Return to Barcelona photos

Barcelona, third-largest port on the Mediterranean, has long had the reputation for being the most "European" of Spanish cities. Perhaps one of the most distinctive features is its "split personality," in that, while it is certainly Spanish, it is very much Catalan as well. In fact, the city is in effect "bilingual"—all signs are written in both languages. Catalan is much more than a dialect of Spanish; it is a full mix of Spanish and French. Barcelona is very much the capital of Catalania, sharing the riches of the mixed cultures as well as the woes of any large city. But it is, above all, beautiful, expansive, rich, and inviting. Barcelona was the site of the 1992 Olympic Games.

Barcelona’s history is as rich as any in Spain, with Neolithic, Roman, Moorish, Christian, and modern cultures. Today, there are at least eight distinct neighborhood regions in the city, including the Gothic Quarter, the Rambles, Chinatown (not really a Chinatown), the waterfront Barceloneta, the two famous mountains (Montjuic and Tibidabo) overlooking the city. Montjuic was the site of the 1992 Olympics, and still has a funicular railway, museums, sports grounds, a theme park, and an impressive fortress overlooking the Mediterranean.

One of the most distinctive and attractive features of Barcelona is its abundance of grand boulevards and fountain-filled plazas. The most famous street is La Rambla, which to our minds is second only to the Champs Elysee of Paris. There are at least five others to compete for the attention of its 3 million + citizens and thousands of tourists who flock to the city from all over Europe and the world.

The waterfront is clean, modern, and very diverse. It features aerial tram rides, large stores and small shops, extensive walkways over the water, a triple-IMAX theater, and the largest aquarium in Europe.

Columbus returned here from his adventures in the New World, and Barcelona has remembered him with an impressive monument (we rode to the top) and a modern skyscraper, pictured here.

Of course there is a Cathedral and a Royal Palace. But perhaps the most "interesting" (read bizarre) piece of architecture in Spain is La Sagrada Familia, a cathedral in the making. Gaudi’s "masterpiece" was begun in 1882, and was far from complete at his death in 1926. Some describe Gaudi’s style as "art nouveau run rampant." At any rate, it is clear that no one knows exactly what was intended by Gaudi, or the continuing builders have decided to divert from those intentions: the place is a jumble of styles and approaches. Not to be missed!