The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc, Barcelona

We finished off our first day in Barcelona by experiencing the 'The Magic Fountain of Montjuïc'. It really is quite spectacular!

It was a bit hard to take photos because of a) the light, b) the water-spray, and c) the off-putting blaring pop music to which the multi-coloured fountains danced.

Here goes though:

Port Olimpic, Barcelona

I can't believe this is still our first day here in Barcelona, we have seen so much! (see older posts).

Anyway, towards 5pm we walked to the north beach and the area and port around the Olympic Village.

Barri Gòtic, Barcelona

The Gothic Quarter of Barcelona is a wonderful maze of narrow alley-ways, small squares, old churches, and intimate cafes. Some of the buildings are actually 1920's reconstructions or inventions, but the spirit of mediaeval and even Roman Barcelona permeates the quarter.

It also happens to have the only decent vegetarian restaurant we found in Spain, Vegetalia.

Casa Batlló and Casa Milà by Antoni Gaudí

Antoni Gaudí i Cornet is the most famous practitioner of the architectural style known as Catalan Modernism. It is an organic, neo-gothic style inspired by nature and with oriental influences that reached its peak at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century.

Two of the best buildings to see it are close together on Barcelona's Passeig de Gràcia, the Casa Batlló (1904-06) and Casa Milà (1905-10). Get in line early though if you want to look inside them.

Casa Batlló:

Casa Milà:

The Casa Amatller, Barcelona

Most tourists probably stroll up the Passeig de Gràcia to see the two buildings by Gaudi, but the Casa Amatller by Josep Puig i Cadafalch adjacent to Gaudi's Casa Batlló is just as interesting in its own way:

Passeig de Gràcia, Barcelona

The Passeig de Gràcia is the major shopping street in Barcelona, if you can afford it! It runs north-west from the top corner of Plaça de Catalunya, and is particularly notable for its architecture, especially the two buildings by Antoni Gaudi (see this later post).