I grew up in and with and surrounded by nature. Spent long childhood summers at our cottage in the middle of the Finnish forest with no running water, no electricity, deeply rooted in nature; in and out of the lake, picking berries, wandering in the woods.
I have always been a part of nature, the forests and fields have stood by my side through heartbreak and loss, joy and happiness. I remember walking the dog as a child and talking with the surrounding life every step of the way. Greeting familiar trees, the new buds in the spring, thanking the leaves that had already fallen on the mossy earth. With no sense of where I was or where I was going, I trusted the forest and my dog to guide me safely home – they always did.
This deep, profound love and appreciation for nature, the constant yearning for it, has made me quite naturally stay out of big, bustling cities. I have always opted for small villages and islands instead of skyscrapers and concrete.
One of my favourite things about Barcelona is the nature. So abundant and alive amid the crowded city. I am in awe of the nature, colour, beauty and life that springs in the most unlikely, sometimes secret and hidden places here.
Barcelona has reminded me of how nature is ever present, always here, always alive under our feet. Even when we are standing on paved roads.
To connect with nature, no matter where we are, all we need to do is slow down, slow down enough to be present. Present here, in this moment, present to see, feel and sense the nature that is so wildly alive around us.
Nature is an immensely powerful force, a grounding, warming, nurturing entity that helps us, heals us, supports us, gives us life.
A walk with nature in Barcelona
Today, I invite you on a walk with nature in my favourite city, to soak in nature, its colours, sounds and stories.
Let go of everything else for a moment and hear how the birds are singing in a soft tune. The sky is a mild blue, the sun still moving across the horizon at the dawn of a new day, shining a glimmering light that filters through the freshly sprung leaves of trees standing guard on the newly awoken street. Looking up you can barely see the sky past the bright green leaves gently whispering good morning in the soft breeze.
Plants after plants glimmer in the morning dew, extravagant and bold, running up and down the balconies they live on, making every building a haven of life. A bright red flower blooms across a yellow one shining a light so bright it is as if it is competing with the sun itself. Standing tall and graceful with a glimmer of laughter in its fragrant body.
A tree stretches its branches from a hidden yard, stretches them across the whole street, tickling the walls of the opposite building with its emerald leaves, standing wild and strong, taking up all the place it needs to blossom and thrive. Its roots run deep, deep beneath the city, drinking the water flowing within.
Flowing even now. This year when the earth is parched and water is scarce. Even in these dry times, the trees are blooming so heavily that the weight of the flowers makes the branches droop.
Even this year the roses are blooming with a fragrance so vibrant that you can follow it into gardens alive with life. Every park and garden is so lush that they seem to be bursting, exploding with colour, dancing in a billion shades of green.
The magnolias are blooming, big and soft, an ode to a life lived to the fullest.
Strands of grass and tiny flowers with pale violet petals peak through the web of stone on the streets, the bricks and walls lining the city. If you look close enough you can see, hear, sense and smell life in all its vibrant colours everywhere. How, it is inhabiting the city fresh and alive, carved in stone, depicted in mosaics.
Archways are formed into trees, their white stone branches hiding squirrels and birds in their midst. Bright mosaics form flower arrangements and behind thick walls, you find hidden gardens, springing havens with life growing unruly, wild and free.
Under your feet tiles decorated with flowers and leaves remind you on every step that this is a city of nature. A city where dragon’s blood grows rosebushes and the evergreen mountains are constantly visible, peaking behind the buildings you walk amongst, cradling you in the soft embrace of mother nature.
Through every step, you become more grounded, present, full of life and excited about the life around you. On each step you notice a little bit more, see the vibrant life around you with more depth.
You sense nature walking with you, dancing with the light streaming in torrents from the mountains.
You are walking in a city of light and life, a paradise to be cherished, a guardian of a vital force of growth and renewal, blossoming beauty and endless creation.
The blooming flowers, the deeply rooted trees, plants of all kinds, the blossoming greens, nature itself rises to sing a song, whisper their wisdom:
Walk with nature and nature will walk with you. Greet the flowers, the life you meet along the way, stop to marvel at nature in all its forms, even the tiny echoes of life blooming in the most unexpected places. Love nature and nature will love you back. Welcome you home, wherever you are.
5 green havens in Barcelona
My favourite magical parks, gardens and green havens in Barcelona:
Umbracle del parc de la Ciutadella
In Ciutadella, there lies a beautiful miniature jungle that transports you to a completely different world. The Umbracle is open every day from 8 to 14, you can find it here.
Jardí del Palau Robert
The Palau Robert garden is a breath of fresh air in the centre of the city. I often come here with a book or just to sit still and take a breath on my way from one place to another.
Jardins del Palau de Pedralbes
The Pedralbes palace garden is a magical haven of wild green. Here you are transported to another dimension, deeply rooted to earth while dancing with pure light. My favourite place to spend the day at.
Jardins de Joan Maragall
One of my most sacred, most cherished gardens in Barcelona is Jardins de Joan Maragall. A tranquil place and a beyond-beautiful mixture of water and nature in Montjuïc. Note that the gardens are open only on weekends and public holidays.
Parc del Turó del Putxet
I walk up to Turó del Putxet when I feel like I need a moment to distance myself from the world, to take a moment to just breathe and enjoy a tranquil moment of solitude while looking at the mountains rising high behind Barcelona.
Tot surt del gran llibre de la naturalesa.
Everything comes from the great book of nature.
- A. Gaudí
Buildings
Barcelona is inspired by nature and most of the buildings in one way or another depict nature. While you walk around the city, notice the nature; the sunflowers that are painted beneath balconies, the branches that are carved in stone, the flowers that are built from mosaics and glimmer in the sun. Notice how nature comes alive in the city.
Here are a few of my favourite buildings that breathe nature (and magic):
Carrer d’Ausiàs Marc 42
Can you find the squirrel?
Passeig de Gràcia 35
The flowers! and the beauty of the building. -one of my favourites by Domènech i Montaner.
Sagrada Família; Carrer de la Marina 253
Head to the Sagrada Família’s Façana del Naixement and the park Plaça de Gaudí early in the morning to enjoy the full force of the magic.
Domènech i Montaner’s Palau de la Música and Gaudí’s Casa Vicens both breathe nature and life, transport you to a different era, bring you back to magic.
What are your favourite green havens in Barcelona?