Barcelona travel guide

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Barcelona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. It is located on the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs and is bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge. Barcelona is recognized as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade.

Fast Facts

Here are some essentials of the Barcelona Food:

• Pa amb tomàquet
Pa amb tomàquet is a Catalan staple and a breakfast favorite as well.


• Sarsuela
Sarsuela is a seafood medley. It contains combinations of different types of white fish, prawns, shrimp, squid, mussels, clams, crayfish or lobster. All of these ingredients are combined in a casserole with olive oil, tomato, lemon, paprika, white wine, sherry and other spices. Yum!!!


• Fideua
Fideua is cooked with a combination of shellfish, poultry, meat and vegetables. However, the base is fideus - short, skinny noodles.


• Calcotada
Calcots are a local kind of baby onions charred over an open flame but tender on the inside. They're then braised with romesco, a special Catalan sauce of tomatoes, red peppers, garlic, almonds and olive oil.



Things to do

1. Take a walk down Calle Petritxol
Just take a walk down Calle Petritxol and try authentic Crema Catalana in the classic Catalan cafes of the Barri Gótic.

2. Discover the Raval District
Savour the flavour of multicultural Barcelona.

3. The Sagrada Familia cathedral and MACBA
The Sagrada Familia cathedral and MACBA are a must amongst Barcelona’s defining landmarks!

4. Cable car rides to Montjuic
Take the cable car from Torre de Sant Sebastià in Barceloneta over the sea and up to Montjuic, a must-see area of Barcelona.

5. Don’t forget to chill out!
Head down to Barceloneta Beach and take a drink in one of the “chiringuitos� (beach bars). Continue northeast up to the Mediterranean beach from the Barceloneta and you will hit Port Olimpic. It was built in 1992 for Olympic Games but now it contains a fancy marina and some captivating sculptures.



Tourist Attractions - Best Places to visit

• El Corte Inglés : - In Plaça de Catalunya there's a huge El Corte Inglés department store, a well stocked café/restaurant and marvel at the amazing view up Passeig de Gracia and over the rooftops of Modernist Barcelona. It's a good place to take a break and to work out your bearings in this rather spread out city.
• La Rambla : - It's more than likely that you'll be staying near the Ramblas on your stay in Barcelona. It will be central to your daily activity and night outs. It is a long boulevard which joins the Monument a Colom (Columbus monument) by the port to Placa de Catalunya.
• Port Vell : - This was formerly the old port of Barcelona but today is an ultra modern leisure zone with bars, restaurants, shopping arcades, the Barcelona Aquarium and an Imax cinema. Another fun thing to do down here is to take a boat excursion on one of the 'golondrinas'.
• La Barceloneta & Port Olímpic : - In spite of its earthy appearance it has become a popular place to visit, attracting many locals and tourists to its fine selection of fish restaurants lining Passeig de Joan Borbò. Where the sea meets la Barceloneta you'll find Barcelona's best sandy beaches. They are very popular at weekends being only a stone's throw from the city. The Passeig Marítim is a walkway overlooking the beaches which connects La Barceloneta with Port Olímpic which is now a marina with many bars and restaurants. There's an interesting transport option called the 'Transbordador Aeri' which is a cable car linking La Barceloneta with Montjuïc.
• Montjuïc & La Font Magica : - Montjuïc is the hill which overlooks Barcelona from the southwest and is home to the Olympic Stadium which was used in the 1992 Olympic Games. It also has some excellent art galleries including the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and the Fundació Joan Miró.

Other than these there are various other tourist attractions which are equally appealing. These are Olympic Stadium, Barri Gòtic, Tibidabo, Poble Espanyol, Barcelona Aquarium, Barcelona Zoo, etc.



Local Transport

Metro, subway, buses, taxis are the forms of local transportation in Barcelona. Overall, Barcelona offers an excellent transportation system and is easy to use. The key to the excellent transportation is the Barcelona underground (also called metro or subway system in some countries) and it serves the city of Barcelona well. The bus services in general are also good as are the taxis.



Getting Around

Barcelona Airport
Barcelona airport is close to the city. Getting to and from Barcelona airport is easy. Regular Barcelona airport buses depart for the city centre or take the Barcelona airport train to Estacio des Sants.



Entertainment

• Museums & Galleries
Art lovers should head straight towards MNAC (Catalonia's National Art Museum) exhibiting Catalan Romanesque art and MACBA (Barcelona's Museum of Contemporary Art). Nearby, you'll find galleries devoted to individual artists, including Museu Picasso, Fundació Miró and Antoni Tàpies.


• Architecture
To see the best examples of Catalonia's unique Gothic architecture, you should must visit Basílica de Santa María del Mar and Basílica de Santa María del Pi. For the best modernist architecture, head for Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Sagrada Familia, and Parc Güell.


• Nightlife
The most popular nightclubs are within walking distance of each other in Port Olímpic and Maremàgnum. You'll find places playing techno, salsa, rock, Spanish pop music and more. Karma is a popular club in this area.


• Live Music
L'Eixample district has many live music venues, including the famous Luz de Gas. Bikini, a popular nightclub, also hosts concerts during the evenings. To enjoy, alternative and Spanish local bands, head to Razzmatazz, Sidecar or BeCool. You'll also find live shows in the Gòtic district.


• Discos & Clubs
In the Maremàgnum and Port Olímpic you'll find a number of discos with different kinds of music. These two districts have a very cosmopolitan feel, since they are mostly frequented by tourists from all over the world.



Shopping

Shopping areas in Barcelona are spread across the whole city and differ considerably. The world famous Las Ramblas start at Plaça Catalunya and end at Barcelona’s harbor. Even though known as a famous shopping street, Las Ramblas is only interesting if you are eager to buy tourist souvenirs of Barcelona or watch the artists otherwise there are definitely more exciting areas to shop in the city.

To find famous brands like Chanel, Armani, Cartier, Miró, Mont Blanc or Zara, visit Plaça Catalunya, Passeig de Gràcia or Diagonal.

Shopping alternatives to the big brands are the narrow streets of El Born. The Barrí Gotic (Gothic Area) invites you to combine shopping and culture. The Roman centre of Barcelona accommodates numerous bizarre antique shops, small bookstores and young fashion designers. Last but not least visit El Raval if you are looking for music stores, second hand shops, or alternative clothing.



Activities

Safari and Water Activites, Aqualeon : - It's both a safari and a water park. You can see lots of wild animals such as lions, tigers, elephants and gazelles. You can admire the dolphins shows, check out the tropical birds and swim in large swimming pools.

Sailing, Base Nàutica (La) : - The club is found on the outskirts of the city on the Mar Bella beach. They offer sailing courses for people at any level. You can rent boats here too.

Motor Racing, Circuit de Catalunya : - The Circuit de Catalunya is home to some of the most significant motor racing competitions in Spain.

Golf, Club Golf d'Aro : - Situated in Les Gavarres Mountains, this golf course offers amazing panoramic views of Costa Brava amongst pines, oaks and olive trees. D'Aro is located north of Barcelona. After your game, you can stop by the bar and restaurant for a meal or drink.

Bridge Jump, Ferrata : - Just let yourself loose from a height of 40 metres and view the spectacular scenery of Montserrat!

Not just these, there are innumerable activities in Barcelona which are highly appealing for the tourists. Some of these are Snow Paintball, Snow Sleigh Experience, Climbing and Abseiling Experience, White Water Rafting Experience, Canyoning Experience, and a lot more.