Barcelona recently- underwhelmed?

[isitfridaay]

I think I must be missing something

I understand that Barcelona was once the jewel of the med but I am just back from Barcelona - it was dirty and most of the shops and food outlets in barri gothic were "Tourist tat"

Las Ramblas is akin to Times Square or Leicester square but even off the beaten track it was dirty and derelict in the Barri Gothic

This is my 5th visit anyone else underwhelmed or can tell me what I am missing

I did love the Olympic pool at mont juic and the food (although we ended up at cecconis) and I am well traveled so maybe it just no long appeals?

I went in Sep/Oct 1999 for a short visit to a friend who was living there at the time. Think it was a couple of days max.

Then I went for a language course for a week in August 2000 I think it was. Weather was terrible, cloudy and rainy! Got told off on more than one occasion for speaking Spanish rather than Catalan 🙄

Again for one day in April 2016 as part of a Mediterranean cruise itinerary. This time with dh and the kids. Couldn't get into either the Sagrada Familia or Parc Guell, as was ticketed by then.

And more recently in April 2022 when staying at a Eurocamp about an hour away. Only for the day again, but that was enough. Managed to get into Parc Guell and go on the cable car up to Montjuic this time, as had booked beforehand.

But I'm now done. All the streets were so smelly and dirty. Was shocked by the decline tbh!

I enjoyed it but thought it lacked an obvious centre the way other cities have, I was less inclined to just sit and people watch. Loved the food.

Went 2 years ago with DH and 2 teen DC. It was our first trip abroad with DC and we all absolutely loved it. It was May so not too crowded or hot.

Got tickets for everything we wanted.

Didn’t get robbed or find it dirty.

Would like to go again. Found it much more friendly and pleasant than Rome.

mtclair I also went 5 times and didn't rate it.

3 were work trips so I had no choice (one was a Christmas do!) the others were for people's birthdays: they chose the destination.

Yes, me too ( as well as at other times) .

Loved the simplicity of Christmas, Spaniards on public transport, Christmas Eve, a wrapped up ham under their arm and a few shop wrapped gifts in their hand.

The Christmas market was lovely beside the cathedral. The lights too.

It wasn't a city I would have chosen for Christmas but we had to fly out as my DF was ill in hospital there.