Barcelona

La Rambla

Barcelona is a fascinating city filled with art and history, and an abundance of things to do and see.  As the capital of Catalonia, it’s a city rich in culture and the people are extremely proud of their heritage.  They are first and foremost, Catalan, and that’s the language they’ll want to speak, so you’ll hear less Spanish here than you would in other parts of Spain.  You’ll also see the bright multi-striped red and yellow flag of Catalunya flying from rooftops and balconies throughout the city.

Click the thumbnails below to read more about what to see, where to eat, things to do, and getting around in Barcelona.

While you’re here, you’ll probably come across La Rambla, the main artery linking Plaza de Catalunya with the Old Port.   Once you’ve made the requisite stroll down this historical boulevard, venture out to explore more of this cosmopolitan city.  Experience the architecture of Antoni Gaudí – there are quite a few of the buildings he designed that are open to the public (more on those in later posts), walk through the Roman and Medieval neighborhoods in the Barri Gòtic and La Ribera districts, sample the flavorful foods of Catalonia along the way, and if you make it a little further southwest of the old town, be sure to stop and enjoy the music and lights of the Magical Fountain of Montjuïc.  Barcelona is busy, yet vibrant and welcoming…and we consider it to be one of the top ‘must see’ cities in Europe, along with Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome.

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5 Comments

  1. Sharon Bertram

    Hi Mike, I have found your travel guide excellent in planning our upcoming trip. Have taken your advice and have booked a private residence in Venice instead of a hotel. We are going to Barcelona, thinking about the same type of accommodation and would like your advice as to a suitable area to stay.

    Thanks and look forward to hearing from you.
    Sharon

  2. Tara

    Hi Mike!
    Love your blog as always! You were the reason we took our first train from Nice to Cassis! We couldn’t have done without learning from you. So A Big Thank You!
    Will you be in Madrid soon?
    Tara

  3. Mari Casas

    Good morning Mike,
    I like your blog very much and thanks a lot for it!
    I’ve read your information from several places, and I think are well confirmed.
    I’m Spanish woman from Barcelona, then of course Catalan, I’m sorry, but I disagree with this sentence speaking about Barcelona, my city (and yours of course):
    “They are first and foremost, Catalan, and that’s the language they’ll want to speak.”
    My next comment has to do with cultural wealth, not politics.
    Please help take care of our culture and patrimonial wealth for us from abroad.
    Now we are in a very delicate moment and I beg you please if you can to speak about it more objectively. Of course, we are Catalan, but, by the way and in the same order of things, we are Spanish too. A big part of population in Catalonia, we speak, read, write and live in both languages, Spanish and Catalan, or Catalan and Spanish, and we want to continue doing it. We like to live with them very much because both together shows the richness of our country.
    I think more languages and accept them means more open mind.
    Thanks a lot for reading my comment!

    Mari Casas

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