Tourist Information about Barcelona
Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is a cosmopolitan Mediterranean city that incorporates in its urban street pattern Roman remains, medieval districts and the most beautiful examples of Modernism and 20th century avant-garde art. Not for nothing were the emblematic buildings of Catalan architects Antoni Gaudí and Luis Doménech i Montaner declared to be World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Of Roman origin, Barcelona's long history and economic dynamism have provided it with an impressive cultural heritage, shown in the conservation of its rich historic and artistic heritage and in the encouragement of the newest artistic trends. Its long cultural agenda will lead the visitor through museums, exhibitions, outdoor sculptures... and an extensive calendar of music, theatre, and dance.
Popular culture also has a presence in this city, which does not forget deeply-rooted traditions, such as the Mercè Festival, or the holiday celebrations in the districts of Gràcia, Sants, or Poblenou, all excellent opportunities to get to know the more festive side of Barcelona.
Tradition and modernity are also responsible for shaping its innovative and imaginative cuisine, which is based on organically grown produce, fresh fish, sausages and olive oil. Home-made pastries, and sparkling wines will round off a merely superficial approach to Barcelona's culinary culture.
To take a stroll through the streets of Barcelona is to be surprised at every step. Pedestrian streets in the old districts, green spaces, and a splendid waterfront filled with modern structures all reflect the city's aim of integration. Barcelona has managed to exalt its past without forgetting its commitment to the future. The city has some extraordinary infrastructures dedicated to hosting seminars, symposiums and international competitions. Its exceptional communications network, its Mediterranean climate and its great number of tourist attractions make of Barcelona an important business city. Business facilities, as well as conference and exhibition centres, can accommodate the widest variety of initiatives.
The visitor, whether on business or pleasure, will enjoy Barcelona's Mediterranean character, which can be clearly felt on the Costa del Garraf as well as the Maresme coast. In addition, the city has beautiful urban beaches, marinas, and seafront golf courses. Nature lovers will not need to travel far to be able to hike through the hills that are part of the coastal mountain range and the Catalan Pyrenees.
Barcelona is a dynamic and modern city that looks to the future. Established as an important financial and business centre, the city offers first-class infrastructures to the visitor.
Thanks to its excellent communications network, its wide range of culture and entertainment, and its excellent climate, Barcelona is the city of choice each year for holding innumerable trade fairs, symposiums and international conferences.
The Fira de Barcelona, the city's largest trade fair complex, is located next to the hill at Montjuïc. Monumental buildings, the heritage of the 1929 World Exhibition and the 1992 Olympics, as well as museums and gardens surround some 250,000 square meters of exhibition space. Halls and pavilions, with different capacities, host the most varied events. The Barcelona Convention Centre is the space best suited for conferences and conventions. The nearby premises in Gran Vía (the M2, 3km from Montjuïc) have another Convention Centre equipped with the most innovative services. Taxis, underground, suburban trains and the cable car all reach the Fira, which is a short distance from El Prat airport, the port of Barcelona, and L'Estació de França railway station.
Many of the city's most emblematic buildings are equipped with auditoriums and conference rooms ideal for holding business meetings and all kinds of exhibitions. The Palau de Sant Jordi, built at Montjuïc by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, is one of the most surprising of them all. The Catalonia Convention Centre is also an important venue for business meetings.
Many other institutions offer facilities and services for holding exhibitions, receptions and meetings to the highest standards. The Estació de França railway station; historic buildings such as the Palau de la Virreina, and the Palau Nacional de Montjuïc; museums such as the Picasso Museum or the Joan Miró Foundation, and cultural centres such as the Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture are all equipped with impressive buildings that host a wide variety of exhibitions and events. Gems of modern architecture like L'Auditori and the National Theatre of Catalonia, built by the Spanish architects Ricardo Bofill and Rafael Moneo respectively, are also examples of highly versatile spaces. The World Trade Centre, on the shore of the Mediterranean, is also home to a very important business centre. Many companies hold their largest meetings there.
It should be noted that Barcelona has more than 200 hotels, with more than 34,000 places, spread throughout the city. Classic historic buildings, Modernist monuments that the visitor must not miss and buildings designed by acclaimed architects are all part of the extensive array of accommodation available. Innovative infrastructure, with computer technology and web access, is present in many of the hotels, especially in the ones designed for executive use.
Barcelona's cuisine, cosmopolitan and filled with Mediterranean flavours, is a showcase for the greatest of Catalonian recipes.
