Barcelona

Some places call to you. Spain is that for me. I’m not sure when it started or how the interest was birthed. My 2013 trip to Barcelona, Madrid, and even Pamplona had memorable highlights. It is, however, hazy, not because it was nearly a decade ago. I was preoccupied and wasn’t present.

Some places I want to revisit, to layer over past memories. Spain is also that for me. Perhaps it’s time to take up my godparents’ invitation to stay with them in southern Spain. I’d love to return and explore with my own itinerary.

I flew into Barcelona about a week after returning home from the Eastern & Orient Express rail trip. Just enough time to make sure my dogs Lou and Abby were doing well, and frankly to decide if I wanted to come on this trip at all. Spain had been waiting for me and I wanted to be there. I just wasn’t so sure about my travel companion. In the end, that was the compromise I made. That, and visiting Pamplona so he could run with the bulls.

Where We Stayed

The Gran Hotel La Florida is a beautiful modern boutique hotel atop Tibidabo’s Hill, about a 20-minute car ride from the city centre. Tibidabo is the highest peak in the Serra de Collserola range. Aside from an amusement park, which we passes on the way to the hotel, is the Catholic Church Sagrat Cor, believed to be where the devil tempted Jesus.

With its beautiful rooms, wellness centre, stainless steel pool, and a stunning view of the city, this oasis provided the perfect blend of relaxation, luxury, and retreat.

As I didn’t plan the itinerary, it wasn’t until later that I discovered the hotel served as a military hospital during the civil war. There were places and moments I did not feel entirely comfortable. True, this was also a beloved spot of Barcelona society, visited by celebrities such as Ernest Hemingway, Rock Hudson, George Sanders, and James Stewart. I’m sure some of that glitz and gaiety were breathed into the walls after it again became a hotel in 1950. Still.

Barcelona Architecture near Placa de la Punctal

Barcelona Street Art 2013 near Picasso Museum

You may have noticed that the famous La Sagrada Familia missing from the photo galleries. You know, that monumental church designed by Antoni Gaudi. The reason so many people flock to Barcelona. It’s unbelievable that this structure is not even completed, with a projected date of 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death. His tomb, by the way, is on site.

You don’t see any photos because it was crazy crowded. I did see it from a comfortable distance, with all its scaffolding. So maybe the next time.

Because of the long lines, I also skipped the Picasso Museum. The photo of street art was taken close to the museum. What I did go looking for, was La Manual Alpargatera, Barcelona’s oldest espadrilles shop. Finding it was the easy part; getting service was another story. It was so crowded, it was overwhelming. Inside, shelves from floor to ceiling were stocked with this Spanish iconic shoe in different colours and designs. Despite the wait, I left with a few pairs of espadrilles in shades of olive.

Restaurant 7 Portes

The building Pòrtics d’en Xifré that houses this restaurant dates back to the mid 19th century. Commissioned by a Catalan business man who wanted something to resemble the squares of Paris, it became his residence, office, and a luxury café. 7 doors for the public, with an eighth for staff.

Café de les 7 Portes opened in 1836, becoming the popular Restaurant de les 7 Portes in 1929, where writers, politicians, and journalists met. Nobel Laureates, artists such as Picasso and Miró, and celebrities are among the patrons of this restaurant that still serves authentic food and known for its paella.

I saw this restaurant on one of our walks through the city. We didn’t try the food and I only guessed at its long history. We did stop by Four Cats, Els Quatre Gats, the famous centre of modernist gathering that operated as a café and cabaret between 1897 and 1903. We didn’t know it as the tourist mecca that it was. We were in the neighborhood and feeling hungry, thinking this place looked cool, with its art nouveau decorations.