Submitted by Erin Ritchie on the 2024 Winter program in Spain…
On January 11, 2024 our study abroad group took a guided walking tour around the city of Barcelona. Our tour began on the famous street, La Rambla. This street is considered the most well known in central Barcelona. Our first stop was the Font de Canaletes. The traditional belief is that whoever drinks from the Font de Canaletes will always come back to Barcelona and will fall in love with the city.
As we continued further on, we stopped at an open air market. The food stalls were filled with brightly colored fruit smoothies, empanadas, fresh fish, all different types of cheeses and so much more. Everything looked and smelled so delicious. We continued on to the Gothic quarter where we were able to see some of the beautiful architecture. The quarter features some of the oldest parts of the city. This includes the remains of the city’s Roman wall and temples. Additionally, there are some notable medieval buildings such as The Palau Reial Major (Grand Royal Palace). After finishing the walking tour, we were able to enjoy some of the shops in the city. On the walk back to the train station, I witnessed a rainbow over the city. It was a beautiful end to a great day. (Submitted on January 12, 2024)