Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia in Spain, Europe. The city, Spain's second largest, has a wealth of unique historic architecture and has emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe during the 1990s.
Districts
Barcelona has many quarters, but the most important and interesting for visitors are:
Ciutat Vella - Barcelona's old town, including the medieval Barri Gotic.Eixample - modernist quarter, noted for its art nouveau buildingsGràcia - historically a working class neighborhood, now rather gentrified, and very livelyBarceloneta - historically a fisherman's quarterUnderstand
When to visitFestes de la Mercè Around the 24th of September, the main celebrations in the city. Live music during all the day and night, theatre, life in the streets, castellers, and most of it for free!Festes de Gràcia - around the 15th of August, the celebrations from the Gràcia quarter. Many streets are decorated by the neighbours, live music, food in the street, party all night long.Festes de Sants - similar to Gracia's event, but smaller and a bit later in August. If you can't go to the Gracia's, try these!Sant Jordi 23rd of April. Is like Saint Valentine's in many places. People give roses and books around the streets. Is one of the most popular and interesting celebrations in Catalonia.Corpus. Late in May (Corpus Christi day). An egg is put over the fountains (most of them in the churches, and decorated with flowers), and "magically dances" over the water. Most of the churches are in the city centre: Cathedral's cloister, Santa Anna, Casa de l'Ardiaca, Museu Frederic Marés, and over 10 more fountains. Fira de Santa Llúcia From December 2nd/3rd to December 23rd, to commemorate Sta Llúcia (December 13th). In front of the Cathedral, is where the Christmas objects are sold. Some places sell Christmas trees, but most of them sell elements for making the pessebres, the representations of the birth of Jesus that people uses to put at home. These include small sculptures, wooden pieces and moss used to simulate grass.Revetlla de Sant Joan: for weeks on end, listen to kids shoot off caps and fire crackers. Finish the week with San Juan, head down to the beach for various music stations and all night festivities.LanguageBarcelona's official languages are Catalan and Spanish. Most signs are indicated in Catalan, although Spanish and English are also widely used. Most inhabitants speak both Catalan and Spanish, although many also speak English and/or French. As in most European countries any attempt by visitors to use the native language, in this case Catalan, is always appreciated. While Catalan is very prevalent in the city, the majority of Catalans instinctively address foreigners in Spanish.
To avoid giving offence, never refer to Catalan as a dialect, which is an offshoot of another language. Catalan is a language in the same way that French, Portuguese, Italian etc are. Remember that the sense of Catalan national identity is very strong, and the language is intricately linked with this. Showing an interest in this subject will gain you many friends.
Get in
By planeBarcelona International Airport (, ), also known as
El Prat, is a major transport hub and fields flights from all over Europe and beyond. There are three terminals, A, B and C, all within fairly easy walking distance of each other. A giant new south terminal is expected to open in 2009 or so.
The airport is only about 10 km away from the city center. Taxis are supposed to use a zone chart for trips into the city, but rarely do, and you can expect to pay up to €25. A cheaper and often faster option is the regular RENFE suburban train to Sants train station, which takes about 15 minutes. A single ticket is about €2.20, but an under-advertised fact is that you can use the T-10 ticket (€6.90 for ten trips, including all bus and metro transfers made within 75 minutes) instead. You can buy a T-10 from the ticket vending machine at the airport station.
Alternatively, the Aerobús A1 line stops outside all terminal buildings and travels along Gran Via to Plaça Catalunya. Buses depart every 6-9 minutes, the trip takes 20-30 minutes and costs €3.90 one-way. Aerobuses stop running at midnight, but you can catch a Nit Bus night bus service instead.
Some low-cost carriers, notably Ryanair, use the airports in Girona, nearly 100km to the north, or Reus, around the same distance to the south, instead. The Barcelona Bus service runs a shuttle bus from Estació del Nord in Barcelona to Girona Airport and this ties in with various flight times. A one-way ticket costs €12 and a return ticket costs €21. The journey takes approximately one hour and ten minutes. For Reus airport, the easiest way is to take the train from Barcelona Sants station to Reus and then the local bus to the airport. The train costs €6.45 and then the bus costs €2. This takes roughly an hour and a half.
By railSeveral trains per day (including overnight hotel trains) from other parts of Europe (via France) are regular & reliable.
The long-delayed AVE high-speed train line is finally expected to reach Sant Joan Despí station, on the outskirts of Barcelona, by the end of 2007. Travel time from Madrid is expected to be around 3 hours, compared to 5 hours by normal train.
By seaYou can arrive to Barcelona by boat from the Balearic islands, from Genoa and from Rome. For further information, check out the Italian ferry company Grandi Navi Veloci.
By busGet around
The Bus Turístic links all of the Barcelona tourist sites you could possibly want to visit. It has three routes, including a northbound and a southbound line which leave from opposite sides of the Plaça de Catalunya. You can buy tickets valid for one day (€17) or two consecutive days (€21).The metro can take you to many places. A one-journey ticket cost €1.25, so it's probably best to buy a multiperson 10-ride ticket for €6.90 (called a T-10) or a personal 50-ride monthly ticket for €27.55. These tickets are also valid on the buses and trams. More information. 1- to 5-day public transport tickets are available which allow unlimited travel on the metro and bus networks (8.8 Euro for two days). These are excellent value but be sure to look after them well as bent or damaged cards will not be read by the ticket machines (although such cards can easily be replaced by visiting one of TMB's customer service centers and requesting a replacement).Pay attention to the fact that sometimes to get from one line to another, or to another metro type, you need to exit and then enter through a new pay-gate. In this case, if you had a one-journey ticket, you need to get a new one.
The Barcelona Card features unlimited free travel on public transport and free admission and discounts at around 100 visitor attractions. The card is available for purchase for periods of between 2 and 5 days, costing €23 for a 2-day card and €34 for a 5-day card. If you aren't planning on seeing lots of museums then it is cheaper to buy transport only tickets (see above)Tramvia Blau is a an old tram (beginning of the 20th century) connects Av. Tibidabo metro station and Funicular station at the foot of Tibidabo. Costs: 3.10 Euro for two-way tripFunicular connects the foot of Tibidabo with view point. Costs: 3 Euro for two-way trip.If you would like to explore the city by bike you might want to check out Fat Tire Bike Tours. You can either rent a bike from them or take one of their tours. The tour charge is around €22. More information Another option is Budget Bikes: More informationConsider picking up one of the free guides / magazines available in English that cover what's going on in Barcelona. There are a few local magazines, newspapers and website for internationals in Barcelona. Prominent local publications written in English include Barcelona Metropolitan, Barcelona Connect, and the BCN inside miniguide*.See
Gaudi architecture, including the Parc Güell, the still unfinished Sagrada Família and the houses; La Pedrera/Casa Milà and La Casa Batlló. :*
Park Güell. This is on a hill overlooking Barcelona, so expect a relatively steep walk to the top (Lesseps metro station, then follow arrows which are met every 300 m); you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the whole city. The park has two distinct parts, a relatively undeveloped natural area near the top of the hill, and the more famous (and crowded) sculpture park below. The sculpture portion is full of walkways and other structures exhibiting the distinct and colorful style of Gaudi, including the famous terrace. Free entrance.
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La Pedrera - entrance (Diagonal metro station) costs approximately 8 Euro.
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Sagrada Família - To get up to the tower by elevator costs 2 Euro (long queues). Previously, it was possible to go up the spiral stairs, but now they only allow you to get back down. The most impressive thing is to see Sagrada Família at night with lights on, this is the time when you understands why people say that it is built of bones. Entrance costs 9 Euro. Sagrada Família metro station.
The ruta del Modernisme (details avaiable from the tourist offices) takes you round all the best Modernisme (art nouveau) buildings in Barcelona. The full pack also includes discounted tickets to many attractions such as La Pedrera and Casa Battlo.La Rambla, the most famous boulevard in Barcelona.Plaça d'Espanya with famouse red colums built before Olympic games and musical (in summer) fountain. The Gothic Quarter , with the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia and the Gothic Church of Santa Maria del Pi. Also worth the visit is the Gothic Basilica of Santa Maria del Mar, near the Picasso Museum.San Pau del Camp is a romanesque church - one of only a few in Barcelona - with a fine cloister which feels almost Arabic in style. A little island of calm in a very busy city.La Plaça Reial is located next to La Rambla and is considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in the world. Also look at the Gaudi streetlights!
