"Bon dia," I'm Rick Steves, back with more of
the best of Europe. This time, we're in the land
of Picasso, Gaudí, Salvador Dalí,
and cafe con leche. It's Barcelona. Barcelona! [ laughing ] ♫ Barcelona is Spain's second city
and the capital of the proud and distinct region
of Catalunya. With Franco's fascism
now long gone, Catalunya's independent
and creative spirit is on a roll. Many visitors
find this to be Spain's most vibrant
and cosmopolitan corner. We'll have some fun
on the Ramblas, experience Picasso's
ever-changing art, sample the city's tapas, and then go on a tour of
Moderniste architecture, culminating in Gaudí's
unfinished masterpiece. All this before venturing
to the sky-high monastery of Montserrat
and finishing on the Costa Brava with the always provocative
Salvador Dalí. Spain fills most of
the Iberian peninsula. The northeast corner
is Catalunya. We'll explore its leading city,
Barcelona, before side-tripping
to Montserrat, Figueres,
and Cadaqués. Barcelona has a rich history -- Roman colony,
dark age Visigothic capital, 14th-century maritime power. And beyond all its great sights,
be sure to appreciate its elegant sense of style and its Mediterranean knack
for good living. The city's main square,
Plaza Catalunya, is the center of the world for seven million
Catalan people. It's a lively
people scene throughout the day. The square is decorated
with statues honoring important
Catalans. Catalunya has
its own distinct language, history, and flag, which locals fly proudly
next to Spain's flags on government buildings and all alone
from their apartments. Catalunya has often been
at odds with the central Spanish
government in Madrid. During the 1930s,
this area was one of the last pockets
of resistance against the fascist dictator
Francisco Franco. When he finally took power,
he punished the region with four decades
of repression. During this period,
the people were forbidden to fly the Catalunyan flag. Instead, to show
their national spirit, they flew this -- the flag
of the Barcelona soccer team. Catalans consider themselves
not part of a region -- that's what Spain
calls them -- but a nation
without a state. [ brass band playing ] "Viva Catalunya!" Steves: The Catalan language
is irrevocably tied to the spirit and history of the Catalan people. Sure, everyone
speaks Spanish. But these kids
speak Catalan first. [ singing in Catalan ] [ flamenco guitar playing ] Steves: Barcelona's ever-popular
strolling boulevard is the Ramblas. While souvenir shops and crowds of tourists have diluted
its former elegance, it still offers
an entertaining introduction to the city. The Ramblas bird market
is a hit with kids. Traditionally,
children bring their parents here
to buy pets. Apartment dwellers
find birds, fish,
and bunnies easier to handle
than dogs and cats. [ birds chirping ] La Boqueria, just steps
off the busy boulevard, is Barcelona's lively
fish and produce market. Locals shop in the morning for the best and freshest
selection. They say if you can't find it
at the Boqueria, it's not worth eating. Wherever I travel,
I enjoy the cafes and little eateries
in the markets. Here at the Pinotxo bar, even while he and his family are busy feeding shoppers, flamboyant Juan
is happy to flash his trademark smile. Back on the Ramblas, the carnival of Barcelona life
continues. A variety of street entertainers
vie creatively for your attention
and your coins. Hey! [ squeaking ] [ squeaking continues ] [ laughing ] [ children calling ] [ screeching ] [ laughter ] Steves: The bottom of
the Ramblas is marked by the Columbus Monument. It was here in Barcelona that the Spanish King Ferdinand
and Queen Isabel welcomed Columbus home
after his first trip to America. It's ironic that Barcelona
would honor the man whose discoveries
opened up new trade routes that actually shifted the focus
of European trade away from here
on the Mediterranean and out to the Atlantic, and in doing so,
actually contributed to the downfall
of this city as a great trading power. But thriving Barcelona
has clearly recovered. Just beyond
the Columbus Monument, a modern, wavelike extension
of the boulevard, called the Rambla del Mar, stretches into
the harbor. It leads to a popular mall
of shops and eateries. A generation ago, Barcelona's waterfront
was an industrial wasteland. With impetus provided by
the 1992 Olympics, it's been completely
transformed. The former Olympic village, which now houses locals,
rather than athletes, is marked by Frank Gehry's
eye-catching fish. The manmade beaches,
a series of crescents that stretch for miles,
