SUPER BARCELONA

In a nutshell A multi-sensory experience to discover the Catalan capital among its most authentic examples of architecture and traditional flavours. A complete journey into Gaudì’s Barcelona to admire its lively spirit and pulsing essence.

Main stops

• Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
• Sagrada Familia (external visit)
• Tapas lunch in a typical local restaurant
• Casa Vicens
• Casa Milà (photostop)
• Barrio Gotico
• Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

The programme

• We leave the port behind us and head towards the Eixample district, where we begin by visiting an extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, a complex of monumental buildings connected via underground passages and enchanting gardens boasting numerous sculptures featuring symbolic details. It is one of the most unusual and lesser known of Barcelona's marvels created by architect Domènech i Montaner.
• We continue with the Sagrada Familia to admire its façades, doors and towers. The vastness of the design and its unique style have made Gaudì’s unfinished project the most iconic in the city.
• We have lunch in a typical restaurant where we can savour a few Iberian specialities including patatas bravas, ensaladilla rusa, corquetas, buñuelos and pulpo... All these traditional delicacies cater to our palate’s every whim and perfect to nibble and share “para compartir” just the way the Spaniards do!
• After refuelling, we continue towards Casa Vicens, the first important project commissioned to Gaudì. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, the modernist building combines Gothic, Mediterranean and Islamic elements while expressing the amateurish yet already unique style of the artist, who was looking for a “Gothic building full of light, which made use of colour; a Gothic that was half maritime, half continental.”
• Our excursion continues with a stop for photos at one of Gaudì’s most famous works of art: Casa Mila. This monumental, eccentric and futuristic building - also known as La Pedrera - enabled the architect to break with all of the architectural rules of the time thereby sparking the rage of the municipal authorities and attracting the criticism of his colleagues while, at the same time, managing to create what went down in history as one of the most representative examples of his naturalist period and modernism in general.
• We then move on to the splendid Barrio Gotico, the historic city centre and vibrant hub of the Catalan capital. We take in this open-air museum and let ourselves be conquered by the timeless atmosphere which envelops its maze of alleyways.
• The central element of the Barrio Gotico and the maximum representation of the style the district is named after is Barcelona Cathedral, i.e. Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. With its stained glass windows and statues characterized by a more expressive and angular naturalism, it perfectly incarnates the archetype of Gothic architecture whose features inevitably invite observers to lift their gaze upwards and admire its beauty in its entirety.
• Our tour has come to an end but, before returning to the ship, we enjoy some free time to do a spot of shopping or stroll around the city centre while we remind ourselves of the incredible experience that has enabled us to fully experience this dynamic city.

Good to know

• We recommend that you book early as only a limited number of places are available.