Olympic stadium and village on Montjuïc hill, including the Montjuic Castle with his beautiful sightseeing.Tibidabo is located on the mountains of Barcelona and offers a spectacular view of the city (532 m high). This is a place where according some legends the Devil seduced Jesus Christ offering him whole world in exchange for his worship. There is a wonderful church over there. To get there by yourself you need to take metro till Av. Tibidabo Station, then Tramvia Blau, and then Funicular up to the mountain. It reduces the time you spend for getting there. If you have the whole day after leaving the metro you can walk up to the view point. Olympic Port. It has a large number of restaurants, bars and other establishments which have made Barcelona's nightlife even more intense.FC Barcelona. If you're a football freak then you can't miss a visit to Camp Nou, the home ground for Barcelona's biggest and most popular team, and one of Europes greatest footballing 'cathedrals'. FCB are the only major football club in the world that doesn't sell advertising space on it's strip, and this is because the club is about more than just making money. During the Franco era, FCB were the only way that supressed Catalans could vent their anger against his dictatorship, and because of this it became a symbol of Catalan identity. Camp Nou is the biggest stadium in Europe with a capacity of 98,600 people, and it also has shops and a museum of the club's history. Match tickets are relatively cheap (25-35 Euros) and games hardly ever completely sell out, unless it's a match against the hated rivals Real Madrid, or one of the other top teams (currently Valencia or Deportivo la Coruna.) With the quality in the current team, there's always a few goals, and it's nearly always a resounding win for Barca! Stadium tours aren't fantastic, but for a quick recent history of matches played there, consult the backs of the doors in the cubicles - most have alot of graffiti championing their team that played here!Zoo-Barcelona It is located in Parc de la Ciudadella. Prior to his death, this zoo was famous for its albino gorilla "Snowflake". Today this zoo still has many other features including a science museum inside the zoo.Poble Espanyol. A fake village with replicas of characteristic buildings in Spain (like the Avila walls, the Vall-de-roures town hall, etc). The village hosts the Fondation Fran Daurel, where you can enjoy an interesting Modern Art collection boasting Miró, Picasso, Tapiès and other, mostly Spanish and Catalan, nowaday's artists. The audio tour is very worthwhile here.Palau de la Música Catalana Modernist design by Lluís Domènech i Montaner is in the UNESCO World Heritage since 1997, a masterpiece of Catalan's Modernist Architecture.Palau Nacional with its art galleryMonestir de Pedralbes A beautiful Gothic monastery near the university. There is a picture gallery, a museum which depicts the monastery life, a church and a marvelous chapel covered with medievil frescoes.MuseumsMHI Museu d'Història de Catalunya (Catalonia's Museum of History). In Catalan and English. A must in order to understand the troubled (and sad) history of the Catalans.MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya) in the Palau Nacional has the single best collection of Romanesque art in the world, and a fine Gothic collection as well. Includes the Pantocrator from the Taüll Romanesque church.The Museum of the City of Barcelona includes access to underground Roman ruins and a complex of historic buildings in the centre of the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), as well as being a reasonably good historical museum.MACBA Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art.CCCB Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.The Picasso Museum has a lot of art from his first period, before the cubism.Caixa Fòrum located at Plaça Espanya, this place hosts great exhibitions (at the time of writing: Dalí - Culture for the masses) and entrance is free!Fundació Antoni TàpiesThis abstract artist has a great Museum close to Passeig de Gràcia. It is a good size, has great architecture and good international exhibits. Not to mention the Tapies!Joan Miró Museum This museum is on the Montjuïc accessible by the metro (L3 Paral·lel and then the funicular). It is a great treasure,maybe the best museum about Joan Miró. It always has interesting temporary expositions.'CASM Centre d'Art Santa Mònica is a contemporary art venue, showing solo exhibitions by national and international artists. Lots of other activities. Located in the lower part of Ramblas, admission is free.L'Aquarium is the second biggest aquaurium of Europe (after that in Genoa). Watch thousands of fishes, penguins and sharks in this interactive sea-life museum. Unlike Genoese Aquarium it has a long glass "tube", where you can walk watching sharks and other fish swimming around. Located at the Port Vell leisure centre, next to the IMAX cinema. Entrance ticket - 15 Euro. The Museum de l'Eròtica de Barcelona on La Rambla, just in front of the market IS a huge tourist trap (for the more open Western cultured tourist). For the more conservative Asian folks, this can be an eye opener. The tour isn't worth it, unless you wish to see (or never seen) old paints of kamasutra. The only interest is the huge phallus in the hallway, makes funny pictures!The Football Museum This is one of Barcelona's most visited museums near the stadion.Maritime Museum This museum standing at the harbour depicts the Catalan maritime history of trade, wars and discoveries.Catalan Archaeological Museum Situated on the Monntjuic, it exhibits archaeological findings from Catalunia from different periods.Catalan Ethnographical Museum Also situated on the Montjuic, this museum mainly exhibits exponents which were imported by Catalan sailors as they explored the new world.Military Museum In the military fortification on the Montjuic.Museum of Natural History This museum in the Ciutadella Parc is especially recommended for children. Most interesting is the rainforest project, in which you can observe a living forest from various angles (even from below!).Harbour aerial tramwayThe 1450 metre long harbour aerial tramway of Barcelona is a very interesting aerial tramway. It starts on the top of 78 metre tall Torre San Sebastian, which has also a restaurant on its top, which is accessible by an elevator. Harbour aerial tramway Barcelona runs over 107 metre tall Torre Jaume I, the second tallest aerial tramway support tower in the world. Torre Jaume I has an intermediate stop, which can be reached by elevator from ground. The other terminal of harbour aerial tramway Barcelona is Montjuic.
Do
Stroll along the following famous streets:*Las Ramblas, a tile-covered tree-lined pedestrian walkway, the busiest and most lively street of the city. This street has an excellent atmosphere and is full of local artists, street entertainers and pavement cafes. It is also a large tourist haunt; so expect to pay higher prices for food and drink. Head off into some of the side streets for a cheaper, more local, experience of Barcelona.*La Plaça Catalunya, emotional centre of Barcelona.* El Portal de l'Àngel, a commercial pedestrian road.Cruise miles of beachfront boardwalk starting from Barceloneta or get a tan on the beach.Wander the Barri Gotic, the largely intact medieval centre of the city.Enjoy the nightlife in the city's 200 or so squats.Walk in Born, a very popular area with great restaurants and places to have a few drinks.Be on the beach every Sunday night throughout the summer for live music, drinks and swimming.Check out Gràcia: a neighbourhood just off Park Guell, full of local culture, few tourists, tons of Places for relaxing and eating.Visit flamenco show in a real tablao. Tablao de Carmen that is situated in Poble Espanyol offers a spectacular flamenco evening. The cheapest entrance fee (31 Euro) includes the 1.5-2 hour show, drink and free of charge entrance in Poble Espanyol.Ride cable way to get from the sea front to Montjuïc mountain. 7.5 Euro for one-way ticket. Although this was recently closed for renovation, it is now open again. Rides on the Montjuic cable are not included in transit tickets like the Barcelona Card.Check out Montjuïc and its green surroundings, where you can also admire the German minimalist Ludwig Mies van der Rohe 1929 Pavilion (link or the interesting Caixa Forum building (right in front of the Pavilion).Sit for a while in Plaça dels Àngels, while admiring the whiteness of the MACBA and the best street skate tricks in town.Catch a performance at the beautiful Teatre del Liceu and the Palau de la Musica Catalana.Take a quick intensive Spanish class at the University of Barcelona to improve your flirting skills with natives!!Buy
For souvenir shopping, there are lots of little shops scattered throughout the Barri Gotic (the old city) where you can get t-shirts, coffee mugs, fridge magnets, and all sorts of other trinkets. One bizarre thing about these souvenir shops in Barcelona is that most of them are owned by Pakistanis or Indians and some of the shopkeeprs are outright unfriendly and nasty if you don't buy anything. As in most of these shops anywhere in the world, be prepared to bargain hard.La Gauche Divine , an incredible multiconcept store near La Rambla. An example of the Catalan design is the decoration of the shop with an exclusive combination of furniture from the sixties and paintings and sculptures all around. The shop includes a little corner where you can have a drink while watching the latest trend publications and an inner patio with plants and sculptures They have a lot of clothes and accessories for men and women, the most original pieces you can find in Barcelona Don't miss the courreges mini dresses brought from Japan and the catwalks and special events they organize every month.Vinçon This is a place modern design lovers simply must visit. It has everything from little household objects to furniture.El Corte Inglés Multiple buildings, several floors, you can find anything in a wide range and stocks. It sells almost everything, from gastronomy to pneumatics.Fnac Sells books, music, games, and many other interesting items. Fnac is located in the El Triangle shopping center in Plaza Catalunya (Opposite El Corte Inglés).Cacao Sampaka (C/. Consell de Cent, 292), Xocoa or The Chocolate Factory are must for chocolate lovers. There's a Chocolate Museum in Carrer Comerç, 36.Designers and chic fashion clothes are widely avaliable in Born (Jaume I Metro station).Casa Amatller, by Puig i Cadafalch, is a fine work of Modernisme, but also has a shop which sells fine chocolate (the Amatller family made its money out of cocoa).There is a lovely shop in Carrer Bisbe selling crafts including miniature versions of the dracs (dragons) and gigants (giants) that feature in Catalan processions and fiestas. El Ingenio, in Carrer Raurich, sells the real ones and is worth a visit just to look - you can also buy confetti, jokes, rubber snakes and other amusements.FC Barcelona Tickets, Barcelona Football Club Official Ticket agent for FC Barcelona Tickets. It is a little overpriced than in the stadium but you skip long queues and asure the seats you want.Eat
Barcelona's cuisine is hit-or-miss, as with all highly touristic cities, but good food does exist at reasonable prices.
