If there is one place capable of conjuring up an equally strong image in everybody´s mind, irrespective of one´s own interests, it is the name “Barcelona” that perhaps provides the most diverse mix. Say the word and you might think football, music by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé, the Olympics, the iconic buildings, the protests, whatever picture your mind paints, the name epitomises a place that really does have something for everyone.
As the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1.6 million, the vast expanse of Barcelona covers a considerable space of land in Catalonia, but with most of the main attractions concentrated in one area, plus extensive and frequent public transport networks, it is very easy to get around and explore both the main places of interest, and those a little off the beaten track.
There is no question that one of the biggest and most popular attractions in the city of Barcelona is the Sagrada Família, a tall and imposing Roman Catholic church, designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Although unfinished, the building is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You have to pay to go inside, but as a “place to see before you die”, it is certainly worth the cost, but to cut down on waiting in the huge queues, booking online is an option, where a quick printout of a boarding-pass style bar code eases you straight through the automatic barriers.
Second on our list of attractions is the Park Güell, where tickets can once again be booked on-line, a vast inner city garden area with a range of architectural features and buildings, including the home of Antoni Gaudí himself, who designed and built the park between the years 1900 and 1914.
Back into the city and one of the most famous streets in the whole of Spain is La Rambla, an almost perfectly straight stretch of 1.2 kilometres of road and central walkway that leads from the Plaça de Catalunya in the centre, to the Christopher Columbus Monument at Port Vell. Although the street does have a reputation for pick-pockets and minor crime, a huge increase in law enforcement presence, and more vigilant tourists, avoiding the “friendly” hugs and distractions, has had an impact on reducing the number of instances.
Just off La Rambla is La Boqueria, or the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria, to give it its full name. Odd that a market could become a tourist attraction, the flood of colour and smells that tease the senses are perhaps one of the reasons this place has become so popular, as the local shopper mix with the tourists all eager to buy something from the stalls.
Our final attraction is also just off La Rambla, and also perhaps unusual to be an attraction, as all it is in its most basic form is a pub. Hidden alongside the museum of wax is the El Bosc de les Fades, and it is the very moment you walk through the doors that the enchantment of the forest welcomes you. With historic artefacts on display, a waterfall cascading through the tree-lined rooms, you are instantly transported to another world, albeit if only for the time it takes to order and consume your drinks.
With the people of Catalonia knowing the value of tourism, it is no wonder that in the main they go out of their way to cater to the every need of their visitors. With a friendly and welcoming approach, and many of them speaking English, Barcelona should be top of the list of places to visit, even if we have only just scratched the surface of the wonder of a city for all.
Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/43666/
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