About Barcelona

Barcelona is one of the nicest cities to visit. Its museums, theatres, art galleries and nightlife are of an impressive high standard. Besides that, this art and design centre has a lot of interesting sights to offer to its visitors.

The best place to watch people go by, to stroll or simply relax, is 'Las Ramblas', a pedestrian street with dozens of outdoor cafes. Here, you’ll find flower-stands, book kiosks and small market stalls where they sell birds and small animals. You’ll also find an endlessly fascinating flowing receptacle of pageant-jugglers, singers, dancers, puppeteers, sidewalk artists, living statues and assorted oddballs on parade. Nearby is 'Plaça Real', with plenty of bars and restaurants, and 'Palau Guell', built by the Catalan architectural genius Antoni Gaudí in his undulating art-nouveau style. While in Las Ramblas and Placa Real, be very aware of pickpockets, too.
After having seen these sights, stroll the narrow winding streets of the 'Barri Gotic', the medieval Gothic quarter full of interesting tapas bars and cafes. Check out Picasso’s old hangout, 'Els Quatre Gats', which has been renovated without losing its bohemian charm. Or head for the old Barceloneta section on the waterfront. This working-class area, which was always slightly rundown and scruffy-looking, is now packed with paella restaurants.

The new beach area, which runs from Barceloneta to the Olympic village, is much cleaner than the old beach area. Although some people believe that it has been cleaned up considerably, it might be a wise idea to stay out of the water. Fortunately, the beach itself is already a feast for the eyes (and ears), with its huge and roaring waves.

Catalans are known for their independent spirit and their sense of humour. Salvador Dali was a Catalan (and unfortunately for Catalans, he was also a Fascist and supporter of General Franco's regime)and his bizarre sense of humour is just one example of the region’s endearing weirdness. Language is a BIG problem for English-speakers in Barcelona and also areas around the city. There are bno signboards in English and if you do not speak Spanish (or preferably Catalan), you are better off with a phrase book to guide you around. Even in Hotels they do not speak English. It comes as a surprise because a large part of the tourists are English and tourism is a big contributer to their economy.

Spring is the best time to visit Barcelona, as you can expect a temperature of round and about 20 degrees Celsius. During summer, it can get very hot and humid (about 30 degrees) and crowded, due to the tourists and cultural events taking place in September. Barcelona will be as expensive as you want it to be. Attention: Barcelona is relatively rich, so prices are much higher than places elsewhere in Spain. Still, restaurants are relatively cheap (at lunch time you can find a two course meal and desert for 7-9€) and for a hotel, three meals and a night out, count on it costing some 145 Euro for two persons.