Even amidst the brain fog that will drift into any 25-hour day it was unlikely we would forget we were in Barcelona last summer. And these bold metal letters near the Catedral de Barcelona were solid proof that our city amble was no dream. Rich with the Roman remnants of a 2000 year history, Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic) remains the heart of this lively Spanish city.
The ancient section is a labyrinth of narrow streets punctuated by courtyards and placas -larger squares that are hubs of activity and commerce. Our day’s exploration took us first through the Portal del Bisbe, a city entrance dating back to the time of Emperor Augustus.
From there we found the Placa del Rei and ambled on to the Placa St. Miguela. Eventually, at sunset. we arrived at the 15th century church Santa Maria del Pi where age-old histories infused the medieval architecture with a haunting sort of beauty that made the afternoon an almost otherworldly sort of experience. Next? Sushi, wine and balcony views of the next day’s explorations…
Updated from November 25, 2011.
Urban hiking is a good idea.
I would like to try and experience that.
Rainfield, I know you’d agree that exploring on foot is the best path to truly understanding one’s surroundings. In your rainforest or a woods, hiking is a given. In a city, it becomes a choice. I love the exercise. And of course, a slower pace means the opportunity to experience things you would easily miss with faster transportation!