The large cafes that line the Passeig de Gracia and the Rambla de Catalunya, just north of the Plaça de Catalunya, offer a variety of acceptable tapas, although a bit expensive. A good idea is to avoid restaurants with people outside encouraging you to come in - if they were good enough they probably wouldn't need to do that.
Though smoking is technically banned in public spaces in Barcelona, actual enforcement varies by venue.
You can get food from any part of the world in Barcelona, but make sure you try some specifically Catalan food. The great Catalan staple is
pa amb tomàquet: toasted bread smeared with tomato (and sometimes with garlic too) and then seasoned with olive oil.
The selection of seafood is consistently great, although not a lot of it is local (this part of the Mediterranean is pretty well fished-out).
For budget eating you may choose small bars (for example on the Avinguda del Parallel) with "menu del dia" (where it is possible to choose one snack, main dish and drink) - 9-11 Euro per person. But sometimes people there don't speak English and menu is also in Spanish. Banking cards are not accepted.
Near Sagrada Familia on the Carrer de Provenca there is a buffet style canteen with large windows facing the Cathedral. You get a dinner (unlimited snacks, main dishes, drinks, tea/coffe, deserts) for 9.5 Euro (January 2005).
The most popular quarter for the Barcelona's citizens is Barceloneta, where you can try fish based dishes, such as
Paella (a name that may hide many different kinds of rice concoctions) or
Arròs negre (
Black Rice), that takes its colour because is made using squid ink. It's a very good place to eat
tapas as well. Gracia, Ciutat Vella, Eixample and Poble Sec also offer a wide range of Restaurants.
For the truly stingy the Travel Bar (near the L3 metro Liceu) offers meals for €1.
During the week, most more expensive and happening restaurants offer lunch specials from 14h00 to 16h00. The savvy traveler will try the hip places for a fraction of the price during the day. One way of visiting Barcelona's most interesting restaurants is the buy the B-GUIDED, a quarterly magazine about design, architecture, modern art and of course, dining and going out. These are usually available in news kiosks and will allow you to steer clear of places loaded with tourists such as the Olympic Port and Las Ramblas where prices are over inflated.
Other places worth trying are:
El Rey de la Gamba, Barceloneta, offers excellent seafood at a moderate price. On the main drag in Barceloneta across from the sound. Great wine selection and paella.Can Punyetes, C/Maria Cubi 189 is a very traditional Catalan restaurant. A must, frequented by locals only, with a menu in Catalan. Don't be afraid, the food is fabulous.Bestial C/Ramón Trias Fargas 2-4, for their fabulous lunch specials to be enjoyed on their great beach terrace on warm sunny days. Dinner tends to be quite expensive, thus lunch is the best option. Silenus, C/Àngels 8, also has excellent lunch offers, 3 courses for around 10-12 Euros. A very desing restaurant just in front of the MACBA.Il Salero, C/Rec, in El Born is a very mellow place to eat and see Barcelona's beautiful people. Comerç 24, is a fashion tapas bar. Very creative, very goodArrel, a must in El Born area of townCafe Viena, is a sandwich bar on Las Ramblas. Truly some of the most delicious sandwiches anywhere. The bread is fresh and crispy, and the beer is cold. I will always stop by this place when I visit. Cafe de L'Opera, La Rambla 74, is a marvelous place to have a breakfast with fine strong coffee. The inside features 1920's decor.Les Quinze Nits, Plaça Real, is a place to get cheap, huge and delicious paella. The Gazpacho served here is also one of the finest in the world. The restaurant opens at 9pm, but the queue starts at 8pm. It's best to arrive early.El Glop (four locations) offers excellent Catalan meals at a price within most budgets. Allow about €20 per person, although you could get out of there for half of that if you let the price dictate your choice of dishes.Amatxu an authentic tapas bar, popular with the natives and tourists alike. Their squid rings are particularly good and their staff are friendly. They are located on Las Ramblas.Grupo Tragaluz have more restaurants in Barcelona. The type of meal that they offer is creative and mediterranean. You can visit the website to decide which restaurant you prefer http://www.grupotragaluz.com.Suzet A nice place with a modern environment. The best crêpes mixing modern and typical catalan ingredients. C/Tallers,69 T. 93 318 4724 Restaurant Miria not to be confused with the cafe of the same name right next door. Plaça Rius | Taulet 11. Really good food and reasonable prices (in Gracia). 93 218 51 98betawi a really tasy Indonesian restaurant. Portions aren't huge (average) but they sure know how to cook meat and fish to perfection. C/Montsio 6. In the Barrio Gotic. 93 412 62 64Meson David A great place serving excellent hearty Galician fare. Try the Lacon pork joint, its amazing. The decor is basic but the atmosphere is great. Expect queues at peak times. You'll eat and drink loads of Sangria for €15. Calle carretes 63 in the Raval area. Near St Antoni Metro.Juicy Jones about 100 yards from Liceu L3 off side road and down some steps. A great vegan restaurant is hidden behind the juice and tapas bar frontage. The desserts are fair to poor, but the thali is amazing. Address: C/ Cardenal Casañas 7.BioCenter in C/Pintor Fortuny, 2 offers really nice affordable vegetarian and vegan food with a familiar atmosphere.Comer y no Bombas (location variable) shares free vegan food.Orgànic on C/ Junta Comerç, 11 at Liceu (L3). A little more expensive, around 20€ for the menú del día, but is worth it! It's the best restaurant I've been to in a long time! Whether you're vegetarian/vegan or not, this kitchen is organic and the food is amazing and of high quality. Not a quick eat, but a nice sit down to good food meal. The service is friendly and down to earth and funny. Highly recommended.La Flauta Carrer Aribau, 27. Many local business people seem to dine here during the week. The ever changing menu del dia (menu of the day) costs around €10 and will fill you up with delicious Catalan cuisine that is well prepared and equally well presented. The Crema Catalana, similar to a creme broulee, makes an excellent choice for desert. Arriving somewhat early for lunch, perhaps before 14:00, could save you from waiting for a table.La Locanda in C/Joaquim Pou 4, between Via Laietana and the Cathedral, is a good choice for italian food lovers. Between Urquinaona and Sant Jaume metro stations.Shunka in C/ Sagristans 5, next to the Cathedral, is one of the most appreciated Japanese restaurants in town. Prior reservation is strongly advised. Between Urquinaona and Sant Jaume metro stations.'Els Quatre Gats in Carrer Montsio should be a tourist trap - but it isn't. It is the successor to the famous cafe where Gaudi drank and Picasso exhibited, in a fine Modernisme building by Puig i Cadafalch, and the set lunch for two will cost about EUR 26. The cooking is excellent.Alkimia, carrer Industria 79, this author's cuisine restaurant run by Jordi Vilà has received strong reviews since opening in 2003. Minimalist white interior. Michelin Star.Cinc Sentits, Aribau 58, , named one of the 80 Hottest New Restaurants in the World by Condé Nast Traveller shortly after opening in 2004. Features contemporary Catalan cuisine in a modern, warm interior. One of the few restaurants in Barcelona to offer a wine pairing.Gaig, Aragó 214 . This classic Barcelona restaurant has recently moved into the stylish Cram Hotel and features updated Catalan dishes. Modern black and red interior. Michelin Star. Expensive.Hisop, passatge Marimon 20, , one of the most promising cuisines in Barcelona with excellent wine service.A good set lunch for EUR 9 at the Delfin, on the Born, with typical Catalan specialties such as salmonetes (little fish eaten whole).If you are looking for a cheap lunch:
