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Some interesting things to do and places to visit while staying in Barcelona

Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum is across Via Laietana, down Carrer de la Princesa, and right on Carrer Montcada - a street known for Barcelona's most elegant medieval palaces. Picasso spent several of his formative years (1901-06) in Barcelona, and this collection, while not one of the world's best, is particularly strong on his early work. Displays include childhood sketches, pictures from the beautiful Rose and Blue periods, and the famous 1950s Cubist variations on Velázquez's Las Meninas (Ladies-in-Waiting).

Casa Batlló

Another splendid work by Gaudì, which maintained the original structure of the 1877 building, but completely redesigned its exterior and interior; the façade is spectacular, similar to a continuous wave, with stone and glass walls, with balconies which recall the teeth of prehistoric animals.

The roof, the strangest in the city, is said to represent S. George and the Dragon, with tiles similar to the scales of the animal and fantastic and shiny chimneys.

Sagrada Familia

It's one of the most famous works of the genial Antoni Gaudì, the architect who planned this modernist temple, seeking inspiration in Nature and supervising its construction for the first decades; its sinuous, enveloping and rounded shapes characterise its design, with the magnificent towers scraping the sky with their undulated profile inspired by the sacred mountain of Montserrat and which make of this incomplete work a symbol of the city.

Parc Güell

This park was wanted by the aristocratic Eusebi Guell. He wanted a garden city towards the late 19th century and bought a property on the Pelada mountain in the Salut de Gràcia neighbourhood. He entrusted the project to Antony Gaudì. Of the 60 residences planned only 2 were built; to enter Parc Guell means entering a world of fantasy, in which art and nature blend; each corner is decorated, designed, coloured. In the middle of the park one can admire a ceramic dragon, a stairway which leads to the Sala Hipòstila, a forest of 86 columns which support a platform, originally conceived to be a market and surrounded by benches which recall the shape of snake designed by Josep Maria Jujol, now a privileged observation point for the city below.

A pink building hosts the Casa-Museu Gaudì, where the artist lived from 1906 until his death; on the last floor of this building one may visit the bedroom and studio of the artist; this museum also holds part of the Casa Battlò furniture.

La Pedrera

It is one of Gaudí’s masterpieces, a work which was followed by the artist in each construction and decoration phase; he was very disappointed when the commissioner, Pedro Milà i Camps, refused to place a giant bronze sculpture group of the Virgin of the Rosary with archangels Gabriel and Michael.
The façade of the building seems to recreate the motion of waves in a stone grey sea.

Montjuïc

This name seems to derive from "the mountain of Jews", a thesis supported by the existence of a Jewish cemetery: it is the only peak which dominates the city and offer a splendid panorama; one can admire works from the Romanic to Mirò, museums, gardens, an 18th century fortress, sport and Olympic facilities.

And, of course, don't forget about Las Ramblas, Gràcia or Barcelona's football team's Camp Nou!

Enjoy!

Sometimes, simple things make the difference. If you're going to Barcelona, make sure you try it!

Bread with tomatoe

Or you'd rather like one of theese?

Paella

Let us know!

Catalan Cream

Getting to know the city

In a privileged position on the northeastern coast of the Iberian peninsula and the shores of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain in both size and population. It is also the capital of Catalonia, 1 of the 17 Autonomous Communities that make up Spain.

There are two official languages spoken in Barcelona: Catalan, generally spoken in all of Catalonia, and Spanish. The city of Barcelona has a population of 1.510.000, but this number spirals to more than 4.000.000 if the outlying areas are also included.

The capital of Catalonia is unequivocally a Mediterranean city, not only because of its geographic location but also and above all because of its history, tradition and cultural influences.

Brief introduction to Barcelona's history

As you may know, the city of Barcelona's been so far one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean Sea. But, where does it all come from?

The origins of the city are unclear. The coastal plain near Barcelona conserves remains from the late Neolithic and early Chalcolithic periods. Later, in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, the area was settled by the Laietani, a Thracian-Ιberian people, at Barkeno on the Táber hill ( in the present-day Ciutat Vella or “Old City”), believed to have been located on Montjuïc.

At around the same period, a small Greek colony, Kallipolis (Καλλίπολις), was founded in the region, though its exact location is unclear.

The area was occupied in 218 BC, at the start of the Second Punic War, by Carthaginian troops under the leadership of Hamilcar Marca. Up until this point, the northern limit of the Punic territories had been the Ebre river, located over 150 Km to the south. This military occupation is often cited as the foundation of the modern city of Barcelona. 

During middle ages it was referred with multiple names like Barchenona Barchinona, Barchelona, and Barcalona, etc. 

Barcelona's culture

Culture of Barcelona is enriched with two-thousand years' old varied heritages. Basically the city of Barcelona is known as a bi-lingual state. Barcelona natives are very much used to both Catalan and Spanish languages, and both of these languages are treated as the official language of Barcelona, whereas, in Catalonia region Catalan is the dominant native language.

The most important from a tourist point of view are:

Sardanas: Traditional Catalan dance. People meet in front of the cathedral on Sundays to dance it.

Castellers: The "castells" are impressive human towers of up to 9 "floors". They originated in the Tarragona region, although they can be seen in popular festivals in Barcelona, especially during the "Mercè".

Saint George (Sant Jordi), patron saint of Catalonia: On 23 April the Catalans celebrate Saint George's day by offering a rose and/or book, and the main shopping streets of Barcelona are filled with book stands.

Eve of Saint John's: On the 23 June, the summer solstice is celebrated with big bonfires, firecrackers and fireworks, and people eat the traditional "coca de Sant Joan" (a pastry).

La Mercè festival: This is the festival for Barcelona's patron saint, held in the week of the 24 September, the day of La Mercè. All kinds of activities are organized, for all tastes and all ages. Of particular interest is the "correfoc" (fire-breathing dragons from all over Catalonia), and the pyrotechnical music show (fireworks and classical music next to the Montjuïc fountains).

• 1 January: New year's day
• 6 January: Epiphany
• April: Easter
• 23 April: Saint George's day
• 27 April: Mare de Déu de Montserrat
• 1 May: May Day
• 19 May: Whitsun
• 24 June: Saint John's day
• 15 August: Assumption Festivities of Gracia
• 11 September: La Diada (Catalan national holiday)
• 24 September: La Mercè
• 12 October: Columbus Day
• 1 November: All Saints' Day
• 6 December: Constitution Day
• 8 December: Immaculate Conception
• 25 December: Christmas
• 26 December: Saint Stephen's Day
  

The climate

Barcelona's location on the shores of the Mediterranean means that it enjoys a warm, welcoming climate and pleasant temperatures all year round. Here we have the average temperatures in each month in Barcelona capital:

• January: 10°C
• February: 13°C
• March: 13°C
• April: 14°C
• May: 18°C
• June: 21°C
• July: 25°C
• August: 25°C
• September: 22°C
• October: 18°C
• November: 16°C
• December: 12°C
  

The city's flag

Some maps that'll help us move around the city

Barcelona, much more than a soccer team!

As you know, Barcelona is always up to what’s next and what’s new. Sure, the Catalan capital in northeastern Spain is rich with historic sites and classic tourist activities — browsing the centuries-old Boqueria market, studying the works of Picasso and Miró, posing with Gaudí’s frosted fairytale houses in Parc Güell — but the city’s current dynamism is rooted elsewhere. To discover what’s going on in Barcelona right now, follow us! 

Montjuïc's Magic Fountain, Barcelona