Barcelona – Home of Antoni Gaudi’s Architectural Creations
Our travels began in Barcelona to visit the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church – La Sagrada Familia. Getting around Spain was rather simple with the purchase of a unlimited 3 day pass. Definitely the best way to travel but make sure you don’t lose your paper ticket since it cannot be reprinted. At the church we joined a tour which really wasn’t necessary but allowed us to jump the lines and get to the towers quicker. The stairwells from the tower down are a bit of a narrow hike so if you are claustrophobic or not physically fit for climbing down stairs then you will want to pass on this part of the church. Kids will find a quaint little park just across the street where they can burn some energy and the parents can continue to enjoy magnificent views of the church. Lots of renovation are underway, which in my opinion is ruining the historic looks of the basilica but there was still a lot to see.
The subway will give you ample access to see the other creations by Antoni Gaudi such as Casa Mila, Park Guell and Casa Batllo. Park Guell was a bit of an adventure to get to and will require a few hours to tour. I felt it was worth it but depending on the weather you may want to reconsider since there is plenty of shade but given it is all outdoors, there is nowhere to hide from the humidity. Tickets for entry can be purchased at the gates. The subway stop is a bit of a hike up and down a hill so this may be a good time to hail a taxi. Casa Mila also requires a ticket for entry to the rooftop which is a windy maze of scenic views of Barcelona. I highly recommend working your way up there if you go out to Casa Mila since the exterior is a bit underwhelming. The city is very alive in this area so would be a great spot to walk around and grab some grub. Although I was warned many times to beware of pickpockets, I never really felt that unsafe.
how we got to Barcelona
Barcelona is the first of the 3 stopovers in Europe with our Around-The-World flight tickets by All Nippon Airway. We started our ATW tickets in Seattle as our very first stop. From Seattle, we had a long stopover in Vancouver and proceeded on taking a Lufthansa 747-400 across Atlantic to get to Frankfurt. Since our ATW tickets were all in Business Class, we had free access to the perspective airport lounges anytime during a stopover. Upon arriving at Frankfurt, we knew we had about 2 hours of layover time, so we planned on hitting at least one of the airport lounges before getting on our next flight. However, we underestimated how humongous Frankfurt airport was. The airport was like a small city. And to make the matter worse, after walking through the terminals for like over a mile, we were welcomed by the long winding queue of getting through the customs as a non-EU traveller. Lessons learned, 2 hours of transfer time at Frankfurt airport was barely enough for us to navigate through the airport to get to our departing terminal, and going through customs.
hotel recommendations
When I was planning on where to stay in Barcelona, I had a lot of options. As a Marriott Platinum elite member and a Hyatt Globalist, I was looking for something that comes with a club lounge so my family will have a place to retreat and relax during the day. I ended up choosing Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower, that was just 20-minute taxi ride from Barcelona airport. One problem I encountered when booking this hotel was the maximum people allowed in a room. During room search, when I put down 2 adults and 2 kids, my option was either the presidential suite or 2 connecting rooms. Being my kids are only 9 and 11 of age, I did not feel comfortable staying in a separate room from them, nor did I want to. Therefore, I decided to make the reservation with 2 adults and 1 kid for the time being. Upon getting the confirmation number, I called Hyatt’s Globalist phone line, and had Hyatt corporate customer service staff communicate our situation with the hotel directly, and the hotel ended up letting us know it was okay to put 2 adults and 2 kids in the Executive Suite I had previously booked.
Hyatt Regency Barcelona Tower was close to airport but a distance from downtown Barcelona. We bought 3-day unlimited train pass during our time in Barcelona and it was more than worth it. The train station was only a convenient short walk across the street from the hotel’s main entrance. This hotel comes with all the amenities you would need for a relaxing stay. As a Hyatt Globalist, you would have full access to the club lounge if the hotel comes with one, where you can enjoy continental breakfast, afternoon snacks, and evening d’oradour as a perk of your elite membership. This hotel also let us have complimentary buffet breakfast at Azimut restaurant every morning, which was a pleasant surprise.
The Executive Suite we stayed at had ample space for a family of 4. Upon walking into the room, there was a powder room. At the end of the hallway, the room opened up to a spacious living room. The main bathroom even had a walk-in closet space for all your luggage and wardrobe. The floor to ceiling windows offered the spectacular panoramic view of city of Barcelona. The double vanity design made it super convenient for 4 people and the rain shower and whirlpool tub were truly the icing on the cake.