Maoz offers excellent vegan falafel for around 4 euros. There are several around Barcelona including one on 95, La Rambla,about 10 minutes walk from Pl Catalunya. Fantastic Veggie!!!La Boqueria market: it's on the Rambla, and there you can find food at low prices, the only problem is that all that food is mostly raw food! Some stall sells stuff for you such as many kinds of well cooked ready to eat pasta, fresh fruit already sliced, ... La Boqueria Supermarket's Gastronomy: in several supermarket you can find a wide Gastronomy stall, with ready to eat dishes in a great selection. You can get a two courses lunch for less than 5 euros.Any common bar offers menú del dia (menu of the day), which usually means a simple and unpretentious two course meal, 3 or 4 options each, with a drink and a dessert, from 8€ or so.Dönor Kebab: There is no shortage of Döner stands in Barcelona, offering tasty beef or chicken and salad in toasted flatbread for around €3.50.: Offers excellent organic vegetarian foods, as a compliment to the restaurant there's a store carries the full range of Vegetalia products as well as other well-sourced organic foods. The staff is friendly and prices reasonable.Drink
L'Arquer, is an archery bar where patrons can rent a bow and arrow for 10 euros/half hour, while drinking local spanish beers on tap. People often come to socialize while shooting arrows much like other parts of the world shoot darts. Closed Indefinitely as of 23/11/2006.El Bosc de les Fades, is dubbed the "Tree Bar" by many english speaking tourists. Located off La Rambla, this wax-museum bar features expert-crafted ambiance to look like a forest.Catwalk, is one of the most visited nightclub. Gets busy at around 2 am. They offer 2 different floors with R&B and hip-hop styles mixed with House or Techno.Chupitos, are located in several locations through out the city, including one in Barceloneta. Chupitos is spanish for "shots" and offers hundreds of unique shots including the "Harry Potter (a shot that sparks as cinnamon is sprinkled over it)", the "monica lewinsky", a variety of flaming shots amongst others. This is as much a show as it is a place to get a drink.El Dorado, Plaça del Sol 4, . This bar is located in the heart of the Barcelonian district of Gràcia since 1987. Dusk, carrer Merce 23, Sexy bar and bistro inside centuries-old stone walls in Ciutat Vella/Barri Gotic. One block in from the Correos (Big Post Office at the end of Via Laietana), "Dusk" offers an upbeat bar and a more relaxed lounge in the back. It's a perfect place to get a delicious bite to eat to start the night off, or to finish the night with funky music and a Bailey's Martini. Overall, a perfect place to get a taste of both the old Gothic Quarter and the new, hip, contemporary Barcelona.Fonfone, C/Escudellers 24, is a smaller, less edgy club with great music and very creative, hip decor. The mutlicolor tiled walls flash to the beat of the electronic music.Maumau, is a chilled out lounge bar with groovy tunes with an irregular programme of state of the art artistic intervention ranging from performance via shortfilm nights to installations and concerts. It's near the clubs of Paral.lel. It is worth looking at their webpage for the bar's and Barcelona nightlife upcoming events.L'Ovella Negra, or the "Black Sheep" is a Sangria bar located off of Las Ramblas.La Paloma, is a very popular night club. In the evening they have shows, but late night it turns to the most crowded party place packed with young people. Currently under threat of closure by city authorities due to apparent inadequacy of their soundproofing.RiBborn, carrer Antic de Sant Joan 3, Tel.(+34) 93 310 71 48, . A hip bar in the heart of the Ciutat Vella with a variety of bars and restaurants. Offers "Funk you till you drop" hiphop jazz reggae and soul with dj Chocolito + guests, Tuesday-Sunday 10pm-3am. Live music until 1am on most Sundays and the odd weeknight.Shoko, is -just like Catwalk- also down at the beachfront. Shoko offers you a true Feng Shui experience. Depending on the night they play house or Hip Hop music. One of the nicest decorated nightclubs in Barcelona.Sidecar Factory Club, Plaça Reial 7, (+34) 93 302 15 86, (+34) 933 177 666, . One of the best choices for drinks and music in Casc Antic. This underground club offers live music] (4 or 5 nights a week, 10pm-00.30am). It also hosts dj sessions every night (Monday-Sunday 00.30am-4.30/5.00am.) with djs of many different styles and from the most important clubs making people dance until the wee hours.Smooth, carrer Enrique Granados 73, Upscale lounge styel winebar located at in central Eixample, offering a refreshing alternative to the usual wooden tables and dingy atmosphere. The focus is definitely on wine with a full and interesting range both from Spain and abroad, but also a light modern menu of small plates help you through the second bottle as you sit listening to laid back lounge tunes. Four table terrace on the traffic restricted street closes at midnight, but the bar is open to 1.30 (2.30 on Saturday). Innovative in its day, the decor is getting slightly shabby but the central concept remains sound. Service can be the first to go if busy so grab a sandwich before if you're going on a Friday!Sweet Cafe, carrer Casanova 75, The trendiest bar of the Gaixample, the gay area, its red decor and lights and electropop music makes it unmissable. Mostly gay, but everybody is welcome. On Thursdays, pop sessions with guest djs. (Tuesday-Saturday 10.30 pm-3.00 am). Monthly Bollywood parties on the 2nd Sunday of the month.Travel Bar, carrer Boqueria 27, A staple hang-out for any true traveller. The Travel Bar hosts Europe's largest barcrawl, as well as a mean Catalan cooking course. A great place to hang out and meet people.Sleep
Note: There are three different names given to hotel-like accommodation in Barcelona they are Hotel, Hostal and Pension. It is important not to confuse a host
el with a host
al; a hostel offers backpacker-type accommodation with shared rooms, whereas a hostal is very similar to a guest house and is generally cheaper than a hotel.
