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Barcelona Visit 2025 Day 3

Our third day was focused on places designed by Antoni Gaudí.
A stained glass window with circles and interstitial pieces.

Our third day was focused on places designed by Antoni Gaudí.

We began the day visiting Casa Batlló. Moving through the space felt genuinely magical. They do a good job keeping visitors low enough in number so that it doesn’t feel crowded to ascend through the building and explore all the stunning rooms and fascinating details. I don’t think there’s a place I’ve been that felt more like I was transported into a fantasy novel. The building is so awe-inspiring that I immediately understood why Gaudí is revered.

The exterior of Casa Batlló seen from the street.
An alcove holding a fireplace in Casa Batlló. The space appears to be in the shape of a mushroom.
A skylight and stained glass are integrated above a door with four panels.
A large set of windows, including stained glass, fill a wall of a living space. A woman looks out one window and two other people can be seen to the left.
A door with stained glass above it and translucent glass on the door itself.
A view of a ceiling, with a pattern resembling sea life. Stained glass windows can be seen below the ceiling.
A statue of a person holding up a dove with both hands.
A woman leans on a railing at a rooftop at Casa Batlló. Complex tile work can be seen on the floor and a wavy mosaic can be seen behind her. A barbed fence can also be seen.
A mosaic of tiles with circular pieces
A shot of floor tiles with geometric designs in browns and blues.
A look up into a skylight showing interior walls, windows, and doors around a staircase.
A look up into a skylight showing interior walls and windows. Blue tiles adorn the walls.
A view of blue tiled walls with windows and doors.
An ornate wooden door framed by blue metal at the foot of stairs.
A look up into a skylight showing interior walls and windows. Blue tiles adorn the walls.
A view of a skylight and blue tiled walls beyond a short fence. Wooden doors can be seen on the left and right.
A view of a staircase with translucent glass along it.
A child smiles in a room with walls covered in reflective metal.

As we traveled to our next destination, I started to spot more political images. I was heartened to see murals, stickers, and signs from the anarchists and other leftists of the city, particularly memorializing leaders of the resistance to Franco and his fascist government. I wasn’t familiar with Lucio Urtubia before, but was compelled to read about his work to fund resistance movements.

A mural memorializing Lucio Urtubia. It shows his face and the years 1931-2020. Around him are counterfeit notes and the words "HAY QUE PERDER EL RESPETO AL PODER Y LUCHAR CONTRA EL!" surround him, which translates to "WE MUST LOSE RESPECT FOR POWER AND FIGHT AGAINST IT!"
An ACAB sticker featuring the elephant Babar who has written, "la policia tortura i assassina".
A storefront with political statements posted around it and a mural painted on its door.
A storefront with political statements posted around it and a mural painted on its door.
A view past a fence of a neighborhood. Murals and homes can be seen in the distance.
A sticker on a pole with the words "PALESTINA LLIURE" and a raised fist over a Palestinian flag.

We soon arrived at Park Güell. There were some stunning buildings and other Gaudí-designed works in the park, but there was definitely a feeling of dry emptiness in much of it. The aqueduct and other structures were impressive and we were happy to experience them.

A small building designed by Gaudí is seen below a glaring sun.
Ornate square tile designs can be seen embedded in a wall with a white and grey mosaic between square sections.
A mosaic lizard fountain can be seen between two stone staircases.
Circular mosaic patterns can be seen in a ceiling. Columns connect with the ceiling.
An ornate circular mosaic is embedded in a ceiling.
The underside of an aqueduct can be seen, with diagonal pillars on the side.
A view of the underside of an aqueduct with multiple patterns of stone.
Two columns are topped by cacti on each side of a bench.
A pink church can be seen beyond trees. Beyond the church Barcelona can be seen.
A white building can be seen beyond a brick and stone wall.

We next stopped at Basílica de la Sagrada Família, the most famous of Gaudí’s works. The detail across its exterior was stunning and awe-inspiring. We didn’t enter the church but what we would see from the street was overwhelming.

Basílica de la Sagrada Família seen from the street, with a tree looming in the top left of the frame. Statues can be seen on the exterior of the building.
Basílica de la Sagrada Família seen from the street. A construction crane and trees can also be seen.
Basílica de la Sagrada Família seen from the street. A construction crane and trees can also be seen.
Basílica de la Sagrada Família is seen in front of a blue sky. An ornate exterior can be seen in shadow.

We visited Mercat de la Boqueria briefly, and the kids were delighted to get candy.

A child smiles in front of a display of candy in a market.

We walked down La Rambla and reached the fantastic Plaça de Catalunya. The statues there were impressive and La Deessa was particularly beautiful.

A woman and child walk together down La Rambla in Barcelona.
A statue of a man holding the reins of a horse.
A monument of a staircase turned 90 degrees so that its back is parallel to the ground.
The statues La Deessa, depicting a nude woman, is viewed from the side and sits in a fountain with buildings seen behind it.
The statues La Deessa, depicting a nude woman, is viewed from the front and sits in a fountain with buildings seen behind it.
A statue of a mostly nude woman stands in a park.
The statue La Navegació, depicting a woman in a dress leaning against an object, stands by a fountain.
A statue of a woman in a dress stands by a fountain.
A statue of a woman in a dress, viewed from the front, stands by a fountain.
A statue of a nude woman on a horse holding a sailing ship above her.
A statue of a woman holding a baby stands by a fountain.
A statue depicting a man, a woman, and a cow stands in front of buildings.
A child stands surrounded by pigeons in an open space in a park.
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