My Favorite Ports of Call - Episode 2: Barcelona

Port of Barcelona, Spain from our Celebrity Cruise Berth - Copyright Andy Richards 2022

THINKING ABOUT all the cruise ports we have visited around the world it is difficult to call one my absolute favorite. While this series of posts makes a (perhaps weak) attempt to "rank" them, it is a daunting task. They are almost all interesting - even fun. I can really only think of a very small handful that I wouldn't miss if I never stopped there again. Even from those, although the ports weren't "the best," if they were the only way to access certain shore features, I wouldn't rule them out.

A Typical Gaudi-designed facade on a downtown Barcelona Building - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

NAPLES SEEMED the obvious first choice for a number of reasons (which will undoubtedly make it have been the longest in this series). At this point, my second favorite would probably have to be Barcelona.

La Rambla - Popular pedestrian street in the Gothic Quarter - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

THERE ARE only a couple places that are easily accessed outside of Barcelona. The "main event" is the city itself. The second largest city in Spain, Barcelona is one of the most culturally and artistically rich cities in Europe. For us, it has found its way to the top of the list as our personal "favorite." It is our second-most visited European port, which may have something to do with its status as a favorite. There is so much to see and do. The handiwork of influential architect and artist (back in "the day" the line between architect and artist was not well-defined), Antoni Gaudi, can be seen everywhere, and makes Barcelona a very unique city among cities.

Typical Barcelona Street near the Gothic Quarter - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

SPAIN IS a historically and culturally diverse country and is divided into several very regions, each of which has its own unique history, culture, and even nationalistic identity. Some are very familiar to most of us, such as the Basque Region and Catalan, Aragon, Castile and Madrid. Others may not be so familiar. There are 17 regions, divided into "autonomous communities," each having limited powers of self-government, as well as fiercely independent cultures and views. Yet they all identify as Spanish. Unification has been a historical struggle, however.

La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

BARCELONA IS in the heart of the country's Catalanian region and is Catalan's capital. Each unit has its own representative government - and the right to be represented in the Spanish National Government. From time to time, there have been movements to separate from the national government and pursue their own national interests. Perhaps we are most familiar with the Basque Separatist movement, and the frequent marches for Catalanian independence.

The red and yellow striped Catalanian Flag is commonly seen in Barcelona - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

STUDENTS OF American History might see some parallel here to the separate states of our country. Yet as similar as it may "feel" on the surface, there are some major differences. The primary thing in my view is the hundreds and hundreds of years of history running up to the identity of Spain as a nation. There were also hundreds of years of struggles for power between Spain, France, England, and even Portugal. In the United States, the individual states began as separate colonies which gained their own special identities. But after only a scant few hundred years, they found themselves banding together to fight for the freedom of a new nation, comprised of these colonies. While there were significant differences, they were probably much less culturally rooted than those of the individual kingdoms and even nation-states making up this part of Europe (in spite of the American Civil War).

In our travels, we have noted that Europeans have a much more liberal and nonchalant view of things we consider "taboo" in the U.S. This shop was tucked in right among some retail and souvenir shops right in the heart of the city of Barcelona - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

ALL OF this makes for some fascinating history, as well as interesting current affairs. Of the three times we have been in Barcelona, there were very large demonstration/marches on the city by Catalanian separatists. Thankfully generally peaceful, they can certainly still be quite disruptive to the regular workings of this expansive modern city.

Placa Reial - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

HAVING MISSED out completely on Barcelona back in 2013 on our first (aborted) Mediterranean cruise, we looked forward to spending 3 days there "pre-cruise." We were scheduled on Princess' Emerald Princess (our "makeup" cruise from the 2003 cruise). We were also with our friends, Paul and Linda. It was the first of several times we have cruised together.

Palau de Musica - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

OUR RESEARCH told us there a lot to do in Barcelona. Not only had we done our homework, digging through on-line sites, but I had a friend who had spent 6 weeks there during several winters. He made some really great suggestions, my favorite of which was Palau de La Musica Barcelona, the city's splendid civic concert hall. Housing one of the world's best pipe organs, the ornate design of the building's interior is worth the (reasonable) price of admission. One of the few major buildings in Barcelona that did not have Gaudi involved in its design (its architect was Lluís Domènech i Montaner, a Barcelona-born Catalonian, hired by the city for its design), it was certainly one of my favorite stops. While inside, we were treated to a (electronically programmed) demonstration of the remarkable pipe organ.

