In April 2024, we had planned for a big family trip to Spain. We were six of us, two flying in from the US and four from India. We were all excited about it as none of us had ever been to Spain before. Our main focus would be Andalucia in southern Spain along with Barcelona and Madrid, the two biggest cities.
Our starting point was Barcelona. Our flight landed in the evening at around 4 PM and took a cab to our Airbnb called Deco Apartments Sants/Fira near Montjuïc hill area. That evening, we rested and caught up on Family news.
Montjuïc Hill
The next day was a Sunday. In the afternoon, we walked up to Montjuïc hill which was very close to our place. This Hill has some stunning views, fortifications and beautiful parks and is a great place to spend the day.
We climbed up a grand staircase flanked by fountains and approached the The Palau Nacional building which sits prominently at the top of Montjuïc. It houses the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), which has the most important collection of Catalan art in the world.
We then took the cable car to go up to the Montjuïc Castle which is a 17th-century fortress and has panoramic views of Barcelona and its harbor. This castle has been a military fortification, prison, and site of political executions, especially during the Spanish Civil War and is a symbol of Catalonia’s struggles and resilience.
At the bottom of the hill, close to the Magic Fountain and the Palau Nacional, we stopped to admire the Four Columns (Les Quatre Columnes) which represents the four red stripes of the Catalan flag and a powerful emblem of Catalan culture and pride. After a pleasant stroll in the warm summer evening, we went back to our apartment.
That evening, we had a taste of our first Paella at Bona Sort restaurant, a Tapas bar opposite our apartment. It was delicious and we scraped every bit of it from the pan!
The Markets and the Gothic Quarters
The next day morning, we went to explore the Ciutat Vella or District 1 which is the Old City area of Barcelona. We started from Mercat de la Boqueria, one of Barcelona’s most famous and vibrant public markets. This is an indoor market which had amazing shops with fresh produce, meats, seafood, cheeses, spices, and a wide variety of local and international foods.
The market’s origins date back to 1217, initially as an open-air market near the city gates and the current market building was inaugurated in 1836. From the market, after sampling some delightful sea food and Tapas, we walked over to the Gothic Quarter and spent the rest of the afternoon there.
The Gothic Quarter (Barri Gòtic) is the historic heart of Barcelona’s old city and is a labyrinth of narrow, twisting medieval streets with a rich layering of history dating back to the Roman settlement of Barcino around 133 BC. We saw many Gothic buildings all around with the impressive Barcelona Cathedral dominating the quarter.
After the Gothic quarters, we took the underground to go to to the Basílica de la Sagrada Família. It was a little disappointing after all the hype about this modern Cathedral and we felt that it didn’t live up to its expectation. We however didn’t go inside the Cathedral, maybe that would have been more impressive.
The Basilica itself is located in the Eixample district which was designed in the mid-19th century to expand the city beyond its historic walls. This district has a unique grid pattern with wide streets, chamfered (rounded) corners for better visibility, and interior blocks that originally included gardens to improve ventilation and sunlight. The plan prioritized health and ventilation and set a precedent for modern urbanism.
In the evening, we had our dinner at Portonovo Silvestre restaurant near our apartment and tried out the Paella (again!) before retiring for the evening. It was a fulfilling and tiring day for all of us. Tomorrow would be a day outing to a coastal town near Barcelona called Tossa De Mar.
Ciutadella Park and Tossa De Mar
In the morning, we went to Ciutadella Park to catch a bus to Tossa de Mar. The park is a green space in the heart of the city’s old district. Since we had some time, we spent some time in the park.
Originally built in the 18th century as a military fortress by order of King Philip V after the War of the Spanish Succession, the fortress became a symbol of control and repression and in 1869, under General Prim, the fortress was largely demolished to create the public park.
At the heart of the park, is a spectacular fountain inspired by Rome’s Trevi Fountain and designed by architect Josep Fontsère with contributions by a young Antoni Gaudí, who engineered its water system. The fountain features mythological sculptures, including winged dragons and a statue of Venus. There are extensive open spaces, a lake and many museums around the park.
The bus station was near the park and from there we boarded the bus to Tossa De Mar which was approximately 100 Kms away, north of Barcelona.
Tossa de Mar is a picturesque coastal town located on the Costa Brava (wild coast) in Catalonia. This town dates back to the the Neolithic period, with evidence of Iberian settlements during the 4th century BC and Roman settlements in the 1st century AD. In the 12th century, the town was fortified with walls and a castle atop Mount Guardí to defend against pirates and invaders. This fortress area, now called Vila Vella (Old Town), is uniquely preserved as the only remaining fortified medieval town on the Catalan coast.
On reaching the town, we walked up to the Castle and then down to the Old Town area to explore its narrow cobbled streets, medieval walls, and towers. Nearby are sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, surrounded by rugged coves which are great for hiking along scenic trails.
On the road to the Castle top, is a statue of Ava Gardner, the famous American actress who visited Tossa de Mar in 1951 during the filming of the movie Pandora and the Flying Dutchman.
After a day well spent in Tossa Del Mar, we boarded the bus along the scenic route to Barcelona and reached our place late in the evening. The next day, we would be boarding a flight to Malaga, our next stop in Spain.
We went down the memory lane again reading your article!
lovely! relieved Barcelona again.