Barcelona, Spain Sunday 5/3/26 Day 7
Today was the last stop of our fabulous Viking Western Med cruise. We docked in Barcelona this morning for an overnight stay. Barcelona is a beautiful city full of fascinating architecture thanks to Antoni Gaudi, designer of the famous Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família, or simply the Sagrada Familia, which translates to Sacred Family.
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, and is also a major cultural, financial, tech, education, and tourist destination. It boasts high end shopping, lively neighborhoods, an active nightlife scene, and a gondola that takes you from one side of the city to the other in just a few minutes. It is also the busiest passenger port in Europe.
Our included walking tour took us to the famous Basilica, which began construction in 1882, and is not yet finished. It was consecrated as a minor basilica in 2010 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
We were not able to go inside, as that would have required a ticket purchased well in advance, and well, we just didn’t plan that far in advance. Construction began under architect Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, and when he passed away, Gaudi was chosen as his successor. This decision completely changed the design and outcome of the project. Construction was supposed to be completed in 2026, the 100th anniversary of Gaudi’s death, but the locals have been placing bets at the final completion date for decades. It finally became the tallest church in the world in 2025 when the central tower with a 3D cross was put into place.
While we can appreciate beautiful works of art and architecture, I have to say we found it oddly fascinating, and I suppose that was the point. With a mix of Gothic, Art Nouveau, and Modernism, it’s difficult to tell exactly what is happening here. There is what appears to be a Christmas tree above the east entrance, and what looks like ice cream cones topped with candies and fruit along the sides. The whole thing looks like it is melting, and is almost cartoonish. The series of uniquely shaped spires are fascinating, and more are planned for a total of 18. At 172.5 meters, it is just 1/2 meter shy of the height of nearby Montjuïc Hill, as Gaudi did not think the building should be taller than what God made, according to our guide. Our guide showed us some photos of the inside, and it is just as oddly fascinating.
Our tour also took us past other Gaudi designed buildings, the Arc de Triomf (so many cites have one it seems), and the Columbus Monument to the man who “discovered” the Americas (even though the Vikings were here 500 years before Columbus, aaaaaand .…you can’t really discover something that thousands of people already knew about since they lived there).
We saw the building where the headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition were once located. We were definitely expecting the Spanish Inquisition. It is now a museum. We also visited the Grand Royal Palace, and the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, before breaking off from the group to make our way down La Rambla, Barcelona’s iconic tree lined shopping street. We found a place in Plaça Reial in the Gothic Quarter for some fabulous tapas and Sangria before heading back to the ship.
Back on the ship, we headed to the Explorer’s Lounge for our last evening with fabulous friends and great music from the guitarist and singer Michael. We also handed out our extra tips to the staff who had made our voyage extra fun (we always prepay the recommended gratuities). We finally threw all our clothes into our bags and went to bed at midnight, knowing we had to be up by 6 am to vacate our cabin and get to the airport. We are sitting in the Barcelona airport now, and not looking forward to the three legs it will take to get home, but we’ll be happy to see our pups and kitties and sleep in our own bed tonight.
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