Palau de Musica - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

COMPLETED IN 1908, the Palau was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Montaner was a professor in the Barcelona School of Architecture for 45 years and was involved in local (Catalanian) politics as well. The building, though not a "Gaudi" design, still involved many of the elements that were popular throughout the city's architecture, including the curved lines (imitating nature) that Gaudi was famous for, and embracing the Art Nouveau style that was popular for the period. Most of the surrounding architecture is Gaudi-designed or influenced. The style of Art Nouveau that was prevalent in this part of the world at the time was often referred to as a Catalan Modernism which was, itself, very much influenced by Gaudi and his contemporaries.

Palau de Musica - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

I HAVE mentioned Antoni Gaudi a number of times already in the blog. Maybe it is time to describe who he was. Although his Catalan birthplace isn't exactly known, he spent his adult life in Barcelona and became one of its most influential architects and artists, designing a large number of the buildings and facades throughout the city.

National Art Museum of Catalania overlooking the city - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

WE FLEW into Barcelona 3 full days before our boarding day. We stayed at a hotel on Avenue Diagonal, which (not surprisingly) runs diagonally through the central part of the city, from southwest to northeast and is centrally located in the city. On our first full day, we had a walking/subway tour which focused on Gaudi's contributions to the city. It was fully a half-day affair, beginning at our meeting point of Placa Reial (Plaza Real), where the lamp posts designed by Gaudi were among his first contributions to the city. The placa is right in the part of the city known as the Gothic Quarter, parts of which contain some of the most well-preserved medieval architecture in the world.

Runnerbean Walking Gaudi Tour - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

OUR TOUR took us all around the city, jumping on and off the very nice, clean and efficient subway train system a couple times, as we learned of Gaudi's considerable influence on the architecture of Barcelona. Gaudi was passionate about nature, art and architecture, and his (Catholic) religion. You can see them as influencing virtually all of his art. A Gaudi "signature theme" is no straight lines. Virtually everything he designed and built (with the possible exception of some of the churches he was commissioned to remodel and rebuild) incorporated curves and lines imitating nature. This makes walking down a Barcelona main street a unique experience.

Palau Guell - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

GAUDI's INFLUENCE was so great that he attracted the attention of Eusebi Guell, a wealthy entrepreneur, count, and ultimately, Gaudi's patron. During their professional relationship (which grew to friendship), Gaudi designed, among other things, Palau Guell, which was Guell's home, in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. It seemed like we walked by it daily, as we explored the city around us. Perhaps the second most well-known Gaudi accomplishment, though, is Parc Guell. The park was originally conceived by Guell as a residential housing development for the wealthy. That concept never really caught on, and instead approximately 40-acre parcel of land that sat on a hill above the city was developed into a park, partly to celebrate the Catalanian modern art, architecture and culture. Built between 1900 and 1914, the park has become one of Barcelona's most visited attractions and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1926.

Parc Guell - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

DISAPPOINTINGLY, OUR 2015 visit there with Paul and Linda coincided with one of the few "rainouts" we have ever experienced in cruise travel. We had purchased "skip the line" tickets, and stood in a short queue, to wait for our group to be admitted. We could see the foreboding skies. Just as we walked into the park, the rain came - in a torrential downpour. We were fortunate to get under one of the roofs, as we watched stairways turn into raging waterfalls. As it became apparent that it wasn't going to give us reprieve, we aborted, and grabbed a taxi back to the hotel.

Parc Guell Residence - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2019

MY WIFE and I returned in 2022 and had a guided tour through the grounds. The weather cooperated this time. It is impressive to see the small "city" that was built on the grounds (much like some of the old castles we have toured), where there were stores that sold food and other sundries, a church, a school, and recreational facilities). The gaudy "Gaudi" (see what I did there 😇) Art Noveau styling gives the place a "fairy tale" feel. If you have the opportunity to visit Barcelona, we think Parc Guell is a "must visit" spot and strongly encourage you to spring for the cost of a person-guided tour of the place.

Church - Parc Guell - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2019

ANOTHER MUST see destination in Barcelona is the old Gothic Quarter. Very close to the waterfront (and the cruise port - within easy walking distance of the place where the shuttles from the ship drop off and pick up at the port), it contains centuries of history. It may be the only spot in Barcelona where you are not surrounded with Art Nouveau - Gaudi styled buildings and architecture. We have had several walking tours in the quarter. The history impressive, and for those even remotely interested in history from ancient, to medieval, to Rennaissance and beyond (all the way to present day), a wonderful learning adventure. One of our favorite memories was a combination food and architectural walk through the centuries in the Gothic Quarter. At one time surrounded by a 60-foot wall, only remnants of that enclosure remain today. It is what was inside the walls, though, that impresses. Much of the quarter is comprised of medieval style pedestrian streets with many small squares. These plazas today often house small restaurants and shops, often with al fresco dining areas. Our tour began at dusk, and the small, narrow, pedestrian-only streets and squares took on a magical quality as darkness overtook and the areas were lighted with faux lanterns that let you feel like it might have been back in the days when proprietors lit them with torches each night. The shadows gave everything a magical quality.

