This is the house that Gaudi built, in Park Güell.

Like many, we chose to visit Barcelona based in part on word of the wonders of architect Antoni Gaudi i Cornet. This Catalan genius was born south of Barcelona in 1852 and, during a childhood of delicate health, he endured necessary periods of limited physical activity – periods in which his love of nature was nurtured. Gaudi ultimately lived a long life, which was curtailed in 1926 after being run over by a tram.

Among his other breathtaking creations, Gaudi was responsible for the design of an estate for his patron, Eusebi Güell. Originally envisioned by Güell as 60 exclusive housing lots amid nature, the failure of the housing development was ultimately to Barcelona’s advantage, as it resulted in this unique park. This is the house in which Gaudi lived, complete with furniture of his own design. Here, looking over the city and out to the Mediterranean, there is a sense of wonderous beauty all around you.

A note about visiting Barcelona: We’d received more than a couple of warnings about pickpockets and so on, but exercised common sense and had no such issues. While there, we were told that, along with areas such as Palma, Barcelona is among that country’s leaders in terms of economic recovery. With the beauty of its natural setting and architecture, it seems inevitable that this cosmopolitan gem will continue to draw people from around the world – a number of whom are once again investing in Barcelona real estate.