We were finally able to get tickets to see La Sagrada Familia. I won't bore you with too much words. The photos of the church speak for themselves. It was amazing to see it over 10 years after the first time we came to Barcelona. So much has changed and can't wait to see the new additions in a few more years.

Not far from La Pedrera is Casa Amatller, the former home of chocolatier Antoni Amatller and his daughter Teresa. It's a beautiful building that housed his artwork and showcased the architectural style of the time. The architect was Josep Puig i Cadafalch and similar to Gaudí's Casa Mila, it's in the neo-Gothic modernist style. The house had many cutting edge technologies for a residential house of the time like electrical lights and an elevator!

Amatller was a collector of art and antiquities. Many of his acquisitions are still showcased in the house to this day.

At the end of our tour, we were treated to a cup of traditional Spanish hot chocolate. Thick and rich, it isn't meant as a drink but more as a sauce to dip bread or churros in. We tried both hot and cold varieties which were a nice little afternoon snack.

Dinner after our La Pedrera visit was at RAÓ Bar and Restaurant for a new spin on old tapas dishes. Our server was from Scotland and was great in guiding us through the menu. We started with smoked burrata with butternut squash, a simple plate of ibérico ham, a refreshing tomato salad, patatas bravas, and catalan cristal bread which tomato sauce.

Next, the main dishes. We had scallops, roast beef with mustard ice cream (amazing!), roasted duck breast, and pork cheeks. We ended the savory portion of the meal with a tasty seafood paella.

For dessert, we had bread pudding and catalan cream. The kitchen was also able to scare up a simple chocolate ice cream with whip cream at my daughter's request. We were also served two nice digestifs. One was El Afilador which was herby and similar to a Fernet-Branca. The other was a milky liquor, similar to Kahlúa. Overall, a great experience with super friendly service.

We took a break from hotel breakfast and ventured out into the city. We found a great "American" style brunch spot called Milk Bar and Bistro. The menu definitely had familiar names like huevos rancheros but also some more European style dishes like Turkish Eggs and Mediterranean Eggs. Portion sizes were HUGE!

We left to grab some coffee at a local 3rd wave joint called Black Remedy. Their cold brew was excellent and really hit the spot on the hot and humid day.

The rest of the day was spent touring La Pedrera. It's a super weird and cool building, very indicative of Gaudí's style. Definitely worth a visit if you love neo-Gothic art and Catalan Modernism.

We had visited La Sagrada Familia years ago on our first visit to Barcelona. I remembered it being much easier to get into but now requires reservations in advance. Since we had none, we had to settle for an external view. We did have reservations for later this week so will post updated photos then.

After our quick outer tour, we grabbed dinner nearby at Lokal Bar. Smaller and less frenetic than other tapas bars, the food was more refined. The place had a musical themed decor with old cellos and guitars that were converted into wine racks. 

On to the food. Sangria (red and white) were superb. I appreciate that they didn't offer us the pitcher because they said the ice would melt and water down the drink before we could finish it. We did glasses instead and the white was my favorite. Next, we ordered a few starters including super creamy guacamole, refreshing gazpacho, not so spicy padron peppers, and a smoked goat cheese salad. The two entrees we had were the very tender octopus and ox tail wrapped in phyllo dough. We then had Catalan cream and a brownie for dessert with a cappuccino.

Before we left, our server offered us a complimentary glass of his family's Țuică, a plum based high alcohol content liquor. Usually made and bottled in the same year, his family instead ages their Țuică for almost a year in oak barrels, then buries them in the ground for an additional 11 years. The result is a much more mellow drink that doesn't burn and leaves a really long finish. A great way to end the meal.