"Barcelona - u/c" Barcelona by MichaelFalk1969

Barcelona was the first spanish city I visited in 1991, and I liked the place instantly. Unfortunately it took me ages - until 2010 - to re-visit Barcelona. Some things had changed (for the better), like the complete renewal of the harbour area; but for the most part all was still as I remembered and loved it.

What I especially liked were the many "living statues" along "Las Ramblas" While some may regard them as a nuisance (I heartily recommend the British crime comedy "Hot Fuzz", where the good townspeople dread the the negative influx of the living statue - "It`ll have to dealt with!"), I think no other city has more "living statues" and certainly those in Barcelona are the most creative ones.

Also, Parc Guell (created bv Gaudi) - though overrun with tourists - is one of the most beautiful places I know in the world. Gaudi was a real genius and his work is a great, inspiring and positive contribution to mankind. Hope to see the completion of "La Sagrada Familia" in my lifetime.

An additional incentive for my Barcelona weekend was the fact that I had just finished reading "The Cathedral by the Sea" and "The Shadow of the Wind", the two excellent novels that managed to even further popular interest in Barcelona as a location. To all who loved the books: you should go to Barcelona, if only to add some mental images of the stories.

• Pros:Gaudi, architecture, restaurant scene, "living statues", Guell Parc
• Cons:expensive