Why Go to Barcelona? by Melissa Rossi
Featured Hotel in Barcelona
Olivia Plaza Hotel
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Architectural showcase and bustling Mediterranean port, this is Spain’s second largest city - shown up, population-wise at least, only by Madrid, with whom it entertains an obvious rivalry.
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Northeast Spain; don’t be surprised to hear the mother tongue Catalan on television and movies, or to see it on street and subway signs. The city’s coastal location and splendid architecture (Gaudi and Domènech I Montaner) and art (Picasso and Miro) help to make it a tourist mecca.
Barcelona distilled…
• Stroll La Rambla, the lively pedestrian walk to the port, passing the sections of flower markets, bird stands, and street performers; note the mosaic by Miró midway - just one of a series of his urban installments.
• Check out the Picasso Museum.
• Get lost in Barrio Gòttico – the walled gothic section of town with a maze of narrow streets. Of particular interest is La Ribera, the quarter which houses the Picasso Museum.
• Sip a drink under the stone arches at Palau Dalmases, a baroque palace, where on Thursday nights opera singers wail at your table.
• Take in the view from Montjuïc, where Romantics painted and Olympic athletes competed.
• If you’re there in March or April, try to find a calzotada – a feast of wild onions – usually held in the country.
Watch out for…
• Pickpockets, purse snatchers and purse-slashers, particularly along La Rambla and in the Gothic Quarter.
• Prices on English language menus are usually higher.
Variation on…
Take the train, then the cable car up to the monastery set among the folded crags of Montserrat. In Figueres, find the Dalí Museum, short on his art, heavy on his sense of humor; Dalí’s body lies in a vault underneath.
Recommended Places to Stay in Barcelona...
Barcelona has an incredible array of accommodation options ranging from great value young and trendy hotels to cool and sophisticated five-star palaces. Finding the right place to stay in Spain's most exciting city is crucial, and to that end we've put together a list of our top picks:
- Best value: Hotel Diagonal Zero
- Best for young families: Hotel Roger de Lluria
- Best fashion-forward: Hotel Omm
- Best for aristocrats: Gran Hotel la Florida
- Best for romantic sojourns: Neri Hotel & Restaurant
Alternatively, simply browse all our luxury hotels in Barcelona. Still not enough choice? Check out our entire collection of luxury hotels in Spain.