Barcelona, Spain #010

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Barcelona, an open, cosmopolitan and modern city

When we returned to Barcelona, it was the final day of our 12-night Eastern Mediterranean Cruise.  This was a 6:00 am return from this wonderful cruise and we had to get up really early, have breakfast at the buffet and disembark the ship as a group.  So on a early arrival, what's going on at that time of the day?

Just a few metres from Plaça Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia and Les Rambles, H10 Casanova is located in a beautifully refurbished 18th century building. You can relax with a cocktail at their 8th floor Sky Bar, as you admire the sunset over Barcelona.  This is where we were to spend two nights in our 4-star hotel but it's too early to check in.

Our tour director Carol Palmer/Dream Vacations has everything all lined up for a tour around this wonderful city of Barcelona.  Our large private coach comes with a guide to provide us with a half-day city tour which includes a drive through Montjuic and takes us up to enjoy the expansive views overlook the harbor and the city. 

What a wonderful site with all the tall buildings standing up out of the city!  There were some Olympic venues, the Magic Fountain, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia also known as the Sagrada Família, is a large unfinished Roman Catholic minor basilica in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain - designed by Spanish/Catalan architect (Antoni Gaudí), his work on the building is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

We've made this view available to you on our 30-minute download along with the whole tour that day.

Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, is known for its art and architecture. The fantastical Sagrada Família church and other modernist landmarks designed by Antoni Gaudí dot the city, includes several Roman archaeological sites.  The Sagrada Familia, as one of Barcelona's most-important landmarks, draws large crowds of visitors every day.

Sagrada Família is a neighborhood in the Eixample district of Barcelona, Catalonia.  Its name comes from the church of the Sagrada Família, work of Antoni Gaudí, which can be found in the center of the neighborhood.  Check out photos below, they were working on this huge building when we there!

We'll travel outside the city up into the hills, where striking geological formations loom on either side.  Our destination is the cliff-side monastery often covered in the clouds.  But not on our day, it was beautiful trip to see formations like I've never seen before.  There's one formation that has the "biggest dimension ever recorded" and I have the picture to prove it!

Montserrat is a multi-peaked rocky range located near the city of Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It is part of the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range. The main peaks are Sant Jeroni, Montgrós and Miranda de les Agulles.  ​Our day Visit To Montserrat Spain - "The Trip of a Lifetime"!

This download will give you the highlights of Barcelona Montserrat in Spain. The Benedictine Monk retreat at Montserrat offers you some of the most spectacular mountain views of Catalunya.

You canl learn about the holy grotto where visitations by the Virgin (Black) Mary were reported, the World famous Montserrat Choir boys recitals, along with details on the mountain walks with breathtaking views.

The boy's choir at the Montserrat Basilica are called L'Escolania. ... we had the unique opportunity of seeing performances from some of the most talented young voices in Spain.

We took a day trip to Montserrat with our group and this download summarizes the highlights of what we experienced.  It was breathtaking and we'd like to share our experience with you - on our 30-minute download!