Overview

Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia and it is also the 2^nd largest city in Spain. Barcelona has evolved as one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations because of its unique historic architecture and rich, cultural heritage. Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympics and received great reviews for its hospitality. Generally, shops and bars in all tourist areas have staffs who speak English. But most Spanish people cannot converse in English. Their knowledge of the English language is limited, but they are amiable.

Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate, with cool winters and hot summers. July and August are the most torrid months because highs can reach 37°C. The best months of the year are from April to June and from September to November. Those are the times with the lowest humidity and temperatures are reasonable. At its best, May is the most pleasant month of the year, where it is clear and fresh.

Activities & Attractions

The city has many theatres, including the world renowned Gran Teatre del Liceu, and also many venues for live music. Barcelona has a large number of museums. The National Museum of Art of Catalonia, the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, and Picasso Museum hold artifacts and exhibits from different eras and areas. Monuments that stand out as a testimony of the great Barcelonan architecture are Barri Gotic, Antoni Gaudi, Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and Sagrada Familia. UNESCO has designated several of Barcelona's architectural treasures as World Heritage Sites.

There are 68 municipal parks located all over the cityscape. Out of those, 12 parks are historic, five are botanical, 45 are urban and the remaining six are forested. The Montjuic Park is the largest of all the parks located in Barcelona. For the beach lovers, there are seven beaches that take up 4.5 kilometers of the coastline. Sant Sebastia and Barceloneta beaches are the largest, oldest and most visited beaches.

The Placa Catalunya, and the area around it, makes up the city's historical center. As a modern, culturally diverse and large metropolitan city, there are many opportunities for cultural activities. The night life and vibrant environment makes the afterhour's scene attractive for tourist groups who get a taste of the lifestyle of the local folks.

Lodging

You can stay in hotels or rent out apartments or villas. You can also opt for a Barcelona bed and breakfast style option by staying with a Spanish family. There is quite the selection of hotels and more, and for links, check them out in the resource section.

Transportation

For travelling inside the city, you can either choose bus, tram or a taxi. All these are reasonably priced. You can hire a car, cycle or a motorcycle and can go sightseeing. The best way to get to Barcelona from cities like Madrid and Valencia is by train.