BARCELONA SPAIN VACATIONS
By Nadia Ali
Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, home to about 1.6
million people and is the second largest city of Spain. In the
past few years, Barcelona has become one of the top tourist
destinations in the world. Listed below are a few of the reasons
why.
BARCELONA ATTRACTIONS
Sagrada Família
Designed by architect Antonio Gaudi, this Gothic Cathedral
has been under construction since 1882 and work is still in
progress. Since it is one of Barcelona’s most famous
attractions, there are always crowds and long lines waiting to
get a glimpse of a building revered by the World of
Architecture for it’s intricate carvings, stone work and overall
design.
http://www.sagradafamilia.org/eng/principal.htm
La Pedrera
Completed in 1910, La Pedrera (Casa Mila) is at the
intersection with Carrer de Provença. It is primarily an
apartment block, but it’s like no other you have seen. It is
simply an unconventional building, supported on columns of
stone and brick, incorporating curved walls and intricate
wrought iron balconies. Restored in 1996 it hosts a variety of
exhibitions and cultural events. The building houses a museum
dedicated to the life and work of Gaudi.
Barcelona Cathedral
Dominating the centre of the old town, Barcelona Cathedral
is visually stunning with its Gothic look and remaining elements
of Romanesque. It is also known as Plaça de la Seu and was
dedicated to the Christian martyr whose tomb is located in the
crypt beneath the high altar. Once inside, you are greeted by a
burbling fountain. You can either go to the elevator first, that
takes you to the terrace (for a small fee) to see the view or
you can take the steps down towards the crypt where you can
see the impressive resting place of St. Eulalia. Be sure to
check out the intricately carved choir stalls.
Las Ramblas
This was once the only place where flowers were sold in
Barcelona. Today, it is home to a variety of goods along the
tree-lined pedestrian area which runs from Plaza Catalunya to
Barcelona’s port district. There are five different boulevards
that come alive with pavement performers, artists, and even
the odd flamenco dancers. There is a great deal to see and do
here during the daytime or night.
The Prado Museum
Locally known as the Museu Nacional del Prado, it features art
collections of Fernando VII and other Royals, including
renowned works by Diego Velázquez. El Greco, Fra Angelico,
Raphael, Bosch and Rubens can also be found on exhibit
here. There are about 19,000 pieces in total to peruse by
yourself or with a guided tour. Other activities are provided to
keep kids occupied. Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am-7pm.
http://museoprado.mcu.es
L’Aquairum de Barcelona
The Barcelona Aquarium is a very popular Barcelona
attraction to visit. The aquarium offers over 11,000 living
species to see from various Mediterranean islands. A popular
attraction is the 80m walk-through transparent tunnel with sea
life swimming above you. It is located at Port Vell ( Barcelona
Port Area).
http://www.aquariumbcn.com
Barcelona FC Museum
The ultimate football fans paradise with wall-to-wall trophies,
pictures and statues of football heroes. There are various
sections such as the history, art gallery, and the Col·lecció
Futbolart - Pablo Ornaque where you can view a private
collection of football memorabilia. Tickets for the museum are
separate to the stadium, so make sure you buy dual tickets if
you want to go behind the scenes to the changing rooms and
VIP section.
Barcelona Zoo
Based in the Parc de la Ciutadella, the Barcelona Zoo offers
a wide variety of animals along with a restaurant, picnic area,
shop, electric cars, ponies and a mini-train. There is an
additional fee to see the section that houses dangerous
animals. The zoo is fairly large, but you can pay extra for mini
jeeps to get around to all the exhibits.
http://www.zoobarcelona.com/
The Picasso Museum
Located in Montcado, the Picasso Museum first opened its
doors in 1963 in the former Aguilar Palace. It is home to the
most important and exhaustive collections of Picasso’s works,
with exhibits between 1895 and 1904. The paintings are
exhibited in chronological order from his early work to his final
piece. It offers art enthusiasts a fascinating insight into the
development of Picasso as you see his work evolve from a
child painter to the adult genius that he is regarded as today.
http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es/
Parc Guell
Unlike other parks where fauna is generally the reason to visit,
this park has mosaics, stonework, a museum and an
interesting terrace area. The entrance has a welcoming,
colorful iguana fountain covered in exquisite tiles and glass
mosaic work, which reflects the want of creator Eusebi Güell to
make a park for the aristocracy.
