Travel

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous community in north-eastern Spain. It is also the second biggest city of Spain after Madrid. Barcelona is on the Mediterranean coast, 160 km south of the Pyrénées mountain chain, which is the border with France.

Barcelona offers a unique opportunity for tourists, to walk from the roman remains to the medieval fortress, and to the modern city, a city with opened boulevards and all its crossroads left over large by the buildings cut in a unique way. The historical centre of the city is almost flat, while the modern city extends to the surrounding hills, with streets that increase in altitude, which remind one of San Francisco.

Places to visit …

The Gothic District

It is the oldest and interesting part of Barcelona. San Jaume square, a former Roman Forum, along with other ruins, City Hall and the Palace of the Generalitat. On the Taber mountain lived before the Roman tribes. In King’s Square (Plaza del Rei)is situated the Real Palace, the Holy Agata Church, the Palace crown of Aragon, the great Gothic cathedral built between 1298 and 1450, with a dome of 90m and medieval places like Casa dels Canonges, Pia Almoina and Ardiaca.

Las Ramblas

This boulevard of 2 km long, between the Catalunya Market and the port is the essence of Barcelona. You’ll see here people of all ages and social classes, boys who clean shoes, stands with flowers and vegetables, street actors, immense galleries, sweet shops, terraces and some of the biggest theatres of the city. Among the most interesting buildings is the Academy of Sciences with the giant clock from 1868, the Betlem church in Gothic and Baroque style and the Moya Palace with its beautiful halls and extraordinary pictures, often used for exhibitions. The Boqueria Market is the most popular market in the city, being situated on the site of the old city center of Barcelona. Another building that houses art exhibitions frequently is the Palace of Virreina. Burno Cuadros House is famous for the dragon in front. This is the area where once lived the bourgeoisie, being in present the heart of neighborhood artists, full of typical tempting bars.

The Port

Situated at the end of Las Ramblas, it is dominated by the column of Christopher Columbus, from the top of which one can admire a panoramic view of Barcelona

El Ensanche

The modern center of Barcelona, built between 1970 and 1936 by architect Cerda, in order to create a neighborhood for the bourgeoisie luxury of time, increasing the city five times compared to its original size. All the streets here form an angle of 90 degrees, an unusual thing in European urban planning. The most famous monuments in this area are the works of Antonio Gaudi, as the great cathedral Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell and the Palace with the same name, the Punxes House and the Amatler House all the great work of modernist architecture. The Central Square, called Catalunya Square, with dimensions comparable with those of the Vatican City in Rome, stands as symbol of people’s mentality area, to change and innovation. In a regular basis, this market is changed. We should not forget Gracia Boulevard, a spacious boulevard with banks and palm trees and El Diagonal boulevard that crosses this part of the city from one part to the other.

Tibidabo

On Mount Tibidabo one can reach using the only train which left functional in Barcelona, and once you come here you can enjoy one of the most famous spectacular parks of entertainment in Europe.

Ciutadella Park

Here was held the World Exhibition in 1868. Also in the park is located the Parliament of Catalunia, the statue of the “Lady with the umbrella”, the symbol of Barcelona, and also various museums and Zoo.

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