are a huge hit. Each comes with lively cafes
and bars, and all are laced together
by inviting promenades, much appreciated
by strollers, joggers, and bikers. Surprisingly nearby is
Barcelona's gritty old center, the gothic corner. It's a tangled yet inviting
grab bag of charming squares, rowdy school yards... [ children playing ] rich cultural treasures, and other surprises. [ guitar and violin
playing "The Autumn Leaves" ] street musicians take advantage
of the stony acoustics. And the old town
is truly old. Two bold towers
date back to the Roman era. These were part
of the old Roman wall that protected the city
in ancient times. The big stones at the base
were laid in the 4th century. And tucked away
in a courtyard, embedded in a nondescript
office building, is a bit of the temple
which once crowned Roman Barcelona,
still standing tall. And nearby, filling five
grand old mansions, is a highlight for many
visiting Barcelona -- the Picasso Museum. Since Pablo Picasso spent
his formative teenage years here in Barcelona, this is the best collection of his early art
anywhere. By seeing his youthful
realistic art, it's easier to appreciate
his artistic genius and his later
abstract art. The museum lets you trace
the evolution of Picasso's work right back
to his schoolboy days. Pablo's earliest art
is realistic and serious. Even as a 14-year-old,
his portraits of grizzled peasants show impressive technique and psychological insight. He painted his first teacher,
who happened to be his father. In this portrait
of his mother, Picasso works on the expression
in her cameo-like face. At art school, he captured
the human anatomy brilliantly. During these years,
Pablo learned the rules
he would later so expertly break. His self-portraits show
the self-awareness of a blossoming intellect,
a kid who, I imagine, was a handful
in junior high school. As a 15-year-old,
Pablo dutifully entered
art school competitions. This was his debut work,
The First Communion. While a religious subject,
it's more an excuse to paint his family. Notice his sister's
exquisitely painted veil. In Science and Charity, Picasso, still just
a teenager, conveys real feeling. The doctor --
Pablo's father, again -- represents science. The nun represents charity
and religion. Judging by her hopeless face
and the lifeless hand, it seems Pablo wants to show
that death is inevitable. In his early 20s,
Picasso went to turn-of-the-century Paris, a city filled with light
and life and love. He went bohemian,
made friends with prostitutes, poets, and other artists. He dabbled in different styles
and was inspired by the leading artists
of the age. He painted Impressionist
landscapes like Monet, posters like Toulouse-Lautrec, still lifes like Cezanne, and garishly colored fauvist
works like Henri Matisse. But later,
the suicide of his best friend and his own poverty
led Picasso to his "Blue Period." He produced lots
of blue paintings, which matched
his mood. By this point, Picasso
has developed a distinct style
of his own, painting not what he sees, but what he feels. Despair, a touching portrait of a mother and child, captures the period well. Eventually emerging
from his blues, Picasso enjoyed
a long, innovative, and prolific career as a mature artist, freed from boring realism and the constraints
of convention. All his life, Picasso said, "Paintings are like windows
open to the world." These canvases, painted when
the artist was in his 80s, show the joys of
the sun-splashed French Riviera. To the end,
Picasso continued exploring and loving life
through his art. As a child, he was taught
to paint as an adult. And as an old man,
he declared he had learned to paint
like a child. Barcelona boasts
an enticing variety of tapas bars. Some are colorful
holes in walls, giving a glimpse
of the crusty Barcelona from before
its recent prosperity
took hold. Each seems to have
a specialty. Here, it's little plates
of delicious sardines and glasses of rustic wine
straight from the keg -- really cheap,
yet rich with memories. Some are from
a different region of Spain, like this Basque bar serving delightful little
open-faced sandwiches. Hungry diners grab a stool, make
a friend over a "canya" -- that's a glass
of local draft beer -- and happily succumb
to the temptation, as fresh platters are paraded
out of the kitchen. In these places,
just let the toothpicks pile up. When it's time to pay, simply count
your toothpicks. And most popular these days are the modern and trendy
tapas bars. Eaters cobble together
a tasty meal of little plates. The key here -- variety. The 19th century was
