Friday, April 4th, Barcelona
Our weather cleared up and it was time to get out and explore. Originally we thought we would take the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus, but decided to simply walk. As I mentioned earlier, the Barcelona Cathedral is only a couple of minutes walk from our doorstep. We had walked past it on our first day in town, but were too tired to go inside. Today we decided to take a look at the interior.
Barcelona Cathedral aka Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia
This is a gothic cathedral that was primarily constructed from the 13-15th century.
Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (Barcelona Cathedral)
“The cathedral is dedicated to Eulalia of Barcelona, co-patron saint of Barcelona, a young virgin who, according to Catholic tradition, suffered martyrdom during Roman times in the city.” ~ Wikipedia
St. Eulalia was only 13 years old when she was tortured for refusing to recant her Christianity. The 13 methods of torture are beyond barbaric (I guess that is really a crazy statement as any torture is barbaric) and included cutting off her breasts, putting her in a barrel that had knives stuck in it and rolling her down a hill and finally decapitation.
Today the cloister encloses the well of the geese where 13 geese are kept in her honor.
Barcelona Cathedral Interior
Rear interior
Choir seats with the coat-of-arms of the knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece
The crypt was closed when we were there so I am including a shot from the Internet to show you St. Eulalia’s final resting place.
Crypt of St Eulalia – (picture courtesy of Wikipedia)
Catalonia Square is considered to be the city center and where several key neighborhoods come together, including the old city (Barri Gotic) and the 19th century Eixample. It is also the starting point of La Rambla.
Fountain at Plaza de Catalunya
A tree lined boulevard running from Plaza de Catalunya to the Christopher Columbus Memorial (Mirador de Colon) and the waterfront of Port Vell. This tourist magnet has gotten a bad rap due to the crowds that swarm here during peak times as well as pick-pockets.
Sidewalk cafes, flower stalls, street artists, painted mimes and souvenir kiosks lined the central walkway. Patrons sat at tables drinking from glasses large enough to hold an entire bottle of wine.
La Rambla
Not too crowded today, we enjoyed our stroll the length of the street as the sun finally came out. Some notable buildings along the way included the Liceu Theater, the Museum of Erotica, the Palace of the Virreina, and La Boqueria Market.
La Boqueria
I think I could go into a diabetic coma just walking past this stall
Wow, wow, wow. A large public market, with an enormous variety to choose from, this place is a foodies’ dream. I could have spent 1/2 a day just roaming past the individual stalls.
Mirador de Colon (Columbus Monument)
At the foot of La Rambla where it meets up with the waterfront is an impressive monument to Christopher Columbus. But the story here is not the monument, but the VIEW. For 4.5 Euros you can take an elevator up to the observation platform where you can enjoy a magnificent 360 degree panorama of Barcelona.
La Rambla on the right
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Today I am grateful for my husband nudging me to go to the top of the Columbus Monument. The view was so worth it!
A Note From Abroad 
Oh gosh. I have tried to post this a few times so if you get duplicates please forgive me. ( my problem not a prob with your blog)
Such beautiful photos of Barcelona and the cathedral. Wow. Stunning. I hope you get a chance to see some of Gaudis work in the city. I loved the (for lack of an actual name for them) the alien looking head sculptures on top of a building! You will get some great photos up there and it’s probably already on your list of to dos! Have a great time and keep telling the stories. I love them..
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Ha, had to laugh at your “alien looking head sculptures on top of a building” description. Somehow I think Gaudi would be flattered and this has now become a must see. The hunt is on!
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You covered a lot in one day. The day we visited the Cathedral, there was a wedding going on and we joined in the crowd to celebrate the newlyweds as they made their exit. Just beautiful. Revisit the fountains at night – colors and music are mesmerizing. The full Gaudi tour is worth the time and don’t miss an opportunity to attend an acoustic guitar concert. Of course, the Sagrada Familia awaits…. I thoroughly enjoyed your beautiful photos and felt like I was back in Barcelona.
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Witnessing a wedding in this spectacular cathedral would be amazing. It would seem like a fairy tale or royal event. How lucky you were to be there at just he right time!
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