Adios Barcelona

Time really does fly by when you are having fun. As I am finishing the last Barcelona blog, we just arrived in Paris. I cannot believe that I spent four weeks in Barcelona and am beginning the next experience in Paris! Leaving our apartment this morning was more sad than I thought it would be. Every other place I have stayed for over a couple weeks, I have always known that I will be back there soon. However, with Barcelona it is sad because I do not know if or when I will be back in this amazing city. 

While the districts in this blog have popular tourists attractions, there are many calmer areas that are more local. The Gràcia neighborhood is one of my favorite places around Barcelona. This area is full of neighborhoods with locals and small shops on every street. There are many squares and park areas with places to relax and enjoy the culture. 

Tourist Attraction- Park Guell. This park is a beautiful area that is built on a hill with viewpoints of Barcelona and the city everywhere. Eusebi Guell gave the assignment of the park to the famous architect, Antoni Gaudi. It was built between 1900 and 1914 and opened in 1926. Most of the park is free and a great place to walk around. 

Architectural Object- This is part of the Dragon Stairway at Park Guell. This is part of Gaudi's creation at the park and is currently under restoration. It costs 7.5 euros to view this and rest of his creations at the park when booking online. 

Most Interesting Site- Square in Gràcia. This square is an open area in the Gràcia neighborhood. One night when I walked through here, there was a stage and chairs set up that looked like an awesome neighborhood gathering. 

Commercial Busines- Sol Soler. This restaurant is a great small restaurant with amazing tapas and  delicious potatoes bravas. 

3 Star Hotel- Hotel La Casa del Sol. This small hotel is a great opportunity to stay in a small neighborhood and escape the masses of tourist. While it is out of the busiest areas, it is less than a 30 minute walk to Las Ramblas, Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. 

Les Corts district of Barcelona is known for its shopping and big businesses. It is not very touristy besides everything about FC Barcelona. The main street is wide with great shaded sidewalks and bike paths. It makes for a great place to run that has less crowd than other places around Barcelona. 

Tourist Attraction-Camp Nou. This is where FC Barcelona plays soccer and brings soccer fans from all over the world to view the stadium. Tours start at 20 euros and for a higher fee visitors can walk on the field. 

Architectural Object- This statue is on the sidewalk of the main street, which is Diagonal Ave. This statue is on one of the big sidewalks. 

Most Interesting Site- Jardins de la Maternitat. This is a garden area near Camp Nou. It is a very peaceful area which contrasts the chaos of a Camp Nou game day. 

Commercial Business- Store futbol fans. This store is one of many businesses in the area that are selling FC Barcelona merchandize for tourists.

3 Star Hotel- Hotel Madanis Liceo. This hotel is the perfect location for fans coming to watch FC Barcelona games, as it is just blocks from the stadium.

Bogatell and Ciutadella Villa Olympica is another contrast from the busier areas of Barcelona. While on a warm day there is a lot of tourists on the beach, it is pretty empty on a cloudy day. The beach area has a lot of restaurants, bars and clubs but off the beach is very local with lots of businesses. Even on a warm day a few blocks from the beach, is much more peaceful.

Tourist Attraction- Bogatell Beach. It is not as crowded as Barceloneta beaches but it is still full of people on a warm day and there are less street vendors than the Barceloneta beach.

Architctural Object- Marc by Robert Llimos. This statute is nearby the beach and it was created in honor of the artists son who died in 1995. I thought it was cool because my brothers name is Marc and people usually spell the name with a k.

Most Interesting Site- Golden Fish sculpture. This sculpture is iconic on the Barcelona beachfront and created for the 1992 Olympics. It looks beautiful from a far but I was kind of surprised to see the change of view from close up.

Commercial Business- Ice Bar Barcelona. This bar is near the beach with a smaller front area than other bars. It is unique because it is full of ice sculptures and the drinks in ice cups. It is around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but they give you a coat and gloves to stay warm. It is a fun atmosphere and also kid friendly as they are open from noon to 3am.

3 Star Hotel- Holiday Inn Express. This hotel is less than a mile from the beach and out of the busiest area of Barcelona.

For my final week in Barcelona, I decided to compare food prices. While there are many different small markets to buy food, in each neighborhood the prices do vary. The best price for bananas in the Gràcia neighborhood is 1.15 euros per kilogram while the cheapest liter of wine was 1.65 euros. The best shrimp I found was 9 euros per kilogram. In Les Corts, the cheapest wine was 1.75 euros, bananas were 1.09 euros per kilogram and hamburger meat is 5.75 euros per kilogram. Lastly, in the Bogatell area a bottle of wine was 1.49 euros, bananas were 1.29 euros per kilogram, shrimp was 12.95 euros per kilogram and hamburger meat was 5 euros per kilogram. I though it was really interesting to compare a variety of foods and their prices while going through different stores in each neighborhood. I will truly miss Barcelona!