Walking Through History: Barcelona's Gothic Quarter

Our tour ofÂ*Barcelona'sÂ*Barri Gòtic,Â*the old Gothic <a href="http://www.guccihandbagsbuy.com"><strong>leather handbags</strong></a> Quarter, began at the charming Plaçeta delÂ*PÃ*,Â*an intimate square behind the 14th century church Santa MariaÂ*del PÃ*. My family and I were part of a group of about 20 English speakers, who earlier this month wandered through the warren of winding cobblestone streets for almost three-hours.Â*The free walking tour covered the Spanish city's history from its Roman beginnings to modern times, and visited a wide array of places — the square whereÂ*ColumbusÂ*reported about theÂ*New WorldÂ*to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Picasso's early stomping ground, and even a favored Hemingway haunt. An early stop was a tiny shrine nestled above one of the narrow pedestrian-only walkways to honor Saint Eulalia, an early Christian who was just 13 when she was killed by the Romans in the early 4th century for her beliefs. <a href="http://www.nikesoccer-shoes.com/adidas-adipure-iii-trx-fg-black-orange-p-64.html"><strong>Adidas Adipure III TRX FG Black Orange</strong></a> A little later, in front of Barcelona's medieval cathedral, (dedicated to the young martyr) we witnessed townspeople who gatherÂ*each SundayÂ*to dance the traditional Catalan Sardana, which was outlawed during the Franco years. At the lovelyÂ*PlaçaÂ*de Sant Felip Neri, our group saw the church where Gaudi prayed (and was headed when he died, which still bares marks from when it was bombed during the Spanish Civil War) and a high-end hotel that was the setting for a scene from Woody Allen's recent film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Those expecting to be bored by the recitation of hard, dry facts will be disappointed by this tour, offered by Travel Bound. "Most people expect the years, names, years, names, years, names tour," said Matthias, <a href="http://www.buypoloralphlauren.com"><strong>golf polo shirt</strong></a> our guide, a German-born Swede who moved toÂ*BarcelonaÂ*in 2006. But "I talk about things that I'm interested in myself, and what I would be interested in if I came and visited aÂ*new city." These include things like Can Conesa, an early fast food restaurants that pre-dates McDonald's, Matthias said, where to shop for fashionable, low cost, Catalan-made clothes (Desigual and Mango), and an essential modern-day survival skill: how to avoid pick-pockets on Las Ramblas.