Santa Maria del Mar - Barcelona, Spain

The place is surprisingly breath taking. We were able to enter without lining up. It is located in a neat part of town that was fun to visit and walk around in. This is a stunning example of Gothic architecture in the Ribera neighborhood, the older section of Barcelona. They have brochures in Catalan, Spanish and English, and if you call ahead they can prepare guides in other languages sometimes.

Entrance to the Cathedral is free, and inside, you can see high vaulted ceilings with little decoration. The architecture and atmosphere are truly breathtaking. Just being in this space is calming and cathartic. We used a tour guide which really helped so no queues to content with. The views are wonderful with beautiful stained glass. There is a combination of traditional and more modern stained glass. The rooftop is a great way to see the whole city of Barcelona.

It was a beautiful visit and memory and we are doing more research of this church to understand its history now that we are home. The church is well worth a visit and should be on everyone's list if you have a few days or more in Barcelona.

Photos taken with Sony DSC-HX50B.