About Barcelona
Barcelona is one of the most visited cities in Spain, and it offers visitors a vast range of things to see and do.
Barcelona is unique. It has something for everyone and is one of Europe's top destinations. The only problem you will encounter is that there will never be enough time to explore its many museums and monuments, churches and galleries, its fascinating coastline and its delectable cuisine.
To enjoy your stay to the fullest, you will need to adopt the Barcelonan lifestyle a striking blend of business-like efficiency combined with long alfresco lunches, lazy siestas, ritual evening promenades and an intoxicating nightlife. You will long remember its proud yet generous people, who will welcome you back with open arms when you return, as you surely will.
Inventive and innovative, radical and racy, Barcelona is one of Europe's most dynamic cities. Strolling through its streets is like wandering through a living museum, a legacy of its remarkable 2,000 years of history. From the ancient maze-like Gothic quarter built within the Roman city walls, to the astonishing regimental grid plan of the turn-of-the-19th century Eixample district. Studded with eye-catching jewels of Modernista architecture, the city contains some of the finest and most eccentric art and architecture in the world. Outstanding even by Barcelonan standards is Gaudi's extraordinary Sagrada Familia, which is reason enough to visit the city.
Just as Modernisme the movement that has made Barcelona unique emerged at the end of the 19th century as a desire for change and renovation, so today the city is celebrating its past.
It is restoring its old buildings, introducing new art and architecture and eradicating some severe urban problems, while staying at the forefront of contemporary culture. As a result. Barcelona today is very much alive a city bursting with new pride and self-confidence, which cannot fail to excite and delight.
Barcelona geography
Barcelona is in northeastern Spain, 166km (103 miles) from the French border. The city occupies 99sq km (62sq miles), with 13km (8 miles) of Mediterranean coastline, including 4km (25 miles) of sandy beaches. It is bounded by the mountains of Montjuic (to the south) and Tibidabo (to the northwest), and framed by the rivers Llobregat (to the south) and Besos (to the north).
CATALUNYA (CATALONIA)
The autonomous region of Catalunya (Catalonia) covers an area of 31, 930sq km (12,325sq miles) (6.3 per cent of Spain) and has a population of around 7 million (15 per cent of the Spanish population), 70 per cent of whom live in greater Barcelona. It is Spain's leading economic region, producing 8 per cent of the country's gross national product. Nearly 40 per cent of all visitors to Spain come to Catalonia. No one visiting Barcelona should leave without trying its cuisine, described by the American food critic Colman Andrews as 'the last great culinary secret in Europe'.
Rooted in the fresh local ingredients of the mountains, the plains and sea, the food is delicious and surprisingly subtle in flavor.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
The main ingredients of traditional Catalan dishes are typically Mediterranean: tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, aubergines (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini), peppers and herbs, which, when blended, to form samfaina, a delicious sauce served with many dishes. Other principal sauces include pieada (nuts, bread, parsley, garlic and saffron), sofregit (a simple sauce of onion, tomato and garlic lightly fried in olive oil) and allioli (a strong, garlicky mayonnaise).
For centuries pork has been the cornerstone of the Catalan diet. Little is wasted even the peus de pore (pigs' trotters) are considered a delicacy. No bar would be complete without its haunch of pernil (cured ham), a popular tapas dish, and you often see a variety of sausages hanging from the rafters of restaurants and delicatessens. Lamb, chicken, duck, beef and game also feature strongly, often prepared a la brasa (on an open charcoal grill) and served with a large serving of allioli (garlic mayonnaise).
MEAT AND SEAFOOD
In Catalan cuisine, meat is commonly combined with fruit, creating such mouthwatering dishes as pollastre amb pera (chicken with pears) and eomll amb prunes (rabbit with prunes). However, it is the unique 'surf'n'turf' combinations that sea and mountain (Mar i Muntanya) produce which differentiates Catalan cuisine from the cookery of other Spanish regions. Se Pia amb mandonguilles (cuttlefish with meatballs) and mar i eel ('sea and heaven' made with sausages, rabbit, shrimp and fish) are especially tasty. Near the coast, fish dishes reign supreme, ranging from simple grilled sardinas (sardines) and hearty zarsuela (seafood stew) to eyecatching shellfish displays Try suquet de peix (fish and potato soup) or the more unusual broudegos ('dog soup') made with fish, onions and orange juice, followed by speciality dishes arras negre (rice cooked in black squid ink), fideua (a local variant of paella, using vermicelli and noodles and not rice) or bacalla (salt cod), which comes a la lIauna (with garlic, tomato and white wine), esqueixada (a salt cod and black olive salad), amb samfaina or amb romesco (a piquant sauce, made from a mixture of crushed nuts, tomatoes and spicy red pepper).
