Barcelona

Overview

Barcelona is a city of Gaudí architecture, where the Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló and other buildings defy imagination, and the city buzzes with energy.

History

Barcelona began as a Roman colony in the 1st century BC and grew into the heart of the Kingdom of Catalonia in the Middle Ages. The Industrial Revolution drove expansion in the 19th century, and the Modernisme movement flourished here, producing masters such as Gaudí. The 1992 Olympics completely remade the waterfront and became a model of modern urban renewal. Today the question of Catalan independence keeps the city in the European political spotlight.

Highlights

• •The fantastical Sagrada Família and Park Güell
• •Camp Nou, the football cathedral of FC Barcelona
• •La Boqueria market and its food
• •The medieval cobbled lanes of the Gothic Quarter
• •The street culture of Las Ramblas

Practical tips

• •The Sagrada Família must be booked online in advance
• •Watch for pickpockets on Las Ramblas

Practical information

Best time

Year-round

Tickets

The city is free to explore; attractions are ticketed separately

Opening hours

City open all day; sights roughly 9:00 to 20:00

Local food

Paella, tapas, ham and Catalan cream

Getting around

Metro and buses cover the city and a T-casual ten-ride card is good value; Las Ramblas is walkable

Visa

Spain is in the Schengen area and requires a short-stay Schengen visa. Appointments are tight in peak season from April to October, so plan early.

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