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