Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, the heart of Catalonia in the Northeast of Spain, is great cultural and economic center. It's a beautiful city on the beach, and offers many excellent sights and sounds. At first I was surprised by the paucity of Spanish in our first city in Spain, but I quickly learned about the pride and cultural strength of Catalonia. The largest architectural influence on the city was Gaudí, who contributed to a number of parks and buildings, along with the most visited landmark in Spain, Catedral de la Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family Cathedral). While the massive building remains unfinished, and Gaudí died in 1926, the work continues, as inspired by his student.