Barcelona for Beginners
Located directly on the Mediterranean coast, just a mere 100 miles south of the Pyrenees, beautiful Barcelona is the proud capital the same-named province and the even prouder autonomous community of Catalunya. Both Spanish and Catalan are spoken here, of course, with a clear emphasis being placed upon the later. Madrid lies a distant 500 km to the south and Barcelona, with a Mediterranean atmosphere that combines a touch of regal elegance and metropolitan sophistication, is seen by many to even outshine the eminent Spanish capital. Needless to say, a certain rivalry exists between these two stunning cities.
Its 1.5 million inhabitants give Barcelona some weight, and it is not without its urban sprawl, but a certain provincial charm still remains, too. Its medieval “Gothic Quarter” old town quickly gives you a feel of how old the city really is. And it is, of course, actually much older than you have probably imagined. Legend has it that the Carthaginians, more specifically Hannibal’s father, founded “Barcino” long before our age. The Romans later built a military camp here and their typical grid-planning is still visible in the historical city center today. The Visigoths arrived with the fall of the Roman Empire in the early 5th century, and then came the Moors a few centuries later. It has been a bone of contention between the rival Christian and Islamic cultures, the seat of an expansive Spanish dynasty, it was devastated during the so-called Catalonian Republic and then again during the War of the Spanish Succession. It was annexed by Napoleon, later became an industrial center and a stronghold for the anarchist cause leading up to the Spanish Civil War. And after decades of repression under Franco, a slow opening up in the 1970s, and the eventual fall of his dictatorship, contributed to turning Barcelona into the vital cultural and economic center it is today.
One of its most famous landmarks, and said (by the Barcelonans) to be the most famous street in Europe, La Rambla is the beautiful and wide, tree-lined boulevard that leads along the Gothic Quarter from the Placa Catalunya down to the city’s port. There at the old harbor stands the famous statue of Christopher Columbus, pointing across the Mediterranean to his birth place of Genoa. La Rambla is lined with cafes and shops, and is the ideal place to have a seat and watch the world go by. It is usually packed with walkers enjoying the same sights and atmosphere you are, but nobody seems to be in a hurry here – which usually means you spend more time here than you had originally planned. But don’t worry about taking your time. And once you’ve finished sipping your coffee at Placa Reial, go and have a good look at Gaudi’s beautiful Guell Palace.
From here it’s not too far to the Picasso Museum, an absolute must-see. Located on Carrer Montcada street, well-known for its beautiful ancient buildings, two 15th century palaces were converted into a museum to make home for this impressive collection. Picasso spent some important early years here in Barcelona and the museum’s collection includes a large amount of work from his so-called Blue and Rose Periods, as well as very early paintings and portraits.
And speaking of art, a leisurely stop at La Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family Church) would be in order now. This structure, the most famous work by Gaudi, is certainly the most intriguing landmark in Catalonia, if not in all of Spain. Antoni Gaudi was, of course, the famous Catalan modernist architect who was a leading exponent of art nouveau in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Admired for his unique style and highly individualistic designs, Gaudi unfortunately never completely finished La Sagrada Familia, he was killed in a traffic accident, and yet perhaps because of this very unfinished touch and feel, the church exerts a certain dream-like, hypnotic attraction to those lucky visitors he come to see it.
And speaking of Gaudi (again)âÂ?¦ Another one of Barcelona’s more colorful sights is most definitely Park Guell. Situated up high on Camel Hill and offering an expansive view of the city, this somewhat surrealistic municipal garden complex is a strange mixture of oddly-formed mosaics and colorful sculpture, all in Gaudi’s familiar, eccentric style. The fairytale house in pink standing at the entrance to the park was once the artist’s home and now serves as a museum for more of his work and also offers an interesting collection of personal artifacts.
And if a “mere” park simply won’t do, however eccentric, then simply head for the hills – to Montjuic and Tibidabo, that is. These two impressive vantage points offer absolutely spectacular views of the city and the surrounding coastline. Montjuic is located nearest the harbor and therefore offers you the best view of the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla and the glistening Mediterranean nearby. Several of the so-called “Olympic ring” facilities are located on Montjuic, reminders of the celebrated 1992 summer Olympics held here. “Up the hill” from central Barcelona is the hill of Tibidabo, replete with an amusement part and a massive church at its summit. And even more striking is the extraordinary telecommunications tower you will find there. Designed by the famous English architect Norman Foster, the Torre de Collserola has a very peculiar shape to is, something reminiscent of a huge circular drum, and is quite a sight to see. And if the amusement park up here doesn’t offer you enough thrills, try the 115 meter ride up to the tower’s observation deck on its fast moving glass lift.
Was that everything? Of course not! That wasn’t even close, really. Barcelona is a major league travel destination with an unusually large selection of things to see and do. But this was just meant to whet your appetite (and I didn’t even mention the fabulous food here). Oops, I forgot the nightlife, too. I forgot tons of stuff, come to think of it. But if you’re now at least hungry for more, please have a look at a few of the links offered below.