Examples of local dishes are "butifarra amb mongetes" (sausage with white beans), "escudella i carn d’olla" (Catalan stew) and the emblematic "pa amb tomàquet" (bread rubbed with tomato). Of course, one must not forget "crema catalana" (Catalan crème brûlée) for dessert, or the excellent wines from Alella, Pla de Bages and Penedès.
The 1992 Olympic Games, held in Barcelona, gave an impressive sporting infrastructure to the city. The facilities are used not only for big events, but also for professional training and for the sporting needs of the general public.
Barcelona's exceptional location, surrounded by hills and overlooking the sea, makes it an endless source of possibilities. There is scope for learning or practising any water sport in the classes and activities organised by its marinas. Sailing, windsurfing, snorkelling and scuba diving are just a few examples. The diverse range of sporting activities in the city can be experienced without having to leave its confines; there are football pitches, tracks, swimming pools, riding circuits, ice skating rinks, firing ranges, among others, all within the city of Barcelona.
All these facilities are well connected by public transport, as is also the case with golf courses, which are located nearby. These are beautifully laid out along the shores of the Mediterranean, where golfers will enjoy both the game and the gorgeous views the landscape has to offer.
Barcelona is surrounded by a natural landscape that is ideal for a number of adventure sports, as well as for being in touch with nature. Hang gliding, paragliding, quad biking, hiking or bike riding are just a few examples.
Barcelona's rich landscape can be admired at nearby sites such as the Costa del Garraf and Costa del Maresme, the Cordillera Costera and the Catalan Pyrenees. The seafront is environmentally diverse; the coast is lined with broad sands, cliffs beside the sea and pine woods reaching down to the shore. Mountain lovers will enjoy the great heights of the Pyrenean foothills, and the eastern Pyrenees, located in the provinces of Lleida and Girona. Barcelona's protected areas - among which there are the Montseny Nature Reserve, San Llorenç de Munt i Serra d´Obac, and the mountain of Montserrat - are also worth visiting. In fact, the woods of holm oak, cork oak, pine, oak, and beech in Montseny have been declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Within these reserves, visitors will find Nature Centres and Visitor Centres where they will be given information about the routes and activities available so they can get to know and enjoy their surroundings.
The variety and wealth of Barcelona's heritage provide a number of attractive routes through its various districts. This way, the traveller will get to know the many faces of the city.
Its early city centre, which was surrounded by walls during Roman times, makes up what today is the Gothic Quarter. Narrow streets, with quiet squares and attractive corners, are home to an abundant collection of Gothic buildings, both civil and religious. Surrounding Barcelona's impressive Cathedral, medieval palaces emerge, such as Casa dels Canonges, La Pia Almoina, and Casa d´Ardiaca. The Plaça del Rei brings together another labyrinth of marvellous buildings, such as the Palau Reial Mayor, the Chapel of Santa Ágata, and the City History Museum. The Plaça Sant Jaume holds the Palau de la Generalitat (headquarters of the Catalan government) and the City Hall, or Casa de la Ciutat. We must not forget the church of La Mercè, patron saint of Barcelona.
Next to the Gothic Quarter, the Ribera district, also of Medieval origin, begins. In its origins, it brought together traders and seagoing people, but with the passage of time many magnificent, small palaces were built as well. Some of them have been converted to house important city museums. Examples of this are the Palace of the Marquises of Llió, (Museum of Clothing and Textiles) the Palau Nadal (Barbier-Müller Museum of pre-Columbian Art), and the Palau Aguilar (nowadays the Picasso Museum), to name just a few. Because of Barcelona's focus on integration, it is possible to travel in time in a matter of a few metres, from the Gothic structures of the church of Santa María del Mar, to the modernist Palau de la Música Catalana, a concert hall.
The urban development of the central area of Barcelona was defined, towards the end of the 19th century, by the Eixample (urban expansion). An extensive grid, with large avenues and chamfered corners, joined the irregular layouts of old districts and outlying towns to the surrounding hills. The emerging Catalonian bourgeoisie chose this place to build its mansions and palaces, following the most daring principles of Modernism. Architects such as Gaudí, Doménech i Montaner or Puig i Cadafalch relied on the help of master craftsmen to fill the streets of Barcelona with fantasy. Works by Gaudí, such as Park Güell, the Palau Güell, and Casa Milà “La Pedrera”, as well as Doménech i Montaner's Palau de la Música Catalana, and the Sant Pau Hospital have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. The temple of the Sagrada Familia (the Holy Family), and houses such as Casa Lleó Morera, Casa Amatller, and Casa Batlló are just a few of the many modernist gems treasured by the city.
