Barcelona

It is thought Carthaginians founded Barcelona around 230 BC. After that it was first invaded by the Visigoths and then by the Muslims. In 801 AD, the Muslims were pushed back by armies from what is now France. By then, the people that lived in the plains and mountains to the northwest and north of Barcelona had developed their own language and customs and could be identified as 'Catalans', although the earliest written documents that refer to that term, only date from the 10th century. Nowadays the language that is closest related to Catalan is the langue d'oc, the old language of southern France.

After the fall of the Muslim caliphate of Córdoba, in the 12th century, Barcelona started gaining importance and wealth. The Catalans managed to keep their creative forces alight through to the 14th century. By that time, Barcelona ruled a mini-empire that included Sicily, Malta, Sardinia, Valencia, the Balearics, the French regions of Rousillon and Cerdagne and parts of Greece. By the 15th century, bank crashes, the plague and the Genoese invading the Spanish markets with their products, had diminished Barcelona's importance again. The Catalans entered a union with the kingdom of Castile, in the hope to receive needed cash, but the heirs to the Castile and Aragón were only interested in juicing Catalunya to finance their own imperial ambitions.

In 1462 a rebellion against King Joan II started. In 1473, it ended in a siege of Barcelona. As a result, large parts of the city were devastated. After the siege, Barcelona was annexed into the Castilian state, but did not receive any of the artifacts that were plundered from the Americas and that brought fantastic riches to 16th-century Castile. Disaffected Catalans, including the peasants, resorted to arms several times. During the last revolt, in the War of the Spanish Succession, Catalunya sided with the British and the Austrians against Felipe V, the French contender for the Spanish throne. The armies of Felipe V defeated the invading powers and Barcelona fell after a fierce siege in 1714. Felipe built a huge fort, the Ciutadell to control the city and he also banned the use of the Catalan language.

After 1778, Catalunya was given permission to start trade with America and the city slowly regained some of its former glory. Barcelona was the cradle of Spain's first industrial revolution, which was based on cotton, wine, cork and iron industries. By the 1830's the Catalan language and the region's culture were on the brink of disappearing, but the European Romantic movement virtually rescued them. The Catalan Renaixença, or Renaissance, was led by poets and writers who successfully revived the popularity of the people's language. As a result, a nationalist movement sprang up and was embraced by all the parties of the political spectrum.

In 1800, Barcelona had about 115,000 inhabitants, while; in 1900 this had risen to more than half a million. This rapid growth of the city's population was followed by a violent period, in which anarchists, Republicans, bourgeois regionalists, gangsters, police terrorists, political gunmen called pistoleros and centrists in Madrid all took part of the action. By 1930 Barcelona had more than a million inhabitants, mostly people flocking the city in search for industrial jobs. Some 80% of the industrial workers joined the anarchist CNT and in 1919-1920 this resulted in a wave of strikes. Employers hired assassins to kill union leaders.

In 1931, Spain's Second Republic was formed and within days, Catalan nationalists declared a republic within an 'Iberian Federation'. After the leftist Popular Front won the Spanish general election in February 1936, Catalunya gained genuine autonomy. Barcelona was ran by the revolutionary anarchists and the POUM (the Workers Marxist Unification Party), but infighting between communists, anarchists and the POUM resulted in three days of street fighting in May 1937, in which more then 1500 people died.

Similar infighting occurred in many places in Spain, eradicating any chance of defeating Franco's fascist militia. Barcelona was the last stronghold of the Republicans, but in January 1939, it too fell to Franco's forces. The civil war ended several months later and thousands of Catalans fled into France, Andorra and other countries.

Franco immediately banned the use of the Catalan language and expressions of Catalan culture, such as the sardana, a public circle dance. He flooded the region with impoverished immigrants from Andalucía in an effort to outnumber the Catalans and reduce the possibilities of new independence movements gaining ground. The plan soured, as the migrants' children and grandchildren turned out to be even more in favor of independence than the Catalans themselves.

