Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, capital city of Catalonia, the province with the same name. Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean sea, in a plateau of about 5 km width limited by the mountain range of Collserola, the Llobregat river on the south and the Besòs river on the north.
The foundation of Barcelona is the subject of two different legends. The first attributes the founding of the city to Hercules 400 years before the building of Rome, and that it was rebuilt by the Carthaginian Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who named the city Barcino after his family, in the 3rd century BC. The second legend attributes the foundation directly to Hamilcar Barca.
During the 19th century, Barcelona grew with the industrial revolution and the introduction of many new industries. During a period of weaker control by the Madrid authorities, the medieval walls were torn down and the citadel of La Ribera was converted into an urban park: the modern Parc de la Ciutadella, site of the 1888 "Universal Exposition" (World‘s Fair). The exposition also left behind the Arc de Triomf and the Museu de Zoologia (a building originally used during the fair as a cafe-restaurant). The fields that had surrounded the artificially constricted city became the Eixample ("extension"), a bustling modern city surrounding the old.
Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, due to its good climate and its cultural offerings. Barcelona houses over 45 renowned museums and is famous for its unique contemporary architecture and the famous works of architect Antoni Gaudí. The city has 4.5 km of beaches, from the historical Barceloneta to the newest, sandless bathing zone in the Forum.
GO THERE FOR
Architecture: Barcelona has a unique blend of architecture from the historical, El Gòtic old town, through to the modernism movement of the internationally acclaimed Antoni Gaudí, to today’s business district with newly built sky scrapers that mirror Barcelona’s expanding economy.
Culture: The city has its own outlook on life; the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is Catalan first and Spanish second. A cosmopolitan city, whose inhabitants like to work and play hard as they make their mark on Barcelona and on life.
Cuisine: With some of the finest dining on the planet, including the critic’s favourite restaurant in the world, Barcelonan cuisine comes highly recommended. Specialising in the regional Catalan cuisine but also offering cutting edge international dishes, Barcelona’s high quality ingredients and perfect execution ensure one of the finest dining cities in the world.
Atmosphere: With a sunny disposition, Catalans are extremely friendly and enjoy a high standard of living. Barcelona keeps its own hours; late rise, evening siestas, a late supper (starting around 10pm) and then late to bed. With the city opening onto the beach and the high quality local produce, Barcelona is a place to indulge.
DON’T MISS
Gaudí – You can’t go to Barcelona without stopping by and appreciating at least one of this genius’ masterpieces. Take a stroll through Parc Güell or marvel at the world famous Sagrada Família Church, you simply have to visit at least one of his works.
Walk Through El Gòtic – This charming part of the old city is a great place to spend a leisurely afternoon. Closed to regular traffic and with many stores this area is extremely pedestrian friendly. Narrow passages opening onto squares and its gothic architecture make this an area where you never know what delight you’ll find around each corner.
A performance at the Gran Teatre Del Liceu – Rebuilt after fire has claimed it twice, this theatre was most recently reopened in 1999. A beautiful opera hall, matched by performances of the highest standard, the Gran Teatre will ensure any classical music enthusiast has an evening to remember. This upcoming season offers performances of Carmen, a modern take of a classic in El Superbarber de Sevilla and a performance of some of Brahms’ best works.
Cable car ride – Offering absolutely breathtaking views of Barcelona, the Mediterranean and the surrounding mountains, a ride on one of these cable cars leaves each of its passengers in awe. Not for the fainthearted; this trip certainly has its rewards.
La Boqueria – A huge food market near the centre of Barcelona, this market is not to be missed. Offering a wide range of edible delicacies La Boqueria offers the gourmand both quality and quantity. It is almost impossible to walk through this market without picking up an ingredient for dinner, a snack to tide you over or an exotic treat that you just couldn’t walk past without trying.
BASICS CITY INFO
Country Code: +34
City Code: +93
Emergency: Ambulance – 061, Fire – 080, Local Police – 092
Directory Enquiries: 010
Electricity: 220V 2-pin
Language: Catalan, Spanish
Currency: Euros (EUR)
Exchange Rates: 1 EUR = 0.88 GBP; 1 GBP = 1.12 EUR (General, subject to change)
Time: CET (UTC +1), CEST (UTC +2) Last Sunday March – Last Sunday October
Barcelona International Airport:
General Enquiries: 902 404 704
08820 El Prat de Llobregat, Spain
http://www.aena.es/
GETTING AROUND
From the Airport…
There is a train service from the airport that will bring you right into the heart of the city within 25 minutes. The fare is EUR 2.20. Express buses are also available from multiple locations in the city, originating at the Pl. Catalonia. The fare is EUR 5.05. Black and yellow cabs are available from the airport to downtown Barcelona at about EUR 13-20 depending on where one is going in the city and also depending on the amount of traffic. On weekends, holidays and nights add about EUR 2.
Around Town…
If you are travelling short distances, the best way to get around is on foot. Barcelona is a vibrant city with many shops and people in the streets both day and night. Some of the best areas are closed to traffic making walking an even bigger advantage.
For longer distances a cab is recommended. In Barcelona you can use the city wide black and yellow taxis. These work in a similar manner to the London black cab and New York City yellow taxi, simply wave one down and instruct the driver where to take you. Rates are set by the city council so different companies will still charge you the same price. Weekends, holidays and nights have a slightly higher rate than at other times. This is illustrated by an illuminated 2 on the taxis sign.
Town cars are available from M.I.M Luxury Transfers.
Barcelona also has an air-conditioned metro which is inexpensive and can be extremely useful. If taking a single journey, a ticket costs EUR 1.40. However, if you are planning on taking multiple journeys, a T10 transport is a better idea. A T10 gives you ten trips on the metro, is valid for the calendar year and costs EUR 7.85. The T10 can also be used on buses.
Local buses and trams also serve the city centre.
WHEN TO GO
Barcelona’s Mediterranean climate means warm, dry summers (average high 27?C/80?F) and mild, humid winters (average low 5.5?C/42?F). Either side of July and August are the best times to visit, taking advantage of the balmy, sunny weather but avoiding the high summer smog and crowds of tourists.
Public Holidays:
1st January - New Year's Day
6th January – Epiphany
19th March - Saint Joseph
Good Thursday (Thursday before Easter Sunday)
Good Friday
1st May - Labour Day
Whit Sunday (Observed seven weeks after Easter)
15th August – Assumption
12th October - National Day
1st November - All Saints' Day
6th December - Constitution Day
8th December - Immaculate Conception
25th December - Christmas Day
