Experience the best of Barcelona.
The lovely city of Barcelona and everything you need to know before visiting.
Planning a trip on your own or with a loved one? Thinking about hosting an event on this destination? We are here for you.
Everything you need to know about Barcelona before planning your trip is listed below for you not to miss any of the main features and activities the city has to offer.
Barcelona, one of the main cities in Spain:
Barcelona, the second leading city after Madrid, is well known for being the capital of Cataluña, an autonomous community in Spain. It is located by the Mediterranean sea, connected to the Atlantic Ocean, and surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin.
It's definitely one of the most beautiful and outstanding cultural places to visit. Enjoy a wide range of cultural, leisure, and nature activities while learning about their impressive architectural heritage and city's wealth.
The city in numbers:
Some of their main features:
Smart city:
Did you know that Barcelona regularly features in the annual list of smartest cities worldwide? It is considered the 3rd smart city in the world. Yes, you read that right.
This is due to the substantial investment in infrastructure to enhance the quality of life and reduce pollution made in the last decade. Technology is mostly used to reduce emissions and the city's overall environmental impact.
If you opt to use public transport, know that it functions with a friendly system powered by natural gas or hybrid engines. Each bus stop works with LED displays showing the bus's chronogram and real-time updates. So don't worry about getting lost.
The best part is that if you want to share your local visits with your friends, you can! Barcelona is a city-wide free WIFI network, so don't worry about not having enough Megas on your phone.
Catalan Cuisine:
Catalonia's gastronomic heritage is something that you will not want to miss. Barcelona is a place where Catalan cuisine mixes to create mouthwatering traditional dishes with fresh local and seasonal ingredients. The streets are full of buzzing restaurants and fresh food markets. Due to its proximity to the sea and mountains, their main plates range in great proportion and are full of originality.
Tip: If you want to make the best out of your trip, we highly recommend finding a tapas bar. This is a bar or restaurant that gives you small different appetizers that end up making a full meal. It can be either cold or hot but it will always come with a drink for you to enjoy.
Without a doubt, this is one of the best ways to try as many dishes as you want all at once.
Main activities:
Wine Experience
Are you a wine lover? Well, who isn't? Wine is a great element of Spanish culture. The high quality of these drinks relies on their suited location in the mediterranean sea, which allows the finest weather and conditions for their production. This is your chance to go from wine tastings to courses, workshops, and guided tours. Don't worry about how to get there, there are multiple ways to have a wine experience as you can choose between going by bike, foot, or minivan. It's completely up to you!
Certainly, a significant integral part of their history and culture.
Festivals and street parties:
There are a series of festivals and carnivals hosted by the city throughout the year which you will not want to miss. Most of these were founded on religious beliefs and celebrations. Even though most remain, new ones also emerged.
Enjoy a series of famous music festivals during the summer and spring months. Most of these are hosted by famous artists and attract around 200,000 visitors. You can also participate in the city's Festa Major, a week-long local "fiesta" that involves street parties, parades, social activities, and fireworks.
Sounds like a long fun week.
DID YOU KNOW?
Fact #1: UNESCO world heritage:
Barcelona has been granted an Intangible Cultural Heritage status by UNESCO and is home to nine of its World Heritage landmarks. Their singular architectural complexes and buildings are a symbol of a unique legacy, these are evidence of the amazing cultural imprint left on the city by Catalonia's home-grown art and Modernism.
The award acknowledges traditions and artistic, and social manifestations that are a means of cultural diversity at a time of increasing globalization.
Visiting should be a must on your to-do list!
Fact #2: RIBA royal gold medal
If you are into architecture, you will love this fun fact about Barcelona. In 1999, The Royal Institute of British Architects awarded this lovely city with The Royal Gold Medal for architecture instead of an individual architect.
Barcelona is, in fact, an attraction itself. There are so many architectural details to appreciate while touring that transmit the city's rich history. Each building tells a story and shows the evolution of eras from Gothic to Catalan Art Nouveau and Modernism.
So, in case you were wondering why architecture is one of the tourists' favorite things, this is your answer
Fact #3: Creation of beaches
Today Barcelona is commonly known for its splendid beaches but surprisingly, that was not the case some years ago. The city's seaside was aimed for industrial purposes, mainly used by train lines, factories, and warehouses. Not the nicest place to tour around...yet.
It was not until 1992 that millions of euros were invested towards its construction for the Barcelona Olympics. The 4.5 km beach was created after a significant amount of sand importation, even from Egypt. Since then, the maintenance and expansion of these were prioritized, giving it its famous recognition as the best beach city.
Who would've thought?
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