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Barcelona was a city that I never thought I would fall in love with.  Now, of course, that I think about it that is a completely ridiculous thought.  I mean come on, how could I not love a city by the beach, full of history and great food?  It was bound to happen and inevitably it did after a month of living there.  But what I did not expect to fall in love with was the details of the city.

Barcelona is so much more than just Gaudí, its most famous architect, and it was the details of everyday buildings that I fell head over heels with.  Even in New York, I didn’t find myself looking up nearly as much as I did in Barcelona.  Every building is like a work of art and the details in the buildings are just overwhelming.  (Maybe I should have studied architecture since I am so obsessed with these buildings?)

So I wanted to dedicate this post to the buildings of Barcelona; to the every day buildings in El Born, to the modernista buildings on the Illa de la Discòrdia (Block of Discord), to the adorned buildings of Las Ramblas.  There is so much beauty in the streets of Barcelona and as you explore its streets you will discover hidden details and surprises around every corner.

The Details of Barcelona

The seemingly most simple buildings in Barcelona can still be startling beautiful.  This apartment complex caught my eye every time we walked by and I wished we had rented one of the apartments with a balcony here so that we could drink cava on the balcony and watch Barcelona pass by.

Catalonia and the Catalan culture are apparent all over Barcelona.  Barcelona is a very proud city and very proud of their Catalan culture, especially since the Catalan language was actually banned in official uses from the Franco Regime until the establishment of the Spanish democracy in 1978

Even the Picasso Museum is an architectural winner.  Besides the amazing array of paintings which showcase the development of Picasso as an artist, the building itself is an architectural wonder.  Too bad no photos are allowed inside… (Well, actually it is a good thing but I still wish I could have taken photos of the building!)

While the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona can be full of tourists, it is not without charm and it always brings me back to one of my favorite novels, “The Shadow of the Wind” and the haunting mystery that takes place throughout the streets of Barcelona.

Just up the road from one of our favorite tapas places in the Gothic Quarter, Bar La Plata, you will find this stunning Picasso graffiti.  Love that this is the kind of street art you find in Barcelona

Everyone heads to Plaça Reial in the evening during the summer to enjoy a few beers in the plaza.

We preferred however, to head to Bar Marsella instead to soak in its beautifully decaying ambience and its homemade absinthe.  This bar opened in 1820 and it is rumored that Picasso and Hemingway were regulars here.

Absinthe makes us happy 🙂

Las Ramblas

The official time in Barcelona on Las Ramblas.  While we tried to avoid Las Ramblas as much as possible in the evening, it is worth it just to walk this avenue during the day for the sheer number of beautiful buildings.

Had to include this epic piece of street art on Las Ramblas just outside of La Boqueria, Barcelona’s most famous food market!

El Eixample

Even the street lamps are intricate in El Eixample

I love when you discover Moorish architecture in Barcelona.  Generally you see a lot more in Southern Spain especially at the Alhambra in Granada, which was one of my favorite things about the first time I ever traveled abroad, so I tend to get a little nostalgic when I see Moorish architecture.

This beautiful building is part of the lla de la Discòrdia in El Eixample where 4 different architects, including Gaudi, were asked to design buildings that expressed modernista.  This one is called Casa Amatller and was designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Even the paved streets of El Eixample are beautiful.

There are even some more modern buildings in El Eixample; this one was my favorite out of all we saw as it reminded me of waves.

Tibidabo

And no visit to Barcelona is complete without a ride on the Ferris Wheel at Tibidabo!

There are so many more beautiful parts of Barcelona.  I am sure I missed so many!  We will just have to return and see Barcelona again.  This is not a city I will ever forget and I am so happy that we were able to spend a month here soaking up all the architectural brilliance that covers this city.

What is your favorite part about Barcelona or cities in general?  Anyone else have a crazy obsession with buildings like I do?

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Ashley

Ashley is a passionate traveler and all around geek who loves to nerd out over ancient ruins. Her passion for history and art drives her to explore the hidden depths of a culture and share them through her photography and writing.