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 Barcelona
is one of Spain's most important cities.
The capital of Catalunya.
Well known as a cultural centre, it boasts
splendid architecture, monuments, historical
sites, natural resources, beaches and
much more. It has developed over the last
decade and a half at a breathtaking pace.
Some people say that it is Spain´s
most European city because it is always
open to new ideas and trends. This can
be noted in its people, the Catalans.
It is a very modern, multicultural, cosmopolitan
city.
Enjoying the benefits of a typical mediterranean
climate Barcelona attracts tourists from
all over the world. Following the Olympics
in 1992 tourism to the city dramatically
increased, partly due to the massive building
programme and modernisation that went
hand in hand with the games. Barcelona
isn´t just the city itself mountians,
beaches and villages are also within easy
reach for tourists planning to spend more
than just a few days in the province.
Multinational companies based in Barcelona
also contribute to the high number of
foreign residents. Infact Barcelona is
probably Spain's most cosmopolitan city.
Places to visit in Barcelona:
Barcelona
has such a rich heritage that you need at least a week to be able to visit it
all. Here are what we consider to be the most important sites to visit. The
actual city itself is quite large. But it is quite easy to find your way around
thanks to the way the streets are set out in grid form.
Walking: strolling around Barceloneta
is a very pleasant experience - the old
port Vell and the Atarazanas; the Maremagnum
is a modern leisure centre featuring an
Aquarium, restaurants, multiscreen cinema,
shops, it also has bars with open terraces
where you can enjoy a relaxing drink.
Also within walking distance - The Ramblas,
the Catalunya Square, the Gothic quarter,
the Paseo de Gracia, the Avenida Diagonal
with its fabulous shops, expensive boutiques,
trendy cafes, bars and hotels. The Eixample
(Ensanche) street with its modern buildings
is now Barcelona´s business centre.
The atmosphere changes going from the
Avenida Diagonal towards the north of
the city which is more elegant and peaceful.
The Pedralbes neighbourhood, Sant Gervasi
and Sarriá (Av. Diagonal/Universitad north
direction) are residential areas but worth
a visit as they are very pretty. The Gracia
neighbourhood has still got it´s
old streets and continues to celebrate
its fiestas and traditions. But perhaps
the most interesting place to visit if
you like art and history is the Gothic
quarter (el barrio Gótico) especially
during the weekend. There are many street
musicians, singers, street theatre groups...
allthis and more, something which creates
a wonderful atmosphere. You can cross
the whole area on foot going from the
Ramblas to the Cathedral Square. The Real
Square (Plaza Real) has a weekly antique
market on Sundays (coins, stamps and old
train sets among other things). Other
places to see on foot are the Plaza del
Pí (Iglesia del Pí), Plaza del Rei, Calle
Montcada (an authentic medieval street),
Basílica de Santa María del Mar, La Llotja,
the Grand Lyceum theatre (Gran Teatro
del Liceo) and the Mercado de la Boquería.
 Parks:
la Ciutadella Park, 30 hectres: a large lake, palm trees, orange
trees...The Zoolological park is based here and also The Modern Art Museum. Guell
Park, magnificently built by Gaudi in 1922 this park is a world heritage.
Montjuic Mountain apart from the castle, there is a Roase
garden and museums aswell as an open air theatre.a parte del Castillo y todos
los Museos tiene un parque con una rosaleda, Mercat de las Flors, the Olympic
Stadium, the Sant Jordi sports complex (used in the Olympics) and a theme park
(El Poble Espagnol) ; Tibidabo Theme Park situated on Tibidabo
mountain; Also worth visiting are Joan Miró Park and l'Espanya
Industrial Park. The Congress Centre: located between
the Plaza de España and the National Palace (Montjuic mountain). The Plaza de
España was built for the 1929 Great Exhibition, its two bell towers forming
the entrance to the site. From here you get onto Reina María Cristina avenue which
is where the Congress Centre is (the former exhibition centre). Castles
and Palaces: The Montjuich château: (18th century) located in
Ciutat Vella has magnificent views over the Mediterranean, the Vell Port, the
shipyards and the Olympic Port in the distance. It formed the headquarters to
the Great Exhibition in 1929 and today serves as a military museum. Guell
Palace: neogothic palace built by Gaudi (his first building) Virreina
Palace: (18th century) the first person to inhabit this palace was the viceroy
for Spain in Peru. Pedralbes Palace: In the past it was used by
the Spanish Royal family when visiting the city. Given National Historic status
in 1931. Now open to the public, it has a museum with a permanent collection including
decorative ceramic pieces, Catalan and Arabic pottery and works by Miró
and Picasso. The gardens were designed by J.C.Forestier; Royale Mayor Palace,
(13th century) used by the Counts of Barcelona and Royal family during that period.
