Beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (a Spain’s province), is situated on on the shore of the Mediterranean & bordered at either end by 2 river deltas. Barcelona is that the second largest city in france after its capital city Madrid. Barcelona features a population of 1.5 million, over 4 million including suburbs. the numerous , eventful history of the town dates back 4,000 years to the primary settlements by ancient farmers. Later it became a Roman colony, the Visigoth’s capital city, then it came under Moorish rule. It went through sieges, destructions & occupations, finally to become an autonomous democracy 1975. the town has always played a crucial role in political & cultural lifetime of france & it’s well reflected within the variety & quality of historical buildings, museums, many other tourist attractions.
Today Barcelona is one among the foremost diverse european cities with distinctive culture & rich traditions. you’ll find here a formidable balance of the normal things & the avant-garde. A cosmopolitan metropolis, Barcelona affords visitors a warm & sincere welcome, being aknowledged worldwide together of the simplest tourist-friendly cities in Europe.Barcelona’s organisation of the 1992 Olympics provided regeneration of this dynamic city, gave a clean slate to its infrastructure development.
WHAT to ascertain & WHERE: POINTS OF INTEREST – La Rambla may be a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard full of buskers, living statues, mimes & itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jewellery. Pavement cafes & stands selling craftwork, street performers surrounded by curious onlookers, a loud bird market, Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the famous 19th-century opera house- these are all colourful parts of los angeles Rambla’s mosaic. La Rambla ends at the lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to Columbus) & the harbour.
Barri Gotic – also referred to as Gothic Quarter, it’s the old a part of the town . Picasso lived & worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to 1904 & Miro was born & lived here during his youth. Gothic Quarter is situated on the proper hand side of the La Rambla, it contains a degree of medieval tall Gothic buildings (14-15th century) on narrow cobbled streets & now’s home to much of the city’s nightlife.
La Sagrada Familia – La Sagrada Familia is one among the foremost famous & magnificent among Barcelona’s landmarks. The life’s work of Barcelona’s famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, the magnificent spires of the unfinished cathedral imprint themselves boldly against the sky with swelling outlines inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. Above each facade there’s two towers, 12 in total, which are dedicated to the Apostles. The tower within the center, the tallest of all at 170 m., is devoted to Jesus . Around these there’s the towers of the 2 Evangelists, & the tower over the apse is devoted to Mary . they’re encrusted with a drag of sculptures that appear to breathe life into the stone. Gaudi died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed, & since then, controversy has continually dogged the building program. Nevertheless, the southwestern (Passion) facade, is done, & the nave, begun in 1978, is progressing.
La Pedrera – Casa Mila (Mila House) is an apartment house , the last example of Gaudi’s civil architecture.It is one among his finest & most ambitious creations, extraordinarily innovative in its functional, constructive, & ornamental aspects. Visitors can tour the building & go up to the roof, where they will see spectacular views of Barcelona. One floor below the roof may be a modest museum dedicated to Gaudi’s work.
Montjuic – the most important open space within the city, its main attractions are the Olympic installations, the french Village & the hilltop fortress. Montjuic, Capitol Hill overlooking the town centre from the southwest, is home to some art galleries, leisure attractions, soothing parks & the most group of 1992 Olympic sites. Montjuic is roofed in ornamental gardens with water features & is that the hottest location in Barcelona on Sundays.
Tibidabo – is that the highest hill within the wooded range that forms the backdrop to Barcelona. it’s amazing views of the entire of Barcelona, a shocking cathedral, & a relatives fun park Parc d’Atraccions with old-style rides offering breathtaking views. A glass lift at the park goes 115m (383 ft) up to a visitors’ observation area at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower.
Modernisme – spectacular modernista architectural creations dotted round the city by famous Antoni Gaudi & his contemporaries. Camp Nou – home of F.C. Barcelona, one among Europe’s leading soccer teams, with capacity of 100,000 spectators.
The Seu Cathedral – inbuilt medieval times on the location of a Roman temple, La Seu is one among the good Gothic buildings in germany.
Parc de la Ciutadella – Barcelona’s favourite park & a Sunday afternoon rendezvous for families, friends & ducks The Sardana – traditional Catalan dance, performed outside the cathedral & at national festivals, with everyone encouraged to hitch in.