One of the main arteries of the historic quarter, La Rambla, leads to the Mediterranean Sea, and it is one of the best places to catch the rhythm of the city. The visitor is led through its different sections, from the Romanesque church of Santa Anna, to the bird and flower stalls, passing gorgeous examples of Baroque and Renaissance architecture on the way. The Palau Moja, the church of Betlem and the Santa Creu Hospital serve as guides. There are other centres of cultural activity and daily life in this area, such as the Palau de la Virreina, (now a gallery), the Boquería Market and the Liceu Opera House.
Barcelona overlooks the sea, and it has a waterfront that encompasses many different artistic styles. Les Drassanes, formerly a dockyard and now home to the Maritime Museum, and the Llotja del Mar are part of the medieval port facilities. Arcaded houses lead to the Ciutadella Park, the Olympic Village and the Port Olímpic. Beaches, piers and an impressive array of museums and leisure centres (such as the Aquarium, the 3D IMAX Theatre, the Colon viewing point, etc.) make Barcelona's seaport a cosmopolitan place, full of life.
Some of these modern facilities are the inheritance from the 1992 Olympics. Their mark can also be seen on the hill at Montjuïc, beside the monumental work from the 1929 World Exhibition. The castle of Montjuïc, (now the Army Museum) takes over this symbolic hill, where true gems of Barcelona's architecture can be found. The Plaça d'Espanya, the Magic Fountain, the Palau Nacional (with the medieval collection of the Catalan National Museum of Art - MNAC) and the Olympic Ring are a few of its most important works. The Olympic Stadium, the Calatrava Tower, the Sant Jordi Sports Centre and the INEFC (Catalonia National Institute of Physical Education) Pavilion, built by Ricardo Bofill, rise among gorgeous gardens.
Barcelona's culture is not only evident in its buildings, parks and outdoor sculptures, but also in its countless museum collections. Artists of the stature of Picasso, Miró, Tàpies or Gaudí, have museums entirely devoted to collect their works. Artistic pieces from all periods are kept in the city's History Museum, the Museum of the History of Catalonia, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Many other institutions also bring the avant-garde movement to the eyes of the general public, through permanent and temporary collections. Sometimes the container is as important as the contents it preserves, and, in the case of buildings and museums, this is true of the collections found in the beautiful structures that house the Thyssen-Bornemisza (the Monastery of Pedralbes), the Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture (CCCB) and Caixa Forum. The museums of Barcelona, however, cover a wider variety of subjects; namely: archaeology, zoology, science, ethnology, pre-Colombian art and more. A large number of exhibition halls round off this rich and diverse cultural selection.
Barcelona's City Council has created the Barcelona Card especially for visitors; it is valid for 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 days. Its main attractions are free transport and great discounts on entertainment, museums, and even restaurants. The visitor can also get an Articket, which is a multi-pass allowing entry to the MNAC, the MACBA (Barcelona Contemporary Art Museum, built by architect Richard Meier), the Joan Miró Foundation, the Antoni Tàpies Foundation, the CCCB, and Caixa Catalunya Cultural Centre, located in "La Pedrera", all at a discounted price.
A great capital like Barcelona has an impressive and varied array of beaches around the city, as well as urban beaches such as Barceloneta, Marbella, Nova Marbella, Nova Icaria and Bogatell.
In addition, the marinas located in the port offer a wide selection of water sports, to which children can be introduced. A trip aboard one of the popular Golondrina boats will be much enjoyed by both children and adults, and will also show the visitor the most modern side of the waterfront.
For an approach to the lives of countless species of animals, Barcelona offers the Aquarium and the Zoo. Direct observation, animated films, workshops, storytelling and interactive zones are only a few of the attractions for youngsters to learn by playing.
Talking of the sea, visitors should not miss the Barcelona Maritime Museum. This centre, located in a historic building, the Drassanes Reials, has a very impressive learning programme. Museum activities, the Spharea (a portable, inflatable planetarium), the ship it has anchored at the port, and the boxes of learning material provided by the Marine Learning Resources Centre complement one another for this purpose.
Museums such as the Science Museum, the Museum of Clothing and Textiles, the Museum of Decorative Arts and Ceramics Museum organise workshops and educational programs for children of all ages. The children's programme continues at the facilities of the Joan Miró Foundation, the Catalan National Museum of Art (MNAC) and the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art (MACBA), among many others. Different activities and guided tours are especially geared for children and youngsters, making the journey through these art collections fun and easy to digest. The dramatised tours of the Army Museum at Montjuïc Castle will also be exciting.