When El Supremo died, Catalunya's independence movement immediately stepped up in an effort to recreate the region as a nation. Catalan was revived and the Generalitat, or local parliament, was reinstated. Nowadays, people gather in various places all over Barcelona several times a week to dance the sardana. Talks of independence continue to mark Catalan politics. Barcelona has become Spain's second-largest city and its most important port. It is the country's hippest town, with loads of happenings and festivals going on throughout the year, the week-long festa in the summer being the most important one. Barcelona offers a wide variety of architecture, food, style, fashion and music.

Many of the city's buildings feature work of the eccentric artist Gaudí and Barcelona is also home to significant collections by Picasso and Miró. The art collections, architecture and Catalan culture will fascinate any visitor to Barcelona, as will its inhabitants with their duende, their persistent egalitarianism and clamor for a separate identity.

In short, Barcelona is one of the most dynamic and exciting cities on the western Mediterranean seaboard. It is a truly European metropolis that is inconceivable until you get there. You will be surprised that an industrial city boasts so many sights and has so many things going on. Barcelona is a place you will never forget once you have been there and there is a big chance you would want to go visit it again.

Barcelona's coastline runs from the northeast to the southwest and many of the city's streets run parallel or perpendicular to it. There are two major hills in the city, which provide good landmarks, when browsing the streets. They are Montjuïc and Tibidabo. The main boulevard is 1.25 km (0.77 miles) long La Rambla, which runs slightly uphill from Port Vell (Old Harbor) to Plaça de Catalunya and is always packed with people. The Plaça de Catalunya marks the edge of the Ciutat Vella (Old Town). L'Eixample, the city's 19th-century answer to overcrowding in the city's confines, stretches north, east and west of the Plaça de Catalunya. Montjuïc is about a kilometer southwest of Port Vell, while Tibidabo, which boasts a landmark television tower and a golden Christ statue, is 6 km (3.8 miles) northwest of the city center.

When to go

Barcelona has a Mediterranean climate with cool winters and hot summers. If you want to enjoy the sun and most of the city's celebrations, you should visit in May, June, or September. In July and August the heat can be harsh, with temperatures often reaching 37°C (98.6°F). Between October and April the weather is cooler and rains often occur. During that time there are less happenings and celebrations.

Although Barcelona offers less festivities than many other Spanish cities, it still has its share of parties and celebrations. In February/March Carnaval is celebrated. It lasts for 10 days and there's plenty of singing and dancing going on. Dia de Sant Jordi, the Day of the Book, is celebrated on 23 April to commemorate Catalunya's patron saint. On 23 June, the midsummer celebrations of Berbena de Sant Joan, also known as La Nit del Foc, or Fire Night, offer a lot of drinking, dancing and fireworks.

More music, dance and theatre can be enjoyed during the Festival del Grec, which is held from late June to August. Around 15 August, the Festa Major de Gràcia fills the decorated streets of Gràcia with dancing and music. The last festival of the summer is the Festes de la Mercè. It is celebrated around 24 September and includes concerts and dancing, as well as a swimming race across the harbor and a correfoc, or fire race. From late October to the end of November Barcelona's International Jazz Festival is held. The weeks between Christmas and 6 January are also an interesting time to visit the city.

Places to visit

Port Vell (Old Harbor)

Port Vell boasts one of Europe's largest aquaria. It also has two marinas. At its northeastern end is the old sailors' quarter of La Barceloneta. Further northeast from there are beaches and a pedestrian promenade that stretches all the way to Port Olímpic, a harbor that was built for the 1992 Olympics. Port Olímpic is home to numerous lively bars and restaurants.

Ciutat Vella (Old Town)

Barcelona's Ciutat Vella is a warren of narrow streets, centuries-old buildings and budget accommodation. It spreads on both sides of La Rambla. At the lower half of the boulevard's eastern section is the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter), which is the heart of the Old Town. To the west is El Raval, while the Old Town's southern part is formed by the seedy red-light district of Barri Xinès (Chinese Quarter). Be alert, when walking around in El Raval.