BARCELONA WINES
A short distance south of Barcelona, the Penedes is the main Catalan wine region, producing red (negre), white (blanc) and rose (rosat) wines. Look for the reliable Torres, Masia Bach and Rene Barbier labels. Catalan cava (sparkling wine) also comes from the Penedes wineries, made by the methode champenoise. Famous names include Freixenet and Codorniu, which can be sampled in the cava bars of Barcelona.
To the north, the Alella and Emporda regions produce white wines, while Priorat produces excellent, heavy reds. If you have only a short time to visit Barcelona and would like to take home some unforgettable memories you can do something local and capture the real flavour of the city. The following suggestions will give you a wide range of sights and experiences that won't take very long, won't cost very much and will make your visit very special. If you only have time to choose just one of these, you will have found the true heart of the city.
FLIGHTS TO BARCELONA
Spain's national airline, Iberia, has scheduled flights to Barcelona's EI Prat de Llobregat Airport from major Spanish and European cities. The city is served by over 30 international airlines and has direct flights to more than 80 international destinations.
Airlines operating flights to Barcelona include easyJet, from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted and Ryan Air which flies from Stansted and Luton to Girona (80km/50 miles north of Barcelona) from where there is a bus to Barcelona. British Airways and its alliance partner, Iberia, fly from Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester. British Midland (bmi) flies from Heathrow, and easyJet also flies from Liverpool. Iberia flies from Dublin, in association with its Oneworld partner Aer Lingus.There are no direct flights to Spain from Australia or New Zealand; connections via London, Frankfurt or Paris are the most common.
BARCELONA BY ROAD
The AP7 highway connects the French border with Barcelona, a distance of only 166km (103 miles), though tolls are expensive. The AP2 connects the Spanish capital of Madrid with Barcelona, a distance of 660km (410 miles); most of the trip is also via toll roads. Well paved and lit multi-lane toll roads are common all over Catalonia, and although free carreteras nacionales provide alternatives, they are generally less safe owing to poorer surfaces and lighting
THE METRO BARCELONA
The metro is the easiest and fastest way of moving around the city. There are two different underground train systems, the Metro with its six lines identified by number and color, and the FGC, an older service which is above ground in outer Barcelona. Both lines have been integrated into the same system.
Buses Barcelona has an excellent bus network; pick up a free plan from any tourist office (or download from www.tmb.net). Timetables are also shown at individual bus stops. Buses run 6am10pm. At night there is a Nitbus with routes centered on Plaga de Catalunya throughout the year the Bus Turistic, a hop-on, hop-off service, circuits the main city sights.
BARCELONA BY RAIL
The main regional, national and international rail station is SantsEstacio. Comfortable, fast, express trains connect the city to Paris, Madrid and Valencia and other destinations in Europe.
TAXIS
Pick up a black and yellow taxi at a taxi rank or hail one if it's displaying a green light and the sign Lliure/Libre (free) Fares are not unduly expensive but extra fees are charged for airport trips and for baggage, and at weekends and after 8.30pm. Prices are shown on a sticker inside.
CAR RENTAL BARCELONA
The leading international car rental companies have offices at Barcelona airport and you can reserve a car in advance (essential in peak periods) either direct or through a travel agent. Local companies offer competitive rates and will usually deliver a car to the airport.
FARES AND CONCESSIONS
Travel cards (called targetas) come in options of 2 to 5 days or for 10 journeys (called a T10) and are available from all Metro stations. They are valid for Metro, FGC, bus and some overland (RENFE) trains; transfers (on the same mode of transport) are allowed. With targetas, you generally end up paying half the price (or less, depending on the amount of travel you do) of a single journey.
Most museums and galleries offer a 50 per cent discount on entrance fees to older people.
