Travel to Barcelona, in Spain, for a unique cultural, historical and sensorial experience. It is a throbbing, vibrant city at once firmly grounded in its rich heritage and looking to the future. A tour to Barcelona promises an eclectic palette.
The second largest city in Spain, Barcelona is situated in the northeastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula bordering the Mediterranean Sea. As you travel to Barcelona, it is interesting to note that the city has its roots in a Roman colony founded way back in the 2nd century B.C. You will be struck by the architecture of the city on your voyage to Barcelona . It is the seat of Modernist Architecture and the city skyline sports a dynamic and dramatic look courtesy the concrete creations of Master Antoní Gaudí and his contemporaries.
You will surely discover the amazing history of Barcelona traveling through its lanes. Its Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance monuments are lovingly conserved, as are the labyrinth of narrow alleys. Such curious mixes of the old and the new make a travel to Barcelona in Spain a truly enriching and enchanting experience.
Barcelona, a Gloriously Traditional and Vibrantly Modern City
In Barcelona , take a tour to “La Rambla“. This busy boulevard houses a bird market, a grand 19th century opera house, a marine museum stocking an extensive collection of navy items including 16th century galleys and a monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus.
The history buff’s tour of Barcelona will remain incomplete without a voyage to “Barri Gotic“, which is an area of medieval Gothic structures including the Cathedral, one of the greatest examples of Gothic architecture in Spain and the numerous museums dotting the city.
“Fundació Miró” is a veritable treasure-trove of contemporary art, while the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art is the only European museum dedicated to artworks from this era. For the art aficionados, a voyage to the Picasso Museum housing his early works and the residence-turned museum of Gaudi with its marvelous pink-hued Alice-in-Wonderland structure, is a must when on a tour to Barcelona.
If you are a music maniac, Music Palace definitely awaits your voyage. An elegant colorful structure, this Music Palace is one of the world’s most extraordinary music halls and an epitome of Modernistic Architecture.
When you travel to Barcelona in Spain , let music be your Muse. The SONAR and the Primavera music festivals are treats for the ears.
But the crème la crème of your travel to Barcelona in Spain has to be a tour to Gaudi’s masterpiece, the unfinished “La Sagrada Familia“. Its towering spires form one of the most recognized international landmarks. “La Pedrera“, a combined apartment and office block is another Gaudi wonder with its distinctive wavy pattern and multihued chimney pots.
It is true that Barcelona merits a voyage by dint of its spectacular architecture only. But its parks are worth a tour too. The Pedralbes Royal Palace gardens is an oasis of beauty with its exquisite foliage, as are the “Jardins Mossèn Costa i Llobera” and the “Jardins Mossèn Cinto Verdaguer“, atop the Montjuïc hill and the “Park de la Ciudadella”.
“Park Güell“, designed by Gaudi, is however the pick of the lot. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this park has earned the tags of surrealistic, expressionist and modernist and can definitely form one of the highpoints of your travel to Barcelona in Spain.
After you have soaked in the architectural splendors during your travel to barcelona, turn to the other Barcelona attractions. Some popular beaches around the city fringes are “Nova Icaria“, “Bogatell“, “Barceloneta” and the “Mar Bella“, Barcelona’s sole naturist beach.
Metropolitan Park of Collserola, the “Sant Llorenç” and the Montseny natural parks will appeal to all nature lovers with their rare flora specimens, wildlife and stunning scenery. There are two medieval Benedictine monasteries, one of them built by the first sovereign count of Catalonia.
These Barcelona attractions lie on the outskirts of the city but are worth a journey while you are touring Barcelona .
The largest aquarium in Europe , “L’Aquàrium” and “Universal’s Mediterranea“, an inimitable amusement park on the Impressionist style are the other Barcelona attractions of note.
For a football fanatic, a tour to the “Barcelona FC“, base for the “La Liga” team is almost an obligation while on a travel to Barcelona in Spain .
With the plethora of things to do in Barcelona , you will find your days flying. There are shops selling everything from designer wear to art and antiques, restaurants dishing out the choicest tapas and a vibrant nightlife.
Trip to France from Barcelona?
End of the year is near and if you are not traveling that often to Western Europe, you should consider traveling to both Barcelona and France, if possible. In Europe, Paris and Barcelona are the two most popular tourist cities that are visited by tourists from all over the world. They might look far apart, but travelling between these two cultural highlights is equally fast and simple. One of the best and easiest way is to travel to France by train from Barcelona. A direct train will take you from romantic Paris to the enchanting streets of Barcelona.
The Barcelona facts point to a city that is a unique blend of the old and the new: quite a rarity in itself. Amidst the splendid architecture, resplendent natural beauty and an array of tourist activities, time will fly when you travel to France from Barcelona.
