Home Sweet Home Barcelona – February

We live in the Horta district of Barcelona but we like to call our neighbourhood “Carmel Hills”. Firstly because hills of a San Francisco calibre there are many, then because Carmel Hills sounds a tad more interesting than Horta-Guinardó and last but not least our view is of Turó de la Rovira and Turó del Carmel and it’s really beautiful to watch the sun set over our hills.

El Carmel is not the fancy neighbourhood of Barcelona. In fact if you ask the locals it will probably rate as one of the worst areas you could live in but like most things, these opinions are due to lack of knowledge of the area.

Lately we’ve been out on family adventure walks to get to know all the nooks and crannies of these hills and have been amazed with the history and street art that you come across.

This first shot is of the local gym. It sits on top of Tunel de la Rovira and just picture yourself running overlooking part of the city.

From where we live it’s a beautiful walk up to the top of Turó de la Rovira. Not a tourist in sight you walk up the narrow little streets with little houses on either side. You can almost imagine that you’ve gone back in time and not think for one minute that you are in the buzzing Modernist city that you associate with Barcelona. Then the asphalt ends and you walk along an earthy path with overgrown grass and you are still in the heart of a modern city but with a birds eye view.

At the end of the dirty path you come to the 138 steps that take you to the top of Turó de la Rovira. Over the years these steps had been claimed by the forest and it was difficult to make your way up but at present this area is undergoing a big clean up and making it more people friendly. I suppose this is a good thing but sometimes you wish you could keep little secret places to yourself.

At the top of the steps they are hard at work making the area more attractive and accessible. The views do deserve a good viewing area. Here are my boys seeing who can find our terrace first.

As soon as you get to the top you have two choices. You either walk along the road or take the more adventurous walk through the woods, instagraming on the way.

As soon as you get to the top you are faced with the well known Barcelona skyline at your feet.

On the way back home we go back down  the 138 steps and I am granted a few clicks.

Not enough to get the practice I would like so I end up resorting to other models.

There is a street in Horta called Font d’en Fargas which translates into Fargas’ fountain. The actual street is lined with stunning homes with turrets and the type that not your average pocket can afford. In fact many of the streets of this area are call Font something or other because this part of the city is known for its water. It was a real disappointment to get to the actual fountain and see that it has been so vandalised over the years. Font Fargas sits inside it’s own little grotto and once upon a time its mosaic must have been beautiful. Today it’s been fenced off because I suppose that the grotto that looks like it’s been taken from Parc Güell itself hasn’t been maintained over the years. Now it’s just a shabby park. Hopefully the area renovations will make its way to this little area.

This post is the second of the Home Sweet Home blog circle. Come with me to the States to  see what Kirsten from Kirsten Ashley Photography has to share about her new home in Texas.