Northern Spain

September 17-21, 2018:

SITGES:

Our Hotel – Hotel Medium Romàntic:

Hotel Medium Romàntic – Photo: hostelworld.com

Nice Breakfast on the Patio

Colorful scarves for sale

Street art nearby

Biking Tour of Sitges:

Here are the highlights of our self-guided biking tour of Sitges:

Platja de la Marina d’Aiguadolç

Ermita de Sant Sebastià

Cementiri Municipal de Sant Sebastià (San Sebastián Cemetary)

Platja de Sant Sebastià

Mediterranean woman – created by Lluïsa Granero in 2009

Cris by Marta Solsona Bellera

Carrer de Fonollar

Facade Maricel Palace

Church of Santa Bartomeu and Santa Tecla

La Sirena (The Mermaid) by Pere Jou from 1965

Girl of Malvasia by sculptor Ramon Cuello – 2008

Catalan painters Ramón Casas and Santiago Rusiñol

Monument to El Greco

Colorful Sitges House

El Chiringuito legendary beach bar

Monument to Barcardi

Columna de sorra (Column of Sand) – by Àlex Papalini Lamprecht, 1987

Pink Triangle Monument against Homophobia – 2006

Platja de l’Estanyol

Breakwater with flag for swimming conditions (green, yellow, red)

Enjoying the Beach Club at Ribera Beach:

Our hotel provided Beach Club (also called Jimmy’s) access to sunbeds, hammocks, parasols, and towels on Ribera Beach.

Beach Club at Ribera Beach

BARCELONA:

Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, is known for its art and architecture. The fantastical Sagrada Família church and other modernist landmarks designed by Antoni Gaudí dot the city. Museu Picasso and Fundació Joan Miró feature modern art by their namesakes.

View of B-Hotel Swimming Pool from our apartment in Barcelona

Barcelona Greeters on the balconies of the Catalonia Hotel

Casa Milà – La Pedrera (the Quarry):

Known as La Pedrera (stone quarry) because it resembles an open quarry in appearance, the building features forms drawn from nature. It was Gaudi’s last work of civic architecture and represented a break with the conventions of his day.

Exterior of the Casa Milà – La Pedrera

Entry

Staircase

Attic

Rooftop

Apartment – Photos: stephaniestorey.com

Gaudi Bedroom – Wikimedia – Jaume Meneses

Atrium

La Sagrada Familia:

The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, otherwise known as La Sagrada Família, is a church under construction in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world. Designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926), in 2005 his work on Sagrada Família was added to an existing (1984) UNESCO World Heritage Site, “Works of Antoni Gaudí”. On November 7, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI consecrated the church and proclaimed it a minor basilica.

1) The Exterior:

The following is a 3-D idealized view of what the exterior will look like in 2026.

Idealized view of exterior in 2026 – Photo: designboom.com

2) The Nativity Facade:

The Nativity Façade (Eastern façade) – this is the unique part of the temple directly built by Gaudí – When Gaudí died in 1926 only the tower of San Barnabas was totally finished and the other three very much advanced – This façade has been recently declared WORLD HERITAGE by UNESCO.

The Nativity Facade – Photo: X

Four Spires dedicated to the Apostles – Wikimedia – Enric

Colorful leaves and bugs on the doors – Photo: Pinterest

3) Atrium:

Atrium – Photo: foundtheworld.com

4) Interior:

Nave’s roof – Photo: isango.com

Windows – Photo: Pinterest

More Windows

Altar – Wikimedia – Eseldeclase

5) Glory Doors:

This bronze door – emblazoned with the Lord’s Prayer in Catalan, is surrounded by “Give us this daily bread” in 50 languages.

Glory Doors – Wikimedia – Canaan

6) Passion Facade:

Passion Facade

Exterior Doors on the Passion Facade

7) School:

Gaudí erected this school for the children and workers building the Church.

School – Wikimedia – Dvdgmz

8) Museum:

There are various plaster models of the La Sagrada Familia in the museum.

Museum – Photo: headout.com

Casa Batlló – The House of the Dragon:

The Casa Batlló is known as the “House of the Dragon” because of its symbolic references to the legend of Saint George and the dragon.

Exterior

Rooftop

Atrium

Fireplace – Photo: PInterest

Attic or Loft

Staircase

Staircase to second floor

Skylight at top of the stairs

Living Room

Entry and ceiling to Living Room

Dining Room – Entry to Courtyard

Courtyard – Photo: casabatllo.es

Mosaic

Casa Vicens:

Casa Vicens is a modernist building situated in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona. It is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí and is considered to be his first major project.

Casa Vicens

Park Güell:

Park Güell is one of Antoni Gaudí’s most emblematic works and one of the most visited spaces in Barcelona. Admired for its architectural, historical and landscape value, it was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1984.

Funded by his frequent benefactor Eusebi Güell, Gaudí intended this 30-acre garden to be a 60-residence housing project – a kind of gated community. Only two houses were built, neither designed by Gaudí – the structures are now home to the Gaudí House Museum (Gaudí lived here for a time) and Casas Trias (interior not open to the public).

1) Gaudi House Museum:

Gaudi House Museum

Simply finished rooms

Gardens

2) The Park:

Passages in the park

Portico of the Washerwoman (Pórtico de la Lavandera)

Porter’s Lodge

Monumental Flight of Stairs

View from the top of the stairs

Hipostyle Room (Sala Hipòstila)

Resting at the top of the park

Arenas de Barcelona (Bullring Mall/Restaurants):

The Arenas de Barcelona is a grand Neo-Moorish Modernista Plaza de Toros which functioned as an arena for bullfighters from around 1900 to 1977 – sat empty for decades – then reopened in 2011 as a mall with several restaurants (inside and on the adjoining streets).