HotelsBarcelona offers a great arrangement of accommodations, from cheap, decent "hostel" rooms with the bathroom down the hall to five-star hotels. Here are some that are notable in their price range:
Abba Sants Hotel , C/ Numancia , 32 - Barcelona 08029, Tel: (+34) 93 600 31 00, . This hotel is strategically located in the city centre, in a quite area next to a green area. The hotel is easily accessed from El Prat airport, and only 5 minutes from the Barcelona Fairgrounds and the Palacio de Congresos of Montjuïc.Best Western Premier Hotel Regina Bergara 2-4, Barcelona . The Hotel Regina is located next to Plaza Cataluña, right in the heart of Eixample, where the city's two most cosmopolitan avenues begin: Paseo de Gracia and Las Ramblas. About €100 per night for a double room with bath and breakfast.Grand Hotel Central, Via Laietana 30, Barcelona 08003, +34 93 295 79 00, . Close to the Born district, the Grand Hotel Central lives in an elegant building dating back to 1926. The stylish bedrooms are generous in space and comfort and emphasise urban modernity through the use of cool, natural materials. Large windows provide rooms with magnificent views and a lot of natural light. HCC Covadonga, Avda Diagnal 596, Barcelona 08021, Tel: (+34 93) 2095511. The HCC Covadonga Hotel is situated on the main avenue, in the heart of downtown Barcelona, near key attractions, shopping and the business district. Recently renovated, this hotel offers all the modern conveniences. It's also only 2 km to Barcelona City Centre and only 1 km from Sants Rail Station.Hotel Barcelona Catedral, Capellans, 4, 08002 Barcelona , Since October 06, we released a 4* boutique hotel. Exclusive new and modern designed hotel, located just where you wanted right in the centre, next to the Cathedral, las Ramblas and the Plaça Catalunya. It offers guests excellent quality rooms and a personalized service, creating a relaxing and comfortable stay for business and leisure. Your best option now to discover Barcelona and to be part of it. Every Sunday free guided cultural walks through the gothic quarter.Hotel Cuatro Naciones, La Rambla 40, Barcelona 08002 , Tel: (+34) 93 317-36-24, . Hotel ** on the Barcelona's most characteristic avenue (La Rambla), the nerve centre of the city. This historic area is very close to the Cathedral, the Gothic quarter and the harbor, as well as Barcelona's best shopping streets. Rooms varying from single to Quad size. Prices are very modest - starting at 80€ for a double.Hotel Lloret, Rambla Canaletes, 125, ES-8002, Tel: (+34) 933173366, Fax: (+34) 933019283, . Cheap hotel in La Rambla Barcelona.Hotel Gran Via, Gran Via Corts Catalanes 642, Tel. (+34) 933 181 900. Very central, and originally a palace, the public spaces of the hotel live up to that history. The rooms are large, but otherwise relatively modest. About €80 per night for a double room with bath.Hotel Lleó, C/ Pelai, 22-24, ES-8001 Barcelona Tel. +34933181312, Fax. +34934122657 . Hotel Lleo of Barcelona, just two steps from the Rambla, from plaza Catalunya and from plaza Universitat, is the ideal solution for both business and tourist stays in central Barcelona.Hotel Omm, +34 93 445 40 00, . Located in Barcelona's fashionable Passeig de Gràcia district, featuring elegant rooms with adaptable lighting. Award-winning haute cuisine restaurant. Rates from EUR 290 - EUR 500 per night. Hotel Silken Concordia, Avenida Paralelo 115, Barcelona. This is a very nice hotel that is located on a major street in Barcelona. The metro station "Poble Sec" is right across from the hotel. If you prefer to walk you can reach "La Rambla" and all the major atrractions in downtown Barcelona in just 15 minutes. The rooms are spacious, the furniture is almost like new, and the staff is quite friendly. The price is worth it: 90 Euros per night for a double.The Royal Ramblas A first class hotel with a privileged location right at the top of "Las Ramblas" boulevard, close to Catalunya Square - the business, entertainment and cultural meeting point of Barcelona. The hotel is within walking distance to the most fashionable area in Barcelona for tourism and shopping. The Royal Ramblas is the perfect place to live the real Barcelona experience.ApartmentsBarcelona has hundreds of short term and vacation rental apartments. There are many websites offering search and booking services for rentals from agencies and direct from owners. There are also guest houses and hotels that offer self-catered apartments as well.
managed by Residencia Australia. This is a complex of 8 studios with a 24 hour reception located 50 metres from the Ramblas and right in the middle of the shopping district of Calle Pelai. All studios are fully equipped. Aparthotel Silver, Bretón de los Herreros, 26 ES-8012 Barcelona Tel. +34 932189100, Fax. + 34934161447 . Aparthotel Silver is placed in a CENTRAL area ("Gracia" area; also called: "Barcelona's Greenwich Village") very close to the main commercial and business areas in Barcelona (Diagonal av., Paseo de Gracia, Via Augusta).Hostal & PensionPensión Norma, up 3 flights of stairs at C. Gran de Gràcia, 87, Tel. (+34) 237 44 78. Modest rooms, some with bath, in the relative quiet of Gràcia, about a kilometre north of the centre of town. About €25 per night.Pension Alamar, is located at the heart and historical center of Barcelona, The Ghotic Quarter, in a quiet pedestrian street near La Rambla. Provides reasonable rates, cosy clean rooms, in a warm family atmosphere. Facilities: kitchen, central heating, air conditioning, telephone, tv room, free cradle available for babies up to 2 years, washing machine, and close parking. Tel. (+34) 933025012, www.pensioalamar.comHostal Levante, Baixada de Sant Miquel, 2 - Tel.(+34) 93 3179565, has clean, simple and good private rooms. Renovated bathrooms. Very good location, one block from the Plaça Reial, two from the famous La Rambla. Very good price, but breakfast not included.Athome Barcelona Apartments, have a range of apartment rentals conveniently located throughout the centre of Barcelona. Prices are resonable, and the apartments have all mod-cons. Tel. (+34) 629 369 950, www.athome-barcelona.comNice Barcelona Bed and Breakfast Cosy bed and breakfast in the centre of Barcelona City.Las Ramblas Bed & Breakfast Offers diferent accommodation alternatives in the central Ramblas area. Phone +34 695 097 612.Hostal Barcelona City Centre, . A hostal three streets away from Catalunya square. Rooms with bathroom, tv, satellite, air-conditioned...Pension Barcelona City Ramblas, . In the central square of Barcelona with Ramblas street. Clean rooms with shared bathroom.Guesthouse Barcelona City Urquinaona, . A charming guesthouse, perfect if you come to Barcelona with Ryanair.Barcelona City North, . Very good facilities. Three stops by metro away from Catalunya square. Bathroom ensuite, tv, satellite, air-conditioned, wi-fi access to Internet...HostelsBohemia Barcelona Calle Rossellon 195, is a newly renovated hostel located in a modernist building in the Eixample. Located in a former Pension, this 300m2 hostel has been renovated in a special way blending modern comforts with old-school features. High ceilings and large panoramic paintings are blended with the modern comforts of en-suite rooms, modern shower units and colourful interiors to comfortably accommodate all visitors to Barcelona in a friendly open environment. Clean, friendly and good value, just next to Rambla Catalunya and Passeig de Gracia. The hostel's huge terrace is a great place to relax when you've had too much of the Barcelona pace of life and you just want to chill out. There's an outhouse with relaxing sofas and retro furniture, a reading library, deck chairs & hammocks, picnic tables and depending on the season, BBQ facilities… Run by an Irish-Catalan company, it offers en-suite double rooms for around 60 euros per night, private twins/doubles from 50 euros and 4-bed dorm bed rooms from 17.50 euros pppn. Tel: (+34) 620 682 682Residencia Australia and Hostal Central are located on different floors of Ronda Universitat No 11. Clean, friendly and good value, just off the Plaça de Catalunya. They belong to different owners. En-suite double rooms for around €60. Residencia Australia is more family orientated, they also offer ensuites with kitchenettes , small apartments starting at around 75 euros per night.Alberg PALAU, carrer Palau, 6 - Tel.(+34) 93 412 5080, , and Hostel NEW YORK, carrer d'en Gignas, 6 - Tel.(+34) 93 315 0304, are two youth hostels in the gothic quarter of Barcelona's Ciutat Vella. Clean and friendly, both hostels include breakfast, internet access, kitchen facilities, and a common room; all for under 20€ per person.The Welcome INN, carrer Hospital, 93 Tel.(+34)664 127 664 is an alternative to the typical 'dorm bed' hostel. It offers private rooms (single, doubles,triples,quads)in a large hostel-apartment with a kitchen and living area. ideal for backpackers/tourists that want privacy at affordable prices. Very good prices under 20 Euros per person per night.
This place is a privately owned apartment and as so is not a typical hostel but it is very legitimate and is rated on various independent websites worlwide.Gothic Point, is very centrally located in Barcelona. There's lots of activities, the guided city tour is great. The crowd is very international. Be careful, although the prices are good (€17 for one night + breakfast), there's extra charges for almost everything. Make sure to be in time for breakfast. Sea Point, is located just in front of the most old and famous beach in Barcelona: The Saint Sebastian beach in the Barceloneta quarters. The Sea Point Youth Hostel in Barcelona, Spain, allows travellers and backpackers to enjoy the city of Barcelona and, at the same time, enjoy a mediterranean beach. Las Ramblas and the centre of the city are only a relaxing ten minute walk away from the youth hostel. Always full of delightful people from all over the world, spend at least 1 night on the beach drinking wine and talking to other backpackers.Itaca hostel is centrally located in the Gothic District, only a stone's throw away from the Cathedral. The beds and bathrooms are clean, and the staff is friendly and helpful. Beds go for around 20 euros a night (depending on the season), breakfast is offered, and there is a kitchen that's open to guests, along with balcony access.Kabul, hostel is a popular option on Plaça Reial in the Gothic centre. It has the usual beds, laundry, breakfast, internet, bar and food options.Pere Tarrés Youth Hostel, is a hostel located near the top of Diagonal (a rather swish area). It is very safe and good fun, offering a restaurant, bar, tv area, ping pong tables, kitchen, free internet, and sheets and breakfast included in the price. Book online; there are often good deals on the hostel's web site.Contact
Telephone and Mobile servicesInternetInfoespai, Plaça del Sol. A free Internet cafe, and social centre. Infoespai is in the Gràcia quarter.Stay safe
Barcelona is a friendly city, there are few violent crimes. However, many tourists and even experienced travellers and residents get
pickpocketed in Barcelona, therefore sometimes called the "capital of pickpockets". This is the biggest risk you will face. Crowded places and metro/busses and areas such as Raval and the famous Rambles are still the most likely places to get pickpocketed, but if you are just arriving be aware of pickpockets at the bus terminal Estació del Nord and train station Sants Estació. Take particularly care of your backpack and handbags. Also be very careful at internet cafes. At the airport, even in the arrival hall, you may be approached by individuals posing as foreigners and claiming they have been robbed during a train ride or similar, and asking you for some 50 or 100 Euros that are missing for their ticket home.