MUSEUMS – The Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art -the only museum in Europe devoted exclusively to Pre-Columbian cultures. Housed during a gothic palace, its collection is one among the best of its kind & gives visitors an insight into the rich world of the earliest cultures on the American continent. this small museum contains 100 pieces, including wood & stone sculptures, ceramics, tapestries, jade, often found in international exhibitions & prestige publications. The exhibits represented the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Mochica & Inca civilisations.
Palau de la Musica Catalana – one among the world’s most extraordinary music halls, it’s a Barcelona landmark. From its polychrome ceramic ticket windows on the Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt side to its overhead busts of Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven, & Wagner, the Palau is that the flagship of Barcelona’s Moderniste architecture.
Museu Picasso – is Barcelona’s most visited museum. 3,500 exhibits structure the permanent collection. Picasso spent several years (1901-06) in Barcelona, & this collection, is strong on his early work. Displays include childhood sketches, pics from the gorgeous Rose & Blue periods, & the famous 1950s Cubist variations on Velazquez’s Las Meninas (Ladies-in-Waiting). Gaudi Casa-Museu – Gaudi lived during this pink, Alice-in-Wonderland house from 1906 to 1926, which now houses a museum of Gaudi-designed furniture, decorations, drawings, & portraits & busts of the architect. Fundacio Miro – it had been a present from the famous artist Miro to his native city. The museum opened in 1975, & now it’s one among Barcelona’s most enjoyable showcases of up to date art.
WHEN TO GO, WEATHER: the simplest times to go to Barcelona are late spring & early autumn, when the weather remains comfortably warm, around 21-25°C. Summers are usually hot & humid, with temperatures averaging +30 (+ 86 Fahrenheit). avoid the “dead” month of August, when many shops, bars & restaurants close for the month as many local inhabitants head out of the town . Winters are cool with average daytime temperatures around +12 C (+59 Fahrenheit), occasionally rainy.
BEACHES – one among Barcelona’s greatest draws is undeniably its beautiful beaches. Beside world-famous Costa Brava & Costa Dorada which are within 1-hr drive time from Barcelona, there’s also several lovely beaches over 4 km long within the town boundaries, they’re going to list several of them here: Nova Icaria- Closest to the Olympic marina, always crowded, this wide swathe of rough golden sand is great for food goers. there’s two perfect beach bars & seven very fashionable restaurants on the promenade (Mango & Chiringuito de Moncho) & countless bars & restaurants are a brief stroll away. Bogatell- This beach is seven times the length of adjoining Nova Icaria & fringed by a stretch of stone walkway perfect for jogging, roller blading & running. two large informal restaurants on the promenade. Mar Bella (Metro Ciutadella Vila Olimpica, plus 20-minute walk)- Barcelona’s only naturist beach on the brink of a peaceful park – nice for a picnic or siesta under the trees. Barceloneta- wide & long, a standard & popular stretch with locals, crowded, noisy & very jolly.
GETTING THERE & AROUND: By an immediate flight to Barcelona, or through Madrid or via another large European city from any major airports within the world. the very best fares are from May to September, rock bottom in March-April, October-November & December to February (excluding Christmas & old Year when prices are hiked up). Note also that flying on weekends may increase your ticket cost. If travelling to Barcelona from within Europe you’ll also chose train, bus or automobile, though these take for much longer than a plane & often compute no cheaper. many Mediterranean cruises include Barcelona as a port of call.
ACCOMODATIONS: they will provide you with a variety of choices. you’ll choose holiday rentals in Barcelona ranging from $ 125 USD for a double room during a 4-star apartment hotel. otherwise you can choose hotels from $ 65 USD for a double room during a 3-star hotel. Accomodation prices don’t change much throughout the year thanks to the steady all-season flow of tourists to the present popular tourist city & surrounding resorts.
DINING: Besides restaurants you’ll erode bars where you’d have a succession of tapas (small snacks- two or two chunks of fish, meat or vegetables, or salad, which traditionally wont to be served up free with a drink) or raciones (larger ones). The bar option are often tons more interesting, allowing you to try to to the rounds & sample local specialities. Generally, the typical cost for a meal consisting of seven dishes & dessert would come to about 25 Euros. Travellers on an limite