Barcelona is the most modern and cosmopolitan city
of Spain . The rise of its tourist popularity began
after Olympic Games 1992. Since that time Barcelona
has attracted millions of visitors and become one the
most fashionable destinations in Europe.
 Barcelona is the capital of Spanish province Catalonia and
there are 2 official languages — Catalan and
Spanish (Castellano). Almost everyone in Barcelona
understands Spanish, but sometimes they prefer not
to use this language. All announcements in public transport,
street names and newspapers are in Catalan.
Barcelona
has a long history and the center of the city seems
almost untouched by the time. The old historical
part of the city is called Ciutat and there are concentrated
the most of Barcelona 's places of interest.
Barcelona
is well-known for its architecture. The most famous
architect in Barcelona is Antonio Gaudi. His unfinished
masterpiece — La Sagrada Familia cathedral — is
one of the must-sees in Barcelona . Another Gaudi
masterpiece, La Pedrera was built as a combined apartment
and office block. This building also houses a small
Gaudi museum. Parc Guell is another example of Antonio
Gaudi's architecture.
 Barri Gotic, the district known
as the Gothic Quarter for the Gothic monuments
found there is located in an old town. Most of the
buildings date back to the 14th and 15th century. These
majestic medieval structures create a special, mystic
atmosphere.
La Rambla (also called Las Ramblas) — a tree-lined
pedestrian boulevard - is one of the main shopping
and tourist arteries in Barcelona. Here you can
find everything you are looking for — leather
goods, souvenirs, antiques and curiosities for anyone's
taste.
The
hill Montjuic is one of the most significant landmarks
of Barcelona . The huge park lays 213 meters above
the harbor and is one of the major tourist attractions
in Barcelona .
 Tibidabo is the highest hill in Barcelona. From Tibidabo
you can admire great panoramic views over the city.
Amusement park "Parc d'Atraccions", located here, is
very popular place among locals. Usually they like
to go there with kids. The Aquarium of Barcelona is
the largest in Europe.
Barcelona has an immense cultural heritage. More than
50 museums show the art, culture and history of Barcelona.
The Museu Picasso is Barcelona 's most visited museum.
It's housed in three beautiful stone mansions on the
Carrer de Montcada.
The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) contains
one of the world's most important collections of Romanesque
art. If you prefer contemporary art, you should visit
Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) and CaixaForum.
 The climate of Barcelona makes it very popular destination
for summer trips. The city is situated on the Mediterranean
coast and offers a lot of beaches mostly around the
Olympic Village. The only problem is that they are
often overcrowded.
Barcelona is becoming a great shopping center of Europe
. The city's main shopping thoroughfare is known as
the Barcelona Shopping Line. In Barcelona mealtimes
are usually a little bit later than in the rest of
Europe .
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