Barcelona
The first thought that comes to mind when you hear the word Barcelona – it’s something special! It is one of Europe’s must-see cities. Like Prague, Paris, London and Rome. Straight away,
I can’t even say many more similar cities in terms of the added value of the trip. The list can then be continued with Venice, Florence, Vienna, Amsterdam, Budapest and so on. This is, of course, my list and it may be different for everyone, but one thing is clear: Barcelona is a must-see place.
About the city
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, with a population of just over one and a half million people and, together with the surrounding areas (almost 5 million people), it is the second largest populated area in Spain. And of course – Barcelona is a seaside city on the Mediterranean coast.
Catalonia is an autonomous region of Spain and differs from central Spain in many ways. Catalonia even has two official languages, Catalan and Spanish.
The origins of Barcelona can be traced back to the beginning of our era when the Romans came there, but it is best known for its houses designed by the architect Antonio Gaudi rather than the Romans. Pablo Picasso also lived in Barcelona but later moved to Paris.
Barcelona did not start to develop until the very end of the nineteenth century, so it can be considered a modern city. The city also has many other cultural and historical sites, several of which (about eight in total) are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. And of course, as it should be in Spain, the food there is great – just because of the restaurants and cafes, it is worth going there.
Getting around
The best way to get to Barcelona is to fly there. Barcelona Airport is the largest on the Mediterranean coast and from the city can be reached by train, metro or bus; it is just 17 kilometres away. We used the subway and it was very convenient and simple. By the way, the bus (Aerobus) from the airport to the city return ticket costs just over 10 euros (you have to make your return within 15 days).
The Barcelona metro is very convenient, so being in the city, we used it the most to get to different places where we did not want to walk. We also used bus services a bit. The best deal is to buy a T10 ticket, which is intended for ten trips within the first zone of the city and is suitable for any mode of transport travelling in this zone. Tickets can be purchased at any metro station.
By the way, the subway works from five in the morning until midnight, but on Fridays until two o’clock after midnight. The price of a T10 ticket in 2021 was 11.2 euros.
What to see
On the first day, we went to the cathedral Sagrada Família (holy family), which, of course, was designed by Gaudi. This building is the culmination of his talent. The architect worked on the project for almost the last ten years of his life.
The queue at the entrance was not very long in the morning, however it was not possible to get inside right away – we had to wait for our turn. The interior of the cathedral is fantastic.
The overall feeling was a bit spoiled by the fact that we didn’t climb up the tower; in case of bad weather (wind, fog) this attraction is cancelled (money, of course, we got back).
It should be mentioned that without prior reservation it is practically impossible to climb the tower because there are many more people willing to get there than the opportunities to get there.
Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s main street, has certainly been heard by many even if you have not visited Barcelona. You can walk along it for a long time and always see something interesting. Las Ramblas starts at Plaça de Catalunya and goes all the way to the sea.
Undoubtedly, one of the most popular places in the city, apart from architectural masterpieces, is the square Plaça de Catalunya. There are fountains, sculptures and lawns. And there is a special story about city parks. Without even looking specifically for one, we turned into several and the views were amazing! Trees, lawns, canals, buildings, fountains – fantastic!
Accommodation
Hotel prices in Barcelona are quite high, but we chose to rent an apartment again and it paid off, because we ate, came and went when we wanted to. This was especially good when we came home very late in the evenings. The city in the evenings is very attractive and everybody wants to spend time there as much as possible.