Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, which is an autonomous community of Spain. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations, and economic and cultural-sports centres in the world. The whole of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area has a population of 5 million.
It is situated on the Mediterranean coast between the Llobregat and Besos river mouths, and therefore has a Mediterranean climate which consists of hot, dry summers and mild winters.
Here you will find a mini travel guide on some of the major areas of Barcelona.
Ciutat Vella
Ciutat Vella is Barcelona’s old city, and at the centre of it is the Barri Gotic, which is Catalan for Gothic Quarter. The buildings here date back Medieval and even Roman times. It is a fascinating place to visit as you get right in the heart of its history, and can see the old, beautiful, and unique Catalan architecture.
Barceloneta and the Ports
The seafront of Barcelona was completely transformed in 1992 in preparation for the Olympic games. Today it is favoured by tourists for its quirky shops, brilliant nightlife and exquisite dining choices, in particular its vast area of top sea food restaurants.
Some of the most popular restaurants here are Le Mar Salada, mainly a paella restaurant, Can Sole, a real sea food lovers restaurant, and Negro Carbon, which is known for it’s tapas.
Eixample
Eixample, which translates as Expansion, is literally just that, an expansion. It is situated between the old city and what used to be surrounding small towns. If you were to look at it from above, you will immediately notice that Eixample looks just like a grid, as it is made up of long, straight streets and square blocks. When in this area you will also notice its unique, modernist architecture.