Barcelona's calendar of events never forgets youngsters. The Liceu Opera House and the Fundació La Caixa Cultural Centre host family concerts, while the Catalan Government Film Archive shows films suitable for all ages during its family showings. One of the most impressive venues in Barcelona is the IMAX 3D, located in Port Vell.
In addition, the Jove Teatre Regina specialises in staging plays geared to young theatre lovers. Barcelona's vast network of cultural centres and public libraries is also responsible for organising theatre and storytelling workshops.
To all these choices, the visitor must add a visit to the Museum of the Barcelona Football Club, to the Camp Nou (the club's official stadium) and to the Olympic Stadium, where Barcelona's other football club, R.C.D. Espanyol, plays. The Amusement Park and the Museum of Robots can be found at the top of the Tibidabo mountain. Many parks and gardens are spread throughout the city, offering unforgettable leisure opportunities for the whole family. The Park Güell (a World Heritage Site), the Migdia Park (located at the Montjuïc hill), the Ciutadella Park and the Paseo Marítimo are some of the best places to take a stroll and play games.
Barcelona is a modern European capital that knows the best way to mix its popular traditions with the most avant-garde trends of the moment. Festivals, shows and "fiestas" offer a varied and dynamic array of events and happenings held from the early morning to very late at night, showing the great vitality of this Catalan city.
More than fifty museums allow visitors to see their interesting permanent and temporary collections. Art lovers will enjoy the collections of museums such as the Catalan National Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art, (MACBA) or the Barcelona Centre for Contemporary Culture (CCCB), among many others. These museums also have extensive collections of books by numerous authors dealing with the works and influence of masters like Picasso, Tàpies and Miró. The list of the museums of Barcelona goes on, covering a variety of subjects.
Music is also deep-rooted in the Catalan capital. Numerous institutions such as the Liceu Opera House, L´Auditori or the Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall host splendid seasons each year. Opera, classical music concerts, and the performances by the Catalan Choral Society all take place inside such gems of Spanish architecture.
To round off the fantastic culture and leisure opportunities, many theatres are spread throughout the city, staging very daring performances. The Ciutat del Teatre, the Barcelona Musical Theatre, (located in the Montjuïc sporting complex) and the National Theatre of Catalonia have made the performing arts of the city all the richer.
Another activity of choice for the visitor, cinema, has a strong presence in the city, with more than a hundred venues and the Catalan Government Film Archive. All kinds of festivals bring to the public the most innovative performances and the latest theatre, music and visual arts. Some of the themes of these international festivals are jazz, ancient music, guitar, sound art, flamenco, world music and reggae. Sónar (Advanced Music and Multimedia), erotic cinema, the GREC (the Summer Festival), humour, short films, puppets and marionettes, and BAM (Barcelona Music Action) are open invitations to come to Barcelona at any time of the year.
The Catalan festive calendar also marks other dates when tradition fills the streets with life, never forgetting the tastes of youngsters. Christmas concerts, the Parade of the Magi, the Carnival, the festivals of Sant Jordi and Sant Joan, and the Diada (Catalonia's national celebration) lead to the festivities of Nuestra Señora de la Mercè. This, declared to be of National Tourist Interest, is one of the most famous.
But in Barcelona you do not need to wait for a festival or a fiesta to see bustle in the streets. The gentle Mediterranean climate encourages the people of Barcelona to enjoy their free time in the open air. The Port Vell, the Port Olímpic, the Diagonal and the Gràcia district are some of the main leisure areas. Shopping areas, museums, cinemas and beautiful avenues mingle with restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and live music venues.
Walking the streets of Barcelona, from shop to shop, the visitor discovers yet another one of the city's many appeals. Old shops, full of flavour and history, mix with modernist structures and new shopping centres. Local markets, art galleries, and antique shops emerge among craft shops, the boutiques of national and international fashion brands, and street markets. The city's main shopping area is made up of 5 kilometres of pedestrian streets and wide pavements linking the most important districts. This is what is referred to as the Barcelona Shopping Line. The visitor can take a stroll from Port Vell up La Rambla to the Gothic Quarter, the Eixample and the Diagonal, while stopping to admire the windows of the many different shops along the way.
Similarly, the Poble Espanyol de Montjuïc houses more than 40 craft shops including glass, ceramics, and toy manufacture. It is also worth dropping in to the street markets, such as the second- hand market of Els Encants, the Gothic antiques market, or the food fair.
