Barcelona
Buenos días niños e bienvenidos a Barcellona!
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sagrada familia
parc güell casa de les punxes casa batlló casa milà (la pedrera)
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ITINERARY - 1
Our first day begins inside a genuine fairy-tale park, where we will search for a number of bizarre animals. From here, we will ride the bus until we reach the Eixample district and start our walk along the Ruta del Modernisme, a path that follows the city's most extravagant architectural wonders. Finally, the last stop: a cathedral that is also a forest, so magical that it can be seen from all over Barcelona.
• A heroic name
According to an ancient legend, Hercules, the famous hero and son of Zeus who was known for his strength, was sailing along the Catalan coast when the ninth ship in his fleet was lost in a storm.
THE SHIP WAS LATER FOUND AT THE FOOT OF A HILL, IN A PLACE SO BEAUTIFUL THAT HE DECIDED TO FOUND A CITY THERE CALLED "NINTH SHIP" OR… BARCANONA!
• The path of red tiles
The MODERNISME itinerary is a route that explores all the sites characterized by an extravagant and unique architectural style. The path can be identified by a series of small, round, red tiles engraved with el panot de flor , the Barcelona Rose.
the legendary ship of hercules
one of the red tiles
PARC GÜELL
Would you like to start exploring the city from one of its best fairy-tale settings?
Parc Güell is an extraordinary park spread across Carmel Hill where everything has a bizarre appearance: benches, staircases, statues, and even houses – all seem to have fallen straight out of a fairy tale.
• The count’s dream
Over a century ago, a noble businessman by the name of Eusebi Güell entrusted the construction of the park to the brilliant and extravagant architect ANTONI GAUDÍ. Count Güell had a dream: to create a large garden-village, away from the bustle of the city. Unfortunately, the project was never finished and only three of the sixty houses planned were built, but as you can see, the result is still maravilloso!
• Shall we go looking for animals?
One especially FUN part of the park is discovering all the animals that inhabit it. Look for the snakes, lions, octopuses, and bears hidden around the stairs and fountains, on the roofs, among the gargoyles, and along the balconies. The most famous of these has become the SYMBOL OF BARCELONA: el Drac , a colorful salamander over six and a half feet (two meters) long, enthroned upon one of the fountains of the beautiful monumental staircase.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? DOES IT LOOK A BIT LIKE ME?
• When something breaks, don't throw it away
The salamander, like the long wavy bench in Plaza de la Naturaleza and many other works by GAUDÍ, is decorated with a technique called trencadís , which consists of covering surfaces with small fragments of recycled ceramics. How many teacups do you think they had to break to cover it all?
IF YOU ARE CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THIS IMAGINATIVE ARCHITECT AND HIS WORKS, JUST TURN THE PAGE!
let's discover some other curiosidades about the sagrada familia!
• Distinguishing features: still under construction
After almost a century and a half, work is still in progress to build the Sagrada Familia. It is said that Gaudí, who was a fervent Catholic, was referring to God when he insisted: “My client is in no hurry!"
• Mother Nature
Inspired by the beloved nature of the small village where he spent his summers as a child, the young artist designed this church like a forest made of many tree-shaped columns with branches supporting the structure.
LOOK CLOSELY AT EACH DETAIL, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT EVERYTHING SOMEHOW RECALLS THE NATURAL KINGDOM OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS.
• A fatal accident
One terrible day in 1926, Gaudí was hit by tram number 30 as he crossed the road, distracted after a day of work. Unfortunately, his injuries were so severe that he died three days later in the hospital. He was seventy-four years old.
Take a good look at the map and vamos!
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la boqueria
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the cathedral of barcelona
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la rambla
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palau güell
tapas and...
ITINERARY - 2
Today we will walk along the famous Rambla, the tree-lined avenue that divides the Raval neighborhoods from the Gothic Quarter . We will drink from a magic fountain, learn what big-bellied geese are doing inside a church, eat tapas in Barcelona's most colorful market, and finally climb onto a fabulous roof to find a… Catalan sheepdog!
