Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya, one of the richest and most intensely independent regions in Spain. Catalan inhabitants converse their individual language and several do not deem themselves to be Spanish. The golden era of Catalunya was approximately the twelfth to fourteenth centuries, when Barcelona was the hub of the immense seafaring empire of Aragon. Besides to Barcelona, Catalunya is made up of the cities of Lleida, Girona and Tarragona, and the long Costa Brava, stretching from the French border to Valencia.
Barcelona has developed into a real tourist trap for the fantastic combination of activities on offer there. Its coastal setting attracts sun worshipers who enjoy the beach front resorts by the side of the coast, as well as the pulsating nightlife of the city centre. The cultural and historical delights of the town charm the sightseer, visiting for a long weekend, and the more lively will fancy climbing in the nearby mountains, where skiing can be found in winter.
As far as European cities go, Barcelona is a moderately uncomplicated city to pass through. Its natural mountains and seafront means that it has a gradual incline, and also is very compact. This does however mean that some of the city’s sights are missed, as it’s sometimes tiring walking uphill for half of the day, and downhill for the other half. The city’s metro system is a fantastic method to get around without delay, although you miss out on truly seeing the city, and often are confused when you get back up to street level (everyone does the same in rotating the map about a few times to double-check where you are!).
The Barcelona Tourist Bus has 3 routes, but I would say only 2 are worthwhile - the red and the blue course (North and South routes). The 3rd green route only takes you to the forum building. So if you focus on the red and blue routes, you can visit all of the city’s sights, and have the additional advantage of being above-ground as you do it, so you actually look at the whole of Barcelona, too. Observably for the duration of the spring and summer months it’s fantastic to be on the top with no roof and a pleasant breeze running through your hair while you take in the stunning architecture of Gaudi, the dazzling Camp Nou football stadium, the magic dancing fountains at Placa España, and many, many more attractions.
The most famous character of Barcelona and one sight that all holidaymakers want to visit is Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia. Even individuals that have not visited the city will be familiar with the dripping wax image of the most important façade. The recognized architect began work on this church in 1882, however the task took a long time as the building work relied on donations, and it had not been completed in 1926 when Gaudi was hit by a train and died. Work has since recommenced on the church and a good deal has been added since Gaudi’s fatality, but there is speculation as to whether the construction will ever be totally finished, or in truth whether it really should be.
You may pay to go up inside one of the towers, of which there are now eight, each one over one hundred meters high. The preliminary project was intended to incorporate eighteen towers, one for each of the twelve apostles, four for the Evangelists, and one each for Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
Other example of Gaudi’s work can be witnessed throughout the town. You will want to pull the Park Guell, La Pedrera and the Mila house into your itinerary if you probably can.
If you´re still stuck for idea the Poble Espanyol has become the 4th most widespread tourist monument in the city. The model was copied from Modernist architect Puig i Cadafalch, and the creators visited 1600 villages in and around Spain and its islands to re-create 117 scale models of buildings and characteristic sites from all all over Spain.
Culture lovers will be fascinated by the Fran Daurel foundation, boasting artwork from Picasso, Dali, Miró, Tapies and many others, plus there is a fantastic Sculpture Garden offering photo possibilities galore of sprawling Barcelona below. The village also has some great bars and bistros, as well as some great nightclubs in Barcelona on an evening.
Heres 5 inexpensive things to do in Barcelona
1. Walking in Barcelona - is free, relaxed and fun and what better means to really get to be familiar with a city. I unquestionably like walking about side streets and alleyways in spaces such as Barri Gotic in Barcelona. You stumble upon a number of cafes, old and rare shops.
2. Relaxing on the beach in Barcelona is of course very cheap and on a nice sunny day where else would you want to stay. If you do not mind spending a bit of money then there are loads of restaurants and eateries along the boardwalk and if you enjoy sea-food, you can munch everything from mussels to cod.
3. Museums in Barcelona has a generous number of museums and several of these are distinctly worth browsing in Barcelona. Though several of them frequently charge for entrance, they are moderately priced and you can definitely waste away a few days of your holiday or trip by browsing a a small number of of the scores of Barcelona museums.
4.Spending time around Las Ramblas and enjoying the street entertainers, shops, general character and the inviting weather is a wonderful means to unwind. Get yourself a chair and a drink slightly off of Las Ramblas (to avoid tourist quotes on the main street) and benefit from all that Barcelona has to offer.
5.Remain in your hotel room. If you are paying enough already for your hotel room or vacation apartment then you might like to get your money’s worth so why not spend a lot of time in the hotel room. If you have a terrace which comes with the room then lounging out on the balcony with a bottle of Spanish wine from the supermarket and people watching can be a wonderful way to really feel a slice of Barcelona living.
You can get detailed information regarding the sights of Barcelona before you go from your travel agent, the net, or the tourist information office in Barcelona’s main square after you get there. Ensure you pick up a map showing all the main sights as well as the most important stores, restaurants and hotels. Also think about going on a bus trip of the city. It is a great way to get your bearings in a very busy and crowded city, and give you an impression of the distance between places of interest. Speak to your guide, they may be able to give you local information about great eating places and transient exhibitions that will not be apparent on your map. You will never get bored in Barcelona; your only concern will be how to fit in everything you want to visit.