Barcelona is a city that has called out to me several times, first during college, where I studied the language and culture through cinema, and most recently on vacation.
Taking a second look at the city only deepened my love for this cosmopolitan and artistic center. It is still a place where old traditions and new trends of thought meet and dialogue with each other, where nature is reflected in architecture and where one can enjoy mid-day tapas and take one of the best-functioning metro systems to the beach.
These photos are an attempt to capture its beauty, and I highly recommend visiting the city to take in the sights for yourself!
Barcelona, Spain, is a city where the present and turn-of-the-century past walk hand in hand. Looking out on the Gracia district, a bustling fashion hub, from Casa Mila, a modernist building built in the early 1900s, was a powerful way to feel the confluence.
Parc Guell is a failed but lavish residential park designed by Antoni Gaudí, the architect who dreamed up many of Barcelona’s landmark buildings. The colors and mosaic tiles are a kaleidoscope for the senses.
Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera, is where Gaudí’s whimsical bent meets functionality. As the headquarters of Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation, the building hosts an ever-changing schedule of activities and art exhibitions.
With a name that means “serrated mountain,” Monserrat is a Benedictine monk retreat area about an hour away from Barcelona by train. It is a rare and meditative place where you can take a cable car ride, walk along mountain paths and visit the church that is home to the Black Madonna all in one day.
Parc Laberint d’Horta is a peaceful lounging spot off the beaten path. On Sundays, entrance to the park is free and locals can be seen soaking up the sun.
This reflection in Parc Laberint d’Horta was calling beckoning my camera. Designed by Italian engineer Domenico Bagutti, the park features 55 hectares, a labyrinth, neoclassical statues and a restored 14th-century country house.
In The Gothic Quarter, tourist-friendly shops and restaurants coexist with narrow pathways, open plazas and architecture dating back to the Middle Ages.
The scene is lively outside the Barcelona Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter.
La Ribera has less of the polish of other sections, but you can feel the beating of Barcelona’s urban heart there. Development in the area has not supplanted the irreverent counterculture which can be glimpsed in graffiti and street art.
The Santa Caterina Market, constructed on the former site of a convent, has a lively atmosphere and fresh seafood, meat and produce served up with a smile.
Thanks to the Magic Nights program, drinks and live music can be enjoyed on the rooftop of Casa Batlló, another Gaudí creation worth touring.
La Sagrada Familia became Gaudi’s life work. The church, flooded with natural light, is still unfinished, much like any visit to Barcelona.
Andrea Crowley-Hughes is a Refresh co-editor and recent graduate of The New School Media Studies program who loves nature, cities and the ways they come together. Her work has also been published in The Cuture Trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @and_reach.
