Yesterday we arrived into Barcelona.  It has been a busy two days with a party in a castle, visiting the city, meeting up with our sister ship for the World Cruise, Mass at Sagrada Familia,  and a drone show last night.

Barcelona began as a quiet Roman colony called Barcino, its ruins still whispering through the Gothic Quarter today. Over the centuries, Visigoths, Moors, and then Frankish rulers shaped its early identity. By the Middle Ages, it rose as the capital of the Crown of Aragon, thriving through Mediterranean trade and Gothic art.In 1714, after backing the wrong side in a war, the city fell to Spanish Bourbon forces, and Catalonia lost its autonomy—a loss still remembered each September 11. The Industrial Revolution in the 1800s brought Barcelona roaring back. Streets expanded, factories buzzed, and a new artistic movement—Modernisme—emerged, led by Antoni Gaudí, whose surreal architecture still defines the skyline. The 20th century saw war, dictatorship, and repression, but also resilience. After Franco’s regime, democracy restored Catalan culture, and the 1992 Olympics turned Barcelona into a global symbol of creativity and pride. Now, Barcelona blends the ancient and modern—a city alive with history, passion, and bold spirit.

Yesterday arrived into the port late.  We docked next to the other Grand World ship, the Vollundam. It was a grand arrival with both ships waving and cheering as we backed in. 

\Since we were late. We took a shuttle to the city right away and went rented two electric bikes and explored the city. We really wanted to see the Sagrada Familia This one of  Barcelona’s most iconic buildings Over a century in the making so far, Gaudi’s magnum opus is still being completed.The Sagrada Família is a monumental basilica in Barcelona, Spain, and one of the most iconic works of architect Antoni Gaudí. Construction began in 1882, and Gaudí took over the project in 1883, transforming it with his distinctive vision that blends Gothic and Art Nouveau forms. Gaudí devoted the last 15 years of his life exclusively to this project, and although he passed away in 1926, work has continued based on his designs. The basilica is anticipated to be completed in 2026, marking the centenary of Gaudí’s death.  

Nana thought it was just a special building but Papa said it was a church. Nana didn’t believe me but ChatGPT proved Papa right. This led to altars and then if there were Masses today. Papa found out that Mass was 9am on Friday morning and we were able to go to Mass. This was very special and we got to see the crypt. Tickets were unavailable during our two day stay to see the whole church (not completed yet), so this was our way to get to see the inside of some of the church.  Definitely a highlight of a trip to Barcelona.

One of the highlight of the last two days was a dinner at a castle. The Castell de Sant Marçal is a historic castle located in Cerdanyola del Vallès, approximately 15 km from Barcelona’s city center. Originally constructed in the early 11th century, the castle was first mentioned in documents in the 12th century when it was granted to Ramón Guillem de Montcada by Count Ramón Berenguer IV. In 1225, it was sold to Ramón de Plegamans, whose descendants, the Marimón family, have maintained ownership for over 700 years. The castle features a square floor plan with a central courtyard, a tower, and a Gothic chapel. In 1895, architect Cayetano Buïgas, known for designing the Columbus Monument in Barcelona, renovated the castle, adding Romanesque and Gothic-inspired decorations. 

Last night we had dueling parties with the Volundam. With the two ships stern to stern we had party on our back deck and they had a party on their back deck and we could see them and they could see us.  I couldn’t believe how crowded the two decks were. We had food and free drinks all night long. After the sunset we were entertained by a drone show that was spectacular. 

This morning we woke up early and went to visit the Volendam.  Any one from the two ships could visit their sister ship. Nana wanted to check out the basketball court which was smaller than ours and not as nice. We also checked out the dining rooms, lounges, and entertainment areas. We were on this ship in 2012 but it has since been upgraded. It was a very nice ship. 

After going to Mass this morning. We did the Hop on Hop Off bus tour.  We did about a 2 hour loop and some wonderful sights around Barcelona.  

Barcelona was clean, efficient to get around in but very busy.    We counted 6 cruise ships in port today and we were told that 20,000 people were coming today from all the cruise ships.  There were a lot of tourists around the city.  

Tomorrow we are in Alicante, Spain, last of 6 port calls in a row.