¿ESTASLISTO?
• It’s time for tapas!
One particularly delicious Spanish tradition is ir de tapas , which means going from place to place and eating small servings of tasty SPANISH SPECIALTIES. There is an infinite variety of these delicious snacks, including meat, fish, eggs, potatoes, ham, salami, and cheese.
• A glass with a lid, porfavor
According to an old legend, the tapas tradition was born over two centuries ago, when an innkeeper had the idea of covering a customer’s glass with a slice of ham to keep flies out of it! This idea spread quickly until it became normal for all drinks to be served with one (or more!) “lids”!
... a glass with a lid!
the legend of saint george
Long ago, according to an ancient legend, a distant ancestor of mine (the black sheep of the family) terrorized the inhabitants of a small town in Catalonia. In an attempt to appease the dragon, each day a citizen was randomly selected to be his, uh, dinner. One day, this unlucky fate fell to the princess herself, but a brave knight appeared just in time. He drew his sword and (help!) killed the dragon. The legend also says that roses blossomed from the animal’s blood and that Saint George gave one to the princess.
• Roses and books
Every spring, on Diada de Sant Jordi, the city celebrates its patron saint with a special day when it is traditional to give each other roses and… books!
THIS IS BECAUSE APRIL 23 IS ALSO EL DIA MUNDIAL DEL LIBRO!
• Hunting for clues
Gaudí loved this legend and “hid” it among many of his projects. For example, the balconies of Casa Batlló represent the BONES of the dragon's many victims, while the roof tiles look like SCALES and the four-armed cross is the sword as it pierces the beast.
LA BOQUERIA
Vamos a visitar one of the biggest mercados in Catalonia!
A few centuries ago, street vendors and peasants gathered to sell their goods outside the walls of Barcelona so they wouldn't have to pay taxes. As the centuries passed, this open-air market became more and more important until a structure was finally created to cover it. Today, La Boqueria is home to more than 300 stalls selling traditional products along with a wide range of delicacies: olives, cheeses, spices, mountains of fruit, pastries, and eggs of all colors and sizes!
• Why is it called Boqueria?
According to an old legend, the gateway to the city was so beautiful that people walking past would be left aboquiabertos , which means open-mouthed!
In truth, the name more likely comes from the fact that carn de boc , or goat meat, was sold here.
• Me gustan las tapas!
Would you like to stop for some tapas?
I'm crazy about tortillas de patatas and patatas bravas , tasty roasted potatoes covered in spicy sauce.
russa(redpeppers)
Hola niños! Let’s head for ruta número tres!
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palau de la música catalana
picasso museum
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parc de la ciutadella
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basilica of santa maria del mar
calle de la moscas
ITINERARY - 3
Today we will spend the day exploring the famous Barrio de la Ribera, one of the most charming districts of the Old Town. We will listen to music inside an extraordinary garden of stone, enjoy the works of a famous Spanish painter, and discover some interesting details about the Gothic church of sailors. Finally, after a delicious snack in the kingdom of xocolata, we will relax in the city's largest park, which is inhabited by hundreds of parrots. But watch out… THERE'S ALSO A MAMMOTH!
• DistritosyBarrios
The city of Barcelona is divided into ten districts, each of which is divided into neighborhoods called barrios in Spanish. The oldest district is the Ciutat Vella (Old Town), formed by a network of fascinating and mysterious ALLEYS and lanes that were completely surrounded by walls until 1850.
• Watch out for flies!
Tucked away in the alleys of El Born, the northernmost part of the Ribera, is Barcelona’s narrowest street, Calle de la Moscas . This is where you could once enter the warehouses used for storing leftover food from the nearby MARKET so, um… you can imagine how it got its name!
