Sunshine, Sangria, and Gaudi - Barcelona Day 3 & 4

Our third day in Barcelona was beach day.  We went out early, found the perfect spot, and settled in for the day.  Of course, we took a break for some seafood and sangria at a cute restaurant looking out over the water, but that was as far from the beach that we ventured until it was time to go back to the hotel.

The big goal for our fourth and final day was hunting down some Gaudi.  If you've never seen Gaudi architecture, definitely look it up...there are some very unique designs.  Since we were flying out later in the day, we only had time to see Parc Guell.

Also, a few random things we ran into on the way, such as a giant mammoth...

And the Cascada Fountain in the Parc de la Ciudadela, which Gaudi helped design early in his career.

Sadly, that was all we had time for in the beautiful city.  There's plenty more we want to see here, not to mention the awesome beach, so we're definitely planning on a return trip if we have the chance.

Barcelona Day 2

Our second day in Barcelona began with a visit to the Picasso Museum.  I mean, what better place to look at Picasso's work than in the city he was from?  And since Paris' Picasso museum was closed, I was really looking forward to this one.

The museum's collection comes mostly from the private collection of one of Picasso's friends.  When the artist found out his friend planned on turning the works into a museum, he donated quite a few more pieces over the course of his life.  He never made it back to Barcelona to see the finished museum, which is unfortunate, because the museum is extremely well-done.  While there are plenty of larger paintings, there are also numerous sketches, practice paintings for larger works, and even a few pieces from his dabbling in pottery.

After an art-filled morning, we fueled up with some super yummy cookies.

And then promptly went out for lunch and some cervezas.

To work all that off, we spent the afternoon walking around the Parc de Montjuic.  It's a pretty good climb to the top of the hill, but the incredible views of the city and the water make it worth it.

In the distance you can see the Columbus Monument, pointing towards America.

After wandering around the Parc we headed back towards town and spent the rest of the day exploring the Barcelona streets.

Memorial Day Weekend in Barcelona

Every time we visit a new place, we feel like we've found a new favorite.  Barcelona was no exception.  The city has an awesome vibe, and with the mix of beach, amazing food, fun architecture, and everything else the city has to offer, it would be hard not to enjoy yourself there.  We had an awesome weekend alternating between relaxing on the beach and exploring the local attractions.  

Our first day there, we didn't do a whole lot in terms of sightseeing, except to wander the streets around our hotel and walk along the waterfront.  And of course check out the beach.  It's all about priorities.