Barcelona City Guide

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, a region within Spain, and the second largest city in the country. Barcelona is the fourth most visited city in Europe, a status which is partly explained by its prime location on the Mediterranean coast, its vibrant atmosphere, rich culture, and the beautiful surroundings you''ll find yourself in as you walk through its streets. Here is a guide to a few of the best bits of this incredible city.

One of the best things about Barcelona is how easy it is to get around. When it comes to travelling you have several options: taxis, bus, train, two separate modern tram networks and several aerial cable-cars (which incidentally offer a great view of the city). Having such great accessibility opens up the entire city, meaning you can take advantage of the full range of delights this city has to offer.

The ease of transportation takes some of the pressure off choosing your Barcelona hotel. However, it is important to think about exactly what kind of experience you want on your holiday ? if you''d prefer a quiet, relaxing night''s sleep then you don''t want to be in a vibrant clubbing ...
... district; equally, if you want to be able to step outside and into a bar you''ll need to choose your hotel accordingly.

If you''re working to a budget there are lots of cheap places to stay in the city: hostels like Hotel Barcelona offer centrally located, cheap accommodation for groups or lone travellers. If, however, you want luxury from your holiday destination then the modern Melia Barcelona or the more traditional Hotel Casa Fuster G L Barcelona will be right down your street.

If you''re looking for a cultural holiday then Barcelona''s beautiful architecture is a delight. Particularly notable is Antoni Gaudi''s beautiful cathedral the "Sagrada Familia?, a quick wander round the Barri Gotic ("Gothic Quarter) is also worth doing, as much for the atmosphere as the buildings.

For something a bit different check out the risqu? Museu de l''Erotica (Museum of the Erotic); more traditional museums include ''The National Museum of Art of Catalonia'' and the more modern ''Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art''.

Barcelona also has a wide variety of live performances for people to watch. Fantastic opera shows are regularly put on by the Gran Teatre del Liceu. If live music is your thing then Barcelona is also home to Catalonia''s largest symphonic orchestra (Orquestra Simf?nica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, or the OBC) so you should be able to see them too.

For a truly unique way to see the city go to the bottom of Les Ramblas street; there you can normally rent a horse and carriage which will take you on a tour of the city. If you want to escape the urban life for a bit then there are several beautiful parks dotted around Barcelona ? try Parc Ciutadella if you fancy a pedaloe ride, or for a truly eye-popping place look at Parc Guell which was designed by Gaudi himself. Bonny Kominek is a Spanish travel expert and freelance writer. They recommend Octopus travel for Barcelona hotels.