This house was renovated by Gaudí for the Batlló family in 1904, and is full of beautiful yet practical intricacies. The whole building feels as if it has sprouted from the ground, with organic lines that flow from one space to the next. The gill-like intricate wooden carvings in the doors can be slid upwards to control the ventilation, and the whole front window of the living room can be raised vertically to let open up the house on a summer’s day. The core of the building is a courtyard of light, tiled with a blue mosaic that darkens as it nears the sky. As the light is brighter at the top, this gives the illusion of a constant shade of blue all the way down. Every room has at least one source of natural light. Even the fireplace is thoughtfully designed, as it has two inside – a larger one for a courting couple, and a smaller one for their chaperone. It is a home that I would love to live in myself.

The Sagrada Família was also designed by Gaudí, and it was the first time that I have ever seen a church under construction. Construction was initiated in 1883, and it is projected that it will finish in 2026. Financed solely by private donations, the building employs 200 people full-time to design, carve, and assemble this immense stone structure. The exterior of the church will have three main sides that depict the Christian nativity, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. Each scene is constructed in a different style. The figures in the crucifixion are carved with strong simple lines, and it was under this scene that we entered the church. While the resurrection scene is yet to be built, the nativity scene was mostly finished in the time of Gaudí. Now lying under a thick layer of soot, it looks like a melted sandcastle with drooping figures and dissolving towers.

While we didn’t think that the outside was very inspiring or beautiful, the inside of the church was quite lovely. The weight of the ceiling was held up by tall columns that split and stretched out like palm trees, with rays of light falling down between their leaves. These curved columns meant that no buttresses or flying buttresses were required, which permits the building to rise up quite quickly with a relatively small footprint. The stained glass is only now being placed inside the windows, and is the only source of colour in the grey stone temple. The most fascinating part of the visit was seeing the church as a work in progress. There were no pews or alters, only construction workers with plans and power tools.

We finished our architectural tour of Barcelona with a visit to the exterior of the world-heritage Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, built between 1901 and 1930. It was designed by Lluis Domenech i Montaner, with intricate mosaics, carvings, and iron works. It only ceased functioning as a hospital in July this year, and is currently being renovated for conversion into a museum.

Usually, however, the public transport is amazingly easy. We deliberately chose an apartment that is next to a supermarket, seconds from a metro and minutes from a train station. It is just so easy to get around. I simply look at a map of our destination to find the closest metro station, and then plunge down into the network and then pop up again when I have arrived. On the weekends we can wander down to the station to find a train that will take us to a new city for a quick day-trip.

At lunch time I hear my colleagues complain about having to drive to work. If there is an accident or snow, then it can take up to three hours each way. There are heated arguments over which road rules apply and which ones are only guidelines. Even at our table there is little consensus about giving way to cyclists or how to merge two lanes. I have been told that it is generally custom and habit that determines who gets right of way at an intersection, rather than the posted signs.

It is such a relief not to have to worry about parking, or cars, or speeding, or petrol prices. I carry a monthly pass in my wallet that gives me unlimited rides on all buses, trams, and metros within the city. It is like I have a legion of carriages waiting to take me to my destination. The even put the metro stations underground so that I don’t get cold while waiting the few minutes before my chariot arrives.

Photo by Hannes De Geest