This autumn, Google Photos ranked Barcelona in the third place among the most photographed cities on the planet, only surpassed by New York and Paris. Google Photos is currently the largest online storage space where 100 million people let their pictures rest.
Have you ever wondered why?
If one thinks of Barcelona as a collection of iconic monuments and spots, it would be undoubtedly easy to understand the magnetic attraction exerted on tourists by historic streets like the Ramblas, commercial venues such as Passeig de Gràcia, temples like the Sagrada Famìlia, thrilling parks like the Park Güell or the incredible modernist façades that dot the whole city.
YOU HAVE TO VISIT BARCELONA, AND YOU NEED AN EVIDENCE
It is virtually impossible to pack away your camera (or smartphone) as you wander around Barcelona. The force that pushes us to make the shutter click is simply irresistible. “Barcelona is a woman, and it’s extremely vain” said writer Carlos Ruiz Zafón.
Overwhelmed by tremendous monumental, landscape and cultural icons, the tourist is trapped in a spiral of greatness and beauty that no one will dare to escape. We have to witness it, and we need clear evidence.
No matter the crowds. Hundreds of people with their devices hold aloft before their faces (or on their selfie-sticks!) have become an inseparable part of the common imagery that surrounds the Sagrada Famìlia, visited by more than 3 million people every year. People flock to this overwhelming wonder from everywhere to catch the details of its intricate architecture and style.
The City of Barcelona had to regulate the access to visit the Park Güell premises in order to control the unending flow of enthusiasts eager to stroll around grassy fields, stony paths and colorful modernist sculptures, which make this park an open-air museum.
Barcelona will never refuse to lend itself to the explorer in a tempting way, showing the majesty of its narrow streets and impressive churches of the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter), proud of its powerful and decaying beauty.
Nor does the Catalan capital avoid a much closer relation with its observer, offering the kind embrace of the old fishermen village of Barceloneta, whose short houses and vintage feeling transport people to another age.
Wide-angle views of the seaside let the viewers’ imagination fly when they face the busy beaches kissed by the Mediterranean Sea. Spectacular sunsets highlighting the skyline of the city give back a well deserved tranquility to the photographer.
Up for some cultural snapshot while carrying some shopping bags? The modernist Passeig de Gràcia will walk you through the best shops in town, while Gaudi’s pieces of wonder, La Pedrera and Casa Batlló, reverse all their majesty on you.
And once you have reached Plaça Catalunya, let the stream drive you to the timeless Las Ramblas, to snap a picture of one of the most famous boulevards in the world.
No matter what type of traveler you may be or what frames you like the most. The icons of Barcelona will give you tons of material to express your photographic skills and breathe in the uncountable sources of cultural wonders.
