"The world is born in every kiss"

Whenever we travel to a city, I am always delighted when there is street art to marvel at. And there is a special work of art on the streets of Barcelona. In Plaça d'Isidre Nonell, near Barcelona Cathedral, you will find a large mosaic of two kissing mouths on the wall of a building. For the artwork, artist Joan Fontcuberta asked the people of Barcelona to send him pictures of everyday situations. A total of 4,000 pictures made it onto the wall and form the picture “El món neix en cada besada” (translated: “The world is born in every kiss”). The picture is intended to commemorate the events of September 11, 1714, when the Catalan capital fell into the hands of Castilian troops after a long period of resistance. The kiss is intended to symbolize peace.

Park Güell

No other artist is as closely associated with Barcelona as Antoni Gaudí. Time and again you can admire buildings by the Spanish architect in Barcelona. One of his most famous projects is Park Güell, where you can find buildings decorated with mosaics, benches, stairs and sculptures in a beautifully designed park. The panorama of the city is omnipresent in the park, so beautiful views are included.

The park is considered Gaudí's homage to nature. Its mixture therefore makes it a good photo spot. The mosaic benches above the portico are particularly popular for this, as you can capture Gaudi's architecture with a view of the rooftops of Barcelona from here. However, if you would rather learn about Gaudí than take photos, you will also find the Gaudí Museum in the park. You can find all the information about the park here.

Sagrada Familia

The unfinished church in the heart of Barcelona is the city's main attraction. Antoni Gaudí began building the magnificent church in the 1880s, but was never able to complete it. To this day, the building has not been completed as there have been repeated problems. Nevertheless, the Sagrada Familia and its towers can be visited by the public.

We also wanted to visit the Sagrada Familia, but were prevented from doing so due to the theft, what a shame! So we will definitely have to come back again. The church impressed us from the outside.

If you also want to visit the Sagrada Familia, you should try to get tickets early. You can easily buy them online here.

Mercat de la Boqueria

The Mercat de la Boqueria is a famous market hall located on La Rambla promenade. You can find just about any food you can imagine there: Meat, fish, cheese, fruit, vegetables, spices, chocolate, wine and, and, and...

I really wanted to go to the market hall because I love markets. However, my anticipation was better than the reality. The market is cool, but it is also very crowded. And after having seen different markets in several Spanish cities, I have to admit that the Mercat de la Boqueria is not the most beautiful of them all. However, if you want to bring Spanish food and drinks home to your loved ones, then the market is the right place for you!

La Rambla

The 1.2 km long La Rambla promenade is probably the most famous street in Barcelona. It runs through the center of the city and connects Plaça de Catalunya with the Old Port.

Due to its central location, there is always something going on on La Rambla, although it feels like there are more tourists than locals. Barcelona's pickpockets are also aware of this. Tourists are pickpocketed here every day. The pickpockets are usually tricky. In fact, their tricks are so inventive that a friend of mine gave a lecture on the tricks of pickpockets at school before her graduation trip! So be on your guard.

We also wanted to see the famous promenade, but only briefly. Afterwards, we preferred to take one of the less busy side streets in the old town. I can only recommend it, you'll discover lots of cute shops there!

Bunker "El Carmel"

When I think back to the bunkers of El Carmel, I always feel a little nostalgic. Because I associate one of the best and the worst memories of Barcelona with it. The worst memory is - obviously - the car break-in. Because it happened while we were visiting the bunkers.

Nevertheless, I also associate the bunkers with beautiful things. The view from up there was simply magnificent! We weren't in such a good mood that day anyway, as it was already far too warm in the morning and we were kind of tired - not the best conditions for a day in the city. But when we arrived at the bunkers, we were surrounded by a certain calm for a brief moment. There weren't too many people here and the fantastic view did the rest. The view made us look forward to the day in the city below...

The joy didn't last long though. After returning to the car, our plans for the day were thrown out the window. Nevertheless, I would recommend everyone to pay a visit to the bunkers of El Carmel; just don't do it by car! Take a bus instead. It stops exactly where we parked our car anyway and runs every few minutes.

The bunkers are also supposed to be very beautiful at sunset. I just think that it can get a lot more crowded up there then...

Cathedral von Barcelona

Another famous church in Barcelona is the Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia. You are guaranteed to pass by it if you venture into Barcelona's old town. The church is built in the Gothic style and is particularly popular with visitors because of its accessible roof. From here, you have a view of the city with the Sagrada Familia, the hinterland and the sea. If you would also like to enjoy the view, you can buy tickets online here.

Next to the cathedral is the Bridge of Sighs, also known as the Bishop's Bridge. It connects the seat of the Catalan president and the Generalitat. The bridge was only built in 1929, but it looks much older. This could be due to the neo-Gothic architectural style of the bridge.

Barceloneta Beach

What is inevitable when a big city is by the sea? Of course, a city beach! That alone would be a reason for me to move to a city like Barcelona: Out of the office clothes and into a bikini and off to after-hours on the beach. A dream!

Of course, the people of Barcelona don't do this every day. Nevertheless, they are very proud of the beach on their doorstep. The most famous stretch of beach is Barceloneta Beach, as it is closest to the city center and very lively. Even in the evening, the promenade is still bustling with people. However, there are many other beaches in and around Barcelona. So if you prefer a little more peace and quiet on your beach day, it's worth driving out a little.

Moco Museum

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the Moco Museum in Barcelona, but we did in Amsterdam. And I was told that the two museums are very similar. As I really liked the Moco Museum in Amsterdam, I strongly assume that the Moco Museum in Barcelona is just as worthwhile! It might even be better, as it is even bigger.

In any case, I can only recommend a visit to the modern art museum. Depending on how warm it is in the city, the museum's air conditioning system can even cool you down a little. You can buy tickets for the museum here.