Modernisme, or Catalan modernism, is a cultural movement that took hold in Barcelona in the late 1800s, encompassing Art Nouveau and other artistic styles. Its followers embraced asymmetry, bright colors and curving lines. But from pictures I saw before my trip, the style didn't seem nearly as appealing as Barcelona's medieval masterpieces.  The old city was enchanting, especially the Barri Gotic, or gothic quarter. Local school kids' voices echoed in an ancient square, as my husband and I meandered through a maze of cobblestone streets, walled with medieval palaces and churches. There are antique shops, where collectors can find anything from teacups to old posters, and on the weekends local artists hawk their wares at open-air markets in some of the larger squares.  There are plenty of restaurants and cafes for tapas, sangria and people-watching. Tourists pass with their noses in guidebooks, while locals walk quickly, seemingly unaware of the splendor surrounding them.  If the old city made us feel a bit claustrophobic, a stroll up Passeig de Gracia was the cure. The wide street is the main boulevard leading through L'Eixample, the extension to the city built in the mid-1800s. In the midst of chic shops and restaurants are some breathtaking examples of Catalan modernist architecture.  L'Eixample was built as Barcelona was starting to thrive as an economic center in a way it hadn't since the Middle Ages. The showy moderniste style took shape as successful entrepreneurs commissioned elaborate villas. Architects employed contemporary materials like glass, ceramic and iron, but also drew inspiration from Romanesque and Catalan Gothic styles.
In Barcelona, you'll find a contemporary Olympic stadium, ancient Roman columns and chimneys that look like space aliens.The capital of the Spanish region of Catalonia has reinvented itself a number