Barcelona is unique. It has something for everyone and is one of Europe's top destinations. The only problem you will encounter is that there will never be enough time to explore its many museums and monuments, churches and galleries, its fascinating coastline and its delectable cuisine.
To enjoy your stay to the fullest, you will need to adopt the Barcelonan lifestyle a striking blend of business-like efficiency combined with long alfresco lunches, lazy siestas, ritual evening promenades and an intoxicating nightlife. You will long remember its proud yet generous people, who will welcome you back with open arms when you return, as you surely will.
Inventive and innovative, radical and racy, Barcelona is one of Europe's most dynamic cities. Strolling through its streets is like wandering through a living museum, a legacy of its remarkable 2,000 years of history. From the ancient maze-like Gothic quarter built within the Roman city walls, to the astonishing regimental grid plan of the turn-of-the-19th century Eixample district. Studded with eye-catching jewels of Modernista architecture, the city contains some of the finest and most eccentric art and architecture in the world. Outstanding even by Barcelonan standards is Gaudi's extraordinary Sagrada Familia, which is reason enough to visit the city.
Just as Modernisme the movement that has made Barcelona unique emerged at the end of the 19th century as a desire for change and renovation, so today the city is celebrating its past.
It is restoring its old buildings, introducing new art and architecture and eradicating some severe urban problems, while staying at the forefront of contemporary culture. As a result. Barcelona today is very much alive a city bursting with new pride and self-confidence, which cannot fail to excite and delight.
Barcelona geography
Barcelona is in northeastern Spain, 166km (103 miles) from the French border. The city occupies 99sq km (62sq miles), with 13km (8 miles) of Mediterranean coastline, including 4km (25 miles) of sandy beaches. It is bounded by the mountains of Montjuic (to the south) and Tibidabo (to the northwest), and framed by the rivers Llobregat (to the south) and Besos (to the north).
CATALUNYA (CATALONIA)
The autonomous region of Catalunya (Catalonia) covers an area of 31, 930sq km (12,325sq miles) (6.3 per cent of Spain) and has a population of around 7 million (15 per cent of the Spanish population), 70 per cent of whom live in greater Barcelona. It is Spain's leading economic region, producing 8 per cent of the country's gross national product. Nearly 40 per cent of all visitors to Spain come to Catalonia. No one visiting Barcelona should leave without trying its cuisine, described by the American food critic Colman Andrews as 'the last great culinary secret in Europe'.
Rooted in the fresh local ingredients of the mountains, the plains and sea, the food is delicious and surprisingly subtle in flavor.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET
The main ingredients of traditional Catalan dishes are typically Mediterranean: tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, aubergines (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini), peppers and herbs, which, when blended, to form samfaina, a delicious sauce served with many dishes. Other principal sauces include pieada (nuts, bread, parsley, garlic and saffron), sofregit (a simple sauce of onion, tomato and garlic lightly fried in olive oil) and allioli (a strong, garlicky mayonnaise).
For centuries pork has been the cornerstone of the Catalan diet. Little is wasted even the peus de pore (pigs' trotters) are considered a delicacy. No bar would be complete without its haunch of pernil (cured ham), a popular tapas dish, and you often see a variety of sausages hanging from the rafters of restaurants and delicatessens. Lamb, chicken, duck, beef and game also feature strongly, often prepared a la brasa (on an open charcoal grill) and served with a large serving of allioli (garlic mayonnaise).
MEAT AND SEAFOOD
In Catalan cuisine, meat is commonly combined with fruit, creating such mouthwatering dishes as pollastre amb pera (chicken with pears) and eomll amb prunes (rabbit with prunes). However, it is the unique 'surf'n'turf' combinations that sea and mountain (Mar i Muntanya) produce which differentiates Catalan cuisine from the cookery of other Spanish regions. Se Pia amb mandonguilles (cuttlefish with meatballs) and mar i eel ('sea and heaven' made with sausages, rabbit, shrimp and fish) are especially tasty. Near the coast, fish dishes reign supreme, ranging from simple grilled sardinas (sardines) and hearty zarsuela (seafood stew) to eyecatching shellfish displays Try suquet de peix (fish and potato soup) or the more unusual broudegos ('dog soup') made with fish, onions and orange juice, followed by speciality dishes arras negre (rice cooked in black squid ink), fideua (a local variant of paella, using vermicelli and noodles and not rice) or bacalla (salt cod), which comes a la lIauna (with garlic, tomato and white wine), esqueixada (a salt cod and black olive salad), amb samfaina or amb romesco (a piquant sauce, made from a mixture of crushed nuts, tomatoes and spicy red pepper).
