There are a few things you should consider before taking a trip to Barcelona. There is so much to see and do in this fabulous city that you will want to make the most of every minute.
Make sure you have a good camera, with plenty of film, or a good battery and charger. You are sure to take a whole load of photos, to keep and treasure yourself or to send to friends and family as souvenirs.
Invest in a good map which shows all the museums and places of interest. Although you may enjoy wandering around the city, and there is certainly plenty to look at, it is easy to get lost which is frustrating if you only have a short time. If you want to visit a lot of museums or galleries, check out the passes available from the tourist office. You can save a lot of money by investing in a pass rather than paying individual entrance fees. The pass may also entitle you to take the hop on, hop off tour buses that will help you get an idea of where everything is located in the city, without tiring your feet too much.
The weather in this part of the world can be very varied, so you want to take advantage of dry, fresh sunny days by doing outdoor activities and checking out the coast. Save the countless museums and galleries for cloudy, rainy or overly hot days.
Some of the most famous sights in Barcelona are architectural, and you need to be sure to include the various Gaudi buildings in your itinerary. Most will be unable to avoid the spectacular Sagrada Familia, but it is easier to miss such delights as La Pedrera, the ‘block of discord’, which is equally astonishing in its design, and the highly original Park Guell in the north of the city centre. If you are not an experienced photographer, it might be worth checking out the postcard stands for truly beautiful shots of these buildings to add to your holiday album.
Make sure you leave time for a stroll down the main avenue of Barcelona, La Rambla, which stretched from the commercial city centre all the way to the harbor. This lively promenade, filled with the color of flower and bird stalls, and the bustle of street performers will have something for everyone. You could also try to pull in a visit to the 1992 Olympic sites, located on Montjuic, a hill overlooking the city.
If you have time to get away from Barcelona itself, there are fantastic places to visit along the Costa Dorada. You might also venture up to the Monestir de Montserrat. Reached by cable car, this monastery is set high up in the mountains, surrounded by really unusual shaped rocks and peaks. The views are spectacular.
Eating out in Barcelona is a pleasure in itself. Don’t expect to eat early, most restaurants do not get lively until at least ten o’clock, and the party goes on all night. Seafood is a speciality of the area, not surprising given its location, and the seafood stew known as zarzuela is a regional favourite you should try to sample. If you don’t want a full meal, tapas bars can provide tasty snacks or traditional finger food for a very reasonable price.
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