Gaudi & The Gothic Quarter: Four Blissful Days in Barcelona

Bleary-eyed and jet-lagged, we shuffle into the tiny vintage elevator in our historic hotel building, and press the button for the ground floor. We make our way through the lobby, push through the large wooden front doors, blink against the morning sunlight, and breathe in the balmy city air.

Bon dia, Barcelona!

A cacophony of sounds greets us: traffic whizzing past, taxis honking, motorbike engines revving, church bells ringing out, birds swooping and singing in the trees, and snippets of conversations in Catalan and Spanish.

Dazed but delighted, we stumble through the fairytale streets of El Born, down twisting alleyways and along opulent boulevards. It may be the sleep deprivation and time zone confusion, but everything here has a dreamlike quality that’s hard to ignore.

The curved streets have smooth stone walls, embellished with wrought iron balconies overflowing with potted plants and baskets of flowers.

Strings of twinkling fairy lights and colorful bunting are strung across the narrow corridors, and hand-painted wooden signs usher passerby into teeny cafes, art galleries, and boutiques.

It’s just minutes into our excursion, and we are hopelessly, happily lost.

We find ourselves on the Passeig del Born – a charming, leafy avenue lined with restaurants and bars – before wandering into a small plaza. Here, we’re greeted by the sight of an imposing Catalan Gothic church – the Santa Maria Del Mar.

We seek refuge inside the medieval era cathedral, breathing in the dusty air and admiring the majestic columns and rainbow of stained glass windows.

The remaining hours of the day can be remembered as a series of dining occasions:

Foamy cappuccinos and Iberian ham sandwiches in El Born; cones piled high with the creamiest, fluffiest Nutella gelato; mint tea and olives by the beach in Barcelonetta; hefty pours of cava and red wine with patatas bravas, tuna tartare, and squid ink croquettes at Bar del Pla…

Unable to fight off the sheer exhaustion any longer (and with no help from the wine at dinner) we retreat back to our 4th floor hotel room, prop open the balcony doors, and doze off while the city streets below us come alive in the night.

Our second day in Barcelona finds us awake before the sun…and not just due to the jet lag. We’re on a mission.

By the time our taxi pulls up to the front gates of Park Güell, dawn is just beginning to break. We scramble up the steps, past gingerbread-esque buildings, serpentine-shaped benches and colorful mosaic dragons, until we reach the main terrace.

Awestruck, we watch the sky transform from dusty blue-gray to pale yellow, brilliant saffron, fiery orange, and soft pink. As streaks of ethereal color and light decorate the morning sky, a golden glow is cast across every inch of Antoni Gaudí’s whimsical creation.

If Park Güell wasn’t completely enchanting before (it was), there’s no denying its otherworldly qualities now, under the rising Spanish sun.

After thoroughly exploring every nook and cranny of the monumental zone, we branch out into the rest of the park. Meandering along dirt trails lined by flowering bushes and breezy palm trees, we make our way towards solitude and silence, far removed from the tourist zone.

While there are no colorful mosaics and fanciful creations to be found out this way, Gaudí’s architecture still works its magic.

Afterwards, we hail a taxi back to the Gothic Quarter. We sit down for breakfast at Milk Bar & Bistro, a cozy retro spot with hearty entrees and a steady stream of incoming patrons.

The rest of the morning and early afternoon is a whirlwind of whizzing past iconic sights: the Columbus Monument, Plaça Reial, Casa Battlo, and Casa Mila, to name a few.

By 3pm our feet are aching and our energy levels are dropping, but we’re ready for the grand finale…the cherry on top of an utterly enchanting day:

La Sagrada Familia; Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece; a 135-year work in progress, still being constructed more than 90 years after the architect’s death.

With its soaring spires and intricate facades, decorated with tormented figures and heavenly characters, the outside of La Sagrada Familia is unlike any basilica I’ve ever seen before.

But it’s the inside that truly stops us in our tracks.

Afternoon sunlight streams in through the massive stained glass windows, sending beams of light to dance across the whitewashed vaulted ceilings and towering pillars.

Every surface is curved, organic, and abstract in shape and design, and with the rainbow of sunlight glittering across the walls, its as if the whole cathedral has come alive with color and movement.

We wind down the day with a pitcher of not-too-sweet sangria at Arcano, set within a spacious wine cellar, followed by paella at Cheriff, a no-frills seafood joint in Barcelonetta.

Then: walk home, fall into bed, rinse and repeat.

Our final two days in Barcelona follow a slower, more relaxed pace than our first two.

We spend the bulk of our time wandering through the shady stone corridors of the Gothic Quarter, spellbound by the architecture and the history and the sheer beauty.

We spend one sunny morning strolling though Parc de la Ciutadella, and another circling the Arc de Triomf. We explore the hauntingly gorgeous Barcelona Cathedral, inside and out (ah, that organ music), and pass under the the Pont del Bisbe, with its lacy details and gruesome superstitions. We wander past the famed Els Quatre Gats and the Palau de la Música Catalana.

All the while, our days are dotted with quiet moments sipping cappuccinos in cafes, sampling as much gelato as we can get our hands on, and nibbling on tapas and pinxos.

Reluctantly, we find ourselves in the midst of our final evening in Spain.

We decide to go out with a bang: cava and panoramic views at the rooftop bar of Hotel 1898; sangria and a cheese platter at La Luna; and finally, paella with seafood and meat at 7 Portes.

Rumor has it that this historic Barcelona eatery has hosted icons like Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali…but truth be told, in this moment all we care about is that every bite is ridiculously good. We stuff ourselves silly with wine and paella under the string lights, soaking in every drop of the evening ambiance.

Moonlight guides us on our walk home, illuminating the medieval city streets. We pass rowdy bars, with music and the smell of Catalan cooking drifting out into the night air, beckoning us in.

But, our time in Barcelona has come to a close. We retreat back to our room and shutter the windows, blocking out the sounds and sights of the city that has captured our hearts, as we pack our belongings and prepare for the flight home.

Adéu, Barcelona.

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I realize this post doesn’t fit my usual style; there are no “must do’s” or helpful tidbits, and it’s more a jumble of personal musings and flowery adjectives than a genuine travel guide.

I promise, that’s coming soon! Barcelona is one of those cities that absolutely captured my heart and my imagination, and I wanted to jot down my own reflections before publishing my itineraries and guides geared towards readers.

Keep an eye out – those posts are next up in the ever-growing queue!

UPDATE: Read next: The Best Things to See & Do in Barcelona