If you need to use an ATM, especially in very tourist heavy areas, use caution. When possible, use ATM in less crowded areas just off the main street. Scams have been known to happen involving ATM and PIN number theft. Be sure to stand directly in front of the machine and do not let yourself get distracted until your transaction is complete, and your cash and card safely stowed. Do not pay any mind to anyone trying to "help" you retrieve a card that seems stuck in the machine by imploring that you enter your Pin number until it comes out. At this point your card is already stolen and you should proceed directly to the nearest phone to cancel said card.
Often a version of Three Card Monte is played on Las Ramblas. This game involves a dealer placing an object under one of three cups. The dealer then moves the three cups around mixing them up. The gambler tries to keep track of which cup the object is located under. After the cups have been mixed up, the gambler is given a chance to pick which cup the object is under, if the gambler chooses correctly he/she wins the amount gambled (Usually €50). However, it is not possible to win. This is a complete scam. Sure you will see people winning, and winning a lot of money. Those people are in on the scam with the dealer. Whatever you do, don't gamble, just watch and make sure not to make anyone involved mad. Remember there are more people involved than you realize.
Other areas of the city are less secure than average, such as Plaça Reial and the Raval and indeed the whole of the old town.
Women traveling alone should exercise caution while exploring the more isolated parts of Montjuïc. The city beaches, particularly the ones adjoining Barceloneta, have proven to be quite lucrative for bag-snatchers. Anything that one would rather not chance losing is best left (locked) in one's hostel or hotel.
Men traveling alone should expect the prostitutes on Las Ramblas in the early hours to be very aggressive, and are in with thieves and robbers. Stories abound of guys' belongings being relieved while their pants are down in dark back-streets.
Be aware of foreign matter such a bird poop that mysteriously shows up on your (and your companion's) clothing. Someone will soon offer to help you clean it off.
There have also been incidents of bag snatching while stopped at the traffic lights whereby the thieves open the car doors and take what they can. Please make sure that you always have your car doors locked during both the night and the day.
In case you want to report a crime - which you need to do to claim on travel insurance - be prepared for the reality that in the downtown police station, officers may not be able (or willing) to speak English, despite that fact the official theft report form is in both English and Spanish. The police station most often used to report theft is on Las Ramblas.
Cope
HospitalsEU citizens can get free or reduced cost medical treatment on presentation of an EHIC card and passport. The Time Out guides list English speaking medical practices.
Libraries Get out
Day trips from Barcelona include:
Figueres home of the impressive Salvador Dalí museumMontserrat - visit the monastery nestled high in the mountains to see the Black Madonna or hike to the peak to earn a fantastic view of the surroundings.Sitges a traditional beach side destination for the locals.Girona A quiet town with an ancient Jewish section, narrow streets, imposing walls and plenty of cafes. See directions to the north Airport above.Pyrenees A mountain range around 150 km north from the city. San Cugat del Valles has one of the most interesting Romanesque cloisters in Catalunya, with many interesting carvings
Barcelona (Catalan , Spanish ) is the capital and most populous city of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,605,602 in 2006. It is located on the Mediterranean coast (), between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and is limited to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge (512 m).
Barcelona is a major economic centre, with one of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports, and its airport is the second largest in Spain. Founded as a roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its story, Barcelona is today a important cultural center and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage. Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the Catalan government, known as the Generalitat de Catalunya; of particular note are the executive branch, the parliament and the Supreme Court of Catalonia. The city is also the capital of the county (
comarca) of the Barcelonès.
Names
The name
Barcelona comes from the ancient Levantine Iberian
Barkeno; Greek:
; Latin:
Barcino,
Barcelo, and
Barceno.
During the Middle Ages the city was variously known as
Barchinona, Barçalona, Barchelona and
Barchenona.
History
The foundation of Barcelona is the subject of two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome, and that it was rebuilt by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city
Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC. The second legend attributes the foundation directly to Hamilcar Barca.
About 15 BC, the Romans redrew the town as a
castrum (Roman military camp) centered on the "
Mons Taber", a little hill nearby the contemporary city hall (Plaça de Sant Jaume). Under the Romans it was a colony, with the surname of
Faventia, or, in full,
Colonia Faventia Julia Augusta Pia Barcino or
Colonia Julia Augusta Faventia Paterna Barcino. Mela mentions it among the small towns of the district, probably as it was eclipsed by its neighbor
Tarraco (modern Tarragona); but it may be gathered from later writers that it gradually grew in wealth and consequence, favoured as it was with a beautiful situation and an excellent harbour. It enjoyed immunity from imperial burdens. The city minted its own coins; some from the era of Galba survive.
Some important Roman ruins are exposed under the Plaça del Rei, entrance by the city museum (Museu d'Història de la Ciutat), and the typically Roman grid-planning is still visible today in the layout of the historical center, the
Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter"). Some remaining fragments of the Roman walls have been incorporated into the cathedral. The cathedral, also known as basilica
La Seu is said to have been founded in 343. The city was conquered by the Visigoths in the early fifth century, by the Moors in the early eighth century, reconquered from the emir in 801 by Charlemagne's son Louis who made Barcelona the seat of Carolingian "Spanish Marches" (
Marca Hispanica), a buffer zone ruled by the Count of Barcelona. Barcelona was still a Christian frontier territory when it was sacked by Al-Mansur in 985.
The Counts of Barcelona became increasingly independent and expanded their territory to include all of Catalonia, later formed the Crown of Aragon who conquered many overseas possessions, ruling the western Mediterranean Sea with outlying territories as far as Athens in the thirteenth century. The forging of a dynastic link between the Crowns of Aragon and Castile marked the beginning of Barcelona's decline.
Geography
Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean sea, on a plateau approximately 5 km wide limited by the mountain range of Collserola, the Llobregat river to the south-west and the Besòs river to the north. It is 160 km (100 mi) south of the Pyrenees and the Catalonian border with France. It has an area of 101 km² (38.9 mi²).
Collserola, part of the coastal mountain range, shelters the city to the north-west. Its highest point, the peak of Tibidabo, 512 m high, offers striking views over the city and is topped by the 288.4 m Torre de Collserola, a telecommunications tower that is visible from most of the city. Barcelona is peppered with small hills, most of them urbanized and that gave name to the neighborhoods built upon them, such as Carmel (267 m), Putxet (181 m) and Rovira (261 m). The escarpment of Montjuïc (173 m), situated to the southeast, overlooks the harbour and is topped by Montjuïc castle, a fortress built in the 17–18th centuries to control the city as a replacement for the Ciutadella. Today, the fortress is a museum and Montjuic is home to several sporting and cultural venues, as well as Barcelona's biggest park and gardens.
The city borders are the municipalities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Sant Adrià de Besòs to the north; L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Esplugues de Llobregat to the south; the Mediterranean Sea to the east; and Montcada i Reixac and Sant Cugat del Vallès to the west.
ClimateBarcelona has a Mediterranean climate, with mild, dry winters and warm, humid summers. January and February are the coldest months, averaging temperatures of 10 °C (50 °F). Snowfalls are so rare that they are remembered as special events by people. July and August are the hottest months, averaging temperatures of 25 °C (77 °F). The highest recorded maximum temperature in the city itself is 38.6 °C. At the Fabra Observatory, situated on the Tibidabo hill, the record is 39.8 °C (103.6 °F) in the summer.
