DAY 1: BARCELONA, SPAIN! Barcelona is a city in Spain. It is the capital city of Catalonia, which is a section of Spain. Barcelona is on the Mediterranean coast. The city is between two rivers, and south of the Pyrenees mountains. In 1992 Barcelona organised the Summer Olympic Games. It was a great opportunity to improve the city. This event is considered to have been one of the most important ever for the city of Barcelona. Because of the Olympics, many new parks were opened and other significant changes to the city were made. One example is opening new beaches on the beautiful Mediterranean. Barcelona is known for its incredible architecture and is the second most populated city in Spain.
DAY 2: Antoni Gaudi Antoni Gaudi was Barcelona’s most famous architect, and seven of his works have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. He got his architectural degree in 1878, and preferred to build 3D models of what he was building, rather than make standard architectural drawings. He began building the La Sagrada Familia in 1882, but it has never been completed and is still under construction. Like all of Gaudi’s works, this unique cathedral has an organic architectural look – as opposed to the angular look of most other architectural works worldwide. The La Sagrada Familia is the top tourist destination in Barcelona. Gaudi's nickname was God’s Architect, as his works included many religious images. Today's video shows us 5 of Gaudi's most famous structures. Tomorrow we will visit La Sagrada Familia.
DAY 3: LA SAGRADA FAMILIA If you have time for only one sightseeing outing in Barcelona, this should be it. La Sagrada Família amazes by its sheer height and has been under construction after more than 100 years. When completed, the highest tower will be more than half as high again as those that stand today. La Sagrada Familia is the most visited monument in Spain.
Gaudí gave his towers swelling outlines inspired by the weird peaks of the mountain Montserrat outside Barcelona, and encrusted the towers with a tangle of sculpture that seems an outgrowth of the stone. The roof is held up by a forest of extraordinary angled pillars. As the pillars soar towards the ceiling, they sprout a web of supporting branches, creating the effect of a forest canopy. Gaudí disliked straight lines and angles because they don't often appear naturally. Instead, he based his design on the swirling curves of nature. The holy place was built to be seen from all points of the city. It has glass mosaics at its highest points, which when reflected by sun or moonlight act as beacons to guide seafarers home. Today's video shows a speeded-up version of what is being built now and in the future to complete Gaudi's vision.
DAY 4: THE MAN-MADE BEACHES OF BARCELONA There were no beaches in Barcelona until 1992. The seaside of Barcelona was full of local industries up until the city decided to host the Olympic Games. Thanks to this, one can now find several beaches. Barcelona's beaches were listed as number one of the top ten beach cities in the world, according to National Geographic and Discovery Channel. Barcelona has seven beaches along the beautiful coastline of the Mediterranean. Around this area, are the city's most expensive restaurants and hotels.
DAY 5: THE PICASSO MUSEUM Picasso considered Barcelona his home. He spent many years there experimenting with his art, so of course it is here we find a museum dedicated to just that! The setting alone, in five side by side medieval stone mansions, makes the Museu Picasso unique. The pretty courtyards, galleries and staircases are as delightful as the collection inside. The collection concentrates on the artist’s formative years – sometimes disappointing those thinking they will see his better-known later works; those are found mostly in Paris. However, there is enough Picasso artwork to give a thorough impression of the Picasso's genius. After a visit to the museum, you will come away feeling that Picasso was the true original, always one step ahead of himself and of his fellow artist, in his continuing search for new forms of expression.
