Gaudi, Gaudi Everywhere!

Every major city has a unique cultural icon that defines and shapes its image. Think of New York City and the Empire State Building comes immediately to mind. Picture Paris and elegant curves of the Eiffel Tower springs into view. Sydney has its Opera House and London, the clock face of Big Ben. When it comes to Barcelona, what other building, but the Sagrada Familiar encapsulates the spirit of this modern, relaxed city so precisely?

Barcelona is marked with the genius, spirit and architecture of its most famous son - Antonio Gaudy. His most famous work is the ongoing construction of Sagrada, but if you look good enough its brand is everywhere in Barcelona, on the flowery pavement tiles and spooky balconies, in parks and phantasm curves in window sills. Almost all of Gaudi's work is found in Barcelona, shaping the city with the creativity and energy of his buildings.

La Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familiar, or the Cathedral of the Holy Family, is different from all other cathedral you've seen before. Eighteen thin spire along the air, the four highest them from 90 to 112 meters high. The number has a religious meaning - it represents the twelve apostles, four evangelists, St. Matthew, St. John, St. Mark and St. Luke, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ. Long Way from stone wall Sagrada resembles not so much as a giant Sandcastle, a child's playboy adorned with glittering shards of beach-washed glass and shells.

Gaudy himself worked the main facade, which is dedicated to the theme of the Nativity Church. The facade shows biblical scenes and is peopled with life's big sculptures of birds, animals and children. Work on this incredible cathedral continues hundred years after its creation. Gaudy predicted that his greatest work will not be completed in his lifetime, just test it for the construction of medieval cathedrals that took generations to complete. "My client is in no Rush" he once famously said. La Sagrada is currently tipped to be completed in 2026, the year also marks the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death.

The interior of the Sagrada is unlike any cathedral, whether Romanesque, Gothic or medieval. White branches of organic trees festooned with flowers reach the soaring ceiling and vivid stained glass windows provide gloss and color for the walls. Gaudi's work is always informed of nature and space and grace of the Sagrada is a world away from the dark, muffled inside of other European cathedrals. Instead, Sagrada seems to celebrate the glory of natural forms and light.

The cathedral is open from 9 to 8, from April to September and from 9 to 6 October to March. On holidays, the Cathedral closes at 2nd Subcontracting costs € 11 and guided tours are € 15 Audio guides are available, along with a number of books and souvenirs from the bookstore. A trip up one of the dizzying towers of the Sagrada is worth the view of Barcelona's skyline, but prepared for the long queues, and the additional € 2 charge.

Casa Ballot

House of Bones, because this structure is known, is creamy gray skull-shaped balconies, spread across its facade. Previously a private residence, inside the Casa Ballot is covered in iridescent Cerulean, navy and cobalt tiles. Gaudy drew inspiration from the sea, this house, whirling back bone of a whale, undulating waves of water, fish gills and the graduated blues of the ocean to a staircase, ceiling, windows and atrium of Casa Ballot. On the rooftop is St George and the Dragon, with twists, dragon-claw chimneys and billowing kite back, in white tiles of red, green and yellow.

Casa Ballot is open from 9 to 8 on most days, and the entrance fee of € 16.50 includes an audio guide, useful to get an understanding of how Gaudi's genius sprang from natural inspiration for the practical application.

Casa Mila

In the early 1900s, Gaudi was commissioned to build a private dwelling for a local businessman. Casa Mila or La Pedrera, "The Quarry", which is better known as, is a curved, bone white building standing sentinel a few blocks away from Casa Batllo. Elaborate wrought-iron balconies weaving across the facade, and its entrails meander through the top floor flat and attic. The most popular part of the house is taken, with its huge chimneys, resembling medieval knights.

In summer, from mid June to early July, La Pedrera is open Friday and Saturday evening reservations to listen to live music and sipping champagne Catalan. The roof is turned into a creepy, out of this world fashion and the night sky in Barcelona from here is worth a visit. Normal visiting hours are from 10 to 8, and admission costs € 8

Parque Guell

If the hustle and bustle of Barcelona's streets are heaving a bit too much, pack a book and a snack, and then take the Park Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage site located on the outskirts of town. Dotted with colorful mosaics and awash with spectacular views, this is a Fantasyland in a park.

At the entrance, guards Gaudi mosaic lizard trencadis the two staircases leading up to a large square. Checkered in blue and green tiles, he welcomes visitors with a jaunty as he yawns bask in the sun. The park was originally commissioned as a garden city of Count Eusebio Guell, after whom it takes its name. The architecture here is bizarre and playful, again drawing on Gaudi's love of nature. Giant decorative lizards drape themselves across the stone serpents slither across a decorative wall and the overhanging Hall of Columns play tricks on the mind's eye. Park pavilions seem to come straight from a fairy tale, covered with bright tiles and cotton candy spire that looks good enough to eat. Admission here is free, just bring a good pair of shoes and a healthy dose of innate playfulness and your own imagination.