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Barcelona – The City of Counts (Ciutat Comtal)
Located on the north-eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and shores of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city and the Capital of Catalonia. The 4th most visited European city (behind London, Paris and Rome) will have something for every traveler to experience. It won’t take long to notice the fusion of rich history, tradition, and cultural influences. Now that the specifications are out of the way, let’s get to the fun stuff!
- Take a tour of the waterfront to learn about Barcelona’s history as a port city or visit the aquarium. Make sure to visit Barceloneta (the historic fisherman’s quarter) to enjoy some of the best seafood around. Also nearby is the Vila Olimpica (Olympic Village) created for the 1992 games.
- Are you a history buff? Visit the Mirador de Colòn, a 197 foot ornate bronze statue erected in honour of the Genovese explorer, Christopher Columbus located on the site it is said where Columbus landed upon his return to Spain after his discovery of the ‘New World’. And, a little trivia for you…Did you know that the statue is said to have Columbus’ right hand pointing to the ‘New World’ and a scroll in his left hand…however, the statue does not face west, but east. The theory is that it is pointed towards his home city of Genoa, Italy.
- If you’ve got your walking shoes, which I really hope you do, take a 15 minute walk from the waterfront to La Rambla in central Barcelona. What is La Rambla? It is a 1.2 km tree-lined pedestrian mall (think Champs Elisées in Paris or Via Vittorio Veneto in Rome) with some of the trendiest shops, art galleries, museums and delightful street entertainment.
- While in central Barcelona, make your way to the Plaça de Catalunya, a large square between the medieval Old City (Ciatat Vella) and the 19th century Eixample. Why do you want to be there? It is best known as being the cultural hub of the city. As the afternoons moves forward you will notice how increasingly crowded and colourful it becomes.
- When you are within the central district, look around you and notice the gothic architecture in Barri Gotic, the largest inhabited medieval quarter in Europe. This area is truly reminiscent of the Roman and medieval periods.
- I leave you with two more ‘must-see’ places. In Eixample, see la Sagrada Familia, a massive Roman Catholic Church. The iconic church has been under construction since 1882! …And you thought it took a long time for your husband to build that garden shed?
- Monjuic, a very distinctive hill on overlooking the harbour and Barcelona’s southwest city centre, is great place to capture some of the best vistas. Make sure your camera battery is charged and snap away some fantastic cityscape.
A little tip of the day: The first and last hour of sun are the optimal times to get near perfect shots! Seems like the perfect way to end a busy day in an exciting city. If you have any pictures of Barcelona you would love to share, please visit our Facebook page, we would love to post them for the entire group to see!
Mon June 28, 2010