Helen Van Berkel explores Barcelona to unearth the city’s many charms, from hard-to-miss Gaudi masterpieces to tiny walkways and tiled plazas. All Kiwi eyes will swivel to Barcelona’s Port Vell in the coming weeks as we rediscover our patriotism and get behind Team NZ in its fight to retain the America’s Cup. The sailors are already in place at the Barcelona port that lies at the foot of one of Europe’s most historic downtowns.
And within walking distance is a city that offers sailors and their hangers-on an extraordinary spread of attractions to visit before, between and after races. Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter is pretty much across the road from Team New Zealand’s base. Also known as the Barri Gòtic, it’s a labyrinth of narrow laneways and crooked little streets where once marched the feet of centurions.
This is where the Romans first built a settlement on this Mediterranean shore – the remains of which are still visible. I plunged into the labyrinth late on a spring afternoon and went where my feet took me..