La Boqueria & Casa Mila

If you ask most people what they know about Barcelona, chances are they will mention the genious architect Antonio Gaudí and the world renowned Boqueria Market - and this week our students enjoyed both! 

La Boqueria Market

The Andalucian poet Federico Garcia Lorca once said that Barcelona’s La Rambla was, “'the one street in the world that he wished would never end,” and La Boqueria market is one of the main highlights on this bustling pedestrian avenue. 

Our students enjoyed a morning stroll down La Rambla on their way to explore La Boqueria, one of Barcelona’s oldest and most well known markets, bursting with colourful flowers, the aroma of fresh fruits and veggies, fish that were swimming that very morning, and the hustle and bustle of locals shopping for their daily nibbles.

 We spent the morning enjoying the sights and sounds of the market, photographing the tasty treats offered in each unique stall and using their improving Spanish language skills to purchase snacks from the vendors. 

To refresh ourselves after a morning of exploration and sensory overload, we all cooled down with a freshly blended smoothie, where each student was given the opportunity to select the fruit combination of their choice and practice their language skills - “Buenos días, me gustaría un batido de piña y maracuyá, por favor!”

Que rico! 

La Casa Mila

Genius or madman? Artist or mystic? Gaudí is a treasure of Cataluña, and an architectural treasure of the world. 

Our team also had the pleasure of visiting Casa Mila, one of Gaudí's gems in the center of the city, located near CIEE headquarters on the grand avenue of Passeig de Gràcia. Also known as La Pedrera, La Casa Mila seamlessly interweaves nature into every aspect of it’s design, from it’s stony exterior to it’s tree trunk columns, painted floral ceilings and dragon staircase constructed with traditional Gaudí whimsy. 

We enjoyed a fascinating guided tour of La Pedrera where we learned not only the history of it's construction, but the inspiration and secrets behind it's many symbols. The tour included the apartment of the Mila family who commissioned the unique building, complete with turn of the century furniture and decor, followed by a trip up the winding staircase to the rooftop which boasts views of Central Barcelona, the world famous Sagrada Familia Cathedral (also by Gaudí) and Tibadabo which overlooks the city from the surrounding mountains. The views of Tibadabo were an extra treat, as we will soon be visiting this site on a weekend excursion! 

We were lucky to beat the crowds (and the heat!) early in the morning, where we enjoyed the breathtaking views and the curious structure almost entirely on their own (a rarity in usually bustling Barcelona!).