La Rambla

La Ramble is often referred to as Las Ramblas. It is a tree-lined boulevard, which is divided into seven different sections, each with its own name and has a wide pedestrian part in its center. The boulevard is always packed with buskers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jewelry. Walking down La Rambla from the Plaça de Catalunya you will first come to the section, called Rambla de Canaletes, after the fountain of Canaletes. According to legend, any visitor who drinks from the fountain will one day return to Barcelona. On the second block, known as Rambla dels Estudios, is a noisy bird market and nearby is the Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, with arts and entertainment information and a ticket office. Next door to that is La Rambla's most interesting market, the Mercat de la Boqueria. The 1970 Mosaïc de Miró punctuates the pavement just south of the market. One of the tiles was signed by the artist.

Further down La Rambla is the famous 19th-century opera house, known as the Gran Teatre del Liceu. The next section of La Rambla is called Ramble dels Caputxins. There you will find the Palau Güell (Güell Palace), which was designed by Antoni Gaudí and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. On the left of that section of La Rambla is the 19th century Plaça Reial, where a stamp and coin market is held every Sunday. Below the Plaça Reial, La Rambla becomes seedier, with strip clubs and peep shows. This part of the boulevard is known as Rambla de Snata Mònica. It is wider and there are no trees. The boulevard ends at Port Vell, or the Old Harbor, where the 50 m tall Monument a Colón (Columbus Monument) stands. You can ascend the monument by lift for a good view of the area. West of the monument, on Avinguda de les Drassanes, stand the Reials Drassanes, or the Royal Shipyards. It is the largest and most complete shipyard in the world that has survived from the Middle Ages. Construction was initiated in 1378 and it is one of the best examples of Catalonian civil Gothic architecture. The Reials Drassanes is home to the fascinating Museu Marítim, where you can see intricate reproductions of old ships, as well as an important collection of ancient drawings and maps, paintings, ships' figureheads and 16th-century galleys. Tourist boats, known as Golondrinas depart from the Drassanes wharf.

Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter)

The Gothic Quarter is only a few blocks east from La Rambla. It is a maze of dark streets that connect squares with each other. There are also many cafés and bars, as well as the cheapest accommodation in town. Most of the buildings in the barri date from the 14th and 15th century, when Barcelona was at the height of its commercial prosperity. The Gothic Quarter contains a concentration of medieval Gothic buildings, including well-preserved Roman Walls. Parts of these walls that were later incorporated into other structures, can still be seen around the Catedral, one of Spain's greatest Gothic buildings. The City History Museum or Museu d'História de la Ciutat is right next to the cathedral. Underneath the building you can walk through some excavated Roman and Visigothic ruins. The spacious square of Plaça de Sant Jaume serves as the center of the Barri Gòtic. It is the site of a bustling market and one of the venues for the weekly dancing of the sardana. Two of Barcelona's most significant buildings line the square: the Ajuntament (Town Hall) and the Palau de la Generalitat (Regional Government). Most nightly activity takes place in the Barri Gòtic and there are many nightclubs and discotheques in that area.

Museu Picasso

The Museu Picasso is in the Ribera Quarter. It is housed in three strikingly beautiful stone mansions on the Carrer de Montcada, which served as an approach to the port in medieval times. It is Barcelona's most visited museum. The museum has many works of Picassos's early years from the 1890's, especially from the artist's so-called Blue Period, as well as ceramics. On the second floor are many works from Barcelona and Paris that Picasso painted between 1900 and 1904 and include many of his impressionist-influenced works.

La Sagrada Família

La Sagrada Família is probably Barcelona's most important structure. It is in the area known as l'Eixample, or the 'Enlargement', Barcelona's solution to overcrowding in the city's confines. Even if you don't have much time in Barcelona, you should at least try to visit La Sagrada Família. The Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family was initiated by Antoni Gaudí and it is practically his life's work. Gaudí died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed and ever since, controversy has continually dogged the building program. Still, the cathedral is unfinished, but work on the nave, which was started in 1978, is now progressing. La Sagrada Família has three main façades, representing the Nativity on the east and the Passion and the Death on the West, while the Glory is planned on the south. The scheme of four 107 m high spires on the Nativity and Passion façades represents the Twelve Apostles, while the dome that crowns the apse symbolizes the Virgin. The spires' swelling outlines were inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. The naves are supported by a complicated system of inclined columns and parabolic arches. Organic forms decorate the wall of the apse, as well as the Nativity façade.

