Barcelona Spain, Part Two

We spent four days in Barcelona last week and, as I have already mentioned, it is an intense city packed with tourists from all over the globe. We heard many different languages spoken, as well as versions of English from the US, UK, Australia, and other English speaking countries. The city will stimulate your senses with all its enticing offerings.

It would take months to visit all of the sites Barcelona has to offer, but we managed to see the ones that appealed to us, including the Picasso Museum, Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, Park Güell, Telefèric de Montjuïc, and La Boqueria. We thought by visiting in late October, we would avoid some of the crowds; silly us, it was packed as usual. However, the weather was perfect and we thoroughly enjoyed our time in this amazing city. Here are some photos of the highlights.

Some of the things I like the most about Barcelona are the narrow, pedestrian only streets that open up onto plazas where you’ll find restaurants, buskers, fountains, and much more. Look up and you’ll see private balconies, some packed with plants, others empty.

And of course, we had some amazing meals. The seafood paella was the best I have ever had.

There is an abundance of street art all over the city.

Sadly, there is also a bad case of tourist fatigue and petty theft. On our first visit ten years ago, we were surprised when a waiter told us to be careful. Apparently, one of his friends had her cell phone stolen right out of her hand by a passing bicyclist. We were warned about theft on our most recent visit as well.

A leading cause of tourist fatigue is caused by an uptick in the purchase of apartments in popular neighborhoods for tourist rentals, resulting in increased rents, traffic, noise, and other problems for locals. Resentment has grown over time and the results are evident, as shown in the sentiment above.

I’m not suggesting you don’t visit this amazing city, in fact, we had a lovely time and enjoyed our exchanges with the locals. If you do go, choose a locally operated hotel rather than a vacation apartment, and, as always, be a considerate guest and use caution in crowded areas.

As always, I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment if you’re so inclined.

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia