Viking Ocean’s Mediterranean Odyssey Day 2 of 13

Weather Report

Cloudy w/thunderstorms, 68 Fahrenheit. In the afternoon, however, the sun was out and temps in the upper 70s.

Today’s Plan

A DIY visit to Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in the morning. Viking’s included Iconic Barcelona tour in the afternoon. Sail away 6pm to Marseilles, France.

Viking Daily

Basilica de la Sagrada Familia

The original plans for a typical neo-Gothic cathedral were created by Francisco de Paula del Villar in 1882 with the foundation stone laid in March. However, by 1883, Villar was replaced as chief architect due to “technical differences, about the cost of materials” by Antoni Gaudí. Hmmm – I see how that turned out – 142 years later it still isn’t finished!

Of course, Gaudí took it a completely different direction and worked on it until his untimely death in 1926 (he was hit by a tram while walking to work at the cathedral). The final tower, for Jesus Christ, is expected to be “completed” next year, 2026, for the 100^th anniversary of his death. However, the exterior Glory façade and some interior work may still not be completed until 2034 or later! It is comprised of 18 towers – 12 for the apostles, 4 for the evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), 1 for the Virgin Mary, and the tallest central tower for Jesus Christ.

We purchased guided tour (in English) tickets when they first became available usually 6-8 weeks beforehand for the first available morning tour, so that we’d have time to do this on our own before returning to the ship for lunch and an afternoon tour. We grabbed a cab outside the terminal which cost around 28 Euro for the four of us. And it was easy to grab a cab for the trip back to the cruise terminal as there is a taxi stand on the corner on the Passion façade side.

Pictures do not do the site justice, but I’ll try!

Nativity Façade

Unlike most Catholic churches, the story of Jesus is told on the outside of this incredible structure. The symbolism is all in the towers, the Nativity façade, the Passion façade, and the future Glory (Resurrection) façade.

Passion Façade

Sagrada Familia Interior

Inside, Gaudi wanted no distractions – it is all about nature pointing to God primarily through light. The structural supports of the building appear as tree trunks reaching towards the heavens and the canopies of the trees providing the arched supports. 

Sagrada Familia School

We were able to see the school which Gaudi had built for the workers – it, too, reflected his penchant for flowing architecture. There is also a museum which provides a chronology, shows various models, and more. Well worth the time to walk through and learn more.

Viking’s Iconic Barcelona

Cost/person: included

Viking Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Duration: 4.5 Hours

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Discover Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks on a relaxing drive and a leisurely walk around this impressive city.

You will pass the Columbus Monument and Port Vell, the seaside cultural and shopping complex. Admire the Arc de Triomf, a stately remnant from the 1888 World’s Fair. Take in the breathtaking Parc de la Ciutadella, once home to the garrison that protected the city. Next, you will alight from your motor coach and walk into the historic center, stopping to view the stunning neo-Gothic Barcelona Cathedral. The facade of this 14th-century marvel is adorned with many sculptures, including a wide range of animals and mythical gargoyles on its roof. After enjoying free time and an opportunity to take a short walk through the Gothic Quarter, you will return to the ship.

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Our guide, Carlos, was excellent! Funny and informative. We lucked out and had a very small group of only 6-7 people for the walking portions of this tour.

Iconic Barcelona – Photos from the Bus

Iconic Barcelona – Sagrada Familia Exterior

Not mentioned in the description above is a walk to and around Sagrada Familia. We learned some new facts from Carlos that we didn’t get on our morning guided tour. For instance, while work has begun on the Glory façade, it can’t be completed until the properties across the street are purchased and torn down! He isn’t optimistic that it will be completed until far beyond the 2030s! 

Here are some photos from our revisit of Sagrada Familia – which looked completely different in the afternoon sunlight versus the morning rain clouds.

Iconic Barcelona – Photos from the Gothic Quarter

Evening Activity

The World Cafe featured “A Taste of Spain” for dinner and we decided to try it out. The World Cafe is the buffet and “casual” option – i.e. jeans and shorts are allowed for dinner. They had a variety of food options such as paella with seafood, chicken, sausage.

We skipped the “Viking Welcome Reception” with an introduction to the senior officers and preview of the Onboard Entertainment Team.

As we left Spain – we enjoyed our balcony aft view to end the evening.