Where to go for inspiration in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city packed with artistic culture, romance and inspiration. Whether you’re an architect, a musician, an artist or a writer you can find inspiration at every corner, yet some of the most idealistic places to get inspired cannot always just be stumbled upon, and instead remain hidden away and reserved for those who seek them out to release their creativity in a hushed and tranquil haven.

Artistic and emotional squares

Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter is the most classically romantic, artistic and inspiring part of the city, and hidden within the Gothic Quarter are handsome squares filled with secrets, culture, history and art. One of the most enchanting squares to ponder at is Plaça de Sant Felip Neri. Plaça de Sant Felip Neri exudes a brooding sense of pain that many artists thrive on. History can physically be seen on the bullet hole encrusted walls of the square as the dappled sunlight casts a somber shadow below. This square was frequented by Antoni Gaudi himself as a source of inspiration, and once you have visited this peaceful space yourself you will certainly see why.

A very much contrasting square that instead echoes life and happiness is Plaça Prim. Set in an unassuming location, spending time at Plaça Prim takes you away from the normal conventions of Barcelona that you stumble across every day. This square feels as though it’s the meeting place for townspeople in a rural part of Spain in the 19^th century, with a slight edge on the architecture that can’t be seen anywhere else in the city. With its charming orange trees and monuments, Plaça Prim is a fantastic place to give your creativity some energy and spark.

Inspiration through history and art

Barcelona hosts some of the most impressive museums and heritage spots in all of Europe and it would almost be shameful not to use this to your creative advantage. If you need some history or architecturally based inspiration, visiting Museu d’Història de la Ciutat is a sure fire way of getting your artistic juices flowing. Initially, you get to enter the Palau Clariana Padellàs, a magnificent and captivating piece of architecture built in the 16^th century, where inside you will find a showcase of some of the most intricate relics found hidden under this incredible city, then you will go back in time as you penetrate the ground below to be birthed into a whole new underground world of stunningly excavated Roman streets, housing and centers of business – perfect to transport you to another time and way of life.

Coming back to modern life and the risqué routes of art that come with it, Angels Barcelona the ideal source of inspiration for those who have more extreme ideas. This ground-breaking art gallery holds ever-changing exhibitions for both domestic and international artists across Europe. The tone of this gallery is audacious and it can truly open the realms of your mind to more deep and daring nooks of inspiration. If you need your perspective altered or your mind, eyes and ears opened then Angels Barcelona will no doubt challenge your ideas and lead to inspiration you didn’t realise possible.

Green spaces for clarity of mind

One of the best ways to become inspired is to explore your own mind in a peaceful place free of nagging distractions. Barcelona has many parks and gardens, both natural and artistically landscaped ready to empty your mind and allow creativity to flood in. Apart from the obvious option of Gaudi’s Parc Güell, the beautiful Parc del Poblenou is a stunning and much quieter space to delve into your chosen art and explore your mind. The park was inspired by the textile industry within the area of Poblenou and is one of the most peaceful areas in Barcelona. With weeping willows dipping their tendrils in cool ponds, lush, colourful plant life everywhere you look and the addition of a piece of history seen through architectural remains, architect Jean Nouvel made an impressive space for the art-minded to find solitude and focus in an inspiring and natural environment.

Parc Laberint d’Horta is another stunning location to succumb to your creative impulses, with the opportunity to become swept away into a romantic period garden and feel the history engulf you. The park spans across nine hectares of pure beauty for you to escape all distraction. With a touch of classical music playing in the background you could swear you’d been taken back in time to a Victorian garden with a maze, tasteful water features and delicate flower arrangements – an incredible source of inspiration for writers and poets.

What setting peaks your imagination?