Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona is Spain's second largest city, with a population of 1.5 million people, and the capital of Catalonia. The city is on the Mediterranean coast, and has a wealth of unique historic architecture. Barcelona emerged as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe during the 1990s.
It's a beautiful city, full of markets, shops, museums and churches, and great for walking around. There’s an area called “La Rambla” where people like walking. It’s a favorite tourist attraction because there are flower sellers, street performers,paintings and restaurants. However, you can go to the beach, which is near, or you can walk around.
In 1992 Barcelona hosted the Olympics and the Games were very well organized. However, some time before the city was prepared for that, and the transformation was very important; new areas were made and the city was opened to the sea. This transformation and the games made the city known all over the world, and increased the tourist flow, as well as the naval traffic, with numerous ships docking in Barcelona's port.
On the other hand, Barcelona has lost its 90's leadership in terms of international business headquarters, to Madrid.
Districts
Barcelona has many neighborhoods, but the most important and interesting for visitors are:
- Ciutat Vella - Barcelona's old town, including the medieval Barri Gotic and El Borne (also known as La Ribera)
- Eixample - Modernist quarter, noted for its art nouveau buildings.
- Gràcia - Formerly an independent town, it joined the city in the XXth century. Narrow streets and a cosmopolitan and young atmosphere with not too many tourists.
- Barceloneta - Known for its sandy beaches and many restaurants and cafes along the boardwalk.
Understand
When to visit
August is probably the busiest time in Barcelona; at the same time about 10% of shops and restaurants can be found closed from mid-August to early September, when the owners go on vacations. You'll find cheap accommodation and a much quieter city as a vast majority of Spaniards go on vacation in August. Business is low, people from Barcelona tend to be on vacation, hotels, that remain open but don't have their business customers tend to lower prices and make offers. However there will still be plenty of tourists. Barcelona has decent enough beaches but the locals will really appreciate it if visitors do not consider it a beach resort and don't wear beachwear when visiting churches, etc...
Barcelona is great off-season and is a lovely city even in winter months of January and February as long as the possibility of rain is low. Given the high humidity, 19-23°C is considered comfortable weather, which is normally the temperature between April and June and between late September-November. This is the best time to visit the city. Anything warmer than this can feel too hot.
Festivals and events
- Sónar. A annual three-day music festival held in Barcelona, Spain. It is described officially as a festival of Advanced Music and Multimedia Art. Music is by far the main aspect of the festival. The festival runs for three days and nights, usually starting on a Thursday in the third week of June.
- Festes de la Mercè. Barcelona's main annual festival around the 24th of September, encompassing many events such as which group of 'castellers' can form the highest human tower, live music events, firework displays and processions involving wooden giants. All of this is accompanied by a heavy consumption of Cava, the national drink of Catalonia.
- Festes de Gràcia. The Festes de Gracia is a Catalonian celebration, held around the 15th of August each year to commemorate the Assumption. During the week of festivities that mark one of Barcelona's most important fiestas, the city of Gracia explodes with fun, excitement, color and fireworks. Many streets are decorated by the neighbours, live music, food in the street, and the parties continue all night.
- Festes de Sants. Similar to Gracia's event, but smaller and later on in August. If you can't go to the Gracia's, try go to this festival instead.
- Sant Jordi. 23rd of April. Considered to be like Valentines Day. People give roses and books around the streets. Traditionally men give women roses and women give men books. It 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 center: Cathedral's cloister, Santa Anna, Casa de l'Ardiaca, Museu Frederic Marés, and over 10 more fountains there are over 15b people live here.
- 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.
December 13th is the feast day of Santa Llucia, patron saint of fashion designers and blind people, who gather at the Santa Llucia chapel in the cathedral to pay their respects.
- Revetlla de Sant Joan. This is the midsummer solstice celebration. It is celebrated on 23rd June every year and is signified by the fireworks that are permanently on display during this time.
Fira de Barcelona. All year you have events and fair services in Barcelona. The Feria Internacional de Barcelona organisation was not officially constituted until 1932. The International Exposition was held in 1929.
- La Mercè (few day before Sept 24): Another day that is famous, but not that important. It is holiday and the city offers a lot of activities to have fun. Enjoy fountains and fireworks show at the base of the Montjuic hill.
Get in
By plane
Low cost carriers operating to Barcelona include: Air Berlin, Monarch Airlines, Jet2.com , ClickAir (a discount subsidiary of Iberia), Vueling, WIZZ Air, easyJet, Ryanair (only to nearby Girona and Reus airports, see below), Blue Air, flyGlobespan, Transavia among many others.
Barcelona International Airport
Barcelona International Airport (IATA: BCN, ICAO: LEBL), also known as El Prat, is a major transport hub and fields flights from all over Europe and beyond.
Terminals: There are now two terminals, T1 and T2, the latter with A, B, and C subdivisions. T1 and T2 are linked by a bus shuttle (every 6 to 8 minutes, travel time 10 minutes).
Get around
The department store El Corte Ingles publishes a helpful (and free) street map for tourists. You can pick a copy at the store, or from most hotel front desks.
