The capital of Catalonia is the most visited city in Spain. Barcelona combines history,
culture, great food and sandy beaches, making it a great place to stay for a few nights extra at the start or end of your tour.
Below are just a few of the highlights that you can visit in the city:
Sagrada Familia
This church is probably the most iconic building in the city, even though it is unfinished! The Sagrada Familia was designed by the Catalan architect Antoní Gaudí and is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique form and the technology used in its design.
The church looks spectacular from the outside, while the inside is designed to reflect the light and produce stunning visual effects. Not everyone is a fan of the building though: George Orwell, who spent time in Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, described it as "one of the most hideous buildings in the world".
Whether you love it or hate it though, it has become a symbol of modern Barcelona and simply has to be seen first hand.
Barri Gotic
Barcelona's Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) is the heart of the Medieval city. It is a network of narrow streets and has an almost claustrophobic feel, taking you back in time to a different age.
During the late Medieval period, Barcelona emerged as one of the most important cities in the entire Mediterranean, and vied with city states like Genoa and Pisa for control of the sea trade. At its peak, Catalan sailors and soldiers conquered the islands of Sardinia and Sicily, as well as the cities of Naples and Athens. During this time, the Barri Gotic was full of merchants, bankers and visitors looking to do business in the prosperous city.
Today, the streets are still lined with shops and small bars, as well as stunning buildings with intricate facades. The streets around the cathedral and the Catalan parliament is particularly charming to wander around and get a feel for the historic city.
Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas is a series of wide boulevards stretching from Placa de Catalunya all the way down to the sea. It is the liveliest part of the city and, day or night, it is busy with people visiting bars and restaurants, doing some shopping, or simply going for a stroll.
It is the main artery of the city, sandwiched between the Barri Gotic, Parc Guell and the Poble Sec neighbourhood. At the end of Las Ramblas you arrive at Barcelona's marina, a charming area which is home to the Catalan history museum as well as the excellent Barceloneta city beach.
Ancient Barcino
Barcelona was founded over 2,000 years ago in the late 1st century BCE. Known as Barcino, it was a Roman colony built under the emperor Augustus, as part of Rome's transition from a Republic to a true empire.
The colony was inhabited mostly by veteran soliders from the Roman legions, and it soon flourished into a thriving city. However, throughout the Roman period, it was always secondary in importance to nearby Tarraco (Tarragona), which
was one of the great cities of the empire.
Today in Barcelona you can still see remains of the ancient past. Parts of the Roman wall and city gate are still standing, next to the cathedral. Inside the Barri Gotic there are also ruins of a large temple that was dedicated to Augustus. He had built this to promote the imperial cult - a kind of worship of the emperor and his family that
would provide the glue to unite the vast empire.
Barcelona Football Club
Situated a little to the south of the city center, the Camp Nou is the impressive home of Barcelona Football Club. One of the largest sport institutions in the world, it is worth a visit to the stadium museum, even if you are not overly interested in football. Even better, if you can get tickets to a game, the atmosphere can be truly electric, with over 100,000 fans in attendance.
Throughout the history of European football, many of the greatest players have plied their trade at the Nou Camp. The likes of Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff and Lionel Messi have become genuine legends in Barcelona, and part of the folklore of the city.
Poble Sec
The Poble Sec is where many locals in Barcelona go out to eat and drink. It is a small neighbourhood, at the foot of the Montjuic hill, but is home to a huge concentration of bodegas, tapas bars and restaurants.
The Poble Sec has a different atmosphere to the more tourist orientated establishments in the Barri Gotic, with a much more traditional and authentic feel.
Modern Art
As we have seen, Barcelona has a rich history, but in many ways it is also a very modern city. It is forward-thinking and has always embraced change; something that is reflected in the prevalence of modern art and architecture throughout the city.
The Sagrada Familia is the most striking example of this, but there are many others. Parc Guell, another Gaudí inspired masterpiece is a fantastic recreational area. There is also a museum dedicated to Pablo Picasso - a former resident of the city - which houses a huge collection of his works.
And more generally, as you roam throughout the city, you will stumble across interesting and quirky sculptures, buildings and artworks, which all add to the colorful backdrop of this impressive city.
If you wish to add an extension to your tour, please enter the details on the tour reservation form, or contact us to discuss your options.
We work with many hotels in Barcelona to suit a range of budgets and can provide a recommendation based on the area of the city that is most of interest to you (e.g. historic old town, Gaudí's works, the beaches...)
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