| Beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (a | | | | work. Displays include childhood sketches, pictures |
| Spain's province), is situated on on the shore of the | | | | from the beautiful Rose and Blue periods, and the |
| Mediterranean sea and bordered at either end by 2 | | | | famous 1950s Cubist variations on Velazquez's Las |
| river deltas. Barcelona is the second largest city in | | | | Meninas (Ladies-in-Waiting). |
| Spain after its capital city Madrid. Barcelona has a | | | | Gaudi Casa-Museu - Gaudi lived in this pink, |
| population of 1.5 million, over 4 million including suburbs. | | | | Alice-in-Wonderland house from 1906 to 1926, which |
| The varied, eventful history of the city dates back | | | | now houses a museum of Gaudi-designed furniture, |
| 4,000 years to the first settlements by ancient | | | | decorations, drawings, and portraits and busts of the |
| farmers. Later it became a Roman colony, the | | | | architect. |
| Visigoth's capital city, then it came under Moorish rule. | | | | Fundacio Miro - it was a gift from the famous artist |
| It went through sieges, destructions and occupations, | | | | Joan Miro to his native city. The museum opened in |
| finally to become an autonomous democracy 1975. | | | | 1975, and now it is one of Barcelona's most exciting |
| The city has always played an important role in | | | | showcases of contemporary art. |
| political and cultural life of Spain and it is well reflected | | | | BEACHES - One of Barcelona's greatest draws is |
| in the variety and quality of historical buildings, | | | | undeniably its beautiful beaches. Beside world-famous |
| museums, many other tourist attractions. Today | | | | Costa Brava and Costa Dorada which are within 1-hr |
| Barcelona is one of the most diverse european cities | | | | drive time from Barcelona, there are also several nice |
| with unique culture and rich traditions. You can find | | | | beaches over 4 km long within the city boundaries, |
| here a formidable balance of the traditional things and | | | | we will list just several of them here: Nova Icaria- |
| the avant-garde. A cosmopolitan metropolis, | | | | Closest to the Olympic marina, always crowded, this |
| Barcelona affords visitors a warm and sincere | | | | wide swathe of rough golden sand is great for food |
| welcome, being aknowledged worldwide as one of | | | | goers. There are three perfect beach bars and two |
| the best tourist-friendly cities in Europe.Barcelona's | | | | very popular restaurants on the promenade (Mango |
| organisation of the 1992 Olympics provided | | | | and Chiringuito de Moncho) and countless bars and |
| regeneration of this dynamic city, gave a fresh start | | | | restaurants are just a short stroll away. Bogatell- This |
| to its infrastructure development. | | | | beach is twice the length of adjoining Nova Icaria and |
| WHAT TO SEE AND WHERE: | | | | fringed by a stretch of stone walkway perfect for |
| POINTS OF INTEREST - La Rambla is a tree-lined | | | | jogging, roller blading and cycling. Three large informal |
| pedestrian boulevard packed with buskers, living | | | | restaurants on the promenade. Mar Bella (Metro |
| statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling | | | | Ciutadella Vila Olimpica, plus 20-minute walk)- |
| everything from lottery tickets to jewellery. | | | | Barcelona's only naturist beach close to a peaceful |
| Pavement cafes and stands selling craftwork, street | | | | park - good for a picnic or siesta under the trees. |
| performers surrounded by curious onlookers, a noisy | | | | Barceloneta- wide and long, a traditional and popular |
| bird market, Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century | | | | stretch with locals, crowded, noisy and very jolly. |
| rococo mansion, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the | | | | WHEN TO GO, WEATHER: The best times to visit |
| famous 19th-century opera house- these are all | | | | Barcelona are late spring and early autumn, when the |
| colourful parts of La Rambla's mosaic. La Rambla ends | | | | weather is still comfortably warm, around |
| at the lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to | | | | 21-25°C. Summers are usually hot and humid, |
| Columbus) and the harbour. | | | | with temperatures averaging +30 (+ 86 Fahrenheit). |
| Barri Gotic - also known as Gothic Quarter, it is the | | | | Especially avoid the "dead" month of August, when |
| old part of the city. Picasso lived and worked in Barri | | | | many shops, bars and restaurants close for the |
| Gotic from 1895 to 1904 and Joan Miro was born and | | | | month as many local inhabitants head out of the city. |
| lived here during his youth. Gothic Quarter is situated | | | | Winters are cool with average daytime temperatures |