It houses the famous Tinell room (14th century) which was used by the Reyes Católicos
(Catholic King and Queen) to welcome Christopher Columbus following his return
from America.. The Mayor´s Office: also called the" Casa de
la Ciutat " it is a 14th century palace which is located in the Gothic quarter
(Barrio Gótico) in Sant Jaume square, in front of the Generalitat Palace. The
Generalitat Palace (the Catalan Parliament Palace): The renaissance facade
has a statue of Sant Jordi, the Patron Saint of Barcelona. The head of parliament
uses his office here daily or works across the road in his office in the Casa
de los Canonges (Canónigos) which is connected by a Venecian style bridge built
in 1928. Cathedrals and Churches : Most can be found within the Gothic
quarter (Barrio Gótico) one of Europe's largest remaining medieval centres.
- Eixample neighbourhood: The Sagrada Familia Cathedral,
built by Gaudí on a neogothic church which he began renovating in 1883
and in the process of doing so changed completely. This Cathedral is modern and
its originality is outstanding. It remained unfinished for decades and continued
to be built using money from donations and other sources, following the plans
set out by Gaudí. Also within this neighbourhood - Eglise de la Purísima
Concepció and Asunción de Nuestra Señora (c/Aragón/Lauria) 16th century.
- The
Gothic Quarter: Basilica de Santa María del Mar - Baroque Catalan
style one of the favourite churches for the people of Barcelona. It has
wonderful acoustics and sometimes holds concerts. Basilica de la Merçé
(near to port Vell), originally 13th century gothic style but in was restored
in the Baroque style in the 18th century.; Santa Agata Chapel, 15th
century, located within the Real Mayor Palace.
- Barcelona Cathedral:
It was built upon the remains of a Roman church and a Mosque in 1298 and was finished
in the 14th century. It is Gothic Catalan in style, however within its interior
a Roman style chapel has been preserved. Santa Lucía Chapel, the crypt
of Santa Eulalia, which contains a very interesting sarcpophagus,is situated below
the high alter. The cloister is Gothic. The Sacristía museum has a collection
of valuable antique objects.Santísimo Sacramento Chapel holds the crucifix of
Cristo de Lepanto 16th century.
- Pedralbes neighbourhood:
Santa María de Pedralbes Monastery :built in 1326 by queen Elisenda
de Montcada, 60 paintings from the Thyssen Bornemisza collection have been on
show in the Sant Miquel Chapel since 1989.
- Museums in the
Gothic Quarter: The Art Modern Museum, located in the Ciutadella
park; Frederic Marès Museum, an 18th century palace which has been
used to host important visitors since 1948. One of the best Roman and Gothic religious
art museums in the city. L'Ardiaca House, 12th century, restored
in 1500, built above a Roman wall in gothic-renaissance style - it currently holds
the cities historical archives.The City History Museum, 14th century
mansion. The Wax Museum, it holds more than 300 wax models of famous
people. Moja Palace, a Baroque palace, the first floor holds temporary
exhibitions. The Picasso Museum, comprises of 3 buildings inMontcada
street: one is Baroque style and the other two are medieval - it holds more than
3000 pictures. The Maritime Museum, located in Drassanes (in the
shipyards) :The Geological Museum; The Zoological Museum.
- Museums on Montjuic Mountain: National Museum for Catalan Art,
situated in the National Palace this museum holds Europe´s best collection
of art from the Middle Ages. The Archeological Museum, it has important
Prehistoric art remains found in Catalunya and the Balearic Islands. The
Joan Miró Foundation; in aJ.L.Sert building - a good collection
of Miró's work. The Etnological Museum.
- Museums
in the Eixample neighbourhood :The Antoni Tàpies Foundation,
in Aragón street this museums contains surreal works by Tàpies.
- Museums in the Pedralbes-Sant Gervasi neighbourhood: The Science
Museum: very good - located in Tibidabo Avenue - it has a planetarium
and a metereological station. The Collserola Tower: located in Tibidabo, it is
a communications tower built by Norman Foster for the Olympics. It has an observatory
and a 360 degrees viewing point giving- amazing!The Royal Academy of the Arts
and Sciences: place of the first public clock in Barcelona, it was once a
theatre.
- The Lyceum Theatre: a grand opera house. Opened
in 1847 and it has been destroyed on three occassions, the most recent being a
fire in 1994. Fortunately, it has now been fully restored and is open once again.
- The Catalanan Concert Hall : A modern Palace built in 1908 by Domènech
i Montaner. The only concert hall in the world that has natural lighting. en 1908
: The decor is amazing.
