Barcelona Cathedral – Scribbles and Snapshots

August 30, 2025

Saturday morning we woke up and got ready for the day and finished packing up our luggage before walking over to Sagrada Familia. This is Barcelona’s most iconic landmark and we wanted to see it one more time before heading to the cruise ship.

Sagrada Família has been under construction since 1882 and was dreamed up by Antoni Gaudí. Gaudí was Barcelona’s resident genius of all things whimsical. It’s still not finished, so every time you go, you are getting a front-row seat to the world’s longest home renovation project.

They say the main structure will finally be finished by 2026… just in time for the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death, but knowing this place, you might still be able to catch scaffolding selfies well into the 2030s. That might be part of the allure, maybe it’ll never be truly be finished. Time will tell!

From our hotel, it was a nice 30 minute walk over to Sagrada Familia. As we walked over we saw Casa Batlló from last year and got a better exterior picture of that as well.

Comparing pictures of Sagrada Familia from last year, it looks like the center tower is a bit taller. But honestly, it’s just incredible to look at – it’s so worth the walk to stare at.

You really need to walk around the whole thing- each side is SO unique

Afer we walked around to get a view of all the angles, we caught a cab over to the Gothic Quarter, which was another stop similar to last year. But there was a famous bridge we didn’t know about last year, called the Ponte del Bisbe.

It’s a cool looking bridge tucked away in the neighborhood, it looks like it’s original – but was actually built in 1928. Either way, it was a super cool stop. The Gothic Quarter has such a nice mix of old medieval feel with winding streets – and modern retailers. The centerpiece is definitely the Barcelona Cathedral, which after we walked past that we made our way back to our hotel.

We checked out and got into a taxi and our way to the ship. This was the newest ship in Celebrity’s fleet – the Ascent. (Their next enters the fleet in November). The line was flowing pretty smoothly as we boarded and we didn’t have any issues getting on board or to our room. After dropping our carry ons, we headed to the cafe and got lunch.

Our tradition is a celebratory cheers on the sundeck!

Once we wrapped up lunch we decided to do a quick tour of the ship to get more familiar with the space and amenities. One of our favorite parts of cruising is the ability to unpack and get settled in while being able to see a bunch of new cities/countries. Once our suitcases arrived we got settled in to the room and then had dinner.

Fully taking advantage of our infinite veranda, enjoying the moon’s reflection

We’re quite pleased so far with our room and the cruise! Our first day is a sea day, so I think we’ll skip writing about that – so you’ll hear from us next when we recap our first port: Malta!

Up Next:
Malta

Monday, August 26, 2024

Just before leaving on our trip, my friend Melisa sent me a video of a Corgi cafe in Barcelona. As two avid, Corgi-parents we knew we had to visit it – we were surprised to find out it was only a 4 minute walk from our hotel!

Our Boys if you haven’t meet them (Jasper on the left, and Linus on the right)

Sunday night, as we were walking home from dinner we saw a man walking ahead of us with three Corgis (two of which were puppies!) We followed him to a dog park, where we got to meet Juice, Mocha, and Willow. Not only was he a fellow Corgi owner – but he was THE owner. Yes, of the Corgi Cafe. What are the odds of that?!

So on Monday we made our way to the cafe, I mean we had to right? It also, just so happened that it was also known for having good food. We really enjoyed it – and it was so incredible to get to see Juice again and meet Benedict (the other token Corgi).

From the cafe, we started walking to Barri Gòtic – about a 45 minute walk from our hotel. I was most excited to see the Barcelona Cathedral, but the Arc de Triomf was an easy pit stop along the way. It was built in 1888 for the Universal Exhibition and used as a gateway to the fair at that time. From there, we made our way down the winding streets to find ourselves in front of the Cathedral.

It really was everything I had read about – old (finished in 1448) and Gothic. This was just a quick stop, since we had Sagrada Familia in the afternoon. We needed to get a quick tapa since we would be there for a few hours. We didn’t want to be late for our tour, so we found the closest restaurant to Sagrada Familia.

Another uneventful restaurant, however, Jon did steal a beer glass from them. Our waitress even threatened to call the policia on him. (She was kidding – she just couldn’t sell it to him since the brewery gives them the glasses).

One of the most magical moments came when we stepped into the basilica in the mid-afternoon light. The stained glass windows—each panel a blend of vibrant blues, greens, reds, and golds—were absolutely mesmerizing. As the sunlight streamed through the glass, the entire space seemed to come alive with color, dancing across the walls and floors in a way that felt almost otherworldly. It was as if we were witnessing Gaudí’s own version of the “colors of the wind,” bringing an extra layer of beauty to an already stunning experience.

After the guided portion, we had some free time to explore on our own before our tower visit. We had originally hoped to go up the Passion Tower, but by the time we bought our tickets, the time slots had already sold out. Instead, we opted for the Nativity Tower, which, while still offering impressive views and a close-up look at Gaudí’s detailed work, wasn’t quite as thrilling as we’d imagined.

Despite this, the panoramic views of Barcelona from the top and the unique perspective on the basilica’s exterior were well worth the visit. Overall, our time at the Sagrada Família was a highlight of our trip, combining stunning architecture, rich history, and breathtaking vistas.

Our visit to the Sagrada Família was nothing short of unforgettable, thanks to a guided tour that brought Gaudí’s masterpiece to life. For about 45 minutes, our lovely guide led us through the basilica’s awe-inspiring interiors, sharing fascinating insights into the history, design, and ongoing construction. She pointed out the intricate details in the stained glass windows, the columns that resemble trees, (and the birds that live in them!) and the symbolism woven into every part of the structure. Her passion and knowledge made the experience incredibly enriching – and we left feeling even more grateful that we got to visit. (Some people try to go last minute and are turned away because they sell out).

We ended the day at La Pepita – a restaurant that two work colleagues had recommended was our choice for dinner. Jon had thankfully made a reservation as soon as they opened their calendar for this month. We could see a line as we walked up, and we watched many give up hope and head to the sister restaurant or leave entirely.

On the way home, we had two desserts. (Well, I helped Jon with his chocolate covered – chocolate filled churro). We all stopped to pick up gelato – and we called it a night!

Before bed, we went to the rooftop of our hotel for a night view.

Up Next:
-Board the Equinox

Tag: Barcelona Cathedral

Bon Voyage Barcelona!

Sagrada Familia – Barcelona