BARCELONA WINES
A short distance south of Barcelona, the Penedes is the main Catalan wine region, producing red (negre), white (blanc) and rose (rosat) wines. Look for the reliable Torres, Masia Bach and Rene Barbier labels. Catalan cava (sparkling wine) also comes from the Penedes wineries, made by the methode champenoise. Famous names include Freixenet and Codorniu, which can be sampled in the cava bars of Barcelona.
To the north, the Alella and Emporda regions produce white wines, while Priorat produces excellent, heavy reds. If you have only a short time to visit Barcelona and would like to take home some unforgettable memories you can do something local and capture the real flavour of the city. The following suggestions will give you a wide range of sights and experiences that won't take very long, won't cost very much and will make your visit very special. If you only have time to choose just one of these, you will have found the true heart of the city.
FLIGHTS TO BARCELONA
Spain's national airline, Iberia, has scheduled flights to Barcelona's EI Prat de Llobregat Airport from major Spanish and European cities. The city is served by over 30 international airlines and has direct flights to more than 80 international destinations.
Airlines operating flights to Barcelona include easyJet, from Gatwick, Luton and Stansted and Ryan Air which flies from Stansted and Luton to Girona (80km/50 miles north of Barcelona) from where there is a bus to Barcelona. British Airways and its alliance partner, Iberia, fly from Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham and Manchester. British Midland (bmi) flies from Heathrow, and easyJet also flies from Liverpool. Iberia flies from Dublin, in association with its Oneworld partner Aer Lingus.There are no direct flights to Spain from Australia or New Zealand; connections via London, Frankfurt or Paris are the most common.
BARCELONA BY ROAD
The AP7 highway connects the French border with Barcelona, a distance of only 166km (103 miles), though tolls are expensive. The AP2 connects the Spanish capital of Madrid with Barcelona, a distance of 660km (410 miles); most of the trip is also via toll roads. Well paved and lit multi-lane toll roads are common all over Catalonia, and although free carreteras nacionales provide alternatives, they are generally less safe owing to poorer surfaces and lighting
THE METRO BARCELONA
The metro is the easiest and fastest way of moving around the city. There are two different underground train systems, the Metro with its six lines identified by number and color, and the FGC, an older service which is above ground in outer Barcelona. Both lines have been integrated into the same system.
Buses Barcelona has an excellent bus network; pick up a free plan from any tourist office (or download from www.tmb.net). Timetables are also shown at individual bus stops. Buses run 6am10pm. At night there is a Nitbus with routes centered on Plaga de Catalunya throughout the year the Bus Turistic, a hop-on, hop-off service, circuits the main city sights.
BARCELONA BY RAIL
The main regional, national and international rail station is SantsEstacio. Comfortable, fast, express trains connect the city to Paris, Madrid and Valencia and other destinations in Europe.
TAXIS
Pick up a black and yellow taxi at a taxi rank or hail one if it's displaying a green light and the sign Lliure/Libre (free) Fares are not unduly expensive but extra fees are charged for airport trips and for baggage, and at weekends and after 8.30pm. Prices are shown on a sticker inside.
CAR RENTAL BARCELONA
The leading international car rental companies have offices at Barcelona airport and you can reserve a car in advance (essential in peak periods) either direct or through a travel agent. Local companies offer competitive rates and will usually deliver a car to the airport.
FARES AND CONCESSIONS
Travel cards (called targetas) come in options of 2 to 5 days or for 10 journeys (called a T10) and are available from all Metro stations. They are valid for Metro, FGC, bus and some overland (RENFE) trains; transfers (on the same mode of transport) are allowed. With targetas, you generally end up paying half the price (or less, depending on the amount of travel you do) of a single journey.
Most museums and galleries offer a 50 per cent discount on entrance fees to older people.
Labels: Catalonia
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