Advantages: Multicultural, pleasant and warm Disadvantages: None
Barcelona is Spain's 2nd city, after the capital MADRID, but is one of the most popular of all European cities, experiencing a mushroom of interest following the Olympic games that were hosted in the city in 1992. The city is however the CAPITAL of the Catalonia region of Spain, which is one of 17 autonomous communities in Spain. It has the 2nd largest inhabitant rate in Spain with almost 7 million residents.
Barcelona is located on the North East ... ...~~~~~~
Airport: ~~~~~~
Barcelona airport is a very modern and clean airport with two main terminals A and B. The airport is not too expansive and very well signposted within. There are a number of retail outlets beyond customs, from small bars and restaurants to boutique outlets and fashion stores selling labels such as Paul Smith, Hugo Boss, Nike, Prada, Gucci, and Calvin Klein.
The airport is located to the south of the city, but is not typical ...
newty1977 15.05.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: *Great transport *Attractions for everyone, any age, any interest *City and beach Disadvantages: *Food prices/quality in the centre *Very busy in peak seasons
...Information == The city of Barcelona stands in the heart of the Catalonia region in the east of Spain. Being the 2nd largest Spanish city, it boasts both the fast-paced city atmosphere yet also an open coastline with sandy beaches. Hotels can be found all across the city to suit everyone's tastes and ideal locations - may I recommend the Hotel Balmes on Calle Mallorca as a very good value 3 star hotel in a great location for the average tourist like ... ...as a shuttle bus between Barcelona Airport and the city centre on a regular basis (I'd say at least 2 per hour). Just make sure that for the journey back you know which terminal you need, otherwise you could have a bit of a walk... Not that I'm speaking from experience at all... == Language == Everyone speaks Spanish as a native language, but the locals tend to converse in their regional language of Catalan - it's a little like Spanish and Portuguese ...
enumb 01.09.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: Wonderful city with loads to see and do. Disadvantages: Can get hot and crowded in summer. Watch your valuables!
...cooler, quieter months. Barcelona is located by the Mediterranean, at the north eastern end of the Spanish coastline. The city of Barcelona has a population of 1,510,000, but this number increases to more than 4,000,000 if the outlying areas are also included. Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain in both size and population. It is also the capital of Catalonia, an Autonomous Region within Spain. There are two official languages spoken in ... ...state of the art buildings. Barcelona is a city for everyone! There are shops, museums, sporting facilities, a beach and street entertainment to visit during the day. By night there are many bars, discos and leisure facilities. My friend lived there for a year as part of a nursing exchange programme and said she always felt welcome and at home there. My favourite places are the buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi. Over the last one hundred or so years ...
tange 30.07.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: The climate is wonderful, the people are friendly. The scenery is glorious and the culture and history fascinating Disadvantages: None
Barcelona is wonderful city on the coast of Spain. Its history can be traced back thousands of years, it was a Roman colony in the second century BC and has a very rich cultural heritage. It is the capital of the land Catalonia, which has politically always struggled against the regime of Madrid. The residents or 'Catalans' are fiercely proud of their history and independence. For centuries its port has been an important centre for Spanish commerce. ... ...about 4 million. Barcelona is on the Mediterranean coast with four kilometres of excellent beaches in the town and surrounding area. This means the climate is pleasant all year round. Average temperatures between June to September never drop below 20C and the average temperature in November is still 16C!
Arguably the most famous district in Spain is the 'Ramblas'. This is a series of five separate streets which form to create an exquisite tree lined ...
Si-Tunes 14.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: ooh... far too many Disadvantages: the usual... don't forget to keep watching out for your wallet etc... tourists are so vulnerable
I went to Barcelona last June, expecting it to be hot, touristy, and really not my kind of city. But I was pleasantly surprised. Although it was hot almost the whole time we were there, it wasn't unbearable, and made a nice change from the weather we have here in the UK.
We stayed in a 3 star hotel, close to one of the metro stops, which was great for getting to the centre of the city. The hotel itself was okay, the rooms were fairly big and the ... ...interest, including the Futbol Club Barcelona and some of the popular shopping streets.