Cityscape ParksBarcelona contains 68 municipal parks, divided into 12 historic parks, 5 thematic (botanical) parks, 45 urban parks and 6 forest parks. They range from vest-pocket parks to large recreation areas. The parks cover 10% of the city (549.7 ha), with a proportion of 18,1 m² of park area per inhabitant.
The park on Montjuïc is the largest, with 203 ha located on the mountain of the same name. while the population of the Metropolitan Area was 3,161,081. It is the central nucleus of the Urban Region of Barcelona, which relies on a population of 5,327,872 and covers an area of 4,268 km².
The population density of Barcelona was 15,779 people per km², with Eixample being the most populated district. 62% of the inhabitants were born in Catalonia, with a 23.5% coming from the rest of Spain. Of the 13.9% from other countries, a proportion which has more than tripled since 2001 when it was 3.9%,
95% of the population understand Catalan, 74.6% can speak it, 75% can read it, and 47.1% can write it. While the vast majority of the population profess to be of the Catholic religion (208 churches), there are also a number of other groups, including various Evangelist (71 locations, mostly professed by Roma), Jehovah's Witnesses (21 Kingdom Halls) and Buddhists (13 locations).
Barcelona's population peaked in 1979 with 1,906,998 people, and descended through the 1980s and 1990s, where more people looked for a higher quality of life in the suburban cities of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. After it bottomed out in 2000 with 1,496,266 people, it started to increase again when more younger people started to return, causing a great increase in housing prices.
Economy
Barcelona has a long-standing mercantile tradition. Less well known is that it was one of the earliest regions in continental Europe to begin industrialization, beginning with textile related works at the end of the eighteenth century but really gathering momentum in the mid nineteenth century, when it became a major center for the production of textiles and machinery. Since then, manufacturing has played a large role in its history. The traditional importance in textiles is still reflected in Barcelona's importance as a major fashion center. In summer 2006, Barcelona became an host for the prestigious Bread & Butter urban fashion fair.
As in other modern cities, the manufacturing sector has long since been overtaken by the services sector, though it remains important. The most important industries today are textile, chemistry, pharmaceutical, motor, electronic and printing. In the services sector, the most important are the logistics, publishing, telecommunications and computer sectors.
Drawing upon its tradition of creative art and craftsmanship, Barcelona is nowadays also known for its award-winning industrial design. Barcelona also has several congress halls, notably La Fira (Trade Fair), that host a quickly growing number of national and international events each year, which had also meant the opening of new hotels each year. The Port of Barcelona is an important Mediterranean port, both for general containers cargo and for cruise ships.
Barcelona has one of the highest costs of living in Spain, second only to Madrid and ocuping the 31 world position according to a report by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.
Government and administrative divisions
Barcelona is governed by a city council formed by 41 city councillors, elected for a four-year term by
universal suffrage. The executive (
Comissió de Govern—Government Commission) is formed by 21 councillors, led by the Mayor, with 5 lieutenant-mayors and 15 city councillors, each in charge of an area of government.
The seat of the city council is on the Plaça Sant Jaume, opposite the seat of Generalitat de Catalunya. Since the coming of the Spanish democracy, Barcelona has been governed by the PSC, first with an absolute majority an and later in coalition with ERC and ICV. Since the May 2007 elections, PSC is governing in minority only with IC, since ERC decided against a renewal of the previous coalition. The second most voted party in Barcelona is CiU, followed by PP, both currently in the opposition.
The city council has jurisdiction in the fields of city planning, transportation, municipal taxes, public highways security through the
Guardia Urbana (the municipal police), city maintenance, gardens, parks and environment, facilities (like schools, nurseries, sports centres, libraries, etc.), culture, sports, youth and social welfare. Some of these competencies are not exclusive, but shared with the Generalitat de Catalunya or the central Spanish government.
Barcelona, as one of the two biggest cities in Spain, is subject to a special law articulated through the
Carta Municipal (Municipal Law). A first version of this law was passed in 1960 and amended later, but the current version was approved in March 2006. This law gives the local government a special relationship with the central government and it also gives the mayor wider prerogatives by the means of municipal executive commissions. It expands the powers of the city council in areas like telecommunications, city traffic, road safety and public safety. It also gives a special economic regime to the city's treasury and it gives the council a veto in matters that will be decided by the central government, but that will need a favorable report from the council.
Barcelona has a number of theatres, including the world-renowned Gran Teatre del Liceu opera theater, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya and the Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall. The GREC festival takes place every summer and brings highly renowned performers and companies to Barcelona.
MuseumsBarcelona houses a great number of museums, which cover different areas and eras. The City History Museum, situated in a medieval building that used to be a royal residence, explains the story of the city, and includes a visit to the Roman ruins in the museum's basement. It also comprises the Museum-Monastery of Pedralbes, one of the best examples of Catalan Gothic architecture, the Museum-House Verdaguer, dedicated to poet Jacint Verdaguer, the Park Güell Interpretation Center and several other minor sites.
The Museum of the History of Catalonia, open in 1996, covers the story of Catalonia since prehistoric times and administers the monuments that belong to the Generalitat de Catalunya. The Archaeology Museum of Catalonia covers the story of Catalonia up to the Middle Ages, and of the cultures it came into contact with, and also runs several other archaeological sites in Catalonia.
The National Museum of Art of Catalonia possesses a well-known collection of
Romanesque art, including wall-paintings from Romanesque churches and chapels around Catalonia that have been
transferred to the museum, Gothic art from the thirteenth–fifteenth centuries, Renaissance and Baroque art from the 16th-18th centuries, Modern art from the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century, as well as the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection.
The Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, usually known as MACBA (acronym of Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona), focuses on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art, though it also includes foreign works. Adjacent to the MACBA, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, or CCCB, hosts temporary exhibitions, a cinema, concerts and other cultural events.
The works of Joan Miró are found in the museum of the Fundació Joan Miró, together with guest exhibitions from other museums around the world, while the Picasso Museum features early works by Pablo Picasso and his "Las meninas" series. The Fundació Antoni Tàpies holds a collection of Tàpies works.
The Museu Marítim de Barcelona, founded in 1929, is a nautical museum situated in the historical Barcelona's royal shipyard complex, with the purpose of illustrating Catalan seafaring culture and maritime history. Cosmocaixa (formerly the Science Museum) is a science museum run by the La Caixa Foundation that received the European Museum of the Year Award in 2006.
The Erotic museum of Barcelona is the first Museum of erotic art and culture where the visitor can contemplate the development of eroticism through the various artistic and cultural facets of the human being. The Museum's assets consist of more than 800 pieces of great historical value, spanning various cultures' erotic manifestations of both a ritual/religious as well as recreational nature.
ArchitectureThe
Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter" in Catalan) is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. Many of the buildings date from Medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona.
Catalan
modernisme architecture (often known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe), developed between 1885 and 1950 and left an important legacy in Barcelona. A great number of these buildings are World Heritage Sites.
Especially remarkable is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, which can be seen throughout the city. His best known work is the immense but still unfinished church of the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882, and is still financed by private donations: as of 2007, completion is planned for 2026. Other examples of his work are the Palau Güell, the Park Güell, the Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and the Casa Batlló.
Another notable architect was Lluís Domènech i Montaner, who designed the Palau de la Música Catalana, the
Hospital de Sant Pau and the Casa Lleó Morera. Josep Puig i Cadafalch's well-known Casa Ametller can also be seen on Passeig de Gràcia.
Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, the first (as of 2007, only) time that the winner has been a city, and not an individual architect.
World Heritage Sites in Barcelona Works of Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, included in the list in 1997.Works of Antoni Gaudí, including Park Güell, Palau Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Vicens, Sagrada Família (Nativity façade and crypt), Casa Batlló, Crypt in Colonia Güell. The first three works were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1984. The other four were added as extensions to the site in 2005MediaEl Periódico de Catalunya (Catalan and Spanish editions) and
La Vanguardia (Spanish) are Barcelona's two major daily newspapers while
Sport and
El Mundo Deportivo (both in Spanish) are the city's two major sports daily newspapers, published by the same companies. The city is also served by a number of smaller publications such as
Avui and
El Punt (both in Catalan), by nation-wide newspapers with special Barcelona editions like
El Pais and
El Mundo (both in Spanish), and by several free newspapers like
Metro,
20 minutos,
ADN and
Què (bilingual).
