Park Guell

My roomates and I live in the Gracia area of Barcelona, which encompasses one of the most famous sites in Barcelona- Park Guell. Last weekend we didn't have a trip planned so we decided to venture out to this park and see what all the hype was about. We took the short metro ride to Lesseps and walked up the streets to the front gate. As soon as we entered the park, I knew exactly what all the hype was about. Park Guell is a park designed by Gaudi, an extremely famous Catalan architect. It was built from 1900 to 1914 on the hill of el Carmen. The entrance way houses a beautiful garden and an elaborate staircase leading up to the main square, all covered in the famous designs of Gaudi. It took my roommates and me about an hour to make our way up the staircase, because there seemed to be a photo opportunity every couple of feet. After finally ascending the stair case, we emerged on the top of the main square; it had some of the best views of Barcelona I have ever seen. It was a lively square with performers and street vendors selling everything from sunglasses to jewelery. After taking pictures and checking out various street vendors, we journeyed up the back pathways of Park Guell, basically just wandering. We came upon a cone shaped rock formation with a cross on the top, obviously some kind of religious structure. As we made our way to the top of the cross, we were confronted with the most breathtaking views of Barcelona. We could see Sagrada Familia and all the main streets of the city. It is hard to appreciate the sheer size of the city without viewing it from an elevated point. I would recommend journeying to the top of the cross to see Barcelona in all its grandeur. After the cross, the sun was starting to depart and we made our way out of the park. The entire way home no one could stop talking about the magnificence of Park Guell and how great the view way. I was so impressed by the Park that I took my girlfriend back there when she came to visit in February. Park Guell was definitely one of Gaudi's greatest achievements and it remains here for generations to appreciate.