One of which is worth a mention... La Rambla. Possibly the most weird shopping street I've been to (although I have to admit I haven't been out of the UK much...) - it had loads of shops/restaurants/museums and a market selling all kinds of animals. But as a tourist I recommend you keep a very close watch over your belongings - a friend of mine had her wallet ...
carys 30.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: architecture, food, scenery, transport Disadvantages: petty street crime
I was in Barcelona for a 4 day trip last month and what an absolutely gorgeous city it is. It helped of course that it was in the upper 20s temperature wise, even though it was towards the end of October. Beats the single figure temperature in Scotland any day! It was part of a package deal through citybreaks.co.uk but there are so many cheap flights through various carriers that it would be easy to make it a very cheap & cheerful few days staying ... ...to navigate our way round Barcelona quite successfully. There are a variety of passes that you can buy which will give you unlimited travel on the network, and pretty much guarantees to get you to every major sight that you'll want to visit. Working out stations and lines is also simple, and there are plenty of maps that tell you where the major sights are so you get off at the right station. The architecture is stunning, and of course a visit to ...
corman 27.11.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: So much to see Disadvantages: Finding somewhere to stay
Barcelona is only 2-hour flight away and the fare including tax is only around £100 or less... What are you doing this weekend?
Come to the beautiful seafront of Barcelona and enjoy the gentle sea breeze of Mediterranean Sea. You can even ride a cable car over the modern habour of Barcelona. It will take you to the clean sandy beaches (St Sebastia) just beyond the habour. The cable car also goes to a hill (Montjuic) where you'll find the vast Olympic ... ...appreciate the panoramic view of Barcelona city. To go down from Montjuic to street level, try the funicular railway (Funicular de Montjuic) or just walk down the long stairway of Palau Nacional.
Away from the seafront, there is a modern street market (La Rambla) with market stalls selling local handicrafts, fresh flowers, and live exotic pets. Barcelona has a long and rich history; you'll be amazed by the mystical Gothic Quarter (Barri Gotic) nearby. ...
LBoy 03.04.2001 (08.05.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: Great architecture and so so much to do Disadvantages: street crime
A weekend in Barcelona is just not long enough. There is so much to do! As you'd expect from the home of Gaudi, it's full of culture for all those art and architechure lovers. You must see the Sagrada Familia. One of Gaudi's most famous buildings, it was not completed in his lifetime so men and machines are still at work today. Other must sees are the Cathedral in the Gothic Quarter and the Casa Mila. You can enter the cathedral at certain times, ... ...Gaudi is everywhere. Barcelona is also on the coast so there is a harbour and a beach a short distance outside of the centre of the city for those that like to be near the sea. There is entertainment for young and old. The aquarium is really good for kids having one of those travelators that runs through a tunnel while the sharks swim over your head, and the zoo although not my favourite place, is home to a rare albino gorilla who is amazing to see. ...
LouZ 21.02.2003 (30.04.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: gorgeous climate, quick and easy to get too and has something to offfer everyone Disadvantages: language barrier could be an issue and isn't ideal for a beach holiday
I have only visited Barcelona once, just over a year ago, with a group of my closest friends. I organised, and booked, a week long break for me and 8 of my closest friends to Barcelona in July 2004, and I have never had a more enjoyable holiday.
There is so much to say about Barcelona that it is hard to know where to start, but the most obvious point I suppose would be the travel links and it's accessibility as a location. Well personally I found ... ...of the obvious attractions about Barcelona has to be it's climate. During our stay the weather was truly impressive the nights were balmy and comfortable and the days were perfect for either lazing on the beach or doing a bit of sightseeing. Although, it has to be said that over our 6 day stay there were a few moments, usually around midday, that the heat did start to become a bit too much. However with the useful combination of both sea and sand, ...
kayleigh07 18.01.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: great cultural diversity and cosmopolitan Disadvantages: none
...they have about Spain - Barcelona is another world!
As you might know Barcelona is situated in Catalunya (Spain is divided in many regions and Catalunya is one of them). Each region has their own cultural background, customs, traditions and some speak other languages. Catalunya is very different from the rest of the regions in Spain and Barcelona is its capital.
If you went to Barcelona and were expecting to see some bullfighting or flamenco dancing, ... ...instincts.
Olympic Route
Barcelona held the Olympics in 1992 (who doesn't remember the song sang by Freddy Mercury and Montserrat Caballe), this was a great honor for Spain and for Catalunya and whole a new infrastructure was constructed in the city. A must see is the Olympic stadium, at the top of Monjuic mountain. In this mountain you will also find "The Fundacio Joan Miro" museum and the "Military Museum". The view from Monjuic is breathtaking.