| on the right hand side of the La Rambla, it contains a | | | | around +12 C (+59 Fahrenheit), occasionally rainy. |
| concentration of medieval tall Gothic buildings (14-15th | | | | GETTING THERE AND AROUND: By a direct flight to |
| century) on narrow cobbled streets and now is home | | | | Barcelona, or through Madrid or via another large |
| to much of the city's nightlife. | | | | European city from almost any major airports in the |
| La Sagrada Familia - La Sagrada Familia is one of the | | | | world. The highest fares are from May to |
| most famous and magnificent among Barcelona's | | | | September, the lowest in March-April, |
| landmarks. The life's work of Barcelona's famous | | | | October-November and December to February |
| architect, Antoni Gaudi, the magnificent spires of the | | | | (excluding Christmas and New Year when prices are |
| unfinished cathedral imprint themselves boldly against | | | | hiked up). Note also that flying on weekends may |
| the sky with swelling outlines inspired by the holy | | | | increase your ticket cost. If traveling to Barcelona |
| mountain Montserrat. Above each facade there are | | | | from within Europe you can also chose train, bus or |
| four towers, 12 in total, which are dedicated to the | | | | car, though these take much longer than a plane and |
| Apostles. The tower in the center, the tallest of all at | | | | often work out no cheaper. Many Mediterranean |
| 170 m., is dedicated to Jesus Christ. Around these | | | | cruises include Barcelona as a port of call. |
| there are the towers of the four Evangelists, and the | | | | ACCOMODATIONS: We can offer you a range of |
| tower over the apse is dedicated to the Virgin. They | | | | choices. You can choose vacation rentals in Barcelona |
| are encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem | | | | starting from $ 125 USD for a double room in a |
| to breathe life into the stone. Gaudi died in 1926 | | | | 4-star apartment hotel. Or you can opt for hotels |
| before his masterwork was completed, and since | | | | from $ 65 USD for a double room in a 3-star hotel. |
| then, controversy has continually dogged the building | | | | Accomodation prices do not change much throughout |
| program. Nevertheless, the southwestern (Passion) | | | | the year due to the steady all-season flow of visitors |
| facade, is almost done, and the nave, begun in 1978, | | | | to this extremely popular tourist city and surrounding |
| is progressing. | | | | resorts. |
| La Pedrera - Casa Mila (Mila House) is an apartment | | | | DINING: Besides restaurants you can eat at bars |
| building, the last example of Gaudi's civil architecture.It | | | | where you would have a succession of tapas (small |
| is one of his finest and most ambitious creations, | | | | snacks- three or four chunks of fish, meat or |
| extraordinarily innovative in its functional, | | | | vegetables, or salad, which traditionally used to be |
| constructive, and ornamental aspects. Visitors can | | | | served up free with a drink) or raciones (larger ones). |
| tour the building and go up to the roof, where they | | | | The bar option can be a lot more interesting, allowing |
| can see spectacular views of Barcelona. One floor | | | | you to do the rounds and sample local specialities. |
| below the roof is a modest museum dedicated to | | | | Generally, the average cost for a meal consisting of |
| Gaudi's work. | | | | two dishes and dessert would come to about 25 |
| Montjuic - the largest open space in the city, its main | | | | Euros. Travellers on an extremely limited budget can |
| attractions are the Olympic installations, the Spanish | | | | do well for themselves by using the excellent |
| Village and the hilltop fortress. Montjuic, the hill | | | | markets, bakeries and delis and filling up on |
| overlooking the city centre from the southwest, is | | | | sandwiches and snacks. Decent restaurants and |
| home to some fine art galleries, leisure attractions, | | | | cafes are easily found all over the city, though you'll |
| soothing parks and the main group of 1992 Olympic | | | | probably do most of your eating where you do most |
| sites. Montjuic is covered in ornamental gardens with | | | | of your sightseeing, in the old town, particularly |
| water features and is the most popular destination in | | | | around La Rambla and in the Barri Gotic. Look for the |
| Barcelona on Sundays. | | | | best and most authentic seafood restaurants in |
| Tibidabo - is the highest hill in the wooded range that | | | | Barceloneta, a seaside neighbourhood. Gothic Quarter |
| forms the backdrop to Barcelona. It has amazing | | | | neighbourhood is home to some of the oldest and |