The cathedral is still unfinished, but construction continues by a group of architects that is following Gaudí's original design. Some say the cathedral should have been left unfinished, as a monument to the architect, but today's chief architect argues that the task is a sacred one, as it's a church intended to atone for sin and appeal to God's mercy on Catalunya.

La Pedrera (Casa Milà)

La Pedrera, or Stone Quarry, is another Gaudí masterpiece. It was built between 1905 and 1910 as a combined apartment and office block and it used to be known as the Casa Milà. The authentic abstract building has an uneven gray stone facade that ripples around a street corner and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The building has elaborate wrought-iron balconies. Two of the Pedrera's courtyards can be visited, as well as the roof with its fantastic array of multicolored chimney pots and ventilators. During weekend nights in the summer, the roof is eerily lit and provides nice views over Barcelona. One floor below the roof is a modest museum dedicated to Gaudí's work. La Pedrera is on the Passeig de Gràcia in the district of l'Eixample.

Casa Amatller and Casa Batlló

The Casa Amatller and the Casa Battló are two striking buildings further down the Passeig de Gràcia. The Casa Amatller is a neogothic building that was built by Josep Puig i Cadafalch. It is decorated with polychrome ceramic on the façade.

The Casa Batlló is probably even more unique. It is a work of Gaudí and boasts a sparkling mosaic façade with dragon-like forms and it is punctuated with round ceramic plaques.

Gràcia

The district of Gràcia starts at the northwestern end of the Passeig de Gràcia. It is one of Barcelona's most satisfying outlying areas. It has traditionally been the center of strong artistic and political communities, students and intelligentsia, but also to a population of average people, giving the district a down to earth atmosphere. One of Gràcia's most interesting places is the Plaça del Sol. It is surrounded by numeorus 19th century buildings that house nice cafés. The square is a popular meeting place, during the night.

Parc Güell

Parc Güell is the place where Gaudí experimented landscaping, with spectacular results. The park is laid out on a hill to the northwest of the city center. At the highest point of the park is a statue that provides fantastic views over Barcelona. There are huge ceramic benches, giant decorative lizards, ceramic mosaics and pavilions of contorted stone, giving the area the atmosphere of a fairy-tale. The Banc de Trenadis is a tiles bench curving sinuously around the perimeter of a broad open space. Beneath the pace is the Sala Hipóstila, a forest of 84 stone columns that was originally intended as a market. To the right of the space is the spired house, known as the Casa Museu Gaudí, where Gaudí lived for most the last 20 years of his life. It can be visited and it houses a small souvenir shop, where Gaudí memorabilia can be purchased.

Montjuïc

Montjuïc is the landmark hill that overlooks Barcelona from the southwest. It boasts some fine art galleries, leisure attractions, soothing parks and the main group of 1992 Olympic sites. The most interesting way to approach the area is from Plaça d'Espanya. On the northern side of that square is the former bullring of Plaça de Braus Les Arenes. Behind it is the Parc Joan Miró, which includes Miró's highly phallic sculpture of Dona i Ocell (Woman and Bird). The huge Palau Nacional up the hill houses the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, where you can see an impressive collection of Romanesque art. In front of the Palau Nacional is a series of terraces and fountains. The biggest fountain is La Font Màgica, which was designed by Buïgas and offers a free lights and music show on summer evenings.

In the northwest of Montjuïc is Poble Espanyol, or the 'Spanish Village'. It is an enclosed area where you can see copies of buildings from all of Spain's regions. It is a sort of tourist trap, but it nevertheless provides a good overview of Spanish architecture. Nearby is the Fundació Joan Miró, which houses the world's largest single collection of Miró's work. Miró was the greatest Catalan artist of the 20th century.

