viernes, 26 de diciembre de 2008

BARCELONA MEDIEVAL: GOTHIC QUARTER


El Gòtic ('Gothic Quarter' in Catalan; Spanish: Barrio Gótico), also known as Barri Gòtic, is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. The Barri Gòtic, in my opinion the most charming area in Barcelona, retains a labyrinthine street plan, with many small streets opening out into squares. Most of the quarter is closed to regular traffic although open to service vehicles and taxis.

Despite several changes undergone in the 19th and early 20th century, many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. El Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, is located within this area too.


Route I recommend through the Gothic Quarter:


1- El Portal de L'Angel and Restaurant "Els 4 gats"
2- Santa Anna Church
3- Plaça del Pi and Santa Maria del Pi
4- Aqueduct and Gate of the Roman City
5- Cathedral of Barcelona 
6- Casa de l'Ardiaca
7- Casa Canonges

8- Sant Felip Neri Square and Church
9- Plaça del Rei
10- Plaça de Sant Just and Sant Just i Pastor church
11- Plaça Sant Jaume
12- Palau de la Generalitat
13- Ajuntament (City Hall)
14- Plaça Reial

15- Church of Santa Maria del Mar

This route can begin walking along Portal de l'Angel Street (near La Plaça de Catalunya).


Portal De L'Angel



Portal del Angel in Barcelona Gothic Quarter
This point in the middle of Portal del Angel is only fifty meters far from the Catalonia Square and the Passeig de Gràcia. Together with the Passeig the Gràcia and Pelayo Street, Portal del Angel is one of the most crowded streets in Barcelona and an ideal place for shopping inside the Gothic Quarter


Two Restaurants in Gothic Quarter


Els Quatre Gats in the Gothic quarterEls Quatre Gats is a modernist restaurant located in the Gothic quarter, near El Portat del Angel


Amargòs Street in the Gothic quarterAmargòs Street is one of the typical streets of the Gothic quarter. At the end of this street there is an excellent restaurant where the meal is always delicious. Its name is Mercé i Vins and the address: C/ Amargòs 1


Santa Anna Gothic Church


Cloister of Santa Anna church in the Barcelona Gothic Quarter
Cloister of the lovely Santa Anna Gothic church, in Santa Anna Street


Roman City


Aqueduct and Gate of the Barcelona Roman CityAqueduct and Gate of the Roman City inside the Gothic Quarter


Cathedral

Gothic bell tower of Barcelona CathedralOne of the bell towers of Barcelona Cathedral, built in gothic style


Cathedral of Barcelona
The altar of Barcelona Cathedral


Gothic Cloister of Barcelona Cathedral
Gothic Cloister of Barcelona Cathedral


Casa de l'Ardiaca



Casa de l'Ardiaca in the Barcelona Gothic QuarterCasa de l'Ardiaca is a gothic house built on the Barcelona City wall


Carrer del Bisbe


Carrer del Bisbe inside the Barcelona Gothic Quarter
Carrer del Bisbe is a street which leads you from the Cathedral to the St Jaume square, where the City Hall is


Casa dels Canonges


Casa Canonges is a gothic palace near the cathedral
Casa Canonges is a beautiful gothic building near Barcelona Cathedral


Sant Felip Neri Square and Church



Sant Felip Neri square in the Barcelona Gothic QuarterSant Felip Neri is a lovely place in the Gothic Quarter


Sant Felip Neri church in the Barcelona Gothic QuarterMain facade of Sant Felip Neri church


Call Jueu (Jewish Quarter)

Jewish Quarter in Barcelona
Intersection of Sant Domènec del Call and Marlet, in the heart of the jewish quarter

Plaça del Rei


Plaça del Rei in Barcelona
Plaça del Rei square, located next to Barcelona Cathedral, is one of the more beautiful places inside the Gothic quarter



Santa Ágata chapel in BarcelonaSanta Ágata chapel is one of the gothic buildings you can see at Plaça del Rei


Santa Maria del Pi

Plaça del Pi and Santa Maria del Pi in Barcelona
Plaça del Pi and the gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi

Santa Maria del Pi gothic church
Main entrance to Santa Maria del Pi gothic church


Santa Maria del Pi gothic church in Barcelona
Inside the gothic church of Santa Maria del Pi, this is the view of the altar


Sant Just i Pastor Church and Square



Gothic church of Sant Just i Pastor in BarcelonaSant Just i Pastor main facade inside the Barcelona Gothic Quarter


Inside Sant Just i Pastor churchInside Sant Just i Pastor church, another nice gothic religious building in Barcelona


Sant Just square in the Barcelona Gothic QuarterIn front of the church, Sant Just square is another lovely place of the Barcelona Gothic Quarter


Palau de la Generalitat and Plaça Sant Jaume


Sant Jaume Square in BarcelonaSant Jaume Square with the Palau de la Generalitat on the left


