The 5 Most Visited Attractions in Barcelona by Bike Tourists

Not afraid to flaunt her stunning beauty breathtaking scenery and gorgeous architecture, Barcelona is undoubtedly a top destination for tourists from the world over. Some come for the prehistoric sites; others come for the beaches, while others come for the culture. Whatever the reason for traveling to this historic marvel is, most tourists opt to see the city on a bicycle. Here are the 5 most visited attractions during any bike tour Barcelona.

Gothic Quarter / Barri Gotic

The Gothic quarter is revered by all because it is the secular as well as the spiritual center for Barcelona, and it has been that way for at least two millennia. You will be astounded by the age-old pieces of architecture that defy even the most modern of designs. At the highest point of the city, Monte Tabor, stands the medieval cathedral, which is the most notable piece of Gothic architecture in the city.

La Rambla

If you are looking for a social hub in Barcelona, La Rambla is the place to go. La Rambla divides the old town into two and it has lots of shades due to the palm trees that decorate the landscape. This avenue stretches from the convent of Santa Anna all the way to the port. It has lots of pedestrian sidewalks that are lined with numerous restaurants, shops, and outdoor cafes. You can do some shopping at the Mercat de la Boqueria which is a market for groceries and other foodstuffs.

Park Guell

This is arguably the most surreal park in the region. Designed by Antoni Gaudi and commissioned by UNESCO, this park has done an impressive work of capturing the 1900s landscapes and architecture. It has a breathtaking terrace that will give you a panoramic view of the entire city – including the beach. The creative structures in the park are decorated with ceramic fragments that are multicolored thereby making it a beauty to behold.

Casa Mila

Casa Mila, also known as La Pedra, loosely translates to the stone quarry. This name is the perfect description of the architectural marvel because it actually looks like an open quarry. The flamboyant building was built from 1906-1912 and it looks more of a sculpture than a building. This is a must-see for anyone that is fascinated by ancient architectural designs.

Mont Juic

Mont Juic literally means “the mountain of jews.” This hilltop neighborhood was built on an ancient Jewish cemetery and that explains why it is called so. Mont Juic’s most notable building is a fortress that starts at the summit of the hillside and then stretches down to the sea. This place has lots of scenic views but it is also loved for its amusement parks and museums. This is the place to visit if you want to admire the best Catalan art collection you will ever find in a single place.

It would not be possible to cover all the destinations in this article because there are lots of great places to see in Barcelona. These are just the ones that most tourists love to visit.

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Photographer Cecilia Paredes Hides Herself in Bright Floral Patterns

Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes is the model of her own richly patterned photographs, yet her figure is often complicated to locate at first. For each portrait, she hangs boldly printed cloths as the background, which she then matches with her skin that is painted, customized clothes, or both. Her torso, arms, and face fade into the background since the curvature of her body along with brown hair become some of the only signs of her existence.

“I wrap, camouflage, or paint my entire body with the same pattern of the material and re-present myself within this picture,” she explains. “Through this act, I am focusing on the subject of constructing my own identification with the entourage or part of the planet where I live or where I feel I could call home. My bio has been explained as Spartan, so perhaps this is also a need for fixing the practice of continuous movement.”

Currently, she has a solo exhibition at Museum of Latin America Art (MOLAA) in Los Angeles through December 30, 2018, and will start a different solo exhibition in the Museum of the University of Navarra (MUN) in Spain on March 27, 2019.

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A Spanish Street Artist Creates Huge Sculpture for Valencia’s Fallas Festival

Each March, Spain has a traditional festival in Valencia, dating back thousands of years, also called Fallas. Held in commemoration of St. Joseph, neighborhoods throughout the city spend the year developing a giant puppet known as a falla. And this year, Spanish street artist Okuda San Miguel joined the festivities, creating an 82-foot-high falla called Equilibri Universal.

For such a traditional occasion, the invitation of a street artist has been revolutionary. Okuda worked diligently for a year to come up with the notion and took in the recommendation of local fallaartisans to make his vision a reality. Fallas is a serious company in Valencia, with every neighborhood working year-round to increase funds and then make their falla. Fittingly, falla translates to torch, and each one is filled up with fireworks that explode before burning.

Okuda is no stranger to big projects, having changed a sizable church into a skatepark. However, Fallas introduced a completely new challenge. His largest sculpture to date he used over 700 spray cans on the colorful piece and had a group of 10 supporters to bring the work to completion. Ultimately, it was worth it. “It was one of the strongest feelings I have ever had in my entire life, but at precisely the same time very positive and unique,” he shares.

His inclusion in such a traditional setting is yet another mark of how street art has become further incorporated into mainstream culture, moving from a fringe, underground motion to among the most significant artwork phenomena of the 21st century.

Read more: Website

EFE/Manuel Bruque

h/t mymodernmet.com

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Color Clashing and Sharp Angled Interior of Phone-Repair Store in Valencia

Clashing colors and sharp angles describe the interior of this smartphone repair store at Valencia, made by innovative consultancy Masquespacio.

Situated in Valencia‘s University district, the most vibrant store is the second outpost of smartphone and gadget repair store Doctor Manzana.

Having already designed Doctor Manzana’s first retail shop back in 2013, neighborhood studio Masquespacio, headed-up by Ana Milena Hernández Palacios and Christophe Penasse, desired to use the identical bold colors and patterns that they had introduced four decades ago but also wanted to incorporate in some new elements.

The cubes of color are applied to the walls, floor, ceiling and fixtures at 54-degree angles, which the designers say is a hint to the angle that a touchscreen device is kept at.

“Apart from the four distinct colors — blue and green because a reference to the physician, salmon for the fashionistas and purple to the geeks — that the metal adds an industrial touch that reminds us of the labs,” explained the designers.

The new store has a bigger percentage of metal finishes than the original location, as well as new storage and screen elements made from various types of the metal net.

A different bright blue area in the corner of the shop may be used for workshops and talks. Enclosed by translucent plastic curtains, space is furnished with purple stools and a desk designed by Masquespacio.

The stool will be the first official merchandise sold directly via Masquespacio’s new sub-brand Mas Creations, which was set up to market the duo’s furniture, accessories and lighting layouts.

Masquespacio was begun by Hernández Palacios and Penasse in 2010. In the past, the design studio has designed toadstool-shaped furniture for Spanish manufacturer Missana and a vibrant Memphis-inspired interior for the own studio in Valencia.