Gothic Quarter - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

BEGINNING WITH the small, but remarkable remnants of the Temple of Augustus (just 3 tall columns and the base), built during the occupation of the Romans in the First Century, B.C., our guide brought us up through history, 100 years at a time. Fascinating. Educational. And the occasional wine and tapas stops made it really fun. Highly recommended! It is also highly recommended to explore the area by on your own, time permitting.

Cathedral of Barcelona - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

SPEAKING OF food and drink, we have made it our habit to book at least one food/pub crawl type tour in cities we spend enough time in. We have done this in Venice, Barcelona, Lisbon, Porto, Copenhagen and London, to name a few. None were better that the tours in Barcelona. The food is very good. The local neighborhood establishments have wonderful character, and the people are generally friendly and welcoming. On the day of the rainout at Parc Guell, we had a "pub-crawl" style tour scheduled. Happily, the weather turned nice, and we had a clear, cool night for the event. These tours usually involve a guided walk - normally within a neighborhood (or perhaps closely adjacent neighborhoods) and offer a selection of maybe 5 - 8 establishments with a couple of tapas appetizers and a glass of wine (maybe 2) for each participant. In Barcelona, on a couple of occasions, we had an option for beer instead of wine, and Paul and I generally opted for that. We had some pretty good local beers. Then there was the one that go away from us! It was near our last stop - ironically no more than a block from our hotel (though we didn't realize it at the time). They had a beer on their menu that was just called "Black Beer." Normally, I am not a heavy, dark beer kind of a guy (though I have been known to quaff a Guiness or two on tap in Ireland). Paul is a bit more adventurous. He tried it. I took a sip. Then I ordered it. It was very dark colored, but very crisp and medium light tasting. We vowed to go back later in the week. But try as we might, we just couldn't find he place!

Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

THE ONE feat of architecture that Gaudi is perhaps most famously associated with is the Basilica Church of the Holy Family, a/k/a The La Sagrada Familia. Construction commenced in 1882, under the direction of another architect who ultimately resigned. Gaudi took over, and the design and structure thereafter became a blend of gothic and Gaudi's interpretation of Art Nouveau. Gaudí devoted the remainder of his life to the project. Sadly, in 1926, he was struck by a commuter train and killed. He is buried in the church's crypt. At the time of his death in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete. By 2010, it was still only about 50% completed. Today, it is estimated that final completion will not occur before 2034! Nonetheless, the finished portions are spectacular, and you simply cannot have "seen" Barcelona until you make a visit to the cathedral.

La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

ONE OTHER spot that is worth at least a drive by visit is the Olympic Village. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics. There were some important moments in this particular event. The Soviet Union having dissolved in 1991, most of the former Soviet Bloc countries re-joined the games for the first time for many years following the end of the so-called "cold war," as a unified team. The exceptions were the formerly Soviet-occupied Baltic State countries (Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia), each of which sent their own teams. That same summer, South Africa was also invited back into the games, having been banned due to its Apartheid policies, the 1960 games having been the last they had participated in. Having reunified in 1990, Germany sent a single, re-unified team for the first time since 1964.

Sun Shining through Stained Glass inside La Sagrada Familia - Copyright Andy Richards 2015

IN A "sea-change" in policies, for the first time, professional NBA basketball players were allowed to join the U.S. team and participate, resulting in the "Dream Team" (consisting of superstars Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, John Stockton, Carl Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Chris Mullin, Clyde Drexler, one collegiate star (Christian Laetner from UNC), and my personal favorite: (Sir) Charles Barkley! The day we arrived in Barcelona in 2015, our "tour director" (my wife) had arranged for a car to pick us up at the airport and give us a 1/2-day tour of Barcelona before dropping us at our hotel. We did a drive-by of the Olympic Village, built to house the athletes for the 1992 Olympics.

Montserrat Abbey - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2019

ANOTHER PLACE of great interest, and that I recommend considering a trip to, is outside the city is Montserrat - about 25 miles northwest of the city. With traffic and some secondary roads, it is probably a 45 to 60-minute drive up into the mountains. As you approach, you can see the unique, multiple peaks, that resemble a serrated edge (Hence, Montserrat - or "serrated mountains"). In October of 2019, we cruised on The Celebrity Edge on what they designated as The Italian Riviera. Nonetheless we made stops in Mallorca, Barcelona and Monaco. Our stop in Barcelona was overnight, giving us a couple pretty full days. The first morning we did our Parc Guell tour. That evening, we did the nighttime, centuries/pub-crawl tour. The next morning, we joined a slightly larger than our usual sized group (maybe about 15-18 people) with a guide and headed to Montserrat. We had done so much in Barcelona, and it seemed like a fun diversion. The plan was to spend about 1/2 the tour at Montserrat, and then finish the day at a vineyard, doing some wine tasting before heading back to the ship for a 6:00 p.m. departure.