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nicolavidal 23.11.2000 (19.01.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: lots to see, lots to do..... Disadvantages: pick pockets and not being able to speak Spanish..
I had preconceived ideas about Barcelona being a very middle, upper class city and a reputation not unlike that of St Tropez. In reality, it is a thriving cosmopolitan mixture of artistic, architectural, cultural influence where all walks of life coincide. Go to the Placa Reial – a tree-lined Square in the centre of town – bustling with tourists, expensive diners, clubbers, barflies, street performers and dodgy geezers (and lots of people trying ... ...are interesting – some reminiscent of Soho but I wouldn’t like to walk down them alone.
I would recommend staying on the Ramblas (Barcelona’s famous pedestrian walkway in the centre of town) An excellent place to people watch and breathe the atmosphere. (We stayed in the Ramblas Hotel *** which was £80 a night ex tax. but includes breakfast. Clean, comfortable, good service and we had a very large terrace) Be very careful of your belongings here, ...
tamara 08.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: So much to do.. Fantastic City Disadvantages: Pick Pockets... and not enough time to do everything!
...While on your visit to Barcelona this is a must see place. It is so different to anything I've seen, lined with small shops/stalls selling a variety of things, from flowers and birds to those little souvenirs we all like to take home. Also while you walk down La Rambla you will see many human statues dressed in costumes of all colours of the rainbow. Some will even give a display if you put a few coins into their pot. Situated at the bottom of La ... ...well. While in Barcelona I visited my first Art Gallery - Picasso. I was pleasantly surprised as to what it was like. There were far more pictures than I expected, ranging from his teenage years right through his life. Some really get you thinking about what was going through his mind at the time… but I'll leave that for you to go and see for yourself. Worth a look even with the quite lengthy queue, don't be put off though, it moved quite fast.
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click2start 20.11.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: An historic, atmospheric, exciting, culturally bombarded, beautiful city Disadvantages: The heat can be extreme
...heat burns, silence befalls...
Barcelona offers everything you could want. There are wonderful restaurants off the plaza's around the Ramblas area, there are vibrant activities: jugglers, dancers, there is peace, in the many gardens, beside the port. Barcelona of course is emersed in culture, with the Gaudi buildings, the fantastic Gaudi park (though I advise you go in the late afternoon or early morning or the heat can be unbearable) and the nearby ... ...a short train ride from Barcelona will take you along the coast, to deserted sandy coves.
Barcelona is stooped in history and atmosphere, on the backstreet walls are bullet holes where Franco is said to have assasinated many. It is this city's recent escape from dictatorship that gives you the feeling that freedom is so embraced and celebrated. Catalans are proud of their culture and flags drape down beside washing from balconies high up the plaza's.
...
EmmBaz 21.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: Everything you could wish for - diversity. Disadvantages: Pick-pockets in some areas, and too hot in August
Barcelona is one of the richest cultural cities in Europe, with something for everyone, from the art enthusiast who would appreciate the Gaudí architecture to the football fanatic for whom a visit to the Nou Camp is like a trip to Mecca. If you have never been to Barcelona, I would recommend you do so. Having lived there for a year, I can honestly say I have never been anywere like it, nor have I yet seen the half of it! It has the beach, the mountains, ...
simonc 14.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Barcelona in general
Advantages: Some good buildings Disadvantages: polluted, dirty, fur and bones
Barcelona!!!! So good, somebody wrote a song about it. Well at least that's what I thought! I had heard so many brilliant reviews, and I was expecting a lot from this city. I myself am an architecture student, and was interested in seeing the work of Antonio Gaudi there. Well, the architecture was dissapointing. Finding them, and your general way about the city was a nightmare! That was just one problem. We hadn't realised how dirty and polluted ... ...several miles out of the city, round the bay a bit. From out campsite, we should have had a great view of the city. Instead, all we could see was a cloud of smog in its place. We went to the beach near our campsite, to find litter floating in the sea, and it just being generally mirky. We didn't think much of the cuisine either. My friend thought he'd be adventurous and order something that he had no clue what it was. He ended up with a plate of ...
jackseth 27.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Barcelona in general
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