heading to La Boqueria market (Mercat de la Boqueria). This is the largest food market in Barcelona, ​​famous throughout Europe and was once voted the best market in the world by Time Out magazine. Starting in the 13th century and still operating today with more than 200 large and small food stalls, this place has been an important part of local people's lives for centuries and is a cultural symbol of the city. The market roof was restored in the 16th century, made of colored ceramic and curved glass, contributing to the personality of this famous market. In addition, La Boqueria market also has a culinary class to introduce visitors to interesting things about the origin and history of traditional Spanish dishes and how to prepare specialties.

In the evening, we took the cable car to the top of Tibidabo mountain for a panoramic view of the city at night. Barcelona's vibrant nightlife is second only to Madrid in terms of tourist attraction.

Colorful avenues and sunsets on the beach

No trip to Barcelona is complete without visiting the unique classical architecture of the two legendary architects Antoni Gaudí and Lluis Domènech i Montaner. Their first masterpiece, Park Guell, was built in 1900 and is located on a hill west of the city. Sculptures and crooked columns, colorful mosaics, and buildings with strange shapes contrast with the charming gardens that surround them. We went from surprise to admiration, because this is the largest architectural work in southern Europe. Colorful undulating stone benches, brown columns of stone carved into strange shapes and two giant chocolate houses Hansel and Gretel, which are only seen in fairy tales or only to decorate Christmas cakes.

We then took the bus and metro to Passeig de Gràcia, where we saw two more Gaudí works. The Casa Milà (La Pedrera) apartment complex, with its elaborate architecture, sandstone walls, and curving balustrades, was inside to view the exhibition and climb to the roof, where colorful chimneys rose high as if to touch the sky. Next was Casa Batllo, a building that is a typical work of contemporary Spanish architecture, a subtle break with its wavy facade, decorated with mosaics, a curved roof, and strange balconies that look like masks pushed out in front of the windows.

After feasting our eyes on the unique architectural masterpieces, we decided to relax at La Barceloneta beach. Barraca restaurant in Passeig Maritim along the coast is a great choice for a romantic day here. We did not miss the opportunity to enjoy “Paella”, a typical Spanish seafood rice dish from the 19th century, or “Huevos flamencos” - fried eggs with smoked meat, tomatoes and vegetables, a traditional dish of Seville. To dispel the summer heat, we tried Sangria drink, which first appeared in 1600, it is a perfect combination of red wine and fresh fruits including apples, cherries, grapes, oranges, lemons…

Time stood still with each step as we strolled along the beautiful beach, admiring the magnificent and romantic sunset scene as the red fireball cast its last rays of the day on the horizon. So our love journey in Barcelona began with a space filled with ancient architecture and ended with a majestic symphony of sky and sea.

More information:

+Trip:From Vietnam there are direct flights to Spain (Barcelona) with Vietnam Airlines or other airlines such as Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways, transit time is about 2 or 3 hours. There is a bus from the airport to the city center (route A1-A2) for 12 Euro, travel time is about 10 - 20 minutes.

+Travel:

-Rent a bicycle or motorbike: you can find them along the city center Plaza Catalunya, Via Laietana… with prices starting from 25 Euro/day.

- Bus & Metro: 1.5 Euro/metro ride or 1 Euro/bus ride. You can also buy tickets from 7.4 Euro for 10 metro or bus rides. In Barcelona, ​​traveling by metro and bus is quite convenient. Looking up directions is also easy because each bus and metro stop has a map.

+ Sightseeing:In addition to the destinations in the article, you can visit:

- FC Barcelona Museum and Camp Nou Stadium: for football lovers, near Les Corts metro and along Travessera de les Corts street.

- Arc de Triomf (Arc de Triomf): near the city center.

- Encants Barcelona (flea market): near metro Gloriès, this is the largest antique market in the city, where you can find everything from old music records, books, stamps, postcards... from ancient times to modern items such as tables, chairs, cabinets... at extremely cheap prices.

- Tibidabo Hill: near Lesseps metro, there is a huge amusement park with a fair, open on weekends in spring and autumn and open from Wednesday to Sunday during summer, closed in winter.

+ Language:In Barcelona, ​​people speak the native language Catalan and Spanish. In addition, this is a tourist city so you can feel free to use English. However, you should also equip yourself with a little Spanish vocabulary to communicate with the locals.

Article and photos: Le Chau

The Thanh