Arenas de Barcelona

Rooftop Restaurante Japonés Watatsumi

View of Placa d’Espanya from rooftop

View of Woman and Bird by Joan Miró in Parque Joan Miró from rooftop

Plaça de Catalunya:

Plaça de Catalunya is a large square in central Barcelona that is generally considered to be both its city centre and the place where the old city and the 19th century-built Eixample meet.

Plaça de Catalunya aerial view – Wikimedia – Tango7174

Monument to Francesc Macià – former president who declare independence (didn’t quite work)

La Deessa by Josep Clara

Fountain

Pigeons

Eight stone statues of Plaça de Catalunya

Allegorical statue of Barcelona from Frederic Mares

El Barri Gòtic Self-Guided Walk:

Avinguda del Portal de l’Angel pedestrianized street

4 Gats Restaurant

Saint Anne’s Fountain

Casa de l’Ardiaca – Plaça Nova (Cathedral in background)

Bishops Palace – Plaça Nova

Aqueduct – Plaça Nova

Catalan College of Architects – Frieze by Pablo Picasso – Plaça Nova

Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

Museo Diocesano de Barcelona

Palau Episcopal de Barcelona

Entrance to Casa de l’Ardiaca – Photo: travelsinformer.com

Carved mail slot by the 19th Century Modernista architect Lluis Domènech i Montaner
– Photo: Pinterest

Casa de l’Ardiaca

Capella de Santa Llúcia

Monument to the Martyrs of Independence

Plaça Sant Felip Neri

Side Street

Art Escudellers

Santa Eulàlia Shrine

Sabater Hermanos artisanal soap shop

Caelum – sells many different types of cookies from different monasteries and convents in Barcelona

Dried Meat Shop

Jewish Quarter

Palace de la Generalitat and St. George and the Dragon – Plaça de Sant Jaume

Barcelona City Hall (Casa de la Ciutat) – “Jaume el Conqueridor” – Plaça de Sant Jaume

Ponte del Bisbe

Church of Santa Maria del Mar

La Vinya del Senyor Wine Bar

Museu Picasso (Picasso Museum):

The Museu Picasso is an art museum in Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It houses an extensive collection of artworks by the twentieth-century Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, with a total of 4,251 of his works.

Museu Picasso (Picasso Museum)

Picasso’s first big work, First Communion, features a prescribed religious subject, but Pablo makes it an excuse to paint his family – His sister Lola is the model for the communicant, and the features of the man beside her belong to Picasso’s father.

First Communion by Pablo Picasso

Another early work is a portrait of his mother.

Portrait of his mother – Pablo Picasso

In the large, classically painted Science and Charity (1897), Picasso conveys the real feeling typical of the social realism movement of the late 19th Century – The doctor represents science – The nun represents charity and religion – From her hopeless face and lifeless hand, it seems that Picasso believes nothing will save this woman from death.

Science and Charity – Pablo Picasso

His mimicry learned there is shown in a nearly perfect copy of a Portrait of Philip IV by the earlier Spanish master Diego Velázquez.

Portrait of Philip IV – Pablo Picasso

He painted this self-portrait in 1896 at the age of 25.

Self Portrait – Pablo Picassso – 1896 (age 25)

Art Nouveau is all the rage in Barcelona when Pablo returns there in 1900 – Upsetting his dad, he quits art school and falls in with the avant-garde crowd – These bohemians congregate daily at the Els Quatre Gats (“The Four Cats”, a popular restaurant to this day) – Picasso even created the menu cover for this favorite hangout.

Menu Cover – 4 Gats – Pablo Picasso

Further establishing his artistic freedom, he paints portraits of his new friends (including one of Jaume Sabartés, who later became his personal assistant and donated the foundational works of this Museum).

Portrait of Jaume Sabartés – Pablo Picasso

Picasso travels to Paris several times (he settles there permanently in 1904) – The suicide of his best friend, his own poverty, and the influence of new ideas linking color and mood lead Picasso to abandon the jewel-bright color for his Blue Period (1901-1904).

The Old Guitarist – Pablo Picasso

Picasso is finally lifted out his funk after meeting a new lady, Fernande Olivier – He moves out of the Blue and into the happier Rose Period (1904-1907).

Portrait of Fernande Olivier – Pablo Picasso

Picasso spent six months back in Barcelona in 1917 (yet another girlfriend, a Russian ballet dancer, had a gig in town) – the paintings in this room demonstrate the artist’s irrepressible versatility. He’s already developed Cubism (with his friend Georges Braque), but he continues to play with other styles.

New Styles – Pablo Picasso

Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music):

Seats 2,200 + spectators – amazing example of art nouveau architecture – hosts over 600 shows per year – has a 500,000 + annual attendance.

Palau de la Música Catalana (Palace of Catalan Music)

Nearby statue of Carmela by Jaume Plensa

Montjuïc Castle:

Montjuïc Castle is an old military fortress, with roots dating back from 1640, built on top of Montjuïc hill in Barcelona.

Montjuïc Castle

Fundació Joan Miró (Foundation of Joan Miró):

The Fundació Joan Miró is a modern art museum honoring the life and work of the Spanish artist Joan Miró, located on the hill called Montjuïc in Barcelona.