Palau de la Generalitat in BarcelonaGeneralitat Palace at Sant Jaume Square


Barcelona City Hall and Sant Jaume Square


Barcelona City HallBarcelona City Hall

El Saló de Cent inside the City Hall of Barcelona
El Saló de Cent inside the City Hall of Barcelona



Plaça Reial

Plaça Reial in Barcelona
La Plaça Reial is one of the more lively places inside the Gothic Quarter


Santa Maria del Mar


Santa Maria del Mar gothic church in Barcelona
Church of Sta Maria del Mar, probably the most impressive and beautiful gothic church of Barcelona. Its construction is described in the best seller The Cathedral of the Sea (Ildefonso Falcones)


Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona
Inside Santa Maria del Mar church is really easy to realize the beauty of this gothic church



Santa Maria del Mar is a Gothic church but it doesn't belongs actually to the Gothic Quarter. It really belongs to the Born district, an animated quarter and an ideal place to have fun. I will shown some pictures of the Born in the next Post.

I hope you enjoyed this route. Other interesting routes in Barcelona are:




Besides, clicking on the next link you will find links to more beautiful and interesting places in Barcelona.




lunes, 15 de diciembre de 2008

BARCELONA: OLYMPIC VILLAGE AND BEACH


The Olympic Village is located near the beach and you can find it from every corner of Barcelona thanks to the Twin Towers, which has become a reference of the city since the Olympic Games in 1992. Next to these towers is the Olympic Marina, an interesting startpoint of a walk along the Barcelona promenade.


The two towers of the Olympic Village from the Alcaide viewpoint in Montjuïc


In the middle of the image, the Columbus column and, in the background, the two towers of the Olympic Village from the Miramar viewpoint in Montjuïc


The two towers of the Olympic Village view from Marina Avenue


A closer view of the twin towers, the Mapfre tower and El Hotel Arts, which changed the skyline of Barcelona



The twin towers from La Barceloneta, one of the most lively districts in Barcelona

Barcelona beach with the two skycrapers built for the Olympic Games in the background


Barceloneta Beach in Barcelona
Barceloneta beach


View of the Barcelona seafront from the top of the Mapfre Tower


View of the Barcelona Olympic Marina from the Mapfre Tower
- How to get the Olympic Marina:
  • Metro L4, stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
  • Bus 10, 36, 45, 57, 59, 71 and 92.
  • Tram T4, stop Ciutadella-Vila Olímpica.
  • Barcelona Bus Turístic, stop Port Olímpic. 

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to more beautiful places of Barcelona.

domingo, 30 de noviembre de 2008

CATALONIA: BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES AND PLACES (II)

In this post I will show you some of the most beautiful cities, villages and places of Catalunya I visited until now. You will find more pictures and information clicking on the links below.


Barcelona

Lleida

Girona




Rupit

Overview of the charming medieval village of Rupit



Pantà de Sau
View of The Pantà de Sau (Sau reservoir) from Tavertet



Tavertet

Typical stone house in Tavertet



Castelldefels

Castelldefels beach is almost 5km long. On de right, the marina of Port Ginesta



Sitges

Beach of Sitges with the palms of the promenade and the romanic church in the background


Sunset from the romanic church of Sitges

Girona

Cathedral of Girona from the city walls


Cathedral of Girona from one of the bridges over the Onyar river


Aigüestortes National Park

A snowcapped mountain in Aigüestortes


Under a lovely day, the landscape looked even more fascinating


A wooden bridge over one of the brooks of Aigüestortes

A beautiful snow-covered landscape in Aigüestortes


Another brook in Aigüestortes. The murmur of the fresh water was really pleasing


View of The Estany Long (Long lake), the end point of our day trip


Vall de Boí



Overview of the valley from the village of Boí with a snowcapped mountain on the horizon


Sant Climent de Taüll, one of the most charming churches of Catalonia



Santa Maria de Taüll, another nice romanic church


Santa Maria d'Erill la Vall has one of the higher bell tower of the romanic churches of the valley

Camprodon

Pont nou de Camprodon, a stone bridge over the Ter river



Setcases (Camprodon Valley)

Typical stone houses of Setcases, a lovely village of Camprodon Valley

Ripoll


Santa Maria de Ripoll monastery is really well-preserved


Church of Santa Maria de Ripoll monastery


Cloister of the monastery



Tossa de Mar


Overview of Tossa de Mar from the Ronda Way (Camí de Ronda). On the left, the old city with the walls and the castle

La Garrotxa - Olot

The gorg of Sant Aniol d'Aguja


Gorge of Moli de Murris, one of the most beautiful (even almost heavenly) places I saw in La Garrotxa

Besalú

Bridge of Besalu, one of the most beautiful medieval villages of Catalonia