Several major FM stations include Catalunya Ràdio, RAC 1, RAC 105 and Cadena SER. Barcelona also has several local TV stations, among them BTV (owned by the city council) and 8TV (owned by the Godó group, that also owns
La Vanguardia). The headquarters of Televisió de Catalunya, Catalonia's public network, are located in Sant Joan Despí, in Barcelona's metropolitan area.
MusicBarcelona is home to the Sónar Music Festival which takes place around June every year. This is an electronica music festival split into three days with two main events on each day (
Sónar By Night and
Sónar by Day).
Sónar by day is held just off
Les Rambles, whereas
Sonar by night takes place in a complex just outside the main city.
The Barcelona and Catalonia National Symphonic Orchestra (Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, usually known as OBC) is the largest symphonic orchestra in Catalonia. Founded by the violinist and conductor Eduard Toldrà in 1944 as Barcelona's Municipal Orchestra, it became the OBC in the 1994-95 season after the Generalitat de Catalunya and Barcelona's City Council constituted the OBC consortium. In 1999, the OBC inaugurated its new venue in the brand-new Auditorium (
l'Auditori). It performs around 75 concerts per season and its current director is Eiji Oue.
Sports
Barcelona has a long sporting tradition and hosted the successful 1992 Summer Olympics as well as several matches from the 1982 Football World Cup. It has also been host to the X FINA World Championships and Eurobasket twice.
FC Barcelona is a sports club best known for its football team, one of the biggest in Europe and the 2006 champion of both the Spanish league and the UEFA Champions League. FC Barcelona also has teams in the Spanish basketball ACB league (Winterthur FCB), the handball ASOBAL league (FC Barcelona-Cifec), and the roller hockey league. The basketball team's stadium is the Palau Blaugrana, which is just across from the Camp Nou football stadium. It also has amateur teams in several other sports. The club also has a museum, the second most visited museum in Catalonia. RCD Espanyol is the city's other Liga football team and the 2006 holder of the Copa del Rey. CE Europa, Gramenet UEA, CF Badalona and UE Sant Andreu are the city's other football clubs. Joventut Badalona is another well-known basketball club in the area.
Barcelona has two UEFA 5-star rated football stadiums: FC Barcelona's Nou Camp and the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, used for the 1992 Olympics and the current home of Espanyol, pending completion of the club's new stadium. The Nou Camp is located in the Les Corts section of Barcelona, while Espanyol's Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is located in the Sants-Montjuïc part of Barcelona.
The Open Seat Godó, a 50-year-old ATP Tour International Series Gold tennis tournament, is held annually in the facilities of the Reial Club de Tenis Barcelona (Barcelona Royal Tennis Club). Several popular running competitions are organized year-round in Barcelona: Cursa del Corte Inglés (with about 60,000 participants each year), Cursa de la Mercè, Cursa Jean Bouin, Milla Sagrada Família and the San Silvestre. Also, each Christmas, a swimming race across the port is organized. Near Barcelona, in Montmeló, the 131,000 capacity Circuit de Catalunya racetrack hosts the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix and the Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix. Barcelona has also become very popular with skateboarders, which has led to a new anti-skateboarding law, which came into effect in 2006.
Transportation
AirBarcelona is served by Barcelona International Airport in the town of El Prat de Llobregat, about 3 km from Barcelona. It is the second-largest airport in Spain, and the largest on the Mediterranean coast. The airport is connected to the city by highway, commuter train and scheduled bus service. The Sabadell Airport is a smaller airport in the nearby town of Sabadell, devoted to pilot training, advertising flights, aerotaxi and private flights. Some low-cost airlines, like Ryanair and Martinair, prefer to use the Girona-Costa Brava Airport, situated about 90 km to the north of Barcelona and the Reus Airport, situated 77 km to the south.
SeaBarcelona's harbour has a 2000-year history and a great contemporary commercial importance. It is the most important
Mediterranean port for general cargo of containers and cruisers. The port is managed by the Port Authority of Barcelona. Its 7.86 km² are divided in three zones: Port Vell (the Old Port), the commercial port and the logistics port. The port is undergoing an enlargement that will double its size thanks to diverting the mouth of the Llobregat river 2 km to the south.
RailBarcelona is a major hub for RENFE, the Spanish state railway network, and its main intercity train station is
Sants Estació. The AVE high-speed rail system was recently extended from Madrid to Tarragona in southern Catalonia, and is expected to reach Barcelona by 2007. Renfe cercanías/rodalies and the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) run Barcelona's widespread commuter train service.
RoadThe Estació del Nord (Northern Station), a former train station that was renovated for the 1992 Olympic Games, now serves as the terminus for long-distance and regional bus services.
Barcelona has a metered taxi fleet governed by the Institut Metropolità del Taxi (Metropolitan Taxi Institute), composed of more than 10,000 cars. Most of the licenses are in the hands of self-employed drivers. With their black and yellow livery, Barcelona's taxis are easily spotted.
Public transportationBarcelona is served by a comprehensive local public transport network that includes a metro, two separate tram networks (one of them, the
Tranvía blau, connects to the Tibidabo funicular), a bus network and several funiculars and aerial cable cars. The Barcelona Metro network comprises nine lines, identified by an "L" followed by the line number as well as by individual colours. Most of the network is operated by the Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), but three lines inter-run with suburban lines and are operated by the FGC.
The TMB also operates the city's tram networks, known as Trambaix and Trambesòs, and the city's daytime bus network. The night bus network, known as Nitbus, is operated by Mohn SL. Transports Ciutat Comtal, who also operate other tourist oriented services within the city. Other companies operate services that connect the city with towns in the metropolitan area.
The Funicular de Montjuïc cable car climbs the Montjuïc hill. The Funicular de Vallvidrera and the tourist oriented Funicular de Tibidabo cable cars climb the Tibidabo hill. The city has also two aerial cable cars: one to the Montjuïc castle and another that runs via Torre Jaume I and Torre Sant Sebastia over the harbour.
Sister cities
Barcelona has sister relationships with many places worldwide:
Alghero, ItalyAlgiers, AlgeriaAntwerp, BelgiumBoston, USABusan, South KoreaCologne, GermanyDublin, IrelandGaza, Palestinian National AuthorityGdańsk, PolandGlasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom Dubai, United Arab EmiratesOther forms of cooperation and city friendship similar to the twin city programmes:
Niš, SerbiaIstanbul, TurkeyKobe, JapanMedellín, ColombiaMontevideo, UruguayMontpellier, FranceMontreal, CanadaRio de Janeiro, BrazilSão Paulo, BrazilSarajevo, Bosnia-HerzegovinaTel Aviv, IsraelOther sights
image:Sta-eulalia.jpg|Barcelona Cathedral
Image:Sagrada familia by night 2006.jpg|Sagrada Família at night
Image:InteriorSantaMariaMarBarcelona.jpg|Santa Maria del Mar Church
Image:050529 Barcelona 099.jpg|Santa Maria del Pi Church
Image:Spain.Barcelona.Porta.del.Angel.jpg| Portal de l'Àngel
Image:Jfader batto facade.jpg|Casa Batlló
Image:Casa Milà - Barcelona, Spain - Jan 2007.jpg|Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
Image:050529 Barcelona 135.jpg| The Palau Nacional which houses the MNAC
Image:Domènech.i.Montaner.Palau.Musica.Catalana.8.Barcelona.JPG| Palau de la Música Catalana
Image:Arc de Triomf Barcelona.JPG| The Arc de Triomf
Image:Casavicens.jpg| Casa Vicens
Image:Barcellona palazzo.jpg|Castell dels tres Dracs
Image:PlayaBacelonetta2.JPG|Hotel Arts (l.) and Torre Mapfre (each 154 m in height) seen from Platja de la Barceloneta
Image:Torre Agbar - Barcelona, Spain - Jan 2007.jpg|Torre Agbar
Image:PortVell.JPG|Rambla de Mar in Port Vell (Old Harbour)
Image:Barcelona.Tibidabo.Torre.Collserola.jpg| The Torre de Collserola in the Tibidabo Hill is the highest structure in Barcelona (288m).
See also
Metropolitan Area of Barcelona Urban Region of BarcelonaList of tallest buildings and structures in Barcelona Skateboarding in BarcelonaExternal links
Official Website of BarcelonaOfficial Website Of Barcelona's Metropolitan TransportsWiki.WorldFlicks @ Barcelona: Wiki with Geolocated photos on Map/Sat
