What happens when a city thrives for 2,500 years, makes its mark as a maritime power, and combines Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, Catalan, and modernist influences? The vibrant, dynamic Barcelona, with its Roman ruins, medieval cathedral, Gothic quarter, and unique Modernista architecture, is the fascinating result.
Spain's second-biggest city is also the capital the partially autonomous region of Catalonia, home to 10 million Catalans. Catalans are proud of their distinct language and traditions, a pride borne out of periodic suppression from Spanish rulers that began when Catalonia lost the War of Spanish Succession in the 18th century. The economic boom of the Industrial Revolution gave rise to the Catalan Renaissance, the Renaixença, which in turn gave way to the Modernisme period and a love affair with the unique, Art Nouveau-inspired Modernista architectural style popularized by architects like Antoni Gaudí.
My friend and designated travel buddy Marissa and I couldn't wait to explore it all. However, our flight landed at 1:30 in the morning following a 2-hour delay out of Croatia, so we headed straight to our hostel after our arrival. As I worked a little later into the night to back up some of my photos, a visibly inebriated hostel guest returned after a night out at some local bars and immediately lost his lunch, but at least he made it to the bathroom before doing so. It was hardly the most auspicious start to our stay, but things quickly turned around!
Barcelona is full of charming architecture |