Viaje 2 y 3: Sevilla bella y la ciudad de Gaudí
12:35 PMEver since I studied classic literature from Spain's Golden Age (my favorite period of Spanish literature and art) and learned of the authors' love for the city of Sevilla, I have dreamed of going there. And what girl hasn't had Barcelona on her bucket list since The Cheetah Girls 2? This past month I was lucky enough to get to go to both of these gorgeous cities.
I can't explain why I love Sevilla so much, but it's become one of my favorite cities in the entire world. Perhaps because it reminds me a bit of a spread out Granada. But also, I believe that your experiences affect how you perceive a place, as I learned from my rough start in Madrid, so I can definitely see how my weekend spent there with some of my favorite people who I've met here in Granada made Sevilla such a special place for me.
The wonderful people who I shared my weekend with.
Plaza de España.
The view of the walk down the river
The highlight of my weekend was Plaza de España. This is my absolute favorite place in Spain! It's beautiful beyond words - the pictures don't do it justice. The atmosphere was so fun with families everywhere and people trying to drive those bike taxis around on a lovely sunny day. There's a little a canal that goes around the front arc of the plaza, and for five euros you can rent a boat to row around the canal. If you are ever there, do this! We thought we could row around the whole thing in about fifteen minutes, but once we got in and started rowing, soaking up how gorgeous it all was, we could have stayed in that boat all day!
Plaza de España - my favorite place in Spain
Anna, Elise, & I in our little boat!
- Metropol Parasol - One of the largest wooden buildings in the world with a funky design and a gorgeous view of the city from the top.
- Go inside the cathedral - The outside is amazing, but I can only imagine what the inside must be like.
- See a flamenco show - Although I've already seen a good one in Granada, Sevilla has some of the best flamenco that Spain has to offer.
Barcelona is about as different from Sevilla as you can get. In fact, it's different than any other Spanish city I've seen. Because it's located in the region of Cataluña, the main language spoken there is Catalán. It seems like a mixture of Castillian Spanish and French, and this French influence is reflected in the city. It's absolutely beautiful and HUGE! I always like to walk around new cities instead of taking the metro or buses - I think it's the best way to truly see the city. It's easy to stop and find cute little shops or to wander down side streets with hidden finds. But because of how much ground we wanted to cover in such little time, we decided to rent bikes for a day… SO. MUCH. FUN. It was easily one of my favorite days in Spain, and I highly recommend trying this some time. We still got to be outside in the city and stop whenever and wherever we wanted, but we saw so much more of the city. In just one day we went to Casa Battló (the Gaudí house), La Pedrera, Plaza de España, Palau Nacional, and part of the Olympic Stadium… that's a lot! Not to mention we got to soak up the pure prettiness of the streets of the city on a gorgeous autumn day!
Palau Nacional - where the Cheetah Girls danced!
And what would a trip to Spain be without some fútbol?! Other than watching bits of the World Cup, I know nothing about soccer… but that doesn't matter in Barcelona! Just being in that crazy atmosphere of Camp Nou is enough to make you a soccer fan. We got tickets at the very top, but I learned that that doesn't matter at all. The view and energy are great from any where and the fans are just as into the game all over the stadium. Honestly, I think I had as much fun watching how into the game the fans got as I did watching the actual game! Even if you don't consider yourself a big soccer fan or if you have to go with the cheap tickets are at the very top, this is a must-do!
Camp Nou
While the city itself is beautiful, there are few things in this world as beautiful as Sagrada Familia. The outside is quite strange; the mix of gothic architecture with modern details here and there makes it a strange sight. However, once you enter, there are no words to describe what you see and how you feel. The bright colors of the stained glass, the amazing architecture of the ceiling, the altar unlike any altar I've seen before, and the choral music playing in the background make seeing the cathedral so much more than simply seeing it. This cathedral is so different than traditional cathedrals - I haven't met one person who wasn't truly amazed when they went inside. However, I have met people who just walked by to see it, but didn't go inside… don't do this! It is so worth buying tickets in advance online. You even have the opportunity to climb one of the towers. We did this, and it was cool not only because of the view from the top, but because you really get to see the construction they're doing while climbing through the towers. It's on my bucket list to go back and see it when it's finally done one day.
I could've stared at that ceiling for hours
The pretty, pretty stained glass
Like Sevilla, one weekend just isn't enough for Barcelona! Here's what's on my list for next time:
- Las ramblas - A worker at our hostel told us that this has some of the best nightlife in Barcelona, and cool shops for the day time. This area is right in the city center, where I'd also like to be able to spend more time next time I'm in Barcelona.
- Parque Güell - I did get to see the park and some of the cool architecture there, but I didn't get to actually go into the park. You have to buy tickets in advance to enter, so next time I will definitely do this to see the iconic mosaic bench and to get to go into the museums!
- See the coast - Not a lot of people kow that Barcelona's actually on the coast of Spain! We biked close to the Mediterranean Sea, but never made it there. There's a huge park near the coast where the old Olympic Stadium is located that I would love to explore more one day - but I better get in shape first, because the hill up to the park is a doozy!
-Breezy
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