Complete tourist guide of the city of Barcelona with useful information about accommodation, tourist attractions and maps
Located in a privileged position on the coast of the Iberian Peninsula and on the shores of the Mediterranean, Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, both in size and in terms of population. It is also the capital of Catalonia, one of the 17 autonomous provinces that make up Spain. In Barcelona there are two official languages that are spoken throughout Catalonia: Catalan and Spanish. The city has a population of about 1.5 million inhabitants but if adjacent areas are included, the population grows to over 4 million.
The capital of Catalonia is undoubtedly a Mediterranean city, not only because of its location but especially because of its history, traditions and cultural influences. The documentary attestation about the existence of the city dates from the second century I.Ch. when a Romanian colony was established on the territory of the current city and later became the city of residence of the counts of Barcelona. After joining the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon. S besieged several times throughout its history, today's Barcelona is an important tourist destination and artistic center due to its special cutural heritage. In particular, the architectural creations of Antoni Gaudi are known, works that have been introduced into the UNESCO universal heritage. The city is also known for organizing the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Barcelona is an important economic center and one of the main European ports on the Mediterranean Sea. Barcelona International Airport is the second largest in Spain after Madrid. As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona hosts the headquarters of the Catalan government, called 'Generalitat de Catalunya' and the Supreme Court of Catalonia.
The city boasts 68 mountain parks, divided into 12 historic parks, 5 botanical parks, 45 urban parks and six forests. Only urban parks occupy 10% of the city's surface. The surface of the parks increases every year by about ten hectares. The proportion is impressive and measures over 18 square meters of park per capita. Among Barcelona's parks, Montjuic is the largest, with an area of 203 hectares on the mountain of the same name. It is followed by Ciutadella Park where there is a zoo, several museums and Parliament headquarters. Parc Guell was designed by Antoni Gaudi and has an area of 17 hectares. So Barcelona is a city where you will not miss seeing even if it is a crowded city.
Barcelona has seven beaches totaling 4.5 km of coastline. Barceloneta and Sant Sebastia are the largest, oldest and most frequented beaches in the city. The Olympic Port separates them from the other beaches of the city: Nova Icaria, Bogatell, Nova Mar Bella, Llevant and Mar Bella. These beaches were arranged due to the restructuring of the city in order to host the 1992 Olympic Games. After a day spent among the attractions and objectives of the city, tourists can relax on the glamorous and crowded beaches of terraces, where they can serve a seafood tapas and a traditional sangria.
The area around Catalunya Square is the historic center of the city and together with the first half of Avinguda Diagonal Boulevard is the main commercial area of the city. Barcelona has several commercial complexes such as: L'Illa, Diagonal Mar, La Maquinista or Marmagnum. In contrast to the historic center, Barcelona has even more skyscrapers, the tallest being Hotel Arts and its twin Torre Mapfre, both 154 m tall. They are followed by Torre Agbar (144m), a true symbol of the modern part of Barcelona. All in all, Barcelona is a unique and complex city whose character is liked by many tourists, which makes the capital of Catalonia a top destination for holidays and city breaks.