Barcelona Travel Guide

Barcelona is a charming, cosmopolitan port on the shores of the Mediterranean. The city offers so much to see and do that it is a wonderful vacation all by itself.

This prosperous and bilingual (Spanish and Catalan) metropolis vies with Madrid as an intellectual art and design center: Its museums, theaters, art galleries and nightlife are all of the best quality.

Catalans are known for their independent spirit and their sense of humor—Salvador Dali was a Catalan and his bizarre sense of humor is just one example of the region’s endearing weirdness.

The best place to people watch stroll or simply relax is Las Ramblas a pedestrian street with dozens of outdoor cafes. There you’ll find flower stands bird and small-animal stalls and newspaper and book kiosks. You’ll also find an endlessly fascinating flowing pageant—jugglers singers dancers puppeteers sidewalk artists living statues and assorted oddballs on parade. I will assure you that you never get enought of this wide street. Nearby is Placa Real (bars and restaurants) and Catalan architectural genius Antoni Gaudi’s Palau Guell built in Gaudi’s undulating art-nouveau style (the interior was closed for restoration during our last visit). After seeing these sights stroll the narrow winding streets of the Barri Gotic (medieval Gothic quarter) full of interesting tapas bars and cafes. We particularly enjoyed Picasso’s old hangout Els Quatre Gats which has been renovated without losing its bohemian charm. Or head for the old Barceloneta section on the waterfront: Always slightly rundown and scruffy looking this working-class area is now lined with paella restaurants.

The new beach area that runs from Barceloneta to the Olympic village is much cleaner than the old beach. Still our memories of the old beach are quite vivid—we’d recommend that you stay out of the water, although some of us think that it has been cleaned up considerabely. After all this beach is wonderful to look at with its huge and roaring waves which make it quite impossible to have a chat with your travel partner (when you have one with you).