Barcelona Sightseeing! – Wedding Stories
Barcelona Sightseeing
Barcelona sightseeing! A great thing about organizing your wedding in (or nearby) Barcelona is that you don’t need to worry at all about entertaining your wedding guests. Barcelona has so many sightseeing options, it’s impossible to get bored. Provide your wedding guests with a city map and some tips regarding the must-sees or organize a (private) Barcelona sightseeing tour. Three of the most popular sights are listed below.
——–Casa Batllo———
This building was owned by the well-known textile industrialist and important businessman Josep Batllo. He felt the need to stand out from the crowd and decided it was time for some serious refurbishment. In order to realise this project, he contacted the one who was different and innovative, the man of the hour: Antonio Gaudi. He really went all-in with the design of this building located on the famous shopping street Passeig de Gracia. As if taken from the Grimm Brother’s famous Hansel and Gretel, this is Art Nouveau in the absolute broadest sense of the word. Decorated with mosaic in shiny shades of golden orange moving into greenish blue, this building seems to resemble a dinosaur or a mythical dragon.
Casa Batllo houses a gallery, four floors and an amazing roof terrace and this UNESCO World Heritage Site (2005) is definitely worth the visit.
——–Sagrada Familia——–
When the pope said Mass in fall 2010, the Sagrada Família was already 128 years in the making and it’s still unfinished(!). However, designed by Antoni Gaudi, this Roman Catholic Church remains way ahead of its time combining the styles of Gothic and Art Nouveau.
It is quite interesting to take a look at the exterior and notice how newly constructed stonework is clearly visible against the stained and weathered older sections. Rumor has it, that by the time the church is finished, the old parts are ready for renovation. Once inside, you can choose to take a lift that takes you all the way up of the towers. Needless to say that the view is breathtaking.
Gaudi was solemnly involved until his death in 1926. However, by that time, less than 25% of the construction was finished and thereafter seriously delayed by the Spanish Civil War and the fact that the progress of the construction mostly relied on private donations. But, to quote the master himself “My biggest client does not mind to wait” (the client being God so no need to rush).
———-Casa Mila or La Pedrera——-
Originally this building was the residence of Pere Mila and his family. He was a flamboyant developer who had a weak spot for everything contemporary. Inspired by Casa Batllo, he asked Gaudi to design this building especially for him (1906-1910). It became known as architecturally innovative for its steel structure and curtain walls, a private underground parking and lifts and staircases for the servants.
Although lacking colour, funnily enough the facade of the building might remind you of a collapsing wedding cake or a honeycomb. The building’s nickname La Pedrera means ‘The Quarry’. Apparently to a large crowd the exterior resembled a stone mining pit because of its cliff-like walls. In 1984 UNESCO declared the building World Heritage.
Today it is the headquarters of Fundacio Catalunya – La Pedrera and houses a cultural centre with different spaces for exhibitions and (wedding) events.
You can also visit the roof of La Pedrera with its extraordinary sculptures, chimneys and ventilations shafts. The chimneys seem to keep an eye on you behind their stone helmets.
*For unique and unforgettable barcelona sightseeing we recommend contacting BrightSide Tours: www.brightsidetours.com