| Beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (a | | | | can see spectacular views of Barcelona. One floor |
| Spain's province), is situated on on the shore of the | | | | below the roof is a modest museum dedicated to |
| Mediterranean sea and bordered at either end by 2 | | | | Gaudi's work. Montjuic - the largest open space in the |
| river deltas. Barcelona is the second largest city in | | | | city, its main attractions are the Olympic installations, |
| Spain after its capital city Madrid. Barcelona has a | | | | the Spanish Village and the hilltop fortress. Montjuic, |
| population of 1.5 million, over 4 million including suburbs. | | | | the hill overlooking the city centre from the |
| The varied, eventful history of the city dates back | | | | southwest, is home to some fine art galleries, leisure |
| 4,000 years to the first settlements by ancient | | | | attractions, soothing parks and the main group of |
| farmers. Later it became a Roman colony, the | | | | 1992 Olympic sites. Montjuic is covered in ornamental |
| Visigoth's capital city, then it came under Moorish rule. | | | | gardens with water features and is the most popular |
| It went through sieges, destructions and occupations, | | | | destination in Barcelona on Sundays. Tibidabo - is the |
| finally to become an autonomous democracy 1975. | | | | highest hill in the wooded range that forms the |
| The city has always played an important role in | | | | backdrop to Barcelona. It has amazing views of the |
| political and cultural life of Spain and it is well reflected | | | | whole of Barcelona, a stunning cathedral, and a family |
| in the variety and quality of historical buildings, | | | | fun park Parc d'Atraccions with old-style rides |
| museums, many other tourist attractions. Today | | | | offering breathtaking views. A glass lift at the park |
| Barcelona is one of the most diverse european cities | | | | goes 115m (383 ft) up to a visitors' observation area |
| with unique culture and rich traditions. You can find | | | | at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower. |
| here a formidable balance of the traditional things and | | | | Modernisme - spectacular modernista architectural |
| the avant-garde. A cosmopolitan metropolis, | | | | creations dotted around the city by famous Antoni |
| Barcelona affords visitors a warm and sincere | | | | Gaudi and his contemporaries. Camp Nou - home of |
| welcome, being aknowledged worldwide as one of | | | | F.C. Barcelona, one of Europe's leading soccer teams, |
| the best tourist-friendly cities in Europe.Barcelona's | | | | with capacity of almost 100,000 spectators. The Seu |
| organisation of the 1992 Olympics provided | | | | Cathedral - Built in medieval times on the site of a |
| regeneration of this dynamic city, gave a fresh start | | | | Roman temple, La Seu is one of the great Gothic |
| to its infrastructure development. WHAT TO SEE | | | | buildings in Spain. Parc de la Ciutadella - Barcelona's |
| AND WHERE: POINTS OF INTEREST - La Rambla is a | | | | favourite park and a Sunday afternoon rendezvous |
| tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buskers, | | | | for families, friends and ducks The Sardana - |
| living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling | | | | traditional Catalan dance, performed outside the |
| everything from lottery tickets to jewellery. | | | | cathedral and at national festivals, with everyone |
| Pavement cafes and stands selling craftwork, street | | | | encouraged to join in. |
| performers surrounded by curious onlookers, a noisy | | | | MUSEUMS - The Barbier-Mueller Museum of |
| bird market, Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century | | | | Pre-Columbian Art -the only museum in Europe |
| rococo mansion, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the | | | | devoted exclusively to Pre-Columbian cultures. |
| famous 19th-century opera house- these are all | | | | Housed in a gothic palace, its collection is one of the |
| colourful parts of La Rambla's mosaic. La Rambla ends | | | | finest of its kind and gives visitors an insight into the |
| at the lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to | | | | rich world of the earliest cultures on the American |
| Columbus) and the harbour. Barri Gotic - also known | | | | continent. This tiny museum contains one hundred |
| as Gothic Quarter, it is the old part of the city. | | | | pieces, including wood and stone sculptures, ceramics, |
| Picasso lived and worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to | | | | tapestries, jade, often found in international |
| 1904 and Joan Miro was born and lived here during his | | | | exhibitions and prestige publications. The exhibits |
| youth. Gothic Quarter is situated on the right hand | | | | represented the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Mochica |
| side of the La Rambla, it contains a concentration of | | | | and Inca civilisations. Palau de la Musica Catalana - one |
| medieval tall Gothic buildings (14-15th century) on | | | | of the world's most extraordinary music halls, it is a |
| narrow cobbled streets and now is home to much of | | | | Barcelona landmark. From its polychrome ceramic |
| the city's nightlife. La Sagrada Familia - La Sagrada | | | | ticket windows on the Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt |
| Familia is one of the most famous and magnificent | | | | side to its overhead busts of Palestrina, Bach, |
| among Barcelona's landmarks. The life's work of | | | | Beethoven, and Wagner, the Palau is the flagship of |
| Barcelona's famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, the | | | | Barcelona's Moderniste architecture. Museu Picasso - is |
| magnificent spires of the unfinished cathedral imprint | | | | Barcelona's most visited museum. 3,500 exhibits make |
| themselves boldly against the sky with swelling | | | | up the permanent collection. Picasso spent several |
| outlines inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. | | | | years (1901-06) in Barcelona, and this collection, is |
| Above each facade there are four towers, 12 in | | | | particularly strong on his early work. Displays include |
| total, which are dedicated to the Apostles. The | | | | childhood sketches, pictures from the beautiful Rose |
| tower in the center, the tallest of all at 170 m., is | | | | and Blue periods, and the famous 1950s Cubist |
| dedicated to Jesus Christ. Around these there are | | | | variations on Velazquez's Las Meninas |
| the towers of the four Evangelists, and the tower | | | | (Ladies-in-Waiting). Gaudi Casa-Museu - Gaudi lived in |
| over the apse is dedicated to the Virgin. They are | | | | this pink, Alice-in-Wonderland house from 1906 to |
| encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem to | | | | 1926, which now houses a museum of |
| breathe life into the stone. Gaudi died in 1926 before | | | | Gaudi-designed furniture, decorations, drawings, and |
| his masterwork was completed, and since then, | | | | portraits and busts of the architect. Fundacio Miro - it |
| controversy has continually dogged the building | | | | was a gift from the famous artist Joan Miro to his |
| program. Nevertheless, the southwestern (Passion) | | | | native city. The museum opened in 1975, and now it |
| facade, is almost done, and the nave, begun in 1978, | | | | is one of Barcelona's most exciting showcases of |
| is progressing. La Pedrera - Casa Mila (Mila House) is | | | | contemporary art. For more information on Barcelona, |
| an apartment building, the last example of Gaudi's civil | | | | travel tips, useful Barcelona travel links, maps, other |
| architecture.It is one of his finest and most ambitious | | | | destination guides visit us: |
| creations, extraordinarily innovative in its functional, | | | | Travel - one of leading online discount travel agencies, |
| constructive, and ornamental aspects. Visitors can | | | | a source of useful travel information. |
| tour the building and go up to the roof, where they | | | | |