Barcelona

Information

Festivals

Festes de la Mercè Around the 24th of September, the main celebrations in the city. Live music during all the day and night, theatre, life in the streets, castellers, and most of it for free!

Festes de Gràcia Around the 15th of August, the celebrations from the Gràcia quarter. Many streets are decorated by the neighbours, live music, food in the street, party all night long.

Festes de Sants Similar to Gracia's ones, but smaller and a bit later in August. If you can't go to the Gracia's, try these!

Sant Jordi 23rd of April. Is like Saint Valentine's in many places. People give roses and books around the streets. Is one of the most popular and interesting celebrations in Catalonia.

Corpus. Late in May (Corpus Christi day). An egg is put over the fountains (most of them in the churches, and decorated with flowers), and "magically dances" over the water.

Fira de Santa Llúcia From December 2nd/3rd to December 23rd, to commemorate Sta Llúcia (December 13th). In front of the Cathedral, is where the Christmas objects are sold.

Festival de Sant Joan for weeks on end, listen to kids shoot off caps and fire crackers.

Getting around

• The Bus Turístic links all of the Barcelona tourist sites you could possibly want to visit.
• The metro can take you to many places. €27.55. These tickets are also valid on the buses and trams. More information.
• The Barcelona Card features unlimited free travel on public transport and free admission and discounts at around 100 visitor attractions.
• Tramvia Blau is a an old tram (beginning of the 20th century) connects Av. Tibidabo metro station and Funicular station at the foot of Tibidabo.
• Funicular connects the foot of Tibidabo with view point.

Places to visit

Gaudi architecture, including the Park Güell, the still unfinished Sagrada Família and the houses; La Pedrera/Casa Milà and La Casa Batlló.

• Park Güell. This is on a hill overlooking Barcelona, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the whole city.
• La Pedrera - entrance (Diagonal metro station)
• Sagrada Família - The most impressive thing is to see Sagrada Família at night with lights on, this is the time when you understands why people say that it is built of bones.
• The ruta del Modernisme takes you round all the best Modernisme (art nouveau) buildings in Barcelona.
• La Rambla, the most famous boulevard in Barcelona.
• Plaça d'Espanya with famouse red colums built before Olympic games and musical fountain.
• The Gothic Quarter, with the Cathedral of Santa Eulàlia and the Gothic Church of Santa Maria del Pi.
• San Pau del Camp is a romanesque church - one of only a few in Barcelona - with a fine cloister which feels almost Arabic in style.
• La Plaça Reial is located next to La Rambla and is considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in the world.
• Tibidabo is located on the mountains of Barcelona and offers a spectacular view of the city.
• Olympic Port. It has a large number of restaurants and bars.
• FC Barcelona. If you're a football freak then you can't miss a visit to Camp Nou, the home ground for Barcelona's biggest and most popular team, and one of Europes greatest footballing 'cathedrals'.
• Zoo-Barcelona It is located in Parc de la Ciudadella.
• Poble Espanyol. A fake village with replicas of characteristic buildings in Spain.
• Palau de la Música Catalana Modernist design by Lluís Domènech i Montaner is in the UNESCO World Heritage since 1997, a masterpiece of Catalan's Modernist Architecture.
• Monasterio Pedralbes A beautiful Gothic monastery near the university.
  

  Museums

• MHI Museu d'Història de Catalunya A must in order to understand the troubled history of the Catalans.
  MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya) in the Palau Nacional has the single best collection of Romanesque art in the world, and a fine Gothic collection as well.
• The Museum of the City of Barcelona includes access to underground Roman ruins and a complex of historic buildings in the centre of the Barri Gòtic (Gothic Quarter).
• MACBA Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art.
• CCCB Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona.
• The Picasso Museum has a lot of art from his first period, before the cubism.
• Caixa Fòrum located at Plaça Espanya, this place hosts great exhibitions and entrance is free!
• Fundació Antoni Tàpies This abstract artist has a great Museum close to Passeig de Gràcia.
• Joan Miró Museum This museum is on the Montjuïc accessible by the metro.
• L'Aquarium is the second biggest aquaurium of Europe. Watch thousands of fishes, penguins and sharks in this interactive sea-life museum.
• Port Vell (Old Port)
• The Museum de l'Eròtica de Barcelona on La Rambla.
• The Football Museum This is one of Barcelona's most visited museums near the stadion.
• Maritime Museum This museum standing at the harbour depicts the Catalan maritime history of trade, wars and discoveries.
• Catalan Archaeological Museum Situated on the Monntjuic, it exhibits archaeological findings from Catalunia from different periods.
• Catalan Ethnographical Museum Also situated on the Montjuic, this museum mainly exhibits exponents which were imported by Catalan sailors as they explored the new world.
• Military Museum In the military fotification on the Montjuic.
• Museum of Natural History in the Ciutadella Parc is especially recommended for children. Most interesting is the rainforest project, in which you can observe a living forest from various angles.