Hi friends!
I started my morning by sleeping in and getting some coffee with a few girls from my apartment. We didn’t have to meet up until 2 pm this afternoon, so I made myself some food before heading to La Sagrada Familia. It was a quick Metro ride to the church that afternoon.
Walking out of the Metro station and being at the base of the church was an incredible sight. We had been warned of pick-pocketers in this area so I was really trying to stay conscious of my surroundings while looking at the beautiful facade of the church. Once we met with our tour guide we were able to get in line and get set up with our headphones for the group tour.
We started outside at the Nativity Facade, which is one of the side entrances to the church. There and statues of The Holy Family and of Jesus’s young life. The doors at this entrance were created by a Japanese artist and they resemble nature, one of the leading inspirations for Antoni Gaudi, the artist who designed the majority of the church. We then headed inside the church and I immediately had the chills and my eyes were watering. I will never forget that feeling and don’t know what words I would use to describe it.
Inside the church is full of bright colors from the stained glass windows. The way the church was constructed was meant to have a lot of natural sunlight shine in through many different directions. Gaudi was very specific with his construction; every measurement and object had an intention and a bigger meaning. We then headed out to the other side to see the Passion Facade which has the Stations of the Cross. I wish I had more opportunity to gaze up at the amazing architecture that was higher above our heads. There are so many details I could have spent many more hours there just taking it all in.
After visiting La Sagrada Familia we bused up the hill to Park Guell, a park also designed by Antoni Gaudi. It was originally created to be a gated community for 60 families who prioritized health in their life. Unfortunately, they were unable to go through with the whole project and decided to continue making it a park anyway. Gaudi used many recycled and sustainable materials, such as glass, broken ceramics, and local greenery. I loved walking through the park and taking in the vast views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean Sea. Our tour guide shared some really interesting stories about how the park came about and the way it was constructed.
We went home and rested after a long day of walking and learning about some amazing places in Barcelona. A few of us decided to try a restaurant that Robin and Theresa went to the first two nights we were here. We thought if they went twice, it must be good! We enjoyed some tapas and sangria and continued a chill night at home afterward.