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HOLIDAY INFORMATION ON Barcelona

Barcelona AS A HOLIDAY DESTINATION


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Customer Reviews

Excellent organisation with excellent drivers and tour guides. Re-produced from client's 5 star Google Review. (7991)   ...

Burt Kuran, Melbourne, Australia
2024-07-01

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Conde Nast Traveller calls it Spain’s most exciting seaside city saying you’d be “hard pressed to find a European city that offers more”. We agree – the Gaudi architecture alone  - the Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila and Parc Guell  - make the visit worthwhile.

But to love a city you have to love its people and its food. And this is what makes Barcelona such as popular place. We love its confidence, openness and its vibrancy. We love its colourful flea market on the Ramblas, its old Gothic city centre and the Jewish coll. We love Barcelona’s gastronomy – they’ve taken food markets to a new level at the Boqueria where you’ll find you exciting foodie tours and cooking classes to teach you about their wonderful flavours and combinations. We love their innovation and give-it-a-whirl approach – whether that's chocolate and cava tasting tours or Michelin-starred tapas. And the nightlife? Barcelona doesn’t disappoint!

If shopping is part of your holiday, you’ll love shopping in Barcelona where you’ll find the big Spanish and international labels plus plenty of independent stores, artisan crafts and the high-street essentials too.

And when you’ve seen it all, eaten it all, and almost spent it all, there are wonderful day trips to the region’s wineries, monasteries and you can explore Dali’s home and studio, his museum and the castle he bought for Gala. And should you feel like chartering a yacht for the day, in Barcelona you can easily do that too. Barcelona is one of a kind.

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Barcelona - THINGS TO DO

  • La Sagrada Familia: Gaudí's iconic, unfinished basilica, featuring stunning facades and intricate interior designs, symbolizing nature and faith.

  • Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau: A UNESCO World Heritage Site showcasing Catalan modernism, now a cultural center and museum.

  • Casa Batlló: A colorful, organic-looking building designed by Gaudí, featuring a dragon-inspired roof and mosaic-covered facade.

  • Casa Milà (La Pedrera): A unique stone building by Gaudí, known for its undulating façade and rooftop sculptures.

  • Paseo de Gracia: A luxurious avenue lined with modernist architecture, high-end shops, and notable buildings like Casa Batlló and La Pedrera.

  • Plaza Cataluña: A bustling central square, ideal for shopping, dining, and people-watching, surrounded by notable landmarks.

  • Catedral de Barcelona: A stunning Gothic cathedral with a rich history, featuring beautiful chapels, cloisters, and a rooftop view.

  • Barrio Gótico: The Gothic Quarter, known for its narrow, winding streets, medieval buildings, and historical charm.

  • Carrer del Bisbe: A picturesque street in the Gothic Quarter, featuring a neo-Gothic bridge.

  • El Born: A vibrant neighborhood with trendy shops, cafes, and cultural attractions like the Picasso Museum.

  • Museu Picasso: Housing an extensive collection of Picasso's works, tracing his artistic evolution.

  • Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar: A majestic Gothic church located in the Born district, known for its stunning architecture.

  • Parc de la Ciutadella: A large park featuring a zoo, museums, a boating lake, and lush green spaces.

  • Arc de Triomf: A grand, red-brick triumphal arch leading to Parc de la Ciutadella.

  • Palau de la Música Catalana: A beautiful modernist concert hall, designed by Domènech i Montaner, known for its ornate interior.

  • Mercado de la Boquería: A bustling market with a wide variety of fresh produce, local delicacies, and vibrant atmosphere.

  • Las Ramblas: A lively street filled with shops, street performers, cafes, and historical landmarks.

  • Palau Güell: A lesser-known Gaudí masterpiece near Las Ramblas, with stunning interiors and a rooftop terrace.

  • Barceloneta: A seaside neighborhood with sandy beaches, seafood restaurants, and a lively boardwalk.

  • Port Vell: The old port area, now a hub for leisure with shops, an aquarium, and a maritime museum.

  • Maremagnum: A waterfront shopping and leisure complex, with shops, restaurants, and an aquarium.

  • Montjuïc: A hill offering panoramic views, gardens, museums, and the famous Magic Fountain light show.

  • Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC): Home to a vast collection of Catalan art, housed in a grand palace on Montjuïc.

  • Fundació Joan Miró: A museum dedicated to the works of the surrealist artist Joan Miró, located on Montjuïc.

  • Poble Espanyol: An open-air architectural museum showcasing replicas of buildings from different Spanish regions.

  • Magic Fountain: A large fountain in Montjuïc known for its nightly light and music shows.

  • Tibidabo: An amusement park on a mountain, offering rides, a historic church, and stunning city views.

  • Bunkers del Carmel: An old military bunker offering one of the best panoramic views of Barcelona.

  • Camp Nou: The legendary stadium of FC Barcelona, offering guided tours and a museum dedicated to the club's history.

HISTORY OF BARCELONA

Barcelona’s history spans over 2,500 years, beginning when the Romans founded the city in the region between the Rivers Llobregat and Besòs. Following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Visigoths conquered the city, followed by the Moors centuries later. Since its foundation, Barcelona has remained one of the most significant Mediterranean ports.

Today, Barcelona is a universal and cosmopolitan city, a place of contrasts where its rich ancestral past coexists harmoniously with cutting-edge contemporary architecture.

With nearly 1,7 million inhabitants, Barcelona boasts the largest population concentration on the Mediterranean coast. The city enjoys mild temperatures year-round, with winter lows around 10ºC (50ºF) and summer highs reaching approximately 30ºC (86ºF).

GASTRONOMY IN BARCELONA - SOPHISTICATED CUISINE

In Catalonia, good eating is a top priority. Catalan cuisine, enriched by diverse influences, is sophisticated, flavorful, and varied. Fresh fish and seafood, along with high-quality sausages and meats, are staples. Notable cold dishes include exqueixada (desalted cod salad), escalivada (roast aubergines, onions, and red peppers), and xató (curly endive lettuce with cod and anchovies). Popular dishes in Catalan gastronomy feature butifarra (Catalan sausage with beans), longaniza (local spiced sausage), and fuet (a type of salami). Additionally, Catalonia is one of Spain’s premier wine-growing regions, famed for its cava, a champagne-like sparkling wine.

 

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