Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/604887
BArcelonA Cosmopolitan, chic, and more than a little Gaudí, the capital of Catalonia is a unique city that is unabashedly proud to be itself. Catalan Spanish flows smoothly from lips with a distinctive accent, as tapas, paellas, jamon iberico, regional fish, sausage, olives, and wine are raised up to them. Eyes, on the other hand, can't help but be lifted to the skies, following the lines of Modernist master Antoni Gaudí's architectural designs, from Casa Mila to the still-under-construction la Sagrada Familia—a neo-Gothic–Modernist wonder—and UNESCO World Heritage works such as the fantastically bizarre Güell Park and eerie Casa batlló. Art Nouveau and Modernism aren't the only movements to sweep through the streets of barcelona. In the only city to have ever won the RIbA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, Roman, Romanesque, and Gothic designs bring an old world feel to districts like tree-lined l'Eixample and Ciutat Vella, and to world-famous las Ramblas. This wide boulevard guides visitors to the entrance of historic barrio Gótico—the original city site founded by Romans, featuring medieval palaces, gourmet restaurants, and jazz venues—and leads to the Port Vell Harbor, a popular cruise port with waterfront eateries and easy access to the golden beach of barceloneta. The Mediterranean sun is a joy on the shore, but with Montjuic overlooking the city; two soccer teams; 68 gorgeous parks; endless meticulously maintained streets; high-end shopping on the Avinguda Diagonal; and local food at renowned la boqueria, there's more to see beyond the sprawling beaches. At night, the boulevards come alive with bohemian nightlife in barrio de Gràcia, trendy venues in El Raval, sleek wine bars, beer halls in the University area, and nightclubs to dance in until sunrise. barcelona | 63