Barcelona Sightseeing

We had settled into Barcelona - another late rising morning on Monday. Jenny and Alison made a quick bakery run before we headed out on our only day of sightseeing in Barcelona.

We took the metro to the Sagrada Familia, Antonin Gaudi’s cathedral that is still under construction after over 100 years. It’s dazzling on the outside, but there was more evidence that Barcelona had many more tourists than the other cities we visited - a line that went nearly around the entire cathedral block. Time for Plan B.

We headed back on the metro and headed over to Camp Nou, home of our beloved FC Barcelona.   Another long line, but this one we stayed in.   There is a convenient Pans & Co. across from the ticket booth, so we were able to get a few jamon iberico on baguette sandwiches to munch on while we waited in line.   Took about 25 minutes to get through the line, then another 10 to get in once we had the tickets.

 

I would guess there were a few thousand people going through Camp Nou.   Many times more than at the Bernabeu.   All those European football fans on vacation in Barcelona.   While the Camp Nou tour had the same elements of the Bernabeu tour (museum, trophy room, dressing room, pitchside, bench area, press conference room, etc), there were two things that made this tour different.   The tour also included the press box itself, and you were able to sit there with no one rushing you along.   Very cool view, with monitors overhead displaying photos, film and audio clips of reports and stats on the press that covers the team. 

Second difference was more atmospheric.   The Camp Nou museum/trophy area had more interactive multimedia displays and therefore seemed more contemporary than Bernabeu.  OK, there is a third thing:  we’re Barça fans.