Day 7 – Barcelona

Our fourth port of call was Barcelona, Spain. We actually docked at about 5am since more than half of the ship’s passengers were disembarking early that morning.

Look at the beautiful sunrise colors over the harbor!

The first stop of the day was the famous Sagrada Familia, designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi. Although incomplete, Sagrada Familia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the highlights of Barcelona. Construction began in 1882, but Gaudi took over the project in 1883, transforming it with his style, combining Gothic and curvilinear Art Nouveau forms. At the time of his death in 1929, less than a quarter of the basilica was finished. It’s estimated that construction will finish in 2026 – exactly 100 years since the death of Gaudi.

The inside of the church is just as impressive, if not more so, than the outside.

After Sagrada Familia, our next stop was a nice stroll through Las Ramblas, the main tourist stretch leading down from Placa de Catalunya to the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell. There is so much to see and buy along Las Ramblas – it’s also a beautiful walk without car traffic.

We then walked along the harbor to our lunch spot, Can Sole. Can Sole, established in 1903, has been serving paella and seafood for over 113 years. We, of course, had to have the paella! Throw in some jamón ibérico (ham from Black Iberian pig) and pan con tomate (tomato paste bread) and it was one of the best meals of our trip!

The paella was so big it didn’t even fit into a single shot! It was jam-packed with squid, octopus, mussels, clams, and shrimp. Between the three of us, we finished more than 3/4ths of it, which I think is an accomplishment.

Dessert was at Eyescream and Friends, which serves up shaved gelato. It’s a very easy process – you pick your gelato flavor out of six options and then grab two toppings of your choice. They’re so cute I didn’t want to eat it! Shaved gelato is smoothier and creamier than shaved ice, so I definitely am a huge fan.

If I had more time in Barcelona, I would’ve definitely had more sangria and more ham. The sangria is so cheap! 2.50€ for a large glass!