Barcelona, worth knowing.

Fun facts about Barcelona

1. 1On 23 April, Barcelona celebrates Sant Jordi by swapping books and roses with the people it loves. Book and flower stalls pop up all over the city, from La Rambla to Passeig de Gràcia.Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona; Spain.info
2. 2That dreamy Gothic bridge over Carrer del Bisbe looks medieval, but it was built in 1928. Joan Rubió, a disciple of Gaudí, designed it in neo-Gothic style.Source: Generalitat de Catalunya; Wikipedia
3. 3The Columbus statue at the bottom of La Rambla isn't pointing at America: he's pointing out to sea. A tiny lift inside the column, Barcelona's first, takes you up to a viewpoint at his feet.Source: Barcelona Turisme; Barcelona With Marta
4. 4Look at any Eixample crossroads: Cerdà's plan shaved the corners off the blocks, turning the grid into octagons. Every intersection widens out for more air and better visibility.Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona; Wikipedia
5. 5There's a life-size concrete mammoth in Parc de la Ciutadella. It was meant to be the first of a whole set of prehistoric animals, but it ended up the only one ever built.Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona; Barcelona Lowdown

Things to do in Barcelona

• ◦Park Güell was planned as a luxury housing estate with 60 plots, and the rules said no house could block the sea view. Only two houses were ever built, and Gaudí moved into one.Source: Park Güell; Wikipedia
• ◦Casa Batlló's roof is a wave of colourful, scale-like tiles shaped like a dragon's back, and the cross on top is said to be Saint George's blade. Catalonia's dragon legend, built into a house.Source: Casa Batlló; Wikipedia
• ◦In Plaça Reial, look up at the six-armed lampposts. A young Gaudí designed them for the City Council, and each is crowned with Mercury's winged helmet and snakes, a nod to Barcelona's trading past.Source: Casa Batlló; Fundación Antoni Gaudí
• ◦Watch castellers build human towers up to ten storeys high in Plaça de Sant Jaume during La Mercè in September. A crowd called the pinya holds the base while gralla music sets the rhythm.Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona; UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
• ◦Ride the Montjuïc cable car 752 metres up to the castle, spotting the Sagrada Família and the port from your cabin. On the way down, hop off at the Mirador stop for gardens and views.Source: Telefèric de Montjuïc; TMB
• ◦Catch the Magic Fountain at the foot of Montjuïc, built for the 1929 Expo. Freshly renovated with new LED lights, it dances water, coloured light and music together on show nights.Source: Ajuntament de Barcelona; Catalan News

Questions to bring to Barcelona

From Sojourn's journeys. Ask one over a long dinner or on a slow walk, and let the place do some of the work.

Going together

• When do you feel most like yourself?
• What does rest actually look like for you?
• What is one thing you wish we did more of?

Going solo

• What is the first thing this place is showing you that you didn't expect?
• What does this version of you know that the home version tends to forget?

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