By public transport
The Bus Turístic links all of the Barcelona tourist sites you could possibly want to visit. It has three routes (map provided as you board), including a northbound and a southbound line that leave from opposite sides of the Plaça de Catalunya. Each takes 1-2 hours. The hop-on/hop-off format lets you get-off risk-free at any interesting stop, see what interests you, then get back on any later bus at that or any other stop. One approach is stay on for an entire route, then continue while getting off at locations that interested you earlier. Buses are double-decked, with the upper deck offering much better views...sunscreen essential in summer months, jackets in winter/early spring/late fall. As you first get on, you are offered earphones. Outlets near every seat let you choose among many languages and playback volumes. As you approach each significant location, you receive audio describing it. You can buy tickets at the bus stops and elsewhere (e.g., better hotels) valid for one day (€20) or two consecutive days (€26).
The metro can take you to many places. Stations are marked <M> on most maps; every station has a detailed scheme of exits to the city. A one-journey ticket cost €1.35, so it's probably best to buy a multi-person 10-ride ticket for €7.70 (called a T-10) or a personal 50-ride monthly ticket for €31.50. These tickets are also valid on the buses and trams. 1- to 5-day public transport tickets are available that allow unlimited travel on the metro and bus networks (€5.80 for one day, €10.70 for two days, €23.10 for five days). These are excellent value. Be sure to look after them well as bent or damaged cards will not be read by the ticket machines (such cards can be replaced at one of TMB's customer service centers). Metro operating hours are: Sunday and Mon-Thur 5:00 to 24:00, Fri 5:00 to 2:00, Saturday 24 hr (continuous service from Saturday at 5:00 until Sunday at 24:00).
Pay attention to the fact that to get from metro lines operated by TMB (1,2,3,4,5 and 11) to the ones operated by FGC (6,7 and 8) 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. If you used a multiple journey ticket (such as the popular 10 rides T-10 ticket -the one that locals use the most-) you won't be charged for a second time when changing lines.
Unusual features are: all cars are air conditioned; there are large screens for video advertising between lanes (e.g. at Universitat).
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 €24 for a 2-day card and €34 for a 5-day card. If you don't plan to see lots of museums every day, then it is cheaper to buy transport-only tickets (see above).
But there are many things that you will want to do in Barcelona that are not eligible for discounts. You can't use the Barcelona card on fun transport options like cable cars, funiculars or trams, for example.
By car
Parking around all major tourist destinations is costly (€1.5-2.5/hour, €20/day) and the spaces are difficult to navigate, as there are several classes of public parking space, with complicated rules for each class. Cars with French license plates are said to be rarely towed, but follow this at your own risk.
Having a driving map is essential - plan your route before you set off. Navigating with an average tourist map is frequently misleading: many streets are one-way; left turns are more rare than rights (and are unpredictable). As an example, Gran via de Les Corts Catalanes is technically two-way, but in one direction supports only minor traffic: after every crossroad you'll find the traffic light on the next crossroad turns red by the time you reach it.
See
Museums
- Caixa Fòrum, Plaça Espanya. This place hosts great exhibitions. Free entrance.
- Joan Miró Museum. This museum is on the Montjuïc accessible by the metro (L3 Paral·lel and then the funicular). Treasured museum dedicated to Joan Miró and always has interesting temporary expositions on display. Entrance €8.
- Military Museum. In the military fortification on the Montjuic. The museum was closed definitively on 24th May 2009.
- Palau Nacional. Hosts the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (Catalan National Museum of Art).
- 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. Free on the first Sunday each month (but they close at 14:30).
- Futboll Club Barcelona Museum. This is one of Barcelona's most visited museums near the stadium.
- Catalan Archaeological Museum. Situated on the Montjuic, it exhibits archaeological findings from Catalunia from different periods.
- Museu Etnologic (Catalan Ethnographical Museum). Passeig Santa Madrona, 16*22 (Montjuic); 934 246 807. This museum mainly exhibits exponents, which were imported by Catalan sailors as they explored the new world. Free on the first Sunday each month (11:00AM to 3:00PM)
- El Museu de l'Esport Olímpic
- The German Pavillion (El pavelló Alemany) A must-visit if you like architecture, it was designed by Mies van der Rohe.
Many museums have free entry on the first Saturday or Sunday of each month.
Other districts
Tibidabo. Located on the mountains of Barcelona (farther north from Gracia) and offers a spectacular view of the city (532 m high). This is a place where according some legends, the Devil tempted Jesus Christ offering him the whole world in exchange for his worship. At the top there is an awesome church, which offers panoramic views of the city. The church is almost surrounded (bizarrely) by a big funfair. You will also find an observatory and an ascendable communications tower nearby. To get there, take the metro to Av. Tibidabo Station, then Tramvia Blau, and then Funicular up to the mountain. It takes a good hour or more from Sants, and a little longer from the center. The beautifully scenic walk down is lined with some un-missable Spanish architecture for your photo album. You can not take photos very well from the tram, but the walk is wonderful. The cafe con leche at the cafe near the church is terrible. Try at the bottom of the funicular.
Monestir de Pedralbes, Baixada del Monestir, 9. A beautiful Gothic monastery near the university, there are a picture gallery (the Thyssen Bornemisza Collection), a museum which depicts the monastery life, a church, and a marvelous chapel covered with medieval frescoes.
Source: wikitravel.org