a boom time for Barcelona. By 1850, the city was busting
out of its medieval walls. A new town, called Eixample,
or "expansion," was planned to follow
a grid-like layout. Wide sidewalks,
graceful shade trees, chic shops,
and plenty of art nouveau frills make the carefully planned Eixample district
a refreshing break from the dense
old city. Building corners
were snipped off, to create light
and spacious, eight-sided squares
at every intersection. The vision of the Eixample
was to have everything equally accessible
to everyone. Each district
of about 20 square blocks would have its own market,
hospital, schools, park,
and day care. While the original vision
was an egalitarian one where each zone
was equal, the Eixample became
an architectural showcase for its wealthy residents. While adhering
to height and width limitations, they built as they pleased -- often in the trendy style
of the day, Modernisme. Modernisme is the Catalan version of Art Nouveau, which flourished across Europe
in the late 19th century. Barcelona was
the capital of Modernisme. And especially here
in the Eixample, it shimmers
with its characteristic colorful, leafy, flowing,
and blooming shapes. Several of Barcelona's
top mansions line the boulevard
Passeig de Gràcia. Because the structures
look as though they're trying
to outdo each other in creative twists, locals nicknamed
this stretch "The Block of Discord." Barcelona is
an architectural scrapbook of the galloping gables
and organic curves of the most famous
Moderniste architect, hometown boy
Antoni Gaudí. His Casa Milà
is Barcelona's quintessential building
from this era. Casa Milà is open
to the public. It shows how the organic
sensitivities of Moderniste architecture
flowed into the domestic world. This apartment would have been
rented by a wealthy businessman. It shows how the affluence of the industrial age
was enjoyed on a personal level --
at least by the upper class. Now an apartment could be
a small palace. Gaudí's most famous work
is his unfinished Church of the Holy Family,
or Sagrada Família. He worked on it
for over 40 years, until his death in 1926. Work continues on the church,
which is not expected to be completed
for another 50 years. The nativity facade,
the only part of the church essentially finished
in Gaudí's lifetime, shows the architect's
original vision. Mixing Christian symbolism, images from nature, and the organic flair
of Modernisme, it's an impressive example of Gaudí's
unmistakable style. The more modern
passion facade has a different,
yet complementary, style. In the soaring nave, Gaudí's columns
blossom with life. Gaudí was a devout catholic. Part of his religious vision was a love for nature. He said,
"Nothing is invented, for it's written in nature
first." His little windows
let light filter in like the canopy
of a rain forest, creating space for an intimate
connection with God. Stepping into this monumental
construction zone, visitors see
the slow and steady progress and what their steep
admission fee is funding. Like the construction of great churches
through the ages, this project takes
many lifetimes. Gaudí knew he'd never see it finished,
as do the architects working on it today. Yet they all contribute,
pushing steadily toward completion. Someday a central
550-foot-tall tower of Jesus will rise above all this. It'll dwarf
everything we see today. The vision -- to shine
like a spiritual lighthouse, visible even from
out at sea. If there's one building on earth
I'd like to see, it's Sagrada Família,
finished. For a more playful dose
of Gaudí's architectural genius, we're heading out
to his colorful Park Guell. While today the grand stairway
and its welcoming lizard are overwhelmed
by fun-seekers, Gaudí intended
this 30-acre garden to be a 60-residence
housing project, a kind of gated community. Fanciful viaducts complement
the natural landscape. Gaudí actually lived
in this mansion. As a high-end
housing development, the project flopped. But a century later,
as a park, it's a huge success. As you wander, imagine
that the community succeeded and you are one
of its lucky residents. Here at
the Hall of 100 Columns -- the intended produce market -- you'd enjoy
the fanciful columns and decor
while you did a little shopping. Heading home, you'd stroll down
the playful arcade. Like a surfer's
perfect tube, it's another nature-inspired
Gaudí fancy. And on such a beautiful day, you'd sit a spell
on Gaudí's ergonomic benches to enjoy a grand view
of this grand city. [ flamenco guitar playing ] An hour inland
