A Travel Guide to Barcelona
Barcelona is Spain’s second city and regional capital of Catalonia. Barcelona’s history dates back to the Roman Empire and boasts a rich cultural heritage. Today, Barcelona is one of the world’s most important cities and is a top destination for those tourists who love city breaks.
One of the most awe-inspiring attractions in Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia, The church is still incomplete and construction began in 1882. Today it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the world’s most beautiful churches. Inside the church the nave reflects trees in nature and includes stunning artworks and carvings, particularly in the façade.
Barcelona is home to many animals; the Barcelona Zoo is famous for being the former home of the worlds only known albino gorilla, Snowflake. Visitors can see a huge variety of animals from lions and tigers to komodo dragons, flamingos and even dolphins. The Barcelona Aquarium is also filled with wildlife; one of the top attractions is walking through a glass tunnel as sharks swim overhead.
Those with a love of art will appreciate the Picasso Museum. Founded in 1963 by lifelong friend of Picasso, Jaume Sabartes and contains numerous works donated by Picasso himself. Not all of the paintings are in the surreal style Picasso was most known for and the museum offers an interesting look into the range of artistic styles Picasso used during his life.
Another of Barcelona’s attractions is the Magic Fountain of Montjuic that sits in front of the National Art Museum of Catalonia. The Fountain is a spectacular site to behold, particularly during the evenings and at night, when the water is lit from below creating an impressive display of colour.
Those who love sport will probably have heard of FC Barcelona. The football team is known throughout the world and fans travel from far and wide to visit the huge stadium ‘Camp Nou’ where the team plays its home matches. The stadium is the largest in Europe and includes a museum. Visitors can tour the stadium and see the museum when matches are not being played there.
There is a wide variety of self catering holiday accommodation in the Barcelona area, mostly city centre apartments but also some beautiful villas in the surrounding countryside and on the Costa Brava coast.