By Nadia Ali
Barcelona is the capital city of Catalonia, home to about 1.6
million people and is the second largest city of Spain. In the
past few years, Barcelona has become one of the top tourist
destinations in the world. Listed below are a few of the reasons
why.
BARCELONA ATTRACTIONS
Sagrada Família
Designed by architect Antonio Gaudi, this Gothic Cathedral
has been under construction since 1882 and work is still in
progress. Since it is one of Barcelona’s most famous
attractions, there are always crowds and long lines waiting to
get a glimpse of a building revered by the World of
Architecture for it’s intricate carvings, stone work and overall
design.
http://www.sagradafamilia.org/eng/principal.htm
La Pedrera
Completed in 1910, La Pedrera (Casa Mila) is at the
intersection with Carrer de Provença. It is primarily an
apartment block, but it’s like no other you have seen. It is
simply an unconventional building, supported on columns of
stone and brick, incorporating curved walls and intricate
wrought iron balconies. Restored in 1996 it hosts a variety of
exhibitions and cultural events. The building houses a museum
dedicated to the life and work of Gaudi.
Barcelona Cathedral
Dominating the centre of the old town, Barcelona Cathedral
is visually stunning with its Gothic look and remaining elements
of Romanesque. It is also known as Plaça de la Seu and was
dedicated to the Christian martyr whose tomb is located in the
crypt beneath the high altar. Once inside, you are greeted by a
burbling fountain. You can either go to the elevator first, that
takes you to the terrace (for a small fee) to see the view or
you can take the steps down towards the crypt where you can
see the impressive resting place of St. Eulalia. Be sure to
check out the intricately carved choir stalls.
Las Ramblas
This was once the only place where flowers were sold in
Barcelona. Today, it is home to a variety of goods along the
tree-lined pedestrian area which runs from Plaza Catalunya to
Barcelona’s port district. There are five different boulevards
that come alive with pavement performers, artists, and even
the odd flamenco dancers. There is a great deal to see and do
here during the daytime or night.
The Prado Museum
Locally known as the Museu Nacional del Prado, it features art
collections of Fernando VII and other Royals, including
renowned works by Diego Velázquez. El Greco, Fra Angelico,
Raphael, Bosch and Rubens can also be found on exhibit
here. There are about 19,000 pieces in total to peruse by
yourself or with a guided tour. Other activities are provided to
keep kids occupied. Open Tuesday to Saturday 9am-7pm.
http://museoprado.mcu.es
L’Aquairum de Barcelona
The Barcelona Aquarium is a very popular Barcelona
attraction to visit. The aquarium offers over 11,000 living
species to see from various Mediterranean islands. A popular
attraction is the 80m walk-through transparent tunnel with sea
life swimming above you. It is located at Port Vell ( Barcelona
Port Area).
http://www.aquariumbcn.com
Barcelona FC Museum
The ultimate football fans paradise with wall-to-wall trophies,
pictures and statues of football heroes. There are various
sections such as the history, art gallery, and the Col·lecció
Futbolart - Pablo Ornaque where you can view a private
collection of football memorabilia. Tickets for the museum are
separate to the stadium, so make sure you buy dual tickets if
you want to go behind the scenes to the changing rooms and
VIP section.
Barcelona Zoo
Based in the Parc de la Ciutadella, the Barcelona Zoo offers
a wide variety of animals along with a restaurant, picnic area,
shop, electric cars, ponies and a mini-train. There is an
additional fee to see the section that houses dangerous
animals. The zoo is fairly large, but you can pay extra for mini
jeeps to get around to all the exhibits.
http://www.zoobarcelona.com/
The Picasso Museum
Located in Montcado, the Picasso Museum first opened its
doors in 1963 in the former Aguilar Palace. It is home to the
most important and exhaustive collections of Picasso’s works,
with exhibits between 1895 and 1904. The paintings are
exhibited in chronological order from his early work to his final
piece. It offers art enthusiasts a fascinating insight into the
development of Picasso as you see his work evolve from a
child painter to the adult genius that he is regarded as today.
http://www.museupicasso.bcn.es/
Parc Guell
Unlike other parks where fauna is generally the reason to visit,
this park has mosaics, stonework, a museum and an
interesting terrace area. The entrance has a welcoming,
colorful iguana fountain covered in exquisite tiles and glass
mosaic work, which reflects the want of creator Eusebi Güell to
make a park for the aristocracy.
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