BARCELONA
The cradle of Catalan culture and the Basque region of Spain, and a witness to major events including the Industrial Revolution and the Civil War amongst many others, Barcelona has a fascinating history. There are two official languages in Catalonia: Catalan and Spanish and the Mediterranean sea breezes ensure that Barcelona nearly always enjoys pleasant weather. The heart of the city is undoubtedly the famous and sweeping avenue, Las Ramblas, stretching from the port area and the statue of Christopher Columbus to the Placa de Catalunya.
Suggested Excursions
Barcelona City Tour
Barcelona has a vast array of sights and architecture, with buildings from the medieval times all the way back to when it was a Roman settlement. A number of these are World Heritage Sites including the renowned Sagrada Familia, which was designed by Spain’s most famous architect Antoni Gaudi in 1882 and has been under construction ever since. Other sights include the Picasso Museum, housing some of the artistic genius’s best works, the excellent zoo, the port and marina, and the Stadium in Montjuc, home of the 1992 Olympic Games.
Camp Nou
Home to FC Barcelona and arguably the most famous stadium in the world, the Camp Nou was built between 1954-1957 and has a seated capacity of 100,000, which is due rise to 105,000 in 2017 after refurbishment works, making it one of the world’s largest. The VIP tour of the most exclusive zones and behind-the-scenes areas of Camp Nou accompanied by an FC Barcelona official guide takes in the Trophy Room, the Players Tunnel and Changing Rooms, and culminates with a glass of cava in a VIP area and a picture on the field of play.
Sagrada Familia
The beginnings of the Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family, known as the Sagrada Familia, go back to 1866 when Josep Maria Bocabella i Verdaguer founded the Spiritual Association of Devotees of Saint Joseph, which in 1874 began campaigning for the construction of an expiatory temple dedicated to the Holy Family. In 1881, enabled by various donations, the Association purchased a 12,800m² plot of land and, after a brief but unsuccessful arrangement with their first architect, the leaders instructed Antoni Gaudi to create the unique temple we know today.
Weather
Key Facts
Main Airport: El Prat (BCN)
Flight Time (ex UK): 2hrs
Time Difference (GMT): + 1hr
Airport to City: 20 mins
Electricity: 220v
Currency: Euro
Map
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Images credit: Night-time image of city in banner: By Jorge Franganillo [https://www.flickr.com/photos/franganillo/] used under Creative Commons 2.0 licence [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/] All other images are in the Public Domain