Barcelona

Barcelona
Originally uploaded by Venkata.

I was particularly eager to visit Barcelona as it is part of Catalonia. I was fascinated by the fact that they have two separate regions, complete with their own languages, though I haven't been to the other part of Spain all I can say is it's different. It's not just hearing Catalan spoken, there's something a bit more sophisticated about the city. It's rich with history, culture and art all its own.
When most people think of Barcelona, they think of Gaudi, whose architecture is so refreshing and so different from other artwork that you can't help but become an immediate fan. What I love even more about his work is that you needn't go to a museum to see his masterpieces; Gaudi's art, ranging from buildings to churches, is scattered around the city. The most famous and extravagant is one of the city's main landmarks, Sagrada Familia and the park.
Walking around the rest of the city, you're sure to notice more of Gaudi's architecture. Not too far from Sagrada Familia sits Casa Mila, or La Pedrera. The curved building covers 100 square meters and is constructed completely from natural stones. Crowning the unusual house is a series of random, imaginative chimneys. Casa Battlo is similarly rounded but the outer stonework is covered in a spattering of color. Purple, green, yellow and orange enhance the originality of its design, which includes patio railings that resemble a combination of skulls and opera masks.
Of course, no visit to a coastal city is complete without a trip to the beach. We made it there also, read on further to all the places we visited.