Barcelona, the second largest city of Spain, is an important commercial and tourist centre. Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and the county of Barcelonès. In the ancient times, it was the capital of Counts of Barcelona and the Crown of Aragon. Today, it takes the pride of being one of the important Mediterranean ports. Having a rich history of more than 2,000 years, Barcelona has several architectural works, historical monuments and museums which have been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The works of Lluís Domènech I Montaner, Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau are admired as great examples of architectural works. . Barcelona which has the credit of seven beaches has also been attracting tourists every year.
Barcelona has an enriching history of more than 2,000 years and holds architectural buildings which tell the history of past. Once under the rule of Roman Empire, it is an important cultural and tourist center in Spain.
Some of the famous sights in Barcelona are:
- Sagrada Familia- Sagrada Familia is a giant temple which has been under construction since 1882 and still has another 30 to 80 years to complete.
- Poble Espanyol- Poble Espanyol is a small Spanish village with replicas of different styles of houses from different regions of Spain. It is also home to several craft shops and workshops.
- Miro Museum- Miro Museum has a great collection of works of Miro which includes paintings, sculptures, tapestries and sketches dating back as far as 1914.
- Picasso Museum- Picasso Museum is a very popular art gallery and houses the fascinating works of Picasso from his early to his final days.
- Barcelona Zoo- Barcelona Zoo is a home to various animals. While moving around in the Barcelona Zoo, you can relax in the restaurant and picnic area. In the zoo, you can also ride in the electric cars, ponies and in mini-train.
In Barcelona, there are several shops in the streets from where you can purchase designer clothes and shoes. You can also purchase several miniatures of dragons and giants in the shops of Carrer Bisbe. El Corte Ingles is the place from where you can purchase for goods which vary from gastronomy to pneumatics.
Some places which will offer best deals on items are:
- La Boqueria
- La Ramblas
- Barrio Gotico
- Portal d’Angel
- Plaça de Catalunya
- Passeig de Gracia
You can board several flights to national and international destination from the Barcelona airport at El Prat de Llobregat. The two main train stations Sants and Estació de França connect Barcelona to several national and international cities. Ferries too ply between Barcelona and Balearic Island and Italy.
Metro seems to be one of the swiftest ways to move around in Barcelona. Renfe-run Rodalies provide service to the airport as well as to the other parts of the town. Tourist can take Bus Turistic to visit the local attractions of the city. There are three routes, two of which depart from the opposite sides of Plaça de Catalunya. Cars and bikes can also be taken on rent to move around in the city.