DE LA CIUTADELLA
Now we'll cross the narrow streets of El Born to reach the largest park of the ciudad!
Built on the site of a former military fort, the Parc de la Ciutadella is a large GREEN OASIS where you can relax, play games, enjoy the many street performers, or have a delicious picnic. Among its many attractions are play areas, museums, a fabulous monumental waterfall, a castle, a greenhouse, and even a pond where you can rent rowboats for some extra fun.
I PREFER... UM... CLOUDS TO WATER — BUT YOU GO AHEAD. JUST WATCH OUT FOR DUCKS!
• The lady and the mammoth
Among the most amusing sculptures in the park, we find a mammoth and the Dama del Paraguas. The first is a life-size reconstruction of the elephant's large, extinct relative. The lady with the umbrella is a lovely statue perched above a fountain. She is so popular that she has become a symbol of the park.
DON'T LEAVE WITHOUT SAYING HELLO!
• The parakeets who love Barcelona
Some species of lovely little parrots, especially MONK PARAKEETS with their green feathers and yellow bellies, seem to have made Barcelona their home. Although they can be found pretty much everywhere, they are even easier to spot fluttering among the lawns and trees of the Ciutadella.
CAMP NOU
Just a few minutos on the green line and we reach the “home” of FC Barcelona!
CampNouis the largest stadium in Europe and one of the largest in the world. At 592,000 square feet (55,000 square meters), it can hold up to 99,350 spectators! Inaugurated in 1957, it was immediately named “the new stadium” because, well… IT REPLACED THE OLD ONE.
Visiting it is a truly exciting experience. The tour allows visitors to follow in the footsteps of real Barça players, from the locker room to the playing field, and ends with a small museum full of trophies and personal items from soccer legends such as Lionel Messi.
• The team colors
Do you know why Barça players and fans are called Blaugrana? Hint: in Catalan, blau means “blue” and grana means “dark red.”
TIBIDABO
To get there, first we take the metro, then the TibiBus, and al final the Firefly. Look at that view!
At just over 1,640 feet (500 meters) high, Tibidabo is a hill at the edge of Barcelona. It's the perfect place to relax, have a picnic, hike along nature trails, visit the large Gothic church, or enjoy a few hours of fun at Spain's oldest AMUSEMENT PARK .
• Aboard the Firefly
To reach the amusement park, just hop on the Cuca de llum (the Firefly), the new interactive funicular that transports visitors to the top of the hill.
• A park with a view
The Parc d'Atraccions Tibidabo has been open since 1899 and today combines modern attractions, such as a roller coaster, with the charm of old vintage rides, such as the Embruixabruixes monorail, the automaton collections, or the Avió , a flight simulator that is also a replica of the first plane to travel from Barcelona to Madrid in 1927!
ARE YOU BRAVE ENOUGH TO GIVE IT A TRY?
LABERINT D'HORTA
Back to the metro and away we fly to one of the most beautiful parks in Barcelona.
The Parc del Laberint d'Horta is a wonderful green oasis located north of the city center. In addition to temples, Greek sculptures, waterfalls, and streams, it also has some beautiful gardens, one of which is actually the oldest in Barcelona.
• The hedge maze
One of the most fascinating parts of the park is undoubtedly the extraordinary LABYRINTH. With walls made from skillfully trimmed cypress trees, this hedge maze invites visitors to venture into narrow passageways in search of the center, where a statue of Eros, God of love, awaits you surrounded by green arches.
THERE ARE FOUR ENTRANCES; HOW ABOUT WE SPLIT UP AND SEE WHO GETS THERE FIRST?
• What does “topiary” mean?
Why do TOPIARY artists need ladders?
Because their gardening is a cut above the rest! Hehe, just a little garden humor. But all joking aside, topiary art is a pruning technique that turns trees and shrubs into fun shapes, like animals, objects, or people. You can find some wonderful examples of this art in the BOXWOOD GARDEN.