from Barcelona takes us to
a mountain stronghold which many consider
the heart of Catalunya. A téléférique
zooms visitors up to the dramatically situated
monastery of Montserrat. Montserrat means
"the serrated mountain." and you see why,
as you approach. Hymns explain how the mountain
was carved by little angels with golden saws. Geologists blame nature at work. With its dramatic
mountaintop monastery and spiritual connection with the Catalan people
and their struggles, Montserrat is a rewarding
day trip from Barcelona. It's been Catalunya's
most important pilgrimage site for 1,000 years. The monastery was destroyed
by Napoleon. Then, in the 1850s,
the monks returned as part of Catalunya's
and Europe's renewed Romantic appreciation of things religious,
medieval, and nationalistic. They rebuilt the place,
and Montserrat became once again the spiritual
and cultural heart of the Catalan people. A handful
of Benedictine monks carry on the monastery's
spiritual tradition. Since 1025,
the slogan "ora et labora" --
"prayer and work" -- pretty much sums up life
for a monk up here. The Benedictines
welcome visitors, both pilgrims
and tourists, in hopes
that they'll experience the spiritual power
of Montserrat. Montserrat's top attraction
is La Moreneta, a small wood statue
of the Black Virgin, discovered here
in the 12th century. Legend says she was carved
by St. Luke, but carbon dating says
she's only 800 years old. Pilgrims circulate down
a long and ornate passage leading alongside
the church for their few moments
alone with the virgin. Pilgrims touch
the virgin's orb to seek Mary's blessing. For a radically different slice of Catalunya, we're heading
north up the Costa Brava -- the town of Figueres
has the Salvador Dalí museum, the essential Dalí site. Ever the entertainer
and promoter, Dalí personally designed, decorated,
and painted it to showcase
his life's work. He was buried right here
in the floor of this room in 1989,
and the museum serves as a mausoleum
to the artist's creative spirit. When Salvador Dalí was asked, "Are you on drugs,"
he replied, "I am the drug.
Take me." Dalí produced some of the most
thought-provoking and trailblazing art
of the 20th century. His surrealistic imagery
continues to disturb and intrigue
to this day. The best known
of the surrealists, Dalí created
photo-realistic images set in bizarre dreamscapes. His life changed forever
in 1929, when he met an older
Russian woman named Gala. She became his wife,
muse, model, manager,
and emotional compass. An audience of golden statues
looks down on the museum. Above Dalí's personal
1941 Cadillac hangs the boat enjoyed
by Dalí and his soul mate, Gala. When she died,
he was devastated. Below the boat
drip blue tears. Squint at the big digital
Abraham Lincoln, and he comes into focus. Look closer,
and you see Abe's facial cheeks are Gala's other cheeks. The "Homage to Mae West" room is a tribute
to the sultry seductress. Dalí loved her attitude. She was
to conventional morality what he was
to conventional art. Facial features
are furniture, arranged so that, the intended vantage point, everything comes together. Mae West. The ceiling of the lounge
is a highlight. It shows Gala
and Dalí as they reach
for the heavens. Dalí's drawers
are wide open and empty, indicating
he gave everything to his art. Dalí enjoyed his most creative
years nearby in the fishing village
of Cadaqués, which has long been a haven for intellectuals
and artists alike. [ seagulls squawking ] its craggy coastline,
sun-drenched colors, and laid-back lifestyle
inspired artists from Matisse and Duchamp to Picasso. For today's tourists,
mellow Cadaqués offers a peaceful beach-town
escape near Barcelona. In the 1920s, Salvador Dalí
and Gala moved in, bringing international fame
to this sleepy Catalan port. Casa Dalí shows
how a home can reflect the creative spirit of
an artistic genius and his muse. His studio was equipped
with an innovative easel. It cranked up and down
to allow the artist to paint while seated,
as he did eight hours a day. The bohemian yet divine
living room comes complete with a mirror
to reflect the sunrise onto their bed
each morning. Like Dalí's art,
his home defies convention. And like
the artist himself, it's playful
and provocative. Dalí's place is
the most enjoyable artist's home I've toured
anywhere in Europe. And it's just
one more example of the quirky and creative
spirit of Catalunya -- a spirit that gives Barcelona
and this corner of Spain a distinct charm. Thanks for joining us.
I'm Rick Steves. Until next time,
keep on travelin'. "Aéu."
