I spent a week in Barcelona this summer and now I have a new top five favorite European cities list.  It now goes like this – Amsterdam, Paris, Venice, London, Barcelona.  Rome fell (to number 6). I had no expectation to love it as I did. I’ve been to Spain a few other times before. But, while I think it is a lovely country, the magical combination of food, landscape, history, architecture, culture, and that intangible magic that happens when you travel just never entirely conjured on previous trips. Barcelona was different, and a week just wasn’t enough. I can’t wait to go back and enjoy more food and architecture, the beach, the weather, and the wider region.  One of those places in the wide region is Montserrat, Spain, which is in the hills above the city.

The Montserrat Abbey is less than 30 miles northwest of Barcelona. We briefly considered spending a day hiking the mountain to get to this storied abbey but opted out.  I didn’t do enough research beforehand to know that there is a cable car.  A quicker alternative that, in hindsight, would have allowed us to squeeze in a visit.  Now that I’ve looked into it, though, I learned the hiking is highly recommended, and if you like to walk and have the time, it is the preferable way to go.

Regret for missing Montserrat Abbey didn’t fully set in until I discovered a few new Instagrammers worth following. They are Lauren Bullen (@gypsea_lust) and Jack Morris (@doyoutravel) and their friend Jarrad Seng (@jarradseng).

The city of Barcelona is sandwiched between the Mediterranean Ocean and the Catalan Precoastal Mountain range, and there are many places where you can enjoy beautiful views of the city.

A Few Travel Notes about Barcelona:

1. Norwegian Airlines is going to begin budget-rate flights to Barcelona from the USA in 2017.
2. Coincidentally, I read Labyrinth earlier this year.  I’m not going to rave about the book but it was pretty good.  (My friend raved about it to me… so to each their own).  But I will say it is worth a read if you are headed to Montserrat.  It’s historical fiction about this whole region, particularly Holy Grail legends (which are rampant in the region).  Monserrat and the surrounding caves figure into these stories. If you read the book, the whole area comes alive slightly more.
3. This isn’t the first time I’ve written about cool garden-y places in Spain, click through to checkout all the other interesting places we’ve featured over the years.

Gardens in Barcelona and in Nearby Regions worth visiting

Parc Guell

One of the major works of beloved Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí in Barcelona, Parc Guell is major tourist attraction in the city.  Construction of the Parc began in 1900 and is an exciting example of the Modernisme movement.  This style is similar to movements elsewhere, such as Sezession, Liberty, Jugendstil, and art nouveau.  Modernisme is, however, unique to Catalonia.

Parc de la Ciutadella

This parc is adjacent to the Barceloneta neighborhood and is easily accessed by foot if you are exploring the city.  This is a great place to respite from the bustle of the city, but its main feature is a fountain that you have to see and believe.  The Cascada was primarily designed by Josep Fontsére, but Antoni Gaudi was also involved (as he was a student at the time of construction).  It is no coincidence that it is often compared to the Trevi Fountain in Rome, as it was designed to resemble it.

Guell Pavilions and Gaudi Garden

A new stop on the Route de Modernisme, this garden, now owned by the University of Barcelona, was also designed by Antoni Gaudi.  It is set to re-open soon (the website says early 2016 – but on my visit in the summer of 2016, it was not yet accessible).  Check for details here to determine when this will be available for visits.

More Posts about Gardens and Gardeners in Spain

• A Fearless Garden of Defiance in Barcelona Spain
• The Flowing Garden in Bilbao Spain
• The Rest of Shelley & Jack’s Garden
• Swings, MUGAs and Girls = Women (duh)
• Garden Destination: Pedreres de s’Hostal Minorca, Spain