Fun things to do in Barcelona

After a hard day sightseeing and walking, there's nothing better than sitting down in the cool and having a well earned beer! :o)

We sat a couple of times in a cafe on the corner of the Placa de Catalunya for a refreshing ale. Sorry, no pix of the place...don't even remember what it is called.... camera was safely stashed.....

We had better things on our minds :o)

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Barcelona is full of gorgeous buildings with ornate designs....especially with the wrought iron trimmings! This is something we don't see in Australia.

Hubby and I just loved this! and we saw it for the first time in Valencia....but here in Barcelona it is just as amazing!

Hop on the tourist bus and just look up :o)

The last picture here is of an office building but I really loved the red tinted windows :o)%c%

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The Sangra Familia is Gaudi's most famous building. Everywhere you look in Barcelona's skyline it is the most prominent building.

The Sangra Familia is still under construction today.

You pass it on the blue tourist bus route and it's best to sit up the top deck for photo opportunities.

I much preferred Gaudi's other buildings to this one but there's no doubt that the Sangra Familia is an amazing work of art and not hidious as Picasso and Orwell suggested.

As early as the 14th Century everything that came by sea to Barcelona went through the Pla de Palau. It was the center of trade during the medieval period and there are several important government buildings that still line the area. Including the customs office and armory.

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Roughly between Placa Espana and Placa Catalunya is the University of Barcelona. Established in 1450 it is the 5th oldest University in Spain. It is housed in a classic building by metro Universidat. It is easy to access via the vestibule which is a work in and of itself. There was a historical exhibit of the pharmacie in the entry. The park inside the University is very green, but with all the students I would not call it tranquil.

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This is a steel tower erected at the Port Vell harbor, and it stands out as a symbol of the harbor. It was built in 1931, and the design came from Carlos Boigas. The tower is 351 feet tall, and it is the access for the cable ride to Montjuic, and has an observation platform

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It looks like a phallic symbol, but really is a tower constructed to have offices inside. The size is large at over 550,000 square feet, and is 38 stories tall. Jean Nouvel designed the tower, and is said to get the idea from Monserrat(?) but just how, only his mind will know. The tower is 473 feet tall, and is of concrete structure throughout, however, 4,500 openings were cut out of the concrete to have windows. I It opened for occupancy in 2005 for $130 million. It sold in 2010 for $165 million, so someone must think it is cool.
The tower illuminates at night and stands out on the skyline for sure. It is located in the north section of city near Diagonal Av. You apparently can get a ride to the top for views for a fee.

This is the main cultural theater for the city. Its roots go back to 1579 and has ties to the Santa Creu Holy Cross Hospital. It burned to the ground in 1587, but one year later was completely rebuilt. The theater competed with many others that evolved over time, and a primary one was Liceau close by. The struggle over years led to closing, then reopened again in early 1900's. The theme changed eventually to music. In late 1800's the facade was changed to more modern Italianate. Over the 1900's it was musical and caberet, a cinema, businesses occupied; all through two more fires in 1924 and 1933. The theater finally closed in 2006.