Barcelona: the name itself rolls off the tongue. This Spanish city attracted attention after being host to the Olympic games in the 1990s. Since then it has poured every effort into boosting its tourism industry. Transportation is now extremely efficient. Infrastructures have also been renovated. The entire city feels both clean and refreshed.
Barcelona is a celebration of culture. Considerable efforts have been made to preserve its history. It’s a town of near-perfection. Ninety-degree turns in streets and block-shaped buildings both give it a feel of an ancient civilization like Harappa. Sants –Montjuic is a treasure-trove of both museums and monuments.
Landmarks abound. If you’re feeling social, you can enjoy touring the local fairs, which are an everyday occurrence. Inland, you’ll encounter suburbs which are left unexplored by most tourists. This can be a refreshing change from the traditional itinerary. Ciutat Vella is the most popular tourist destination. And why not? It houses a beautiful museum, the Contemporary Art Museum of Barcelona. It also has Barri Gotic which sports beautiful architecture reminiscent of the medieval era. Las Rambles street is perfect for wandering. Grácia is like entering another land entirely. When you set foot in this region of the city, you will experience its unique aura. Barcelona is a city with Roman, medieval and modern history.
La Rambla is a major attraction. There are shopping, restaurants and street performers constantly. However, this is also an area where we experienced some trouble. Theft is incredibly high here since this is the most ‘touristy’ part of the city. In addition, make sure to ALWAYS ask how much something is. We were completely scammed at a restaurant on La Rambla. Because tourists come here frequently many people know they can take advantage of those who are new to the city.
Sagrada Familia is the largest church in the world and has been under construction since 1882!
Some of the best food and shopping can be found just off of La Rambla. Compared to America, the clothes in Spain are super cheap! After shopping there I vowed to not shop in America ever again. (Especially the popular brand Zara.)
Overall, the city is pretty safe during the daylight. So people should feel free to really explore. However, as soon as you are off of the main roads it is very unlikely people will speak English or anything besides Spanish. In this part of Spain, people speak both Spanish and Catalan. The Catalonian people have a robust and proud history and are currently trying to gain independence from the rest of Spain.
Barcelona is a city with Roman, medieval and modern history. Its age-old folklore makes the city all the more enjoyable. The climate here can be both hot and dry during summer months. Both April and November are pleasant times to visit. You can also see the one-of-a-kind Musical Fountains from Thursday to Sunday in Plaςa
Experience the Musical Fountains from Thursday to Sunday in Plaςa d’espanya, or relax in Ciutat Vella. The celebrated Barcelona soccer team is here. Sports fans should travel in-season to ensure they don’t miss a match!
Public transportation is incredibly easy and clean, I was insanely impressed. It works by lines which are color coded, so even if you do not speak Spanish of Catalan it is very easy to navigate.
A lot of places close down for Siesta (approximately 3-4 hours in the afternoon). Even a lot of restaurants will close in the afternoon. People will start the day at 5 or so, getting breakfast from local bakeries while it is fresh. Then you will work, or sightsee for the whole morning until afternoon. There is a 3-4 hour break in the afternoon before dinner/evening time starts. The people I stayed with would also stay up until 10 or midnight since they had a nap in the afternoon.
September 3, 2016 11:31 am Leave your thoughts
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