Catalan Separatist March - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2019

OUR STOP coincided with a march on the city by Catalonian separatist demonstrators. In 2019, we sat in an outdoor bar on our last day in Barcelona and watched an identical scene develop from the comfort of the television near our motel some distance from the city center. While it was reputed to be (and from all we could see, it was) peaceful, it would mean that 1,000's of people would be filling the streets of the Gothic quarter by afternoon. Our guide was (understandably) nervous about how this would affect our return to the ship, and he ultimately decided to cut the tour short and return early. That turned out to be a good plan. We had made friends on the cruise and the stories they told about getting back were. let's just say, "interesting." One couple were in a taxi and the driver suggested that they would be more likely to get back on time if they got out and walked the last 2 miles. They did. They were jovial about it. We were sitting in my favorite spot (the cigar area) near the Sunset Bar on the ship, watching the city. It was mobbed. We were glad to be safely on board, sitting on a beautiful sunny afternoon, with a drink in hand.

Montserrat Abbey - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2022

OFTEN REFERRED to as a Monastery or Retreat, Montserrat was historically actually an Abbey (a larger "community" which contains a monastery, convent or both). Montserrat is a Benedictine Abbey which is still a working monastery today, which is well set up for tourism. There is a wonderful Church, and a very impressive, if small, art museum on the premises. Access from the main parking lot is by a narrow gage train. From there, it is possible to take a funicular to the top. On our first trip, we weren't able to do so, as the round trip would have taken more than an hour and our tour was cut short. I thought about that funicular often afterward, and it was my plan to take it to the top with my camera if I ever had a return opportunity.

Montserrat - Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2019

IN 2022, we would stop for a long day again in Barcelona. The other 2 couples that were cruising with us had never been to Barcelona, and we strongly suggested that they stay in the city and take in some of it. They each did their own thing. We had planned early on (long before getting on the ship) to return to Montserrat and finish what we had started. We had a nice day, seeing the monastery again. It was an interesting day, which (not unusual for mountain tops) was mostly very foggy at the top. The conditions actually made for some dramatic photographs. But because of the fog, we were informed that the funicular to the top would put is basically in "pea-soup" fog. We were also informed that there really wasn't a good view from up there. Change in plan. 😆

Vineyard near Montserrat - Copyright Andy Richards 2022

WE DID make it to the vineyard this trip. It was a fun look at the other side of Montserrat. Unfortunately, the afternoon sun did not make for good photographic light. Someday maybe I can get over there early in the day. But the history was good. We then had some tapas and tasted some of the wine at the vineyard, before our return to the ship. All in all, a very nice day! This is a trip I would recommend.

Wine Tasting at Vineyard near Montserrat - Copyright Andy Richards 2022

IN THE city, there are museums and churches we have not seen. You could visit the city for several days and just walk around and see the sights. It is that cool of a city! Having been to a few now in Europe, it is hard for me to find one that I like better (with the possible exception of Porto, Portugal). Having said that it resides on a very high list along with London, Lisbon, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Paris. The opening image and the final image below were made from the stern of our Celebrity Apex ship in 2019, early in the morning and then after sunset. I hope you can see why I like Barcelona as a cruise stop. Its an amazing city!

Port of Barcelona, Spain - Copyright Andy Richards 2019

ONCE AGAIN, world geopolitical conditions are effecting these wonderful places to visit. Recent unrest and demonstrations against tourist - in my view unfairly scapegoating the cruise industry (I read some statistics that suggested that the actual cruise passenger impact on the city compared with the overall tourist visits to the city is a small, single-digit percentage) - have saddened us. At the same time, we "get" the negative effects tourism and other influxes of foreign visitors (disproportionalely from the U.S.) have had on many places in the world. We saw much of the same in Portugal when we visited there a couple years back. Lead my Americans, and joined by wealthy persons from Europe, the purchasing of homes in these places has unnaturally driven the cost of living so high that a large number of citizens are no longer able to remain in the cities where they grew up and where they now work, as a result of teh affordable housing shortage. While the tourism industry is one of many of these places major sources of wealth, the pressure on housing, infrastructure, and the like has caused hard feelings - particularly from the younger generations. We hope there is a solution there somewhere. We love to visit, and learn about some of these parts of the world. In the meantime, without trying to sound "preachy," we as visitors need to really consider that we are indeed visitors to these places and appreciate them and their culture for what they are.