Vising any new place can be a daunting task; there are so many unique historic and cultural things that make up a city, it can be hard to decide where to go, what to see, and how to devote your time to. This 'city guide' is designed to take some of the anxiety out of your travels so you can truly enjoy your destination and all it has to offer.
Barcelona is a city full of history and culture and has always played an important role in the artistic and political life of Spain. It's unique architechture and art are set against a beautiful backdrop of rolling hills and sandy beaches.
The city engages all of your senses, from the beauty of the city to the taste and smell of the authentic Catalan food, there will always be music to hear, art to see and history to touch.
Sagrada Familia by Antonio Gaudi
This larger-than-life temple designed by Antonio Gaudi is perhaps one of the most famous attractions in Barcelona. The legendary architect was a master in his field of shape, color and movement and still stands out as a visionary today. Gaudi began his creation in 1882, but died before it was completed and it has been unfinished ever since (though the government is slowly making his drawings reality, it is estimated it will take another 50 years for it to be totally finished). The church is open to the public and be sure to take an audio tour to learn all the intricacies of the place and quirks of its creator.
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This is not Gaudi's only work of art around the city, his designs are unmistakable and crop up in many places around the city, most notable of which is...
Plaza and Park Guell
What was planned to be a 'suburban city' designed by Gaudi ultimately turned out to be a failure- out of 60 housing plots, only two were built. But, the idea was still a radical real-estate project for its time. The area is now a park full of Barcelona's bohemian folks. Gaudi left then natural landscape untouched to let visitors wind with the twisting paths and hills. The adjoining plaza also connects to Plaza Fuster, Plaza de la Libertad and Plaza del Sol all of which are great for finding unique shops, restaurants and attractions.
As the park is situated on a hill outside the city, it provides sweeping views of Barcelona and the surrounding countryside.
L'Aquarium de Barcelona and Barcelona Zoo
If you are traveling with young kids or if you are a kid at heart, the Zoo and Aquarium are great places to spend a day. The Barcelona aquarium is one of the best in Europe with the largest Mediterranean exhibit in the world. A series of 35 tanks, 11,000 animals and 450 different species, an underwater tunnel 260 feet (80 meters) long, six million liters of water and a huge Oceanarium replicating real ocean surroundings.
The Barcelona Zoo houses an impressive selection of animals including lions, gorillas, hippopotamuses, rhinoceroses, giraffes and elephants. The zoo is separated by areas relating to areas of the world where the animals are from with a special emphasis on animals from Madagascar. Also don't miss the dolphin show, every day for no extra cost.
Poble Espanyol de Montjuic (the Spanish Village)
Poble Espanyol was built in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exhibition as the pavilion dedicated to art. This small village is famous for its different quarters that replicate the style of houses and architecture from different parts of Spain. Visitors can tour the 'town' as well as visit the many restaurants, specialty craft shops and souvenir stores.