Further up Montjuïc is the Anella Olímpica (Olympic Ring), a group of sports installations where the main events of the 1992 Olympic games were held. If you walk all the way up Montjuïc you will come to the Montjuïc Castle, which affords a wonderful view of Barcelona and the pains of Baix Llobregat. The castle houses the Military Museum. Nearby is the Miramar Esplanade with its magnificent lookout platform over the port and the Mediterranean Sea. You can also go to the castle from the Poble Sec, near Port Vell, or the Old Harbor. A Funicular runs up from there, while a cable car covers the last part to the top of Montjuïc.

Tibidabo

Tibidabo rises 542 m (1778 feet) above Barcelona. It is the highest hill in the wooded range that forms the city's backdrop. The hill provides excellent views over the city, especially when the weather is clear. Most locals come there to visit the Parc d'Atraccions (amusement park). The glass lift that goes 115 m (126 yards) up to the visitor's observation area at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower, is much more hair-raising though. Nearby is the Temple del Sagrat Cor, which is Barcelona's version of Paris' Sacré Coeur. Some say it is even more beautiful than the building that inspired it. It actually consists of two churches, one on top of the other. The top one is surmounted by a giant Christ and has a lift to the roof. Tibidabo can be reached by funicular.

Around Barcelona

There are various interesting sights in the region around Barcelona. One of the most visited places is Montserrat, 50 km (31 miles) northwest of the city. The spires of the Sagrada Família were inspired by the mountains of Montserrat. In Montserrat is also a monastery that can be visited.

Another interesting place, not too far from Barcelona, is the town of Vilafranca del Penedés.

Other Activities

There are plenty of good beaches in the vicinity of Barcelona, but if you want to escape the crowds, you should head out further from the city. Bullfighting is not very popular in Catalunya, but during the summer, fights are sometimes organized on Sunday afternoons. If you like soccer, Barça is one of Europe's best teams. During local town festivals you might see castellers erecting human towers. There are several good markets in Barcelona, including the second-hand market of Els Encants Vells on Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, the antiques market on Plaça Nova and the crafts market, which can be found on Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol.

The main tourist office is on Plaça de Catalunya. You will have to cross the road to the middle of the square and go downstairs at the i sign. The problem is that the sign is not the usual blue one and you have to look carefully in order to locate it.

Transportation

Barcelona's airport is at El Prat de Llobregat, some 14 km (8.7 miles) southwest of the city center. It is an important international and domestic destination, where direct flights to many cities throughout the world are available. The A1 Aerobús service connects the airport with the Plaça de Catalunya via Plaça d'Espanya. The trip takes about 40 minutes. You can also take the suburban buses EA, or EN, which are slightly cheaper and take about 50 minutes to reach the Plaça d'Espanya. The Rodalies (Cercanías) train line 1 also connects the airport (zone 4) with the city center (zone 1). Trains run every 30 minutes daily from 6:13 to 23:15. It only takes 17 minutes to Estació Sants and 23 minutes to Catalunya station.

Estació Sants is the main railway station. It is 2.5 km (1.6 miles) west of La Rambla. Some trains also stop at Catalunya station on Plaça de Catalunya. Estació França, 1 km (0.6 miles) east of La Rambla is used by a handful trains only. The main intercity bus station, Estació del Nord, is 1.5 km (0.9 miles) northeast of La Rambla, close to Arc de Triomf metro station.

The metro is the fastest way to get around the city, although you don't see anything along the way. Some places are only served by buses or suburban trains. Buses run frequently all over Barcelona. Multiple-trip tickets offer worthwhile savings. The ticket system is not very clear though. Be careful that you buy the right ticket, as trains and metros don't use the same ones. There are also regional rail companies that use their own tickets.

Taxis are widely available all over the city and car rental is very easy. Barcelona has good air, rail and road connections to all parts of Spain.

Accommodation and Food

There is a wide range of hotels, hostels, dormitories and apartments, as well as thousands of bars, cafés and restaurants in Barcelona. The cheapest places can be found in and around the Barri Gòtic, although many reasonable places can be found in l'Eixample too. Barcelona is 510 km northeast of Madrid.

Hours from UTC: 2
Daylight savings time: Late March through late October

City phone code: 93
Country phone code: 34