 Almost
4.5 million people live in the Barcelona
metropolitan area. The city enjoys
a prime location, bathed by the
sea and has excellent transport
links with the rest of Europe. The
Mediterranean and Europe are the
defining characteristics of Catalonia.
Barcelona is a modern, cosmopolitan
city, but has inherited many centuries
of history. Its geographic location
and the open character of its inhabitants
are the reasons why the city is
being culturally enriched all the
time. It has a valuable architectural
and monumental heritage, the most
splendid exponents of which are
its Gothic and modernista buildings.
Five of its buildings have been
designated World Heritage Sites.
The entire city guarantees that
visitors will enjoy taking a stroll
around its streets which are replete
with charm.
Whatever your interests, be sure
not to miss a stroll along La Rambla.
It is one of the city’s landmark
sights, a bustling thoroughfare
where flower stalls and performance
artists jostle for space.
The historic centre is imbued with
a bohemian atmosphere which you
can discover as you walk through
the Gothic Quarter, and the Ribera
and Raval districts. This is one
of the world’s best-preserved
medieval quarters. However, if Barcelona
is famous for anything, it must
be the buildings in the Eixample.
If you take a walk around this neighbourhood
you will be able to admire architectural
masterpieces such as the Sagrada
Família and La Pedrera, among
other wonders inherited from Antoni
Gaudí and the other architects
of the city’s home-grown art-nouveau
movement, modernisme.
 In
Barcelona city, which overlooks
the sea, you can enjoy a whole host
of open spaces such as beaches,
the Olympic Marina, Tibidabo or
Montjuïc and its surroundings.
All in all, it is the ideal city
to discover exceptional monuments
and surprising places.
You will always find something
to do in the city of Barcelona.
The city has over 50 museums, showcasing
permanent collections of works by
artists such as Picasso, Joan Miró
and Antoni Tàpies. At the
Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya
(MNAC) you can see one of the world’s
most important collections of Romanesque
art. It also has famous collections
of contemporary art housed in museums
such as the Museu d’Art Contemporani
de Barcelona (MACBA) and CaixaForum.
Most museums stage temporary exhibitions.
The city of Barcelona is also a
showcase for the best of the country’s
theatrical talent. It is the base
for internationally renowned companies
such as Els Comediants, La Fura
dels Baus, Els Joglars and El Tricicle.
One of the most important cultural
events is the “Grec”
Summer Festival: a date with theatre,
music and dance.
 The
city of Barcelona also hosts a number
of renowned music festivals devoted
to jazz, flamenco, classical and
contemporary music. The city also
has two classical music venues with
a high-quality programme of events:
the Palau de la Música and
L’Auditori. In addition, the
opera house, the Gran Teatre del
Liceu, hosts one of Europe’s
most prestigious opera seasons.
And that’s not all... You
will also find areas where you can
play sports in the open air and
a whole host of leisure attractions,
such as the Tibidabo Amusement Park
and the old harbour area, the Port
Vell. Barcelona is a box of surprises
which will keep you entertained
with countless cultural and recreational
activities.
Source: Turisme
de Barcelona
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