| views of the whole of Barcelona, a stunning | | | | most traditional restaurants in the city. Gracia is a |
| cathedral, and a family fun park Parc d'Atraccions | | | | very popular area among young people during the |
| with old-style rides offering breathtaking views. A | | | | weekend, it leads the way in terms of exotic |
| glass lift at the park goes 115m (383 ft) up to a | | | | restaurants (Lebanese, Egyptian, Thai etc.). |
| visitors' observation area at Torre de Collserola | | | | TRANSPORT: Barcelona has excellent transport |
| telecommunications tower. | | | | system comprising the metro (subway), buses, trains |
| Modernisme - spectacular modernista architectural | | | | and a network of funiculars and cable cars. You can |
| creations dotted around the city by famous Antoni | | | | find a link to transport maps at the end of our guide. |
| Gaudi and his contemporaries. | | | | On all the city's public transport you can buy a single |
| Camp Nou - home of F.C. Barcelona, one of Europe's | | | | ticket every time you ride, but even over only a |
| leading soccer teams, with capacity of almost | | | | couple of days it's cheaper to buy a targeta - a |
| 100,000 spectators. | | | | discount ticket strip. The T-10 targeta is valid for ten |
| The Seu Cathedral - Built in medieval times on the | | | | separate journeys on the metro, buses and trains. |
| site of a Roman temple, La Seu is one of the great | | | | These tickets can be used by more than one person |
| Gothic buildings in Spain. | | | | at a time. The metro is the quickest way of getting |
| Parc de la Ciutadella - Barcelona's favourite park and a | | | | around Barcelona. For black-and-yellow taxis there is a |
| Sunday afternoon rendezvous for families, friends | | | | minimum charge of $ 2 euro. You'll obviously have a |
| and ducks | | | | great deal more freedom if you rent a car . Major |
| The Sardana - traditional Catalan dance, performed | | | | roads throughout the city are generally good, and |
| outside the cathedral and at national festivals, with | | | | traffic is generally well behaved, though Spain does |
| everyone encouraged to join in. | | | | have one of the highest incidences of traffic |
| MUSEUMS - The Barbier-Mueller Museum of | | | | accidents in Europe. It also has some of the lowest |
| Pre-Columbian Art -the only museum in Europe | | | | fuel prices on the continent. |
| devoted exclusively to Pre-Columbian cultures. | | | | SHOPPING: Barcelona, one of the most stylish cities in |
| Housed in a gothic palace, its collection is one of the | | | | Europe offers great shopping, from designer clothes |
| finest of its kind and gives visitors an insight into the | | | | and accessories to household items. You will find the |
| rich world of the earliest cultures on the American | | | | city to be quite cheap for a lot of items, especially if |
| continent. This tiny museum contains one hundred | | | | you coincide with the annual sales ( rebaixes in |
| pieces, including wood and stone sculptures, ceramics, | | | | Spanish) lasting from mid-January until the end of |
| tapestries, jade, often found in international | | | | February, and throughout July and August. The best |
| exhibitions and prestige publications. The exhibits | | | | shopping areas in Barcelona are the old streets off |
| represented the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Mochica | | | | the upper part of the Ramblas. Souvenirs include |
| and Inca civilisations. | | | | ceramics, which are widely sold in the streets around |
| Palau de la Musica Catalana - one of the world's most | | | | the cathedral; leather goods; city's delicatessens, |
| extraordinary music halls, it is a Barcelona landmark. | | | | particularly cooked Catalan meats and sausages; a |
| From its polychrome ceramic ticket windows on the | | | | porron (the long-spouted glass drinking jar); CDs and |
| Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt side to its overhead | | | | tapes of Catalan rock and pop, sardana music, |
| busts of Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner, | | | | Spanish rock or flamenco. If you're looking for original |
| the Palau is the flagship of Barcelona's Moderniste | | | | gift ideas, some of the best hunting can be found in |
| architecture. | | | | the shops of any of the city's museums, where you'll |
| Museu Picasso - is Barcelona's most visited museum. | | | | find reasonably priced and unique examples of |
| 3,500 exhibits make up the permanent collection. | | | | Catalan disseny (graphic), and other original items |
| Picasso spent several years (1901-06) in Barcelona, | | | | ranging from postcards to replica works of art. |
| and this collection, is particularly strong on his early | | | | We wish you a nice and safe trip! |