- La Llotja : Headquarters for
the stockmarket set in a former customs building in the port. Remodelled in the
18th century, the great hall where transactions are carried out is Gothic.
 Modernist
buildings : Casa Milà-La Pedrera, built by Gaudí in 1910 located
in the Paseo de Gracia; Casa Terrades-Casa de les Punxes 1905 built by
Puig i Cadafach; Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau, built by Gaudí
in 1902, and still in use as a hospital. Illa de la Discordia, 3 houses
located in the Paseo de Gracia: Casa Batlló 1904,Gaudí, Casa Lleó i
Morera 1902 ,Domenech i Montaner, and Casa Ametller 1898 ,Puig i Cadafach;
Guell Palace, located in the Guell Park, Gaudí.  Shopping:
Barcelona is the undisputed design centre of Spain. For clothes shopping the best
place is the Paseo de Gracia and all the surrounding streets; there are also very
good art, decoration and antique shops such as Bd-Ediciones de Diseño (pieces
by Gaudí, Charles Mackintosh and other more modern designers), the Mercado
de la Boquería - a food market - one of the biggest in Europe; El Mercat
dels Encants - a secondhand market - a bit like the Rastro market in Madrid.
The Gothic Quarter has a large number of specialist shops, usually very
old, selling everything from hats to religious objects. Wines: we recommend
the Penedès reds and rosés and white wines from Alella (bodegas Quilez).
Accommodation in Barcelona - As any
major city, Barcelona has a very wide selection of hotels. Click on the links
below for detailed reviews of the hotels we recommend. Restaurants
in Barcelona - The best restaurants in the centre of Barcelona:
Casa Leopoldo (traditional fish and seafood dishes), Real Club Maritim
de Barcelona (traditional fish and seafood dishes), Agut (typical cuisine),
Agut d'Avignon (fish and seafood), Set Portes (fish and seafood),
Carvalleira (fish and seafood), Roig Robí (traditional), El Tragaluz
(3rd floor:modern and innovative, 2nd floor: a quick bite), La Venta (traditional
French Catalan cuisine), El Racó d'en Freixa, renowned chef Ramón Freixa
(traditional), Giardinetto Notte (Italian), La Balsa (innovative),
Botafumeiro (cuisince from Galicia principally fish and seafood), Jaume
de Provenza (traditional and innovative), Neichel (modern and creative),
Peixerot (fish and seafood), Cal Pep (fish) , La Fonda del Senyor
Perallada (traditional), Gaig (modern and refined), Gorria (Basque
cuisine), Jean Luc Figueras (innovative Catalan cuisine), La Quattro
Stagioni (Italian), Reno (traditionalmeat dishes), and Yasmina
(very good Japanese cuisine).
- The best restaurants in the Province
(see Restaurants
in the Costa Brava for a fuller description of some of these): El Racó
de Can Fabes (Sant Celoni), Sant Pau , Chef Carme Ruscalleda (Sant Pol de Mar),
La Fonda Europa (Granollers), Hispania (Arenys de Mar), Sant Marçal (Montseny),
Ca l'Anna (Sant Marti de Sarroca), Can Sumidors (St. Pere de Ribes), El Mirador
de les Caves (Subirats), El Velero (Sitges), Jordi Parramón (Vic), Cal Ton et
Airolo (Vilafranca del Penèdes), Peixerot (Villanova i la Geltrú), Magí (Mataró),
Floriac (Vic), As well as the wealth of restaurants and bars in Barcelona city,
there are hundreds of restaurants in the province which do not appear in tourist
guides. These are usually the Masías, old country house restaurants which
offer simple typical traditional food made from local produce. The most popular
dishes are grilled meat (lamb, chicken, rabbit, steak) accompanied by grilled
or cooked vegetables fresh from the farm. Its a very healthy way to eat and a
good excuse for many famlilies to spend a day in the Catalan countryside.Try a
calçotada in a country restaurant - its very good and also a great deal
of fun.
- Tapas: Los Caracoles (typical tapas dishes), Llevataps, Amaya,
Romesco, La Fonda del Senyor Perallada, Can Ramonet, El vaso de Oro, Euskal Etxea
(Basque tapas), Txacolin (Basque tapas), Tejada, El Turo, Botafumeiro (excellent
seafood tapas), Jose Luis (very good).
- Barcelona Cuisine: Mediterranean
cuisine with a Catalan twist - specialities are based on fish and seafood. Also
excellent rice and meat dishes (beef, duck, chicken, lamb and rabbit). Very good
for fresh salads and vegetables. See Cocina
Catalana
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