Barcelona City Breaks, Holidays and Weekend Breaks:
Barcelona is a wonderful destination for a city break as it has a great mix of culture, fantastic shopping, amazing nightlife and also offers a coastal location ... Barcelona has it all.The second largest city in Spain and capital of Catalunya, Barcelona is situated on the Mediterranean coast and makes a vibrant and exciting place to visit. The Barri Gotic [Gothic Quarter in Catalan] is the splendid mediaeval centre of the old city of Barcelona, including the well-known Las Ramblas. Enjoy a walk down the lively Las Ramblas and relax at the cafes, restaurants and watch street entertainers. Many of the buildings date from medival times, others from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Catalan Modernisme architecture [known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe], developed between 1885 and 1950 and left an important legacy in Barcelona. Many of these buildings are World Heritage Sites. Especially remarkable is the work of Antoni Gaudi [1852-1926], which can be seen throughout the city.
The most famous of Gaudi’s domestic works, the Casa Mila is an apartment block whose undulating facade was inspired by the rock face of Catalonia’s sacred mountain. It was nicknamed La Pedrera [‘the quarry’] by the Barcelonese of the time when it was built [1905-1907], who considered it ugly.
It is Gaudi’s church, however, that is perhaps his greatest achievement. From 1884 La Sagrada Familia became Gaudi’s obsession, which he worked on for 40 years ans is still unfinished today. It has four spires, each of them topped with coloure ceramics, and stone porches that look as though they are made of dripping wax. Other Gaudi works include the Casa Battlo and the Palau and Park Guell. Other UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Barcelona are Lluis Domenech i Montaner’s Palau de la Musica Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau.
Barcelona has a wide variety of museums to visit. The National Museum of Art of Catalonia possesses a well-known collection of Romanesque art, while the Fundacio Joan Miro, Picasso Museum and Fundacio Antoni Tapies hold important collections of work by these world-renowned artists. The city has several history and archaeology museums, such as the City History Museum, the museum of the History of Catalonia, the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia and the Barcelona Maritime Museum.
CELEBRATE SAN JUANOne night during the 3rd week of June earch year is midsummer's eve in Barcelona and is the shortest night of the year. Festivities start when the sun goes down and continue until the next morning when the sun rises. On this day Barcelona celebrates the start of the new summer season with old traditions including fire, water, music and dancing!
Legend has it that the bonfires that burn on this night can cleanse the body and soul. One can even change a bad year into a good one simply by jumping over the bonfire a minumum of 3 times. Parties, bonfires and firework displays are held all over the city [but especially on the beach] and take time out to enjoy the traditional tipple of cava with some crispy bread topped with candied fruit.
Location of Barcelona: On the Mediterranean coast of northeast Spain, south of the Costa Brava. 80 miles south of the border with France. 400 miles northeast of the capital, Madrid. 8 miles northeast of El Prat airport.
Serving Airports:Barcelona [BCN]
Flight time from the UK: approximately 2 hours
Gerona Costa Brava [GRO]
Flight time from the UK: approximately 2 hours
Barcelona Temperature Chart : | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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| Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 11 |
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Average daily temperature °C
Beaches in Barcelona: The city beaches are not much used. Better options can be found a train ride away at Mataro and Sitges.
Shopping in Barcelona: Something to suit all tastes and pockets. Top shopping areas include Placa de Catalunya, Passeig de Gracia (Eixample) and the Diagonal business area. A choice of shopping centres and department stores, including Maremagnum, a large shopping and leisure complex at the Old Port. Small, characterful shops in the Gothic Quarter and El Raval, with Las Ramblas and Portal de l'Angel the liveliest thoroughfares. Watch out for the "Shopping Line" signs which guide pedestrians around the prime shopping areas; for those too tired to walk, the "Tombus" plies a round-trip shopping route from Placa de Catalunya. Various markets including colourful food, flower and bird markets in Las Ramblas, Els Encants flea market in Placa de Glories (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat) and an antiques market in the Gothic Quarter every Thurs.
Eating out in Barcelona: Full of restaurants of varying quality, with a good selection of upmarket options and a wealth of relatively cheap eateries – including tapas bars – but rather lacking in the mid-price range. Choice of Catalan or international cuisines (French, Italian, Japanese, Thai, Mexican and Chinese); usual fast-food outlets. Lots of alfresco dining in the Gothic Quarter to the north of Las Ramblas. Fish is a speciality, best around the port area. Wherever you dine, make it clear early on if you want a pause between courses or your meal will be over within 30 mins. Lunch is around 2pm; dinner starts from 9pm, with most restaurants serving until after midnight.
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Disclaimer:
By its very nature much of the information in our destination guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they are relying with the relevant authorities